Wholesaler Snavely Celebrates Centennial

This month, wholesaler Snavely Forest Products celebrates a century in the building materials business and attributes their longevity to innovation. According to Snavely, marketing new products and services that meet the growing demand for specialty lumber and building materials has helped define the company in an industry rife with change over recent years.

"By constantly maintaining our mission of innovation. we continue to differentiate ourselves in the marketplace, which helps position us for long-term growth," said president and c.e.o. Stephen Snavely. "Our industry has faced a number of new market dynamics-from consolidation and regulations to an explosion of new engineered and composite products, so it is an integral part of our business strategy that we continue to adapt to the times while remaining always true to our core business."

That core business is providing customers access to high quality lumber and building materials from around the world. According to Stephen Snavely, "One aspect that defines Snavely Forest Products is the significant amount of resources that go into marketing support and development when introducing new products that serve an ever-expanding market."

The firm was founded in Saginaw, Mi., as Germain Lumber Corp., and moved to Pittsburgh in 1902. C.M. Snavely joined the company in 1954 and in 1958 purchased Germain Lumber Co., which primarily operated as a direct shipping wholesaler. The name changed to Snavely Forest Products in 1911. In 1960, the company established a small distribution facility in Pittsburgh to service Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York. From 1979 through the late 1990s, Snavely continued to expand by opening regional sales and distribution facilities to accommodate the company's growth, including locations in Phoenix, Az.; San Francisco, Ca.; Denver, Co.; Dallas, Tx.; Greensboro,

N.C.; Winter Haven, Fl.; Baltimore, Md.. and Smithton. Pa.

Snavely's product line spans all species of pine and spruce boards in a variety of select and common grades.

In addition, Snavely markets

Kimberly Bay Pine, a select plantation-grown pine with excellent application properties which has helped to position Snavely International as a leader in providing environmentally sound products. The product has received Forest Stewardship Council certification. In fact, plantation grown, recycled or reconstituted wood products now account for more than lOTo of the company's $200 million in annual sales.

While pine has traditionally defined Snavely with customers, the company's core products also include engineered wood products, wood polymer composite decking, vinyl fencing and railine. and custom exterior doors.

They're stiffer, straighter and stronger than lumber or composite products. They're engineered to meet even the most stringent building codes. They virtually eliminate waste and helo cut labor costs. And here's the best part: we can precision manufacture and precut components to your exact specifications. That's why we're such an important part of so many other companies'products.

See for yourself. Visit our new website at wwwowlon line.com

And set your sights on something smarter.

Fire Chars N.M. Home Center

An early morning fire caused major damage at Hacienda Homes Center, Espaflola, N.M.

Investigators suspect arson after finding a charred swath of cement and traces of an accelerant.

The blaze apparently began in a lumber storage area about 4 a.m. July 23. Flames soon spread, burning two nearby homes and killing seven horses in a barn. An eighth horse, frightened by flames, ran onto an adjacent highway, where it was struck by a car and killed.

Nearly 40 firefighters battled the blaze. "We could see the fire all the way across town," said fire chief Ray Wolf. "It was burning probably 40 to 50 feet into the air."

Vandals Hit ldaho Firm Twice

Vandals twice struck the property of Bennett Lumber Products, Princeton, Id., causing nearly $10,000 in damage.

On the first occasion in June, trespassers entered the mill and drove a contractor's logging truck to nearby private property, where they knocked down several trees before drivins the truck into a pond.

Four days later, trespassers broke a lock on the same truck and then drove it through a stand of l0-year-old, 15ft.-tall trees at a Bennett plantation. Fifteen trees were knocked down and a gate valued at $2,500 was destroyed.

Police suspect one of the vandals was injured because blood was found in the cab of the logging truck.

Freres Gets Pine Rock Sale

Freres Lumber Co., Lyons, Or., has purchased the Pine Rock Timber Sale in Oregon's upper Molalla River from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The $766,468 sale, which is expected to yield 5.6 million bd. fr. from 303 acres, encompasses mainly 80-year-old Douglas fir.

Originally the sale was cleared for clear cutting, but the BLM has since designated the parcel for commercial thinning. Pine Rock was originally up for sale last year, but was delayed for further review.

The harvest, which will require Freres to do some helicopter yarding to limit road construction and protect soil, must be completed within three years. This is the first timber sale by the BLM in Clackamas Countv. Or.. in two years.

Talpx Pulls Plug On Exchange

Talpx Inc., one of the leading ecommerce market service providers to the forest products industry, has discontinued operations.

T,llrx president Jim Olmedo attributed the closure to a "challenging economic environment and reduced capital spending industrywide."

