Crr-TruIRNIA SttcrR AND \VlrsrBrtN PTXP AGENCY

lN c. Serving the Industrial, Atiricultural and Retail Markets Since l9O4 is pleased to announce the opening of a NE\{ SACRAMENTO Ca. Office.

(916) 971-lall

Bob Bonner

Tom Bonner

Jerry Edwards trresno, Ca. (2O9) 226-4242

Tom Brutschd

Bob Leyva

San Mateo, Ca. (4rsl342-4Va

Hugh Rosaaen

Knute weidman

Judy West

Betty Stanley

Roberta Schroeder

Softwood Lumber & Plywood Shakes & Shingles

Particleboard

Moulding o Millwork o Doors

Wood Technology Develops

A new generation of building products to maximize the use of tieht wood supplies in future years is evoiving with Georgia-Pacific Corp. actively involved in the technology.

"These products include waferboard, composite plywood and oriented strand board," Harold E. Sand, exec. v.p., building products, told the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants' forest products conference.

This new generation of structural panels is relatively untested by the marketplace, he explained, but noted, "these products have good prospects . Gebrgia-Pacific is-moving ahead quickly to gain experience with all three.

"We will complete a waferboard plant by year-end at our forest products complex in Maine." Waferboard, he explained, is made from large wood flakes bonded into a panel with resin.

Last month, G-P began producing composite plywood in North Carolina, and also built in the capability to manufacture oriented strand board panels for development purposes.

Composite plywood, much like conventional plywood, consists of an oriented fiber core sandwiched between two wood veneers. Oriented sfrand board is made from three plies of oriented strands laid up at iight angles to each other.

_ Sand predicted continuing high demand for housins durins the '80s because of the largE numbir of consumers entering their prime homebuylng years.

In addition, he commented," we are seeing a rise in importance of the remodeling, renovation and repair part of our business. This sector will continue to expand, as new housing prices rise and-as transportation cost-s make older homes in close-in locations more desirable.

"And commercial and industrial construction markets will become more important to the building products industry in future years."

He pointed out that the current low level of housing activity relates to high mortgage rates and generally tigh-t money and predicted "a pick-up in hou.sing activity as 1980 progresses" and credit conditions ease.

Although new flexible-payment mortgage instruments will "likely become established here in the United States over time and can help the housing market to some degree, they should not be viewed as a cure-all.i' he cautioned.

"The real challenge is to keep the actual cost of housing affordable, and this means putting some real dampers on the forces feeding inflation, not just treating the symftoms. The real answer is lower govemment spending, lower taxation, a balanced budget, and restoring incentives for productrvtty to the economy."

Thot's How lt Goes!

"You've taught me the business, Mr. Barnes. So I'm renting the building next door to start a hardware store of my own."

The Merchonl Mogozine