Plum Creek Cuts Back In Montana

Plum Creek Timber Co.. Seattle. Wa., is permanently closing its Pablo, Mt., sawmill and may also shut down mills in Evergreen and Columbia Falls, Mt., due to the tepid residential construction market.

The pine board in Pablo will run at one shift until late June, unless log inventories run out earlier. In late April, Plum Creek also issued 60-day notices that the other two plants would be evaluated and either kept running or closed, either temporarily

ldaho Ace ls On The Move

The Ace Hardware store in Idaho Falls, Id., has moved to a new, larger location just down the road in Ammon, Id.

"We decided to move because we wanted to have a more convenient location in a more modern facilitv. and we needed to be able to add some extra products to our offerings," said owner Stacie Gebo.

New products include lumber and a second line ofpaint.

The new space is also environmen- or permanently. tally friendly, with low maintenance concrete floors, more windows to bring in natural light, and an unfinished ceiling. Recycled materials were used for the checkout counter and signs were brought over from the old store.

"It could go either way," said spokesperson Kathy Budinick. "We'll just have to look at the market and see how its doing."

Since the first of the year, Evergreen and Columbia Falls have experienced temporary shutdowns, while a sawmill in Ksanka, Mt., was permanently closed. It will be dismantled and its equipment sold-the same fate that awaits the Pablo facility if a buyer cannot be found.

Alternative Decking Picks Up

Overall U.S. demand for decking will grow 2.17o anntally and reach 3.6 billion lineal ft. by 2013, according to a new Freedonia Group study. Wood will continue to account for the majority of decking demand in volume and value terms, although demand for wood decking is forecast to rise less than l%o annlually to 2.8 billion lineal feet in 2O13. r Use almost anywhere ordinary screws are used

Demand for wood-plastic composite and plastic decking is projected to rise about lo%o per year through 2013. Although decks made from these materials generally cost more initially, the study reports, they require less annual maintenance than most wood decks and offer log-term savings.

Increased demand for composite decking will also be fueled by its resemblance to natural wood and its ability to be cut like wood decking, more consumer familiarity with composite decking, and the perception that it is an environmentally friendly material because it is produced with reclaimed plastics.

The residential market, which accounted for 6lvo of total decking demand in 2008, will continue to consumer the majority of decking in 2013. In addition, consumers will add amenities to existing decks, such as outdoor kitchens, hot tubs, and additional railings and other accessories to separate areas of the deck.

. Saves time and labor costs

Twice as fast as collated scnews, eight times faster than bulk screws

. Easily adiusted, quickly removable

. Dramatically increased holding power vs. nails r Making projects easier since 19(E

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