NtrWS

By ROSS KINCAID executive vice president

f)UR All-Industry Marketing Cbnfer- ence, a lty'z day event held recently in Boise, Ida., ran like clockwork under the skillful chairmanship of Chuck Shafer, Irrigators Lumber Co., Caldwell, Ida.

Kicking off on the "Viewpoints" conference, the topic of "The Critical Lumber & Plywood Situation & Phase ?" was explored by John Dickerman, NLBMDA consultant, Washington, D.C.; Glenn Jorgensen, USFS.; Clyde

Kalahan, Weyerhaeuserl Joe McCracken, Western Forest Industries Ass'n.; with yours truly as moderator.

Opposing views on log exports were expressed; as were the vital needs for realistic funding and improved timber management practices in federal forests. John Dickerman feels a temporary solution tn supply and price problems might again diminish our attention to resolving basic conditions which will surely "let it happen again."

Jorgensen admonished the audience to become involved, stating that "those who speak loudest are heard," obviously referring to environmentalists whose clamor has closed down much of the timber supply potential.

Bob Slettedahl, Lumbermen's of Shelton & Lynnwood, Wash., proposed a eoncept for industry to provide financing for reforestation of idle acres. Those present applauded Bob's positive program and added their support to a growing number of industry interests who feel his idea should be fully explored.

Participating on the "Manufacturer, Wholesaler, Dealer Relationships panel" were: Herb Crane, Herb Crane & Assoc., Portland; Andy Boyd, Boise Building Supply; Werner Richen, Lumber Products. Portland: C. E. Link, WBMA president, Boise Cascade Corp., moderator.

Their comments on industry segment relationships provided an excellent base for the rest of the afternoon when the group divided into small groups for continuing discussion.

A sure hit was scorcd by the panel "Home Center-Is It For Everyone?" with: Harvey Hoff, Hoff Better Living Center, Caldwell, Ida.; Cutler Lewis, Palmer G. Lewis Co., Seattle; George Milne, vp., Home Center Magazine, Chicago; Bob Bush, Bayview Lumber Co., Elma, Wash., moderator.

Executive Vice President

fN a quick perusal of almost any - trade publication directing its editorial content towards the construction industry, the unknowledgeable might conclude that lumber as a building material is in its waning years if not months or days.

Alternate systems are being touted, if not used, as the answer to high prices, unavailability and any other ill of the lumber industry that can be contrived or manufactured by the competitive forces. And well they should, because the metal industry has a high degree cyf concentration and a high degree of sophistication and they need to sell their product. But then so does the lumber industry need to sell its product.

But what if anything is the lumber industry doing? Very little undoubtedly other than hoping that supply will increase, demand will decrease and therefore prices will go down. When this happpens the customer won't complain about prices and competitive niaterials will no longer have an advantage.

But will this happen ? What if it doesn't? Are we going to stand idly by and watch our market disappear? Are trade publications (not this one) actually going to encourage going to alternate materials? Are we going to rvatch people get a less desirable product and not put up a fight?

There is no reason to doubt that every man in the lumber business is convinced that his product is the best available as a building material. If this is the case then why aren't morc people selling lumber rather than (Please turn to Page 42)

George Milne, with a slide demonstration and supporting data, illustrated the phenomenal growth of Home Centers and the sophistication required to be a part of the trend. Harvey lloff outlined from his practical experience some of the successes and failures that develop in making the transition from a "typical" operation toward the home center concept.

If there was a conclusion. Cutler Lewis probably said it: "A business is an extension of a person's individuality cannot stereotype not for everyone . dealers should adapt toward the home center concept but only as your individual expertise allows."

Redwood

AIR-DRIED KILN-DRIED GREEN STUDS _ POSTSSPLIT PRODUCTS

D(IUEIAS FIR WHITE FIR

PTYW(I(lD PO]IDEROSA PII{E

, tase concentration yard

.3.3 planing mill & resawing facilities

Production & home oftce:

Fred Holmes o Garl Force o fim Buckner . Gary 0hleyel

P. O. Box 665, Ft. Bragg, Calif. 95437 Phone (707) 96+4058

Exclusive soles ogenls for: M & J lumber Co., Inc. (Mcyers Flol, Colif.f

Englewood Lumber Co. (ledcrert, Colif.l

& n v[@\ rs

HARRY MENDENHATT executive vice presidenl

Lumber Merchqnls Associotion of Northern Coliforniq 45{6 El Conlno Rol, Sulfc 0 lo3 Afior, Co, 91022 (4r5) 94r.r617

!f/E, the Lumber Merehants Association of Northern California, are pleased to announce the election of Gordon Knott, Yosemite Lumber Co. in Fresno, Ca. as or organization's new president.

Gordon Knott is a second generation president of the association. His father, Hamilton Knott was president of the organization from 195?-195g.

He was born in Los Angeles on March 8, 1948. He attended elementary and secondary s-chools in Fresno and graduated from Fresno State University with a B.A. degree in biology and minors in Chemistry and German. Knott later attended the Goethe Language Institute in Blaubaueen,Germany.r

In 1967 he returned to Fresno to assist in the operation of his father's business, Yosemite Lumber Co., where he recently purrchased major control of the business as its president.

