Wood manufacturers' annual convention

IFHE Spring meeting of the WestI ern Wood Products Association is always a time for the industry to gather, take its pulse and form a diagnosis as to likely business conditions for the balance of the year.

At the manufacturing level, the mills continue to suffer no or low profits, what one wag described as "profitless prosperity." Many of the wholesalers present agreed but noted that their business was neither very good nor very bad, "just kinda going along." Most, however, said that they were in the black, with a rare few enjoying excellent business. The general

Story at a Glance

Restrained mood, moderate attendance...present conditions expected to continue for the rest of '85...1ra L. Liberman elected chairman...fall meeting: San Diego, Ca., September 15.17.

(5) Ed Garrett, John & Karine Myrin. (6) Andy Haynes, Gene Sjostrand, Dwight Curran.

(7) Dick Scheuble, 0wen McKannay, Don Mays, Bob Turner. (8) John Maple, Ron Morton (9) Bruce Fitzgerald, Paul Kaplan, Betty Foster, Bill Scott (10) Larry Grolhues, Craig R0hlfing, "Bart" Bartholomew. ('11)Sharleen Scheuble, Dick & Becky Smallridge. (121 Joanne & Tom Lapinski, Bob Burger. (13) Bill Knudson. Barbara & Frank 0uattrocchi. (14) Dorothy Ann & Dick McKannay, Linda Turner. (15) John de la Montanya, Joe and Jerrv Eoer.

tone of the convention was restrained, the attendance moderate comPared with other years.

Elected new chairman of WWPA was Ira L. Liberman, Duke CitY lPlcusc turn t.) Ttuge 35)

Posts, poles, pilings, timber, crossarms, grapestakes, dimension lumber.

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(Continued from page 3 2) Lumber. Richard B. Parrish, Boise Cascade Corp., was chosen as lst vice chairman; Lee C. Simpson, Louisiana Pacific Corp., 2nd vice chairman. Immediate past chairman is William A. Whelan, Pope & Talbot, Inc. H.A. Roberts, president, was retained as manager of the association.

Throughout most of the convention pickets marched in front of the headquarters St. Francis Hotel, protesting Louisiana Pacific labor practices. One of the convention speakers was John B. Crowell, former L-P lawyer, who was slated to speak on his experiences as former assistant secretary for natural resources & environment, in charge of, among other things, the National Forests.

When he stepped to the podium at the luncheon the curtains behind him mysteriously parted to reveal a huge red banner boldly proclaiming: "Don't buy L-P Products. " The unflappable Crowell turned and looked, laughed and proceeded to give his speech as WWPA's "Mac" Epley quickly busied himself getting the curtains closed.

In his speech Crowell related his ef- forts to expand the flow of timber from the National Forests and the frustrations and successes he enjoyed. While he was able to achieve an increase in the supply of timber, some of the final decisions regarding roadless areas and the like will be years in coming.

He urged the industry to give up some of its public housing and forest research programs as a contribution to cutting the federal deficit. The pay off to this, he said, would be downward pressure on interest rates.

In his closing he noted that after foul years of public service he doubted that he would return to the capital, knowing what he now knows of the ways of Washington, D.C.

H.A. "Bob" Roberts, in his traditional convention forecast of industry conditions, said that "western lumber producers can expect to experience more adjustments in 1985; however, the long term outlook is optimistic. "

U.S. demand for lumber in 1985 should be 43 billion board feet, about the same as in 1984, while lumber imports from Canada will make up 3090 of the U.S. consumption in 1985, he estimated.

"Some 13 billion board feet of

Canadian lumber will come across the border into the U.S. It will take some concerted action to stem that tide in 1985, either through congressional action or by the activities of the U.S. and Canadian government trade talks. "

While western lumber demand is expected to be strong, wood products companies will still face difficulties, Roberts added.

"It looks like the industry will again be converting a lot of trees into usable products without the prospects of major improvements to the bottom line and I expect we will continue to see more production adjustmentsa euphemism for mill closures throughout 1985," he said.

Roberts said western producers, including those in the Washington and Oregon coastal regions, will probably recapture some midwest markets in 1985, thanks to deregulation in the railroad industry.

Looking to the future, Roberts said there are better times ahead for the industry.

"This industry will not only survive, but prosper. Surely the survivors

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WWPA

(Continued from page 35) will be the stronger. Productivity has and is improving markedly. New technology and better management are becoming more evident. C-osts have been pared, leaving 'lean and mean' companies," he said. ln committee actions, the marketing services committee embarked on the second year of their ambitious plan to develop new markets. Their new budget of $3 million includes more than $500,000 for export expenditures.

"The challenges facing the industry are formidable, but they are being addressed. This industry is and will be a major contributor to the economy of the western states and the nation."

The executive committee resolved that WWPA "expresses its deep concern about the critical problem of excess Canadian softwood imports and urges speedy reduction of such volumes to historic levels or market share through government-to-government negotiations."

The economic services committee had earlier noted that correction of lumber production statistics in the U.S. had lowered the Canadian share from 33.490 to 30.190 in 1983 and from 32.40/o to 3l 9o of the U.S. market in 1984.

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Show To Offer Marketing Help

"We are pleased to welcome back the Retail Concepts Center at the 1985 Hardware Industry Week/National Hardware Show," announced William P. Farrell, executive director of American Hardware Manufacturers Association. "At the Retail Concepts Center, retailers, wholesalers and other hardlines buyers will find refreshing ideas. These new concepts will re-vitalize their merchandise display and increase the productivity of their sales floor."

Part of the educational program sponsored by the association, the center was developed by the National Retail Hardware Association and the Home Center Institute under the sponsorship of the American Hardware Association.

A full staff of NRHA/HCI professionals will be on hand to give visitors at the Retail Concepts Center ideas on getting a competitive edge through better merchandising. Visitors to the center can talk with a professional individually. These people can give individual solutions to a unique problem in merchandising, store layout or store design. They can show how the solution works with the pictures, charts and layouts, which graphically illustrate strong merchandising displays and ideas.

To assure the best access for retailers, wholesalers and buyers alike, the center will be moving from the Lower Level of McCormick Place to the Mall Level within the same building and will be open August 12-15 during show hours at McCormick Place.

Other educational programs in Hardware Industry Week/National Hardware Show include the New Products Exposition, the Packaging Exposition, and a full schedule of seminars given by the AHMA with the help of the participating associations for the benefit of all visitors.

Berger & Co. Acquired

Berger & Co., a trading company based in San Francisco, Ca., has been acquired by giant Conagra, Inc., which last year had sales of $3.3 billion. No sales price was revealed for closely-held Berger & Co.

While primarily a trader in edible peas and beans, as well as chemicals, fertilizer, birdseed and metals, Berger has a forest products division in Sacramento, Ca., that deals in wholesale softwoods, mouldings, millwork, agricultural wood products plus plywood and particleboard. The division, which is managed by veteran lumberman Robert Glatt, is also a west coast distributor of CF&I steel products. Conagra's policy is autonomous management of its various divisions and no changes are planned. Berger & Co. last year had sales over $80 million.

Roofing Ma*et To Grow 5%

The total roofing market will exceed $7.5 billion in 1985, a 590 growth rate over 1984, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association. Residential work is projected at $2.25 billion or 3090 of the total market.

In announcing the growth of the roofing market, president Wayne Mullis noted, "The business turnaround of 1984 should continue this year, buoyed by stabilized interest rates and a surge in new building construction, especially in the southeast, southwest and western portions of the United States."