New processes, products jack up treated sales

lltOOD TREATING is an evolving ff industry, always seekingnew ways and new products to better serve the consumer. As a retailer, you ride along with them, seeking increasing sales and margins with improved merchandise and specialty items.

In the year since our last pressure treated special issue, we've kept you up to date on numerous changes in the industry. The ones discussed in this story are the latest, eitherjust in effect or about to be.

The retailer and the consumer will probably never see one of the latest high tech developments in pressure treating, but they will benefit from the results-clean, competitively priced treated products. Osmose Wood Preserving Co. has developed a computerized process controller with data re- trieval capabilities to replace operator controlled, manual plants built in prior yeafs.

Total automation of the treating process and its capability of being monitored by engineers at Osmose headquarters makes this a user friendly system, an Osmose spokesman ex-

Story at a Glance

How a retailercan benefitfrom high tech developments in treating computer produces superior product.

accessory product endorsements for project selling, cross merchandising, selling up. (916) plains. Since each system is connected via modem to Osmose engineers, trouble shooting is almost immediate. Service can even be provided from a telephone booth using a lap top computer.

Advanced calculating and automatic report preparation capabilities offer efficient and reliable operations as well as safety. High quality products are ensured eachtime, Osmose emphasizes. A process control data base system can be addedto enhance the reporting capabilities of the system.

"The bottom line:," Osmose says, "reduced direct supervision requirement, advanced operation control and increased quality conhol mean premium products for retailers at competitive prices."

In other news, the project sales approach for treated wood has fostered cooperative agreements between producers of treated wood chemicals and manufacturers of components used in construction. Hickson Corp.'s familiar Wolmanized name and logo will soon be appearing on tubes of PL500 outdoor project adhesive produced by ChemRex, Inc. An Osmose approved PL500 is already on the market.

The endorsements aimto boostsales of adhesive while promoting treated lumber for outdoor projects. PL500 is formulated especially foruse with pressure treated wood in exterior applications.

"The arrangement should help retailers," Steve Snyder, Hickson sales v.p., corunents. "When a homeowner or contractor builds a backyard project, he needs more than lumber. An alert retailer may be able to sell zinc-coated nails, stain, joist hangers, power tools, water repellent, safety goggles, gloves, deck fumiture and adhesive. The PL500 agreement is the newest element in our effort to help retailers increase their project sales."

Pioneer Fencing

Shenandoah Stackrail, traditional style split rail fencing assembled without tools, hardware or digging postholes, is new from Coastal Lumber Co.