Growth oriented wholesaler

!neUONT ForestProducts has

I been a growth oriented lumber wholesaler since its beginning in 1958, however, its president, Pete Speek, says the company's most dynamic forward growth has taken place within the past two years.

The Whittier. Ca.. firm believes that people are its most important asset and during the past two years, three high caliber men (all under 30) have been added to its Whittier sales staff and one to the Eugene, Or. office. "The blend of new young blood and seasoned professionals is our key to future growth," says Speek.

It is the only wholesaler in Southern California to own and operate its own dockside distribution yard. They have a 7t/2. acre distribution yard adjacent to Pier 83 in Long Beach and unload cargo and service their customers pick up or delivery needs with their own personnel and equipment.

They also receive rail and t&t deliveries of lumber into their distribution center to maintain a balanced inventory for their retail and industrial accounts throughout Southern Califomia and Arizona. They carry a large inventory in a wide variety of products and species and specialize in high quality lumber for the shoulder trade yards, rough timbers and long lengths, which they sell in lcl quantities.

The Eugene office serves Northern Califomia and Nevada.

Recently, Fremont installed the first Basic Four Computer to be used by the lumber industry in Southern California. Its installation was under the supervision of Virginia Allen, manager of the Whittier Headquarters Office.

This remarkable system utilizes a screen for each salesman that gives an immediate picture of all dock inventory, transits, and unshipped orders. It is a complete in-house computer that has a line printer automatically producing invoices at the rate of one every five seconds. It provides all financial statements including a monthly P&L. Some of the advantages already being accrued are: a. Prints purchase order b. Prints selling copies for salesmen and updates sales. c. Prepares direct billing to final check point or holds order ready for yard receipt. d. Permits billing within two daYs of ship advise.

(l) One time entry of purchase order with added shipping and sales information.

Story at a Glance

A combination of experienced management, new young blood, plus a management-byobjectives system of operation and a new computer that does most everything but sweep uP at night is featured by growth oriented wholesaler.

(2) Yard invoicing and inventory update completed within 5-20 minutes after sale; provides up-to-date availability on inventory.

(3) Rail rate information device provides: a. current rail rate lists for salesmen. b. Automatic freightcalculation upon entry of weights.

(4) Demurrage is automatically calculated on each car each morning for hold track report.

(5) Provides monthly sales reports by product, customer and salesmen.

(6) Provides weekly accounts receivable aging in 30 minutes. It previousf y took 21b-31/2. hours.

(7) Provides reports on open sales orders and purchase orders on a selected basis.

TEAM assembled for recent semi-annual company meetinq included (seated, l-r) Dale Bacon, Pete Speek, Ed Evans, Ted Pollard. Standing: Tom Murdoch, Blaine Smith, Greg Mokler, Scott Griswold, Tim Gaffney, Ray Jensen and Bob Pallow.

(8) Provides report of footage on hand by product weekly, and compares current footage with previous week and records variance with requirenrent shown for each product.

(9) Provides worksheet for weekly inventory mailing list.

(10) Provides customer and vendor files listed by salesman or by customer or vendor or on Rolodex cards.

(ll) Provides daily accounts payable trial balance listing all unpaid items in detail.

(12) Sets up open invoices for payment by discount date and sets up deductions on open mill credits or Fremont debit memos against the first open invoice to be paid.

(13) Automatically up-dates all payable functions to general ledger. Some of the advantages antici pated in the near future are:

(l) Automatically sets up mill and freight payables upon receipt of shipping advise.

(2) Selective purchase order reporting by product number, listing available transits for sales by product number and vendor.

(3) Salesmens screens, which have just become operational to replace existing manually entered cargo book.

(4) All journal controls automatically post to general ledger.

(5) Produce all budget information, financial statements, cash flow reports and various other financial information.

The management team consists of Ed Evans, executive vice president and general sales manager; Ted Pollard, vice president; Ray Jensen, manager, Eugene office; Virginia Allen, Whittier office manager; Bill Baugh, an industry consultant; and Pete Speek, president.

The team meets monthly and operates within the framework of a management by objectives system. All company sales personnel are involved in the setting of new sales goals every six months. The board of directors is responsible for long range planning and the establishment of 5 year goals.

All stock is owned by employees and Ted Pollard is the newest stockholder.

As the magazine goes to press, Fremont has added another under-30 trader, Doug Gregg, to its Eugene office and is in the process of moving the Whittier Office to a new and larger location in Whittier at suite 630, Whittier Square Building, 13215 E. Penn Street.

According to Speek, their primary goal is to serve the needs of its customers more effectively than its competitors while creating and maintaining a happy work environment for all of its employees. "An environment that allows and encourages each employee to grow to their full potential as a professional lumberman and as a human being," he explains.

0N IY Southern California wholesaler to own and operate its own dockside distribution yard, Fremont has seven and onehalf acres at Pier 83, Long Beach. Vessel at lef t carries approximately 2.3 million bd. ft., barge discharging cargo at right about 4.5 million bd. ft.

COMPUTER terminals are mounted on a lazy Susan between salesmen's offices. Here, Tim Gaffney punches code via keyboard to bring up an on-screen display of inventory. At right, Greg tlttlE 'EM UP and move 'em in. Some 1,200 residents of the Hollywood, Ca., area were in line for the opening of their new Cooper's store. Following the film cutting, crowds surged through the doors, greeted by bags of gift merchandise, free balloons and tickets for hourly prize drawings. Heavily promoted event featured a $10,000 Dodge van as top prize.