Hardwood distributors' 64th annual

lt\ ONTINUING its 64 year old V tradition of rotating its meeting sites throughout the Western U.S. and Canada, the Pacific Coast Wholesale Hardwood Distributors Association met this year in Wailea on the Island of Mauiin Hawaii. The PCWHDA last met there in 1982.

The meetings began in businesslike fashion promptly at 9 on Monday morning and immediately delved into some traditional opening ceremonies. These concluded, the members moved on to the Sectional Reports, where various members report on conditions in their area.

Hal Kerry, Brady International, began these by outlining Washington State conditions, which he summarized as far better in '86 than '85. He said that 1987 looks good due in part to higher prices despite the se-

Story at a Glance

Western area hardwood markets reported strong, with optimism for more good business.. push continues for selling on net footage with no grade mixing. Tim Spellman elected president.

vere depression in the Alaska market.

The Canadian report was given by Greg Lightheart, P.J. White Hardwoods. He noted that housing in British Columbia was down, while Ontario was up. Red oak continues very popular, he said, adding that conditions were very competitive and some bankruptcies had occured.

The local Hawaiian situation was reprised by Dick Gray, Honsador, Inc. Commodities markets have continued good into this year, he observed, saying that labor problems had been light, though some saw this as a problem later in the year.

The Oregon market was reviewed by Pat Ahern, Emerson Hardwood, who echoed others in describing 1987 as a good year. Short tallies continue to be an industry problem, he said, as are red oak shortages and finding an acceptable alternative to genuine mahogany. Unrealistic competitors selling "too cheap," he noted, skew market conditions. He warned that home center operators are increasingly selling hardwoods, posing a competitive threat.

Manuel Lavrador, MacBeath Hardwood, described Northern Cali- fornia conditions as picking up with credit a continuing problem and union influence weakening. Increased government concern and stricter regulation of leaking underground storage tanks are causing costly headaches, he said.

Overbuilding and a 5olo - 806 decline in general business conditions in Arizona were reported by Brent Mullen, Southwest Hardwood. The expensive home market ($300,000 and up, which uses the greatest amount of hardwood) was still strong, he said. Credit problems continue, he added.

The Orange County, Ca., report was given by Clint Bower, Mariners Forest Products. Strong area conditions have brought heightened competition, including the on-going problem of small retailers selling their suppliers' customers. Bower said that worsening traffic problems will cause changes in delivery practices, citing the possibility of night deliveries to avoid the traffic mess.

The report on San Diego was given by Jim Frost, Frost Hardwoods, who said commercial and single family home construction was strong, but tailed 1986. Supply, especially from the third world, is a problem in his area. Attempts to charge cartage have met with resistance, Frost noted, observing that the toll-free zone in nearby Tijuana,

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Hardwood Wholesalers

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Mexico, could be an attractive source of new business.

The last of the sectional reports was on Los Angeles, given by George Caudill, Scott-Caudill Lum- ber. He said leaking storage tanks were under increasing local government fire and that "if you don't already have a tank I'd recommend a gas station," noting their recent $6000 cost to repair a minor leak. Greater L.A. was characterized as having calm labor conditions, fierce competition and constricted profits. Red and white oak continue popular, though more soft maple and poplar are in use, he added.

Among the speakers at the convention was George Barrett, publisher of the Weekly Hardwood Review. He painted an optimistic picture for hardwoods, saying that all levels were enjoying strong business and that the industry is on the verge "of markets we haven't seen in five years." He sees stable prices on major species and increases in secondary species.

Among Barrett's specific preditions: more exports, fewer imports, a strong pallet market, furniture business up 80/o-90/o, and more mills establishing their own distribution yards.

The second day speaker was Arnold Curtis, the president of Northwest Hardwoods, who described the role ofproprietary grades in the market, a practice dating well back into the last century. Curtis' feeling is that they fit customer

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Hardwood Wholesalers

(Continued from page 54) needs better than the NHLA grades. For the future he sees more hardwood sorted to width, more S4S and more involvement for hardwood at the retail level.

Curtis also described the new Hardwood Manufacturers Association program promoting solid hardwood furniture and urged that everyone in hardwoods get involved financially. HMA seeks to raise $l million in each of the next five years.

In other business, the PCWHDA noted recent efforts to have all companies sell on the basis ofnet footage with no grade mixing. The group intends to continue its push to have the entire industry sell this way.

Elected at the meeting, held April 5-8 at the Intercontinental Wailea Hotel, were president Tim Spellman,

Spellman Hardwoods, Phoenix, Az.; 1st v.p., Bruce Frost, Frost Hardwood, San Diego, Ca.; 2nd v.p. Jack Butson, Brady International, Renton, Wa.; sec.-treas. Butch Pope, Weber Plywood, Santa Ana, Ca., and sec.-treas.-designate Brent Mullen, Southwest Hardwoods,

Phoenix, Az. New directors are K.E. MacBeath, Peter Bower, James Frost, Jack Havens, Joe Long, Laurence Sauder and Hal Kerry.

Next year's meeting is tentatively set for April24-26,1988, at the Inn at Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove (near Monterey), Ca.

D.F. GRAPE STAKES REDVOOD & D.F. LATH

Timbers

From cutting a wedge to pre-fab'd crane pads or mine shafts. Angle cut, cross cut, drilling, dapping-Ve'll do them all to customer specification.

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Drawer 4779, Arcata, Ca. 9 -<j21 707-822-3648