WESlIERN ASS0ClAll[0N NEWS

Lumber Merchants Associatlon of Northern Callfornia's president Larry McFadden, discussing recent Forest Service decisions, said, "One can safely state that preservationists assassinated Smokey Bear and discredited the professional manager with the result of politicizing all foreshy decisions."

"Despite the decision to move forward with 'kinder, gentler' foreshy methods that will, in effect, reduce (if not eliminate) clear cutting in National Forests, and provide for a more visually pleasing and diverse vegetative appearance on a forestwide basis, one could feel the frusbation of the forest rangers in the field with their lack of authority to manage the forests," he added.

"The result of the Forest Service's action will result in more pressure on private timber lands in the western U.S. It will nearly eliminate timber sales on federal land and it will increase timber prices in our region," McFadden said. "Given the stranglebold that the private sector will have on the market, perhaps we sbould invest our stock and get out of the lumber business since it's doubtful if they will have'kinder, gentler' prices! "

Writing in the association's newsletter following a five-day tour of Pacific Northwest fo[ests, he concluded, "It was my impression that the supply is limitless, but it's becoming increasingly concenhated into fewer hands."

Western Bulldlng Materlal Assoclatlon is reminding members the Anericans with Disabilities Act employment-related provisions took effect July 26 affecting all businesses employing 25 or more people. A company cannot discriminate against anyone who can perform the "essential functions" of a job. Further, the act calls upon employers to make a "reasonable accommodation" for a worker's disability, provided that it does not cause the business "undue hardship."

The association suggests employers trying to make tbeir workplaces physically accommodating to people with disabilities consult a disabled individual, especially a company employee. They recommend asking the person to go through the facility to identify problem areas and make recommendations.

Since wheelchair accessibility or easy maneuverability is a consideration, the association suggests: curb cuts with ramps in sidewalks and at enkances; wider doors; designated parking spaces close to entrances; low pile carpeting; roomy toilet stalls with grab bars and raised seats.

Workers and applicants with mental illnesses and emotional problems, recovered drug and alcohol abusers and people recovering fiom a variety of physical problems are also covered by the act. Accommodation for these individuals is likely to relate more to the task itself than to architecture or furnishings, the association notes. However accommodating tbe hearing or vision impaired may require structural or mechanical changes such as flashing alarm lights as well as bells/buzzers to signal emergencies or Braille indications at stairways, room doorways and in elevators.

WesternLumberProduction Off

Sawmills in the 12 western states produced 19.075 billion board feet in 1991,9.9Vo lower than the previous year and the lowest annual volume since 1985, according to the Western Wood Products Association.

1991 Lumber Production By State

The West provided 4l7o of the lumber used in the U.S. in 1991. Southern mills supplied 29Vo and imports (nearly all from Canada) represented 28Vo of the lumber used.

A slow economy, anemic housing demand and further reductions in timber supply affected western lumber production levels. Housing starts in 1991 totaled just 1.01 million units, the slowest home construction year in neady four decades.

At the end of 1991, there were 536 lumber mills operating in the l2-state region, compared to 600 a year earlier. Of the 64 lumber mills closed during 1991, nearly half were located in Oregon, Washington and California, where timber sales from federal lands have been halted by preservationist lawsuits and harvest restrictions to protect the spotted owl.

The number of lumber mills operating in the West has declined 247o sincn, 1987, when western lumber production hit an all-time high of 23.932 billion board feet.

Industry employment (including plywood and logging) in the West shrank to 190,894 in 1991, a decline of l2.5Vo from 218,147 in 1990.

More Manufacturers Are Cherry Pickers

Oregon remained the top lumber producing state: 6.595 billion board feet manufactured at an estimated wholesale value of $1.962 billion. California was second with 4.218 billion board feet valued at $1.932 billion, followed by Washington's 3.82 billion board feet valued at $1.071 bilton. Mills in the tbree states producedTTVo of western region lumber.

Use of cherry in manufacturing furniture is on the rise, based on hardwood wall units displayed at a recent San Francisco, Ca., furniture market.

Northwest Hardwoods tabulated l3.l%o of the units used cherry, up from six months earlier's 9.87o. Red and white oak slipped from 36.4Vo to 34.tVo and ash and elm from 2.5Vo to I.lVo. Pine increased from 10.87o to llVo, alder ftonr 3.9Vo to 4.9Vo, and maple and birch from 1.87o to 4.4Vo.

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Wildfires Tear Through Timberlands, Homes

Hard driving winds and 90" temperatures kindled a flurry of devastating, out-of-control forest fires in drought-stricken areas of California, scorching tens ofthousands ofacres of timberland.

