new hardboard plant

"trash-to-cash" policy, with both environmental and economic benefits to customers and stockholders, was the way Louisiana-Pacific Corp. president Harry A. Merlo described the operation of their innovative new continuous process board plant at Oroville, Ca.

During recent ground breaking ceremonies, Merlo noted that the new plant is located next to their Oroville sawmill as well as being an ideal collection point for a low-cost source of dry wood waste fiber generated by a number of lumber operations in the Sacramento Valley.

"By processing this formerly burned waste material," Merlo noted, "we

Story qI d Glonce

The forest products industry's thrust lo use everything bul the "sigh of the pines" continues os LouisionoPociffc opens on innovqtive hordboord plont thot will produce its product from formerly burned woste moteriol . environmenlol considerotions ployed o lorge role in design of the focilify.

are able to manufacture a profitable product and at the .:ame time make a dramatic improvement in air pol. lution quality for the area."

I ndoor/Outdoor Carpeting

The $6 million plant, 112,000 sq. ft. in size, has a capacity of 175 million sq. ft. annually on a r/s" basis; employs 63, with a $732,000 annual payroll; and handles pine, fir and other whitewood "waste" fiber.

The process used is the first West Coast application of the German-engineered Mende continuous cylinderpress manufacturing process. It utilizes mat formed fibers and particles bonded under heat and pressure with special resins. The efficiences are claimed to be so outstanding that L-P is now designing a second plant for the West.

The product is a ls" 1o r/n' thick high-strength, smooth, two-sided panel that is produced in a continuous sheet, four or more feet in width and trimmed to any length the customer orders. The economics of the new mill and the process, combined with the use of former waste raw materials, makes the plant highly competitive with low cost import hardboards and other wood composition panels.

Louisiana-Pacific plans to market their production as door skins, laminated core stock, decorative wall paneling and for industrial components such as drawer bottoms and case backs in the furniture industry.

Impressive pollution controls have been bulit into the new plant. The entire process, from chip storage to actual production, is a closed system.

From inside chip storage facilities, the material moves through pneumatic tubes and conveyors into the manufacturing area. Carter-Day and Dustex bagging systems collect and remove air borne particles.

The existing tepee burner will be , dismantled later this year when the boiler plant begins operation. Any down-fall or scraps developed in turning out the product are broken down and re-cycled through the system for maximum utilization of wood fibers.

The site has recently been named as headquarters for the newlyorganized Oroville division, under the direction of Sherman E. Kirchmeier. The new plant manager is Daunt Caudle.

The division currently consists of the above two plants and the former Plumas Lumber Co. operation at Crescent Mills, Ca., that L-P bought in June. Additional operations in the state include 19 plants and mills pro- 'ducing redwood and whitewood lumber and studs, plywood, millwork and Kraft paper.

Off The Hook For Phqse lV

The lorest products industry was understandably pleased by word that lumber and plywood prices and wages will be exempted from Phase IV controls.

Dr. John Muench, Jr., director of economics for the National Forest Products Assn., said:

"It reflects awar€ness that the wood products market is a classic example of a free market, one that operates in the best interest of the consumer when unencumbered by regulations.

"The wisdom of the decision is supported by the sharply lower prices of most lumber and plywood items in the past few months. These prices are determined by supply and demand, as with farm products, and not by costs, as in other industries like automobiles and steel.

New Ozqrk Corpet Line

Ozark Industries, Inc., has acquired and opened a large carpet manufacturing facility in Miami, Okla., according to Hans Lutjens, president.

Indoor/outdoor carpeting by Ozark Industries, Inc. will be marketed as Eaerlast Indoor/Outiloor Carpeting, available in eight popular colors in 12 ft. widths with plain back for outdoor use or foam backed for indoor use. The indoor/outdoor carpeting is made of Herculon Olefin fiber by Hercules.

Tufted carpet, also available in 12 ft. widths, will be marketed under the brand name of. Eoergreen CushionBoch Shags in a wide variety of colors and designs.

The 250,000 sq. ft. plant has a needle punch production capacity of 24,000 sq. yards of indoor/outdoor carpeting per eight hour shift. In addition, production equipment includes eight high speed tufting machines, a 3-pass, 120 ft. oven for specialized o'Fat Back" foam backing applications, plus jumbo dye vats with high velocity dryers.

Both Ozark product lines will be marketed nationally through appointed dealers in protected areas, and company officials are currently establishing a coast-to-coast network of dealers and distributorso according to Jon Price, vp./sales.

SEE lllR0l,Gll Large interior spans of Hawaii's Ke-ahole Airport's cluster of_ high roofed huts were made feasible through use of laminated beams for framing of wood trusses, supported by pin connections at top of concrete columns. "0ur aim," said architecf Edward R. Aotani, "was t0 create a facility giving the appearance of belonging to its Kona Coast site--+choing both the mountains and the sea-, much as a native village." Fire retardant red cedar shakes and "Wolmanized" structural members were Droduced by Honolulu Wood Treating in a pressure treating process developed- by Koppers Co.