North American wholesalers' 91 st annual

THE meeting was like other inI dustry gatherings this year: a sense that the long awaited turnaround had begun. If not the sweet smell of success, at least a strong feel- ing that business would continue improving through 1983 into 1984.

Attendance was nearly 550, up sharply from about 400 present at last vear's 9oth annual meetine of the

"Al" Slaughter, boaro cnalrman and president of Slaughter Brothers, Inc., Dallas, Tx.; firstv.p. Gordon J. King, president of Hampton Lumber Sales Co., Portland, Or.; second y.p. Glenn L. Banks, chairman and president of Banks Lumber Co., Elkhart, In. Immediate past president is W.E. "Wilf" Livermore.

Among the speakers was economist Dr. Donald Ratajczak who described the economy as strong, inflation as light (at least through the end of this year) with less housing expansion in the last quarter than in the second and third quarters. He foresees 1.62 million housing starts.

He advised corporations to finance internally and to pay less attention to financing and more to operations. He anticipates a 25t/o-30v/o growth in corporate profits, a stable prime lending rate until September and continuing tightness in short term borrowing.

An outstanding panel discussion of current and future forest products conditions was presented by six association executives. Karl Lindberg, Southern Forest Products Association, discussed promotion to residentiallnon-residential markets and to the remodeling segment. He also touched on SFPA's coordination with the Wood Product Promotion Committee, which is an umbrella group devised by a number of wood associations to coordinate their promotion.

Panelist Bob Roberts of the Western Wood Products Association forecast 1.4 million housing starts in 1983 and said that lumber usage in all markets would be 8490 of normal versus ?490 last year. WWPA uses 1979 as their statistically normal year. Two bright spots in the market are repair/remodeling and nonresidential construction. he said.

Donald Lanskail, president of the Council of Forest Industries of British Columbia (Canada), reviewed Canadian efforts to expand wood markets around the world, noting that the U.S. is their biggest customer with $100 billion in sales last year. He said their market diversification had helped Canada become a better supplier to the U.S. market.

Fellow Canadian J.F. "Jack" McCracken, executive director of the Canadian Lumbermens Association. described the European recession's negative impact on their trade with EEC and East Block countries. He said that shippers must be consistent, dependable and adapt to local conditions if they expect to gain market share offshore.

The executive v.p. of the California Redwood Association, Keith Lanning, discussed (l) the wood industry's need for greater coordination in a number of areas, (2) that industry members should be aware of the limitations inherent in promotion and (3) the need for greater participation in promotional and association activities.

Windup panelist James Hackett, representing the American Plywood Association. forecast 18.8 billion square feet of plywood production this year, an increase of about 1590. Noting the increasing role of oriented strandboard, waferboard and other structural panels, he observed that all the panels can find their place in an expanding market if unified promotion does its job. "Performance will finally determine which product the

Story at a Glance

Confidence growing panel discussion on future calls for greater coord ination, cooperation . . . more sales, profits forecast . . . Al Slaughter elected president next year's convention: White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.

market accepts. ' ' He was mildly critical of some recent infighting between panel proponents and-noted that "a tong war between panels isn't the answer.tt

A number of other activities, events and speakers rounded out the well-attended 9lst annual gathering. Next year it's l/192, set for The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V., April25-28, 1984.

NAWLA Honors L.F. Huettl

Louis F. Huettl, sales manager of Winton Sales, Co., Minneapolis, Mn., has been named the 1983 recipient of the John J. Mulrooney Award presented by the North American Wholesale Lumber Association.

After working for Weyerhaeuser and serving inthe Navy during World War II, he joined Winton Sales Co. in 1953 as a traveling salesman. In 1954 he was transferred to the Minneapolis office and named general sales manager in 1958.

During his 30 years with the company, he has had an integral role in merchandising new products including those from the first white fir plywood plant which Winton opened in 1959 in California and the longlength finger-jointed dimension manufactured in their Prince George, B.C., operation.

Since the mid '60s, Huettl has served as vice president, marketing, for Winton Sales Co. and as senior vice president, marketing, of the Pas Lumber Co. Ltd. His 40 plus years in the lumber industry have made him one of the deans of the forest products industry. He has been an important factor in developing one of the finest supplier-wholesaler sales policies that exists in the industry to- day and has been a successful marketer of major new industry products. Huettl has represented his industry as a knowledgeable lumberman whenever called upon to do so and he has been active in community affairs and is an outstanding family man.

His selection for the 1983 John J. Mulrooney Award symbolizes his dedication to the highest standards in the buying and selling of forest products.