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HorneClub, lrc. celebrated thb opening of a new Visalia, Ca., store with ribbon cutting on March 23 . . Home Depot opened'.,at'..sfbiieiirin,,r:Tri-City Corporate Center, San Bernardino, Ca. Costco has a 30,000 sq. ft. homg,.,:,impr6tem€nt department inl 'litsr ' r,igw.''$eat{e,eentef , Seattle, Wa.,store....

trade junki Lumkr'Cu

(see P..23'r i:r,i ',,','.,,:,,N,blth:li|,,nd,:,C edar, /trc., U kiah, C.A.lil' ii$.i;,61;'new,.' rpholesaler/retailer, Selling'rrr sidi{gr;'r.:decking, paneling, etC,;li;l,,owrteii,l' Doug and Rob Resmu,ss,en' .'.,.,Suncrest Forest Industries, llledfbrd, 0r., opened a branch oflice in Portland, Or., with Jack Mclean speeializing in, exports and government sales.

Baise Cascade, Boise, Id., expects a loss of $ 1 6 ntillion in its first qu.arte'r,,. .'. Patlatch Corp, wood..,productq,9{0up, San Francis0otiCAe:;:4nlticipates lower first q-aiiei:,l:tbain,in,gs re{Iecting the costs'l.of.:1tn,t',.eei!y. retirement progr,&|11.t::',',;'til',t,:.l,,ifig:i. fg'tron, Id., Sawmill:r;;'l'rt:r'rlirlrr':":il' r'

Utah, Nevada, Idaho: We have a name for your customers

April

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club - Aprit 12, day at the races, Santa Anita Racetrack, Arcadia, Ca.

San Joaquin Valley Hoo-Hoo Club - April 12, Casino Night, Kingsburg Gun Club, Kingsburg, Ca.

West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau - April 12, annual meeting, Red Lion Lloyd Center, Portland, Or.

American Institute of Timber Construction - April l2-16, annual nreeting, Doubletree Resort, Palm Springs, Ca.

Woodwork Institute of California - April 14, annual meeting, Quail Lodge, Carnrel Valley, Ca.

World Forestry Center - April 16-17, Snrart Wood Products conference, Hilton Hotel, Eugene, Or.

Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association - April 1620, annual convention, Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, Seattle, Wa.

North Cascades Hoo-Hoo Club - April 17, speaker nteeting/ election of directors, Cascade Club, Everett. Wa.

Spokane Hoo-Hoo Club - April 18, nreeting, Spokane, Wa.

Dub's Ltd. - April 19, golf tournament, Castlewood Country Club. Pleasanton, Ca.

Los Angeles Hoo-Hoo Club - April 19, golf & dinner, Azusa Greens Country Club, Azusa, Ca.

Western Hardwoods Forum - April 19, Seattle Marriott SeaTac Airport, Seattle, Wa.

Coast Counties Hoo-Hoo Club - April 21, booth at Earth Day celebration, Toro Park, Salinas, Ca.

Earth Day - April 22.

Roseburg Hoo-Hoo-Ette Club - April 23, nteeting, Roseburg. Or.

NADI 98 - April 27-30, visual marketing show, New York, N.Y.

American Wood Preservers Bureau - April 28-May I, annual meeting, Seattle Sheraton, Seattle. Wa.

May

National Wood Flooring Association - May 7-ll, annual convention, Nugget Hotel, Sparks (Reno), Nv.

Coasl Counties Hoo-Hoo Club - May 8, initiation & election meeting, Surdi's Restaurant, Monterey, Ca.

Western Dry Kiln Association - May 8-10, annual meeting, Sheridan Hotel, Spokane, Wa.

Hannover Fair - May 8-14, Hannover, Germany.

Lumber Association of Southern California - May 9, board meeting, Hacienda Country Club, La Habra Heights, Ca.

North Cascades Hoo-Hoo Club - May 10, annual golf tournament, Bellingham Golf & Country Club, Bellingham, Wa.

Inland Empire Hoo-Hoo Club - May 10-12, annual ladies weekend, Rancho Las Palmas, Rancho Mirage, Ca.

Lumber Merchants Association of Northern CaliforniaMay l0-14, annual convention, Harvey's Resort & Casino, South Lake Tahoe, Nv.

National Hoo-Hoo-Ette Convention - May l7-19, Sheraton, Long Beach, Ca.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - May l922, annual meeting, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.

