Reiuvenated flooring company going strong at 100

,\;3,Y0'iil"r.l,X'".:1"$;""T; on for 100 years, but Bruce Hardwood Floors has done it. This year marks the l00th anniversary of its beginning as a lumber yard in Kansas City, Mo.

Things were tough in 1884, but founder E.L. Bruce reasoned that tough times can't outlast tough people. He survived the panic of '93 and the floods early in the next century, creating the Kansas City Hardwood Flooring Co., a first of its kind. When that plant was destroyed by fire in 1913. he moved to the middle of an

Story at a Glance

Bruce celebrates 100 years. survived fire, flood, war and government regulations. . .Triangle Pacific resurrects ailing company. .multiplies retail business.

oak forest near Little Rock. Ar.. and began building again.

Then the war came and he turned his factory and workmen to making ammunition boxes and bomb crates. At the end of the war, although the plant was twice its original size, the demand for hardwood flooring was so great that he opened a second plant in Memphis, Tn.

Prosperity gave way to the depression, but Bruce held on. In 1938 he developed a factory finishing process that made it possible to fill, finish, wax and polish the flooring before it left the plant. "When it's laid-it's finished" became the company slogan.

In l94l fire engulfed the superplant in Memphis. Then in December the

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Slmpson Forms Droor Company

Simpson Timber Co. has formed Simpson Door Co., consolidating all activities of the firm's panel and flush doors under a new tradename, Simp son Mastermark Doors.

The Mastermark identity was creatd by industrial designers Walter Dorwin Teague to express the leadership in innovative design and craftsmanship Simpson has maintained since its entry into the industry in t9t2.

Simpson Door Co. is Simpson's commitment to the door business where it manufactures a broad line of stile and rail and flush doors, marketed worldwide. The Mastermark seal of excellence will be identified with all Simpson doors, on packagrng and in literature, ernphasizing quality production and design in every door.

All door business is consolidated under one operating company headed by William W. Ruddick, general manager, at Seattle, Wa. Marketing andpromotional functions are headed by Ed Young, marketing and development manager. Henry (Hank)

Ricklefs is general sales manager for all doors.

The $500,000 proposed study sponsored by Rep. George Brown (D.-Ca.) had been praised by the American National Metric Council. Rep. Eldon Rudd (R.-Az.), foe of the bill, called the vote "a veryt strong message from the House of Representatives that this type of legislation is not really too welcome."

Hoo-Hoo Seeks Members

SEAL of excellence for SimDSon doors was created to rellect their attention to detail for 72years.lt will be carried on packaging and lilerature.

House Kills Metric Study

After 16 years of trying to be accepted, it appears that metric conversion has gone down for the third time with the voting down by the House of Representatives on a new federal study of the impact of metric conversion in the U.S.

A membership drive has been launched by Bob Thomas, new president of Humbolt Hoo-Hoo Club, Eureka, Ca.

Bill Scott, vice president; Larry Johnson, secretary; Ken Gradek, treasurer, and Tony Gilbert, vicegerent snark, additional 1984 officers, are now joining him in requesting that each member bring in one new applicant.

New directors are Jerry Carlson, Augie Rocha, Corky Cornwell, Abe Willis, Mike Vinum, Russ Britt, Bob Dellabama, Dennis Bermers, Rick Giacone and Jerry Layshock.

Budget Vital to Housing

The fate of the cunent housing-led economic recovery hinges on efforts now underway in the Administration and Congress to reduce the size ofthe nation's soaring federal deficits, according to Dave Smith, v.p. and treasurer for the National Association of Home Builders.

Calling the bipartisan deficit reduction program now in Congress "our last chance at cutting the deficit during this election year," Smith urged President Reagan to use the power of his office to reach an accord on the deficits. The proposal would cut the federal deficit in the neighborhood of $150-$200 billion over the next three fiscal years.

Smith said that immediate action on the federal deficit was needed to halt the recent upward drift in interest rates.

The prime interest rate has increased twice, from ll to 12 percent, over the past month, he said. And interest rates on conventional, fixedrate mortgages have begun inching up from the 13 percent range of recent months and, according to some observers, could be headed for the l4-15 percent range by year's end without some relief from the federal government's blistering deficits.

He said that the recovery had reached a "critical turning point" with respect to interest rates, which are raising growing "uncertainty" among the nation's small builders who are looking apprehensively beyond "today's robust economic statistics. "

"Builders are out in front of today's economic recovery; they are the risk takers; they are the ones who live and die with the ups and downs in interest rates," Smith said. "Unless this upward trend in interest rates is reversed, it is only a matter of time before home sales drop, new construction declines and unemployment rises."

Cement Consumption Climbs

Cement sales are looking up thanks to the upswing in home construction. Depressed for more than four years, cement consumption increased by l09o last year with more of the same predicted for the months ahead.

In addition to home building, cement producers are looking to industrial construction and interstate high- way construction for increased product consumption.

Higher prices also are ahead as the industry anticipates a third hike this year at about the six month point. Previous price raises took place in January and April.

Thought also is being given to putting inactive plants back into action to meet the expected demand. Genstar with its Redding, Ca., plant operating full out, is said to be considering a $20 million modernization of its San Andreas, Ca., plant.

Home Owner Venture Halted

Plans for a joint development of do-it-yourself home center stores have been dropped by Hechinger Co. and K mart.

In announcing the decision, Bernard Fauber, chairman of K mart Corp., and John W. Hechinger, Sr., president of Hechinger Co., said "We found that our two independent organizations were distinct enough that our operating practices might not blend to the satisfaction of both partners. t t