Gordon l(nott

Our new President

Knott lives with his wife, Linda, and two daughters, Carrie age 5, and Susanne lge 3f , in Fresno.

A member of the North Fresno Rotary Club, Gordon includes among his hobbies skiing, golf, and restoring antique automobiles. Gordon Knott is the youngest president on record of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California and is among the youngest of the B0 federated associations of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, t- A

{,l[g?S,s'- keep up witt it all\fo{'- for iust 14 a ycrr!

-.1$t I I year -only t4.0O

Ov oRITER yoaRl2 years,<nly f?.fi)

GOPY OF TnE MERCEANT | 3 yean-only t9.0O lumber & Building l{atorlals trlERCHtllT

Nomc..............

Compony llf ony!............

Schick to L-P Wood Morketing

John H. Schick, former sales coordinator - Western lumber, has been named as director, sales & marketing wood-products for Louisiana-Pacific Corp., according to Harry A. Merlo, L-P president.

Headquartered in Portland, Schick will be responsible for planning and implementation of domestic and export marketing programs for lumber, plywood, particleboard and other building products.

L-P Buy Cqlled First of Series in Pqc. Northwest

Purchase of Prineville Forest Products Inc., Prineville, Ore., by Louisiana.Pacific Corp., has been announced bv Harry A. Merlo, L-P president and Steve Musulin, PFP president.

The sale, for an undisclosed cash figure, includes a sawmill and planing facilities plus rights to timber on private and Forest Service cutting contracts.

The sawmill, employing 65, has an annual capacity of 40 million board feet of random length lumber and has been cutting primarily hemlock, Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine species. The mill was recently redesigned to efficiently handle small diameter logs available from second growth and thinning operations in the area.

"The Prineville properties represent the first in a series of planned acquisitions in the Pacific Northwest which will be consolidated into a new Columbia Corridor Div. of Louisiana-Pacific," said Merlo. "This added production will better enable L-P to supply the continued strong domestic residential and commercial construction needs for building materials as well as the increasing demand of our export customers."

Consolidoted lumber Reunion

Max and Adeline Hotchkiss and Irene Duncan hosted a reunion of Consolidated Lumber Co. office employees recently at California's Laguna Hills Leisure S/orld.

Attending were approximately 75 of the ooConsolidated Family" and their spouses.

It will be recalled that Consolidated

Lumber Co. officially ceased operation in October, 1966. Incorporated in 1905, Consolidated served southern California for 6I years. Two at the reunion started their careers with Consolidated in 1918. Manuel Sousa in August and Watson Cross in October. lVlanuel won a door prize for the longest span of years with the company, presented by Jim Tyson. Lenore Brohard, coming from Colorado, received a prize for corning the greatest distance to the reunion.

Many of this group are still active in the lumber industry. Wallv An. derson, Fred Blenkarn, Paul Borde. wich, Al Bucci, Tom Duncan, Bob Erickson, Jean Knauss, Jim Nix, Tony Pacheco and Stan White of those present, are now busy serving the trade.

Jim and Pete Tyson have finished building several multiple units. Among those present known to be retired are: D. M. 'oChap" Chapman, Watson Cross, J, W. "Fritz" Fitzpatrick, Max Hotchkiss, Bert Laursen, George Rhinehart and Ralph Russell. Ralph was the last president and gener'al manager at Consolidated.

Our thanks to lohn Hults, an alumnus ol Consolidated, Lumber Co., lor this report.-T he Ed,itor.

Dromotic Pole Construction

North Americqn Wholesqlers

(Continued Jrom Page lQ) other segments of the forest products industry, has en' gaged the Rinfret people to provide an objective, com' prehensive analysis of the key economic factors which affect the softwood industry's operations and markets. It will be confined to investigation and analysis of such op' erating conditions and markets from 1970 to date. No effort will be made to forecast future developments or prospects. Industry representatives of NAWLA, NFPA, APA, SFPA, NBMDA, WWPA, SELMA ANd NSDJA will provide guidance and information to Rinfret'Boston. A special committee of these representatives has been formed and is now operating. The study should be com' pleted within six months.

Due to the new four-day format of the convention, there were more business sessions than ever before. These included programs for both direct shipping wholesalers and distribution yard wholesalers. Joint manufacturer' wholesaler sessions were also emphasized. A special sales compensation program for wholesaler principals was also conducted. In every case, a larger than anticipated au. dience was in attendance.

J. J. Mulrooney was paid special honor for his work over the past year with Wage and Price Controls. Jack received a most appropriate gift . . . a new suitcase with a bottle of Alka-seltzer inside, see photos.

Oh yes, there were electionso too. New president for the coming year is David H. Rush, Webb Lumber Co., Cleveland, Ohio. William Baugh, City of Industry, Ca., and Paul Plant, Vancouver, B.C.o were elected lst and 2nd vps. respectively. James K. Bishop, New Rochelle, New York. was re-elected treasurer.