Sugar pine in 514 and 614, White fi 2x4 and 2x6, and long-lasting Incense cedar. We are the largest producer of pallets in the stateover 6,000 each day. We even make decorative bark and forest humus.

A broad range of quality productsthat's today's Sequoia Forest Industries.

Crr,orn"rs tell us that the consrstent quality of S"qroiu manufactures Ponderosa and the products we make is what keeps them coming back. For more than 40 years they have relied on Sequoia Forest Industries to ensure the lengths and widths are as ordered with no hassles about grade. Our precision cuning standards are the highest in the industry. And our Fresno location means fast, over-night deliveries to ma1or California markets. Job site deliveries when requested.

Benefils Outsell Low Price

Price is not the deciding factor for do-it-yourself shoppers in some categories, a Belter Homes & Gardens consumer panel discovered.

When buying caulks and sealants, most respondents (69%) considered package symbols to help them select the right product the most important factor. Less than 7% thought low price the most important criteria.

Plastic ls Easier To Spend

Not accepting credit cards can cost a retailer both higher sales and customers.

With most customers carrying at least two bankcards and some carrying as many as seven, stores that accept only cash or checks are in the minority. Their excuses that "Our customers don't use bankcards" are usually not valid.

Accepting bankcards can help a home center. While an out of town or even a local customer's check may not be good, his bankcard is acceptable. In addition, figures show that the average bankcard transaction is $59 compared to $35 for checks. Impulse buying and emergency

The Merchant Magazine purchases also are more frequent when they are charged rather than paid for by cash or check.

While the small to average building material retailer may not have the power to negotiate lower bankcard rates on his own, he can keep his processing rates down by joining the bankcard program provided by his lumber and building material association or buying group.

lndustry Management Confab

Western Building Material Association will hold its 27th all industry marketing/management conference April25-26 in Boise, Id., at the Red Lion Downtowner.

Focusing on marketing, the conference will open with "The Possibilities for Positioning" by Theodore Geocarcis, Focus Marketing, Kent, Wa. Round table discussions are scheduled for the afternoon. On the second day, "Financial Management for the Closely Held Business," led by Dennis L. Fowler, will offer case studies on profit and cash flow planning and dealing with a banker.

Chuck Link, retiring executive director, and his wife, Ruth, will be honored at the concluding dinner.

Canada seeks lumber tax relief

Canada's tentative steps to seek termination of its softwood lumber agreement with the U.S. are causing a strong reaction from the U.S. lumber industry.

"The Canadian government should be held to its bargain," C. T. Howlett, Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports chairman, said after Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney raised the question of the tax during President Bush's recent visit to Ottawa.

The four-year-old agreement imposes a 150/o tax on Canadian lumber exports to the U.S. It was put in place by the Canadian government to ease the threat of U.S. countervailing duties. Canada's share of the U.S.

Junk Bonds For Redwood Deal

A deal has been proposed in which junk bonds issued by Pacific Lumber Co. when Maxxam Inc., Houston, Tx., acquired it in 1985 will be traded for Pacific's so-called Headwaters Forest.

California olllcials are negotiating with federal regulators for high yield bonds seized when Columbia Savings and Loan of Beverly Hills failed. After getting the bonds at a deep discount, the state plans to pass them to Maxxam as part of an offer for Pacific Lumber's 2.900 acres of old growth redwoods in Humboldt County, Ca. II an agreement is reached, this will be the first trade of this type in the U.S., although similar transactions have preserved ecologically sensitive land in the Third World.

California governor Pete Wilson, who pledged in his campaign to save old redwoods. is said to favor the deal. California secretary for resources Douglas P. Wheeler and state Rep. Frank f). Riggs are among those negotiating with representatives of Charles E. Hurwitz. the financier who controls Maxxam, the parent of Pacific Lumber.

Correction

The correct number to call for information on the Portland Wholesale Lumbermens Association June 23 golf scramble is (503) 297-4738, not the number shown in last month's story on p. 51.

softwood lumber market has declined from 33% to 2701t since the tax was imposed.

Rationale for eliminating the tax, according to Canada's Trade Minister John Crosbie, is that since the agreement was reached Canadian lumber has become less price competitive in the U.S. because of a 19.4o/o appreciation of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar.

The Coalition for Fair Lumber

Imports maintained at the time the tax was imposed that Canadian lumber mills have been able to buy timber from their provincial governments at "a fraction of similar timber just across the border." The coalition said it will file a breach of agreement complaint if Canada terminates the softwood lumber pact unilaterally. This could bring about duties on Canadian softwood lumber.

