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B00TltlG for the home team, over 40 members ol the San Diego, Ca., Hoo Hoo Club watched the San Diego Padres play the Phillies from the Bull Pen at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium. lll Frank Velez Jr., Rygel Lumber Sales, Dan Colborn, San Diego Wholesale. l2l Frank Velez Sr., Rygel Lumber Sales, Lenny Serano, H.G. Smith Lumber, Mark

Blakeslee, Georgia-Pacific. 13l Greg Eoulware, Pine Tree Lumber, Brian Oliver, Weyerhaeuser, Jeff Felipi, La Mesa Lumber, who won the pot for predicting an attendance only 8 off lrom the 26,000 present. l4l Ron Schmautz, Craig Peirson, Bay Bell, all from Pinetree Lumber. Event was held Mav 7.

The

Merchant

Niche Marketer

(Continued.from page l 5)

Though depressed housing starts nationwide are hurting the entire building products industry, Matthews is confident. "We're not a lot different from most in the business in that we're obviously going to suffer when contractors are down," he says. "But not so much because our business is to the high end of the market, which continues to see activity. People who have money, have

Afe money and continue to remodel and build new homes. And a wood window usually goes into more expensive homes."

So Sterling Pacific is poised for even greater success. "We think we are in the right facility in the right marketplace, " says Matthews.

Rumors that International Paper will make a friendly buyout offer to purchase Potlatch Corp. have sent Potlatch's stock price skyrocketing, according to Business Week.

But the stock's sudden climb, up 310/o in less than two weeks, may derail any deal, since it would up Potlatch's asking price, said Business Week.

the Heart of the Redwoods REDWOOD AND INCENSE CEDARI! 250,000

bf of 514 RWD KD uppers lN STOCK for prompt delivery. Custom milling ovoiloble, Sfeve

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Ukioh, CA 95482

Potlatch chief executive Richard B. Madden was quoted in the Wall Street Journal saying that the company was not for sale. The paper said IP has the reputation for avoiding hostile takeovers, while noting that Potlatch has strong defenses against an unfriendly takeover.

AHL FOREST PRODUCTSSeveral buyout experts claim there have been at least informal talks between IP and Potlatch, though the companies declined to comment.

IS THIS your own copy of The Merchant Magazine? lf not, see page 4 of this issue to learn how to get your own subscription. Don't be left out on what's going on. What you know can save you money and make you money.

6 ENSELY wooded though not lJ densely populated, the South Pacific's Solomon Islands are heavily committed to exporting tropical hardwoods.

Situated 1,500 miles north of Sydney, Australia, and east of Papua New Guinea, the chain of volcanic islands extends for 900 miles, consisting of Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Choiseul, Gizo, Malaita, the Santa Cruz Islands, and many islets. The smaller islets are no more than low coral atolls with enclosed lagoons. The larger islands rise to high, rugged peaks covered by tropical rain forests, containing a mix of kauri pine and hardwoods such as Australian white birch, water gum and kauvula.

In fact, 93% of the Solomons' 16,000 square miles are forests and woodlands. Timber is second only to fish as the islands' top export.

Australian white birch (Schizomeria ovata) is also known as hambia, malafelo and bea bea in the Solomon Islandsl schizomeria in Papua New Guinea, and crabapple, humbug or squeaker in Australia. The species has a very wide sapwood which blends into the creamy-brown heartwood. Grain is fairly straight to interlocked, texture fine and even.

The wood is average in weight, strength and steam bending properties, but non-durable. It dries with little degrade and medium movement in service, and is easilY worked, glued, stained and polished to a good finish. Uses include coffin boards, turnery, shelving, interior joinery, plywood, match splints, furniture framing, furniture, cabinetry and decorative veneers.

Water gum includes numerous species from the family MYrtaceae grouped and collectively sold as