Although Telpx's Web site went offline soon after the July 12 decision to shut down, Olmedo expected the member exchange to remain open until mid-August.

Since its first electronic lumber transaction in April 1999, Ter-px developed a selling base that included nearly 407o of lumber production and l57o of panel production, as well as a buyer base of 1,500 locations.

C.C. Crow Publications. Portland. Or., which was acquired by TeI-rx last year, will continue to operate.

Earlier this year, Talrx helped Cox Industries, Orangeburg, S.C., develop the industry's first private branded exchange, coXchange, which went live July 20. Cox's Mike Johnson said the changes at Talpx "will slow us down," since they may require another company to host and support the site.

Bamboo Building Products Arrive

As builders and architects strive to meet customer demands for an even wider selection of building materials in the home, Chinese bamboo has begun emerging as a viable wood substitute.

Bamboo, which is technically a grass and not a tree, has long been used in Asia, but is just now emerging in the U.S. as flooring, paneling and plywood. But the question for many wholesalers and lumberyards is why sell bamboo?

Daniel Smith, Smith & Fong Co., South San Francisco, Ca., which manufactures and distributes bamboo building products under the trade name Plyboo, says bamboo's unique grain patterns and its innate strength that set it apart.

"Bamboo flooring is twice as stable as oak flooring and is installed using the exact same procedures and tools as traditional hardwood flooring," said Smith.

He also points out that bamboo products are specified by three distinct, growing market segments: "green" builders and homeowners, since only the bamboo stalks are harvested, not the root system; those attracted to bamboo's unusual grain patterns, and those he describes as "bamboo nuts."

Although bamboo flooring tends to be more expensive than traditional hardwoods, Ann Knight of bamboo manufacturer TimberGrass, Bainbridge Island, Wa., emphasized that it more than compares to wood flooring. "Bamboo flooring outperforms traditional flooring materials in durability and hardness," she said. "lt's 25Vo harder than oak and l2Va harder than maple."

Bamboo is hollow in the center with its outer walls generally an inch thick at the base. During the manufacturing process, a flat strip is milled from the core of the wall and then boiled in a solution to kill lingering pests.

The strips are then kiln-dried and finally laminated edge-to-edge to produce, for example, a single-ply panel.

Smith cautions that, contrary to popular belief, bamboo is not designed to be placed in high moisture areas such as bathrooms. Although it is twice as stable as oak, it will still warp and buckle if exposed to too much moisture. Builders should adhere to North American Flooring Manufacturers Association standards when using the product.

Although flooring tends to hold the largest share of the bamboo market, plywood panels with an MDF core or solid plywood core are steadily growing.

Smith said that bamboo has so far been strong around major urban areas such as Seattle, Wa.; Los Angeles and San Francisco, Ca., and New York City, but he notes that recent interest in Texas indicates a growing acceptance of this exotic import nationwide.

TimberGrass's Knight agrees that the awareness of bamboo as a building product is growing. "Bamboo has great potential as awareness grows in the U.S., of this fantastic material, its superior strength, stability and renewability as a resource," added Knight.

Gene Pietila, ex-Coast Wood Preserving, has joined Pacific Wood Preserving Cos.. Bakersfield. Ca., as outside sales rep for No. Ca. Milt Farvour, exManke Lumber. is the new outside sales rep for Ak., Hi. and Wa. Jerry Farley, ex-McFarland Cascade, is now responsible for sales in Or., Id. and Mt. Tom Gardiner, ex-Mendocino Wood Specialties, has joined Nu Forest Products, Healdsburg, Ca., as a sales consultant.

Jim Thomson, ex-TreeSource, has joined Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., as an inside sales rep.

Bob Baxter, ex-Barr Lumber, has joined Huttig Building Products as an outside sales representative in Mira Loma, Ca. Mark and Blair Mankins are in the process of buying Brisco's Mill and Lumber Yard, Arroyo Grande, Ca., from their father, Howard.

John Hedges, ex-Exterior Wood, is now the Northwest sales representative at Conrad Forest Products, North Bend Or., responsible for Or., Wa., Id., Ak., Mt. and Wy. Dave Higi is the new Dous fir coordinator in Arbuckle, Ca.

Howard Raff, ex-Hampton Lumber, is new to sales and purchasing at Manke Lumber, Tacoma, Wa., purchasing for Superior Wood Treating, Sumner, Wa. Troy Turner has been promoted to sales at Redwood Empire Sawmill Division's Asti. Ca.. sales office.

