It Takes Mote Than Quattty Products and Attractlve Prtces

ARIZONA

Sequoia Supply-Phoenix

CALIFORNIA

Aura Hardwood Lumber Co.-San Jose, Santa Cruz

Capitol Plywood-Sacramento

Frost Hardwoods-San Diego

Sequoia Supply, Inc.-Fairfield, Orange, San Francisco

COLORADO

Boise Cascade Corporation-Denver, Grand Junction

IDAHO

Boise Cascade-Boise

C. A. Company-Lewiston

MONTANA

Boise Cascade-Bil I ings

Capitol Plywood-Reno

OREGON

Sequoia Supply-Wilsonville States Dealer Supply-Eugene

UTAH

Diehl Lumber Products, Inc.-Salt Lake City

Boise Cascade Corporation-Salt Lake City

WASHINGTON

Boise Cascade Corporation-Wood invi le, Yakima

C. A. Company-Spokane

Sequoia Supply, Inc.-Tacoma

The Merchant Magazine

Publisher Emeritus A.D. Bell, Jr.

Editor-Publisher David Cutler

Associate Editor

Juanita Lovret

Contributing Editors

Dwight Curran

Gage McKinney

William Lobdell

Al Kerper

Art Director Martha Emery

Staff Artist Carole Shinn

Circulation Kelly Kendziorski

The Merchant Magazine (USPS 796-56000) is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660, phone (714) 549-E393, by The Merchant magazine, Inc. Second-class postage rates paid at Newport Beach, Ca., and additional offices. Advertising rates upon request.

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DAVID CUTLER editor- publ is her

Salute to the surv:vors

IIURING the last few years we've carried far Emore bad news in these columns than good news. It has been our task to report on all the bankruptcies, closures, forced mergers and the sacking of thousands of workers.

Now, as business climbs slowly out of recession, we think it's time to recognize a group that deserves as much ink: the survivors, the men and women who, by a remarkable combination of qualities, have come through the bad times with the business intact. Battered, maybe, often smaller, with confidence on slow bell, but the company is alive and kicking nonetheless.

Congratulations !

You've earned it. We salute the extra hardwork required, the dedication, perseverence, resourcefulness and flexibility that this industry showed in the face of appallingly bad business conditions.

There may be as many methods of surviving as there are surviving companies. Comfortable sales and marketing patterns of the past were jettisoned. Hard decisions were made to go in new directions; to run leaner and meaner. Choices were made that no one wanted to make. Not pretty to watch. But in some cases the only alternative was the failure of the business. Often they were the kind of decisions that seem clear cut and straightforward in the business textbook, but which are very difficult and painful to implement in real life.

Recent upward movements in the interest rates have created widespread industry concern as to whether we are really out of the recession or are about to slip back down, to face again the acrossthe-board problems resulting from increased money costs.

While a return to the bad old days doesn't appear imminent at this time, we'll bet most of the survivors will be keeping their Survival Techniques Manual at close hand for a little while longer.

DLENTY of out of the woods f optimism, fueled by an accelerating turnabout in the nation's economy, abounded at the 79th NHMA International Housewares Exposition in Chicago, July l0-14.

With 1,835 exhibitors in the giant McCormick Place/McCormick Place West exhibition complex, it was the final July show until next year's shift to spring and fall dates for new marketing patterns. More than 60,000 persons in the trade attended the five-day showcase, which is not open to the public.

"It has been a good six months overall for our industry," said Ronald A. Fippinger, managing director of the National Housewares Manufacturers Association, which sponsors the event. "And the next six months and beyond promise to be even better, as economic indicators of all kinds paint a rosy picture for the nation's strengthened rebound from the recession climate of last year. "

He said that notwithstanding last July's low point, housewares manufacturers' sales in 1982 totaled more than $20 billion and were 590 ahead of the previous year, when a thenrecord $19 billion sales mark was set.

"With inflation slowed, interest rates leveling off and consumer confidence on the rebound," Fippinger said, "the housewares industry and all its members have plenty to be positive about."

A bumper crop of new or improved home-use products ,was unveiled. Notable among them was an ever-expanding group of health care items that range from air cleaners to water purifiers, from blood pressure and pulse meters to