G-P MaySpin Off Building Products Division

Georgia-Pacific Corp. has begun drafting strategies for a plan to split off its building products division from the paper and consumer products business.

The March 29 announcement ended weeks of speculation that the Atlanta-based company was planning to insulate the paper business from thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits against the building products division.

G-P chairman and c.e.o. A.D. "Pete" Correll said the decision was made to sharpen the focus of each division and bring greater value to shareholders.

Along with the announcement came news that Lee M. Thomas had been named president of the building products and distribution businesses.

Industry observers point out that G-P has long been looking for an exit from the building products industry as it shifts focus to consumer paper products.

Prior to Weyerhaeuser Co.'s hostile takeover of Willamette Industries in January, G-P was negotiating to sell its building products unit to Willamette.

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From 1965 to 1977, G-P used asbestos in some of its building products and is now facing 62,000 injury claims. Asbestos reportedly has been proven to cause lung cancer in some circumstances.

The company is expected to pay out about $l billion in payments to victims over the next l0 years.

G-P's board of directors is scheduled to meet in May to approve a final separation plan.

Siberian Building Pros In NW

A group of Siberian building professionals toured Portland. Or.. last month in an effort to connect with U.S suppliers of building materials and services.

The March 2l visit to Portland focused on the city's so-called "green" architectural buildings.

In particular, the group from Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, wanted to see the ReBuilding Center of Our United Villages and the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center.

The stop also included a talk entitled "What is Green Building?" from Ralph DiNola of the Portland-based

DiNola's talk focused on the U.S. Green Building Council's energy efficiency standards as well as other green building topics.

NW Timber Sale Proposed

The U.S. Forest Service plans to sell timber near Adin. Ca.. in the Modoc National Forest along the California-Oregon border.

Modoc forest officials have faced criticism over the last year for not putting the timber up for sale sooner.

Forest ranger Sue Wheatley said the purpose of the ash timber sale is to provide saw-log volume to the timber industry under guidelines established in the mid-1940s. In particular she cited the Sustained Act of 1944.

Wheatley also added that the Forest Service wants to increase growth of the older trees by thinning and underburning.

Last month rangers at the Modoc National Forest solicited public comment on the proposed sale.

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