Harvey Fischer, national accounts mgr.engineered wood products grouP, Boise, Boise, Id., plans to retire after 40 years with the company. He will be replaced by Sheldon Watson. Ed Markham has retired from the particleboard sales group after 34 years with the company.

Chad Kidder was promoted to general mgr. of Ganahl Lumber Co., Laguna Beach, Ca., replacing Paul Kelly, who is now general mgr. of the recently acquired Buena Park, Ca., yard.

Bob Howey, Joseph F. Grisay Co., Los Angeles, Ca., is now an exclusive sales agent for BMD, Galt, Ca., and GrisaY specialty fasteners.

Rick Johnston, ex-Copeland Lumber and Parr Lumber, is the new mgr. at Lumbermen's Buildine Center, Forest Grove. Or.

Greg Chase, ex-Starfire Lumber Co., has joined the sales staff at Herbert Lumber Co., Riddle, Or.

Paul Brooks, ex-North Pacific Group, is new to sales at LowGradelumber, Portland, Or.

Donnie Bolinger and Joe Louis Murphy Jr. are new mgr. trainees at 84 Lumber, Las Vegas, Nv.

Mike Casey, ex-LP, is new to Douglas fir dimension lumber sales at Sierra Pacific Industries, Redding, Ca.

Rick Dunning has joined TemPerate Forest Foundation, Beaverton, Or., as v.p.-development.

Lindy Alexander has joined The Beck Group, Portland, Or., as office mgr.

Doug Clitheroe, Interfor, was elected chairman of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, succeeding Tom Read, Northwest Cedar Products. Ken Young, Weyerhaeuser, is lst vice chairman and Jack Heavenor, Downie Timber, 2nd vice chairman.

James E. Moylan was named executive v.p. and c.f.o.-building products and distribution for Georgia-Pacific Corp.

Richard Hanson, executive v.p.-timberlands, Weyerhaeuser Co., is now in charge of the company operations in the Southern Hemisphere (excePt TrusJoist), Weyerhaeuser Asia Ltd., and its European composite panel business. Michael Thompson is president of Weyerhaeuser Asia, succeeding H. James Fitzgerald, who retires Dec. 31.

Brian Kiernan has joined TruServ Corp. as v.p.-retail development.

Mike Doan, Colonial Lumber, San Mateo, Ca., and his family recently returned from a San Diego. Ca.. vacation.

Steve Freeman, retired owner, Stephen G. Freeman Co., Newport Beach, Ca., recently celebrated his 91st birrhday with his friend Jack Daniel's.

Kathleen Patterson, Central Valley Builders Supply, St. Helena, Ca., won the Women in Business Award from The North Bay Business Joumal.

Bob Stockton, J.H. Baxter, San Mateo. Ca., and his wife, Sue, have a new granddaughter. Emily.

John Wilton, California Foresr Products, Hollister, Ca., was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal for its "Workplaces" column. The story will focus on Wilton's world class collection of presidential documents and photographs.

John McDonald, Big Creek Lumber Co., Davenport, Ca., recently returned from a week of fishing with his family in Trinty County, Ca.

William Buettner, retired, United Wholesale Lumber, Visalia, Ca., recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

Cody Gunn, 19, son of Billy Gunn, Colville Indian Power and Veneer Corp., Omak, Wa., is now in his rookie season as a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals' minor league affiliate Johnson City, Tn., Cardinals.

Bob Mitchell, Robert C. Mitchell Hardwoods, Simi Valley, Ca., was elected president of the Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club. Charlie James, Lumber Products, is past president; Deonn Deford, Ganahl Lumber, v.p.charity/golf tournament chair; John Stockham, Weber Plywood & Lumber, secretary/treasurer; Walter Ralston, Coastal Lumber, membership chair; Darlene Peterman, Peterman Lumber, social chair; Dan Jones and Fred Jones, Custom Mills, sgts.-at-arms; Ken Tinckler, newsletter editor, and Nathan Osborne, Osborne Forest Products, and Fred Pendergast, Penn Forest Products, directors-at-large.

Jim Hallstrom , Zip-O Log Mills, Eugene, Or., was elected to the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau board of directors.

Nick Nagle, Great Western Transportation, San Bernardino, Ca., and his wife, Amanda, gave birth Aug. 5 to Hunter Davidson Nagle. Hunter is suffering from hypo plastic left heart syndrome and upon birth was brought to the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Mi., to undergo multiple open-heart surgeries. For progress reports, go to www.tlcontact.com, register, and then go to huntersbabypage.

Al Knight Bender is now in charge of after-hours recreation for employees at Mungus Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Fungus and Freddy Fungus.