British Columbia and Quebec, which account for 90% of Canada's lumber exports, favor rescinding the asreement.

CHOOSE THE PERFECT COMBINATIONDOUGLAS FIR TREATED WITH CHEMONITE:

The marine environment-both salt and fresh water-requires building materials that will withstand tough times. The right wood, pressure treated with the right preservative to the proper penetration and retention has been proven to resist the stress of this environment best. For complete details on Chemonite treated Douglas Fir, including AWPB Quality Control Inspection, contact your authorized Chemonite dealer.

For the one nearest you call or write:

HomeClub Membership Dropped

HomeClub has abandoned its concept of lower prices for members and is now offering the same price to all shoppers.

The $10 memberships for special groups and $15 for others were an impediment, explained James F. Halpin, president of the Fullerton, Ca., based chain. "Contractors didn't like paying to get the lower price and non-members thought they weren't able to shop HomeClub." Stores were open to all, but non-members paid 5olo more.

The company is sending membership rebate checks to I million plus members. Costing about $8.8 million, the refunds will be charged against fourth quarter 1990 earnings, Halpin said.

No changes in pricing are anticipated. HomeClub will continue to have the lowest prices in the industry, Halpin stressed, "lower than Home Depot."

Elimination of membership fees was tested in six markets including Texas prior to the decision to drop them chainwide. After the initial refund expense, management expects to save some in administration costs.

HomeClub plans to add eight stores this year, Halpin said, all in existing markets except for a Toledo, Oh., unit. Stores have been remerchandised over the past five months, adding 5000 SKUs in more upscale merchandise. The changes including expanded kitchen displays target women and casual d-i-yer customers. Print and tv advertising will be used to get word of the changes out to the public.

Meier Sells To Lumbermen's

Lanoga Corp.'s Lumbermen's of Washington Inc., Olympia, Wa., has purchased the 32-year-old, six-store Al Meier Building Centers, Fife, Wa.

The Fife, Gig Harbor, Bonney Lake, Puyallup, Graham and Federal Way, Wa., units took the Lumbermen's name March I, bringing the chain total to 20 stores in Washington and Oregon.

Though Meier will maintain an ofl]ce in Fife to look after other business interests, he is retiring from the lumber industry. "You grow or you have to get out," he said. "Getting financing for our expansion was very tough."

Lumbermen's calls the addition "a very good fit," filling a marketing void for the company in Pierce County, and reportedly plans little change in the store's personnel, operations or inventory.

ls'Treated To Refusal" What You Mpht Think?

It sounds good doesn't it? Like the material has more treatment than needed, but such may not be the case, according to the Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI).

"Treated to Refusal," a term not recognized in industry standards, does not provide the product identification required by building codes. WWPI advises that material identified as "Treated to Refusal" in all likelihood does not have preservative retention required by industry standards, and is not acceptable under building codes.

The Uniform Building Code (UBC) defines pressure-treated wood as wood treated under pressure with strict treatment and quality control requirements with the quality mark of an approved, independent inspection agency.

In defining a quality mark, Paragraph 2505 ofthe Code refers to

UBC standard25-12 based on American Wood Preservers Association (AWPA) standards. The quality mark must show the year treated, type of preservative, minimum preservative retention, intended end use of the product, the standard to which the product was treated and the identity of the approved inspection agency. When stamped on lumber, plywood, or other treated products, the mark certifies that quality control requirements of the UBC standards have been met.

"Treated to Refusal" is not a recognized grade and does not carry the mark of an independent testing agency as required by codes. Due to varying degrees of chemical penetration and retention, the service life of wood treated to refusal is uncertain. Projects using wood identified in this manner may be rejected by building inspectors, WWPI warns.

Some Ins & Outs of TSO

Treating Service Only (TSO) means that the treater pressure treats material provided by a wholesaler or retailer.

The treater is not responsible for the quality of the lumber provided. Treaters are sometimes faced with a request for TSO on difficult to treat species or lumber of a lower grade than the select structural grade commonly used for decking.

In cases such as this, the treater cannot guarantee that the treated material will meet recognized industry standards. It may look the same, but since quality cannot be determined by color, it may be below grade.

The Western Wood Preservers Institute advises dealers and wholesalers to be sure that material provided for TSO is of the proper grade, species and moisture content needed to provide a treated product meeting industry standards.