NEWS BRIEFS

"A verlt solid production number" was the verdict of building economist Michael Sumichrast on the June housing start figures, despite their 6Vo decline from the mo. earlier even so, theY were 23% ahead of the 6176 pace.

At' a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,833,000 units, off from May's upward-revised I,954,000 pace, home construction was still comfortably close to levels hit earlier in '77 that were the highest in approx. 4 years.

A decline from such lofty nos. is inevitable, according to Sumichrast, who notes new home sales (nationally) have declined for 3 mos.;absolute home sales in the West are down and much of that decline has been inCa....

Still, the rate of bldg. permits for future construction is off only slightly and a strong construction pace should continue into the 4th quarter some experts feel demand is strong enough to keep production levels at 2 million units well into '78.

Consumer attitudes toward home buying remain high in surveys, but the median price of a Ca. home hit $60,356 in May . deposits into s&ls (source of most home mortgage $) is below last year . softening home sales are beginning to cause banks to shave % pts. off their lending rate . .

Apt. bldg. is shaping up slowly, permits for future construction have strengthened considerably v&cancy rates are at 0r near historic low levels in many parts of the llest . F. W. Dodge Div. predicts total contracting in'77 will hit $127.5 billion, a 19% gain over '76 . .

Gypsum board manufacturers have been accused of "total disregard" for the housing industry by the California Drywall Contractors Assn., which says gyp. board has inueased 45% in price since early '77, adding $500 to the cost of new homes.

Fire that allegedly started in the Publishers Forest Products' mill, Burney, C&., caused a loss of $1 mitlion in timber plus 100,000 bd. ft. of finish lumber, 5 chip cars and several sheds, according to a co. spokesman . . production has resumed

Barnwood from the Deep South, approximately 80 years old, is an interesting new product offered by Beachwood Forest Producfs, Costa Mesa Summit lUood Products has moved to beautiful new offices at 10000 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A....

Dawson Lumber, Joseph, Or., held a grand opening recently. . Pelligrino's Thrifty Lumber has moved to larger quarters 6 mi. East of Carson City, Nv. Foothill Building Supply, Burson, Ca., is a new business owned by Harold Wilkerson, Tom Reed and J. D. Johnson . -

Apex Building Specialities, Burley, Id., is a new concrete specialty house Palmer G. Lewis Co. has purchased 6.01 acres in Yakima, Wa., as a new site for their branch operation . . . Certain-teed plans to build a $35 million fiberglass insulation plant in Chowchilla, Ca.

Hunter Woodworks, Carson, Ca., is celebrating its 34th year in business . . Max Hill Lumber Co. has settled into its new digs on Mines Ave., Montebello, Ca. . . Armco Steel is building a new truss pipe plant in Madera, Ca. . . Kaiser Cement & Gypsurn plans a multi-million $ fix-up of their Permanente,Ca. cementplant...

Lumber Dealers Material Co. (LDM), Sacramento, Ca., is celebrating its 40 years in business by opening a branch operation in Fresno, with full service to begin in Sept.; property is 52,500 sq. ft., mgr is Marty Wells . . Foxworth-Gilbraith Lumber is completing a new $1.5 million retail store and warehouse in Mesa A2....

Johns Manville is expanding its Willows, Ca., fiberglass insulation plant to the tune of $14 million . more than 22.000 redwood Design-a-Deck kits have been sold this year by the California Redwood Assn. sales of housewares at the manufacturing level hit a record $l I billion last year, nearly 3 times greater than l0 years ago.

O'Malley plans to open a 5th Phoenix. Az.. area BMC on the north side of town this fall, part of their plan to double retail div. sales within 5 years to $100 million National Softwood Sales is developing a plan ing mill in Pomona, Ca-, operations slated to begin in Sept.

F&E Industries has moved from Paramount, Ca. to Cypress . the merger of the Intermountain Lumber Div., Hoerner Waldorf into Champion Building Products, Bonner, Mt. has been completed the Fir&Hemlock Door Assn. now requires safety glazing in all doors meeting FHDAstandards....

American Forest hoducts has purchased Coin Millwork, a big Prineville, Or., millwork house, no amount disclosed Van PIy, Inc. is moving its corp. offices from Tulsa. Ok., to Los Angeles.