Profit from our abilities to serve you n

over 6,500 special order options are available within our specialized capabilities for kiln drying, surfacing, and proliling from a 34-million foot inventory devoted exclusively to redwood, cedar, and fir finish.

the latest technology in computer controlled dry kilns, totaling 100,000 foot capacity, provides customized facilities to kiln dry to exact specification.

fully automatic, seven spindle, state-of-the-art moulder teams with companion resaw and planing mill equipment to excel on a wide range of standard and custom pattern, profile, and surfacing requirements.

our broad spectrum of choice affords an outstanding opportunity to combine grades, patterns, dimensions, and drying specifications, with an experienced, single source of supply for redwood, cedar, and fir finish.

Nlghtmares got you? Up front research chases common computer demons

Llght up sales

Product knowledge ups outdoor lighting sales

Fire preventlon doesnT have to be a dally gamble

Cut the odds with planning. training, constant vigilance

70 year old yard survlves feest, Jlood, Jamine Foster Lumber Yards ready to add third operation

Dwlndllng numbers nag Home Center Show exhlbltors

Hechinger, Curtis, Levy brothers named to Hall of Fame

Are you paying them to put you out of business?

We were amazed to see television commercials by U.S. Sprint offering to make donations to organizations dedicated to the destruction of America's wood products industry. We have already cancelled our service with U.S. Sprint. Unless they change.their policy, we suggest you do likewise.

Let me tell you why. In a scheme to attract new customers, U.S. Sprint claims up to 50/o of the customer's telephone bill will be donated to an environmental group designated by U.S. Sprint. That's where the rub comes in. Their list contains not one of our industry organizations. Rather, your money will go to the likes of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Friends of the Earth, the Environmental Defense Fund and similar anti-industry groups.

MCI Telecommunications Group has initiated a similar program. At this point, U.S. Sprint refuses to add any wood products industry groups to their list. MCI, at latest report, has not made a final decision. We'll let you know when they do.

This is the most remarkable case of biting the hand that feeds you in many a year. The advertising geniuses must have overlooked the fact that the lumber, wood products, moulding, millwork, sawmill, furniture, pulp and paper businesses, to name just a flew, are threatened with extinction by the various groups U.S. Sprint thinks we should fund.

We always figured the ad types were out of touch with America. but we didn't realize how much until this fiasco dawned. It must never have occurred to them that the wood products industry spends millions yearly on telephone calls. For some initial industry response to the situation please see page 21 for the National Hardwood Lumber Association's position.

If you don't want to contribute to those who seek to cripple, then destroy our industry, we suggest you make your views known. The president of U.S. Sprint is Mr. Ron LeMay and his telephone number is (913) 624-6100. The address is 8140 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo.64ll4.

Say hello to him for us.

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RealWorld Point-of-Sale Plus is easyto use and can be learned by anyone already familiar with a traditional cash register. Cashiers can better service customers by rapidly processing sales transactions, viewing customer accounts at the registeq, and knowing exactly what items are in stock.

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Call todayfor more information on how RealWorld point-of-Sale Plus can help you track and control inventory and achieve financial success. For the name of a dealer near you, call 800-678-G336 or 603-224-2200.

RealWorld Corporation

282 Loudon Road. P.O. Box 2051 Concord, NH 03302-2051

RealWbrld is a registered trademark and RealV{orld Point-of-Sale Plus is a trademark of RealWorld Corporation. Synchronics Point of Sale is a trademark of Synchronics, Inc.

DOMESTIC HARDWOODS

FEATURING:

. Red Oak, Northern

. White Oak, lndiana

. Walnut, Eastern Black

HARDWOOD PLYWOODS

LTL,TL, MXED TL & Carload

Shipments Our Specialty

Company

MNN OFFICE & DISTRIBWIONYARD: SANFRANCISCO. CA 2150 OAKDALE AVB94X24 4r5 647-0782 CA fc NV 8OO-233-OZA?

FAX4r5 M7-77ffi

IMPORTED HARDWOODS SPECIALIZING IN:

. Genuine Mahogany

. Teak

Rosewoods

. Bocote

Apitong

. Zebra Wood

Rore Exotic Hordwoods

A Omputer Nightmares

\, are not sometime occurrencesl they make life miserable for many dealers on a regular basis.

Talk with any group of lumber retailers or wholesalers and you will hear amazing horror stories involving computers. More than "my experience is worse than yours" boasts, these are real problems.

To be fair, computer analysts and consultants have their own tales of woe. Companies where management is not committed to computers, yet expects the system to function smoothly from the bottom up are frequent, they say. Although the reliable vendors admit there are less than perfect salesmen in the field, they add that many computer buyers fail to establish their needs, research and investigate at the front end.

"Computers require skill, patience and hard work to function properly," they caution. "There's nothing magical about a comupter. lt takes a lot of work to make it a time saver. t'

But, computer catastrophes don't have to be, consultants insist. There are various antidotes to cure present problems and avoid future nightmares.

Selecting software not suitable for use with lumber is a common mistake. However, consultants say this can be avoided with proper preparation, research and investigation. Software written to work with lumber units must be specified. A good program is tailored to the business, designed to handle its specific activities and needs. Avoid the "neato" software, one programmer cautions. Look for basic. flexible. easy-to-use programs written for the people who will use them.

Software is the most important part of a computer purchase. It should be selected before the hardware, not after. A software decision should be made only after visiting and talking with similar businesses using the program.

Support that is slow or lacking causes additional headaches. Again, consultants say this can be prevented. Their advice is to deal with an established vendor that has the reputation of providing excellent programs, hardware, support and training for your type of business. They stress checking with other users on the vendor's reliability and performance. It is wise to find out