NEWS BRIEFS

Dramatic increases in sales and profits have been registered by a number of the biggest forest products and bldg. mtls, firms: 2nd quarter profits at Champion International are up 81.5% on record quarterly sales Louisiana-Pacific reported "signi ficant improvement in sales, profit & cash flow" in the first half; sales were up nearly 50% .

Georgia-Pacific logged its best 6 mos. in its history Boise Cascade's earnings soared from $ I .03 in '75's frst half to $ 1.51 in '76's comparable period . . Southwest Forest Industries' earnings were 44% higher in this lst half, net income was up 85% . Kaiser Cement & Gypsurn profits more than doubled in the first half, net earnings went from ll last year to 23( in'76

Reflecting what many feel is a continuation of housing construc' tion's slow upturn, latest home start figs. show a 4.3% rise in June from May's pace; annual rate is 1,492,000 an increase for the 2nd mo. in a row . . bad news is that permits for future construction dipped 3.1%; singLe family permits rose 3.3% but this was more than offset by an 18.5% drop in apt. permits and a 16% decline n 2-4 unit bldgs

The June figs. may be better than they look: at an annual rate of 1,115,000, the single-familyrpace is only 186,000 below the record quarterly rate set in the initial quarter in boomy '73 . . optimistic economists see a comeback in multi-family, including Citibank of N.Y., but a "beginning of a beginning" in multis remains in the future at this writing

Both houses of Congress continue to fiddle around with the Monongahela bills before them, little has happened of substance in the last few weeks and nothing is expected at the earliest until after the Republican convention this mo. and it may well hang fire until after the presidential elections .

Bowman Lumber Sales is a new Cloverdale, Ca., wholesale firm just begun by Joe Bowman; formerly associated with the E.L. Reitz Co., he had previouslY been with West Range CorP., Cloverdale, for a number of Years . . . Bowman Lumber is PrimarilY handling redwood, redwood fencing, mixed loads, cut stock, fir, cedar and pine

84 Lumber Co. of Pennsylvania, plans a mid-mo. opening ofits new Modesto, Ca., store, part of the chain's drive to put 15 new outlets on the West Coast; Wickes appears to be most directly challenged by their type of operation Portland's Thunderbird Home Centers (25) are being sold piecemeal by Columbia Corp., the parent co.; Peavey Corp. bought 5 in Montana, final dissolution is expected by Labor Day

Reid & l|right, Inc., Arcata, Ca., has joined the Redwood Inspection Service Frost Hardwood Lumber, San Diego, celebrates its 65th year in business next mo.

Owens' Parks Lumber, a big retail yard in L.A. founded in 1921, has closed Buuer Lumber Co. has shut down its Compton, Ca., yard, their Carlsbad facility remains in full operation

Simonson Lumber, Smith River, Ca., is building a new stud mill (due to go into operation this fall) as well as an expanded new dry kiln; Simonson recently sold its San Diego yard to C.J. Wholesale for around $200,000; Stan Hess, who ran the div. for Simonson, will now handle direct sales from the mill to So. Ca. . .

Fibreboard Corp. has sold its Clear Fir Products Co. (door mfg. plant) at Springfield, Or., to Nicolai Co. for an undisclosed amount; sale does not include Clear Fir Sales Co. Arcata National Corp., parent corP. of Arcata Redwood, has purchased 18,000 acres of Doug. fir in Humboldt County, Ca., for more than $3 million .

Otd Adobe Timber Products is a new Petaluma, Ca., wholesaler, Paul Nobmann, pres. Stan Preble has begun active affiliation as owner-mgr. of Hum' boldt Redwood Mfg. Co.,Eureka, Ca.; lrm makes fencing, lath and cut up products Nikkel Corp.'s Conlon-Danley Forest Products div. is now Danley Forest Products since Keith Danley acquired Dennis Conlon's shares.

Britt Lumber has closed its Eureka, Ca., operation and is now on Westend Rd. at Aldergrove, Arcata .. . Hauger Bros. has moved its retail yard to 2800 Hubbard Lane, Eureka GranStar Redwood has installed a re-saw in their Arcatare-manufacturing plant and is doing custom milling..

Boise Building Supply Co., has opened a new 17,000 sq. ft. home improvement center, Boise, Id., and plans 5 new stores for the Idaho market in the next l0 years Biggers Home & Garden opened its 3rd store, in Paradise, Ca., near Chico .

We are pleased to announce that The Merchant Magazine has been recognized by the prestigious Western Publications Association for editorial leadership. Judging was done by a distinguished panel of journalism educators and publishing industry leaders. The award says:

W.P.A. 1976 Eddie Awards lst Place Editoial Leadership

The Merchant Magazine

An additional award was also made to The Merchant for excellence in a technical category, article presentation. Accepting the award (above) from actress Mary Hollander is David Cutler, The Merchant's editor publisher.

(Continued from page 12 ) pletely insulated, sheetrocked and paneled at a great savings."

Varying finishing materials are used on the firm's other houses. "We finish the exterior of the foundation walls with different methods. They take paint very well, and we have also used shingles and stone."

The foundations are constructed with pressure treated 2 x 6 studs, 12 inches on center and sheathed with ll2" C4 Exterior APA grade-trademarked plywood. The wall sits on a treated 2 x 8 footer plate on a gravel base.

Mullen believes it's a system with a good market. "Customer acceptance has been very good. The best selling point is that it can be insulated, which will result in heat savings of about 18% to the homeowner."

Bowman Lumber Sales

Wbolesale Forest Products

P. O. Box 547

Cloverdale, Ca. 95425

J071 w4-2575

REDWOOD o REDWOOD FENCING o MIXED LOADS

CUT STOCK o FIR o CEDAR o PINE l]|0 ll|s Bt0Pn0t|ffi! is the PR0tESSl0tlAL'S Att PURP0SE PLASTIC

Boat builders, furniture makers, cabinet makers, etc. have found it the one suie answerto correcting wood defects, filling wood cracks, gouges, covering countersunk nails and screws.