The worst of tle late August blazes was the 64,000 acre Fountain fre, one of the 10 largest fires ever to strike the state. It bumed for over a week northeast of Redding, Ca., evacuating towns from Burney down to Bella Vista and consuming an estimated 600 million feet of timber. Arson is suspected.

Big Valley Lumber Co., Bieber, Ca., lost about 200,000 logs at its Burney mill when a log deck caught fire. "We took a loader and pulled off the burning logs," said Don Porter. "We would have lost the whole operation if we didn't have anybody there."

Although Intermountain Supply, Burney, lost two days of business when the town was evacuated, they fortunately didn't lose their business. "The wind changed and the fire went around us," sighed a spokesman.

The fire was a mixed blessing for about 300 millworkers at Roseburg Forest Products, Anderson, Ca., who expected the two mills to close this month. Though tle company lost 26,000 acres in the Foutain fire, the mills will stay open indefinitely to process the burned timber, enough to build 50,000 houses.

The fire crept within yards of Sierra Pacific Industries' Burney mill, as employees manned fire lines around the plant. The company lost only one shift in production, but several workers lost their homes tro the fres.

In El Dorado County, WetselOviatt Lumber Co., Folsom, Ca., lost about 800 acres of private timberland in the Farnum fre.

At least 10 other serious brush fres broke out in California during the same final week of August, including the 6,400 acre Barker fire in Trinity County, the 9,000 acre Rainbow fire in the Inyo National Forest and the 18,000 acre Old Gulch blaze in Calaveras County. In Idaho, the 257.000 acre Foothills fire near Boise reportedly consumed the state's oldest ponderosa pine.

Wounded Depot Guard Sues

An armored car guard wounded during a robbery at Home Depot, Van Nuys, Ca., has filed suit against the chain following a similar robbery during which a guard was killed.

The suit alleges Gregory Alaimo was shot in the hand and permanently disabled during a March 23, 1990, robbery partly due to a Depot policy forbidding security from unholstering their weapons while inside a store. Other times couriers draw their guns and hold them at their sides while under perceived dangerous conditions, the suit says.

His suit was dismissed earlier on the grounds that he accepted the risk of being shot when he took the job. But, according to The Los Angeles Times, Alaimo says he is appealing because of the policy. "If I had my gun ouL the robber would have had second thoughts," Alaimo said. "I have been saying from the beginning, \Mhat's it going to take, someone getting killed?' Now that has happened."

Alaimo's partner on the day he was shot was Edwin Maldonado, the guard killed by robbers July 20 at the San Fernando, Ca., store. Home Depot says the guard would have been killed despite any change in policy.

September 1992

Fullmer Gets Russian Lumber

Fullner Lumber Co. officials were on hand at the Port of Grays Harbor, Aberdeen, Wa., when the company's first lumber shipment, approximately 90,000 feet, arrived from Russia on Iuly 23.

Ted Fullmer, president of the Donald, Or., company, sai4 "It is too early to determine the long terrr benefits of this program, but if we can overcome the logistical and financial hurdles, we see the opportunity for tremendous growth in this area. Russia holds 517o of the world's timber supply and has the potential to develop into a significant supplier. We are honored and excited to assist the development (of lumber trade) between these two countries. Everyone benefits by this relationship. The Russians saw tXe logs, cut the lumber and kiln dry it. The Americans further manufacture the lumber into products they need."

American International Brokerage Corp., Orlando, Fl., imported the lumber after two years of preparation. They expect to bring additional shipments of rough cut Russian lumber to the U.S. Lumber is allowed entry bY the U.S. Department of Agriculture because the kiln drying has the effect of pasteurizing. Cunently, unless logs have been heated to 160' to sterilize the wood, they are difficult to import.

Lighter Woods More Popular

Oak, pine and alder use in furniture is increasing, Arnold B. Curtis, president of Northwest Hardwoods, Portland, Or., noted after the recent San Francisco, Ca, furniture ma*et.

Other trends observed by the Weyerhaeuser Company official include a drop in the use ofburls, cherry and mahogany. Birch, maple, walnut and pecan-hickory use remained similar to that in past markets.

Finishes showed an increase in the light brown, honey tan and bleach gray tones as well as fruitwood.

Beadex's New Office, Plant

Beadex Manufacturing Co. has completed a new 50,000 sq. ft. headquarters building and state of the art plant in Auburn, Wa.

With realignment of nuurufircturing facilities and expansion of its disribution network, the company will concentxate national and international sales and marketing efforts on Tape-

On corner beads and trims, according to president Don King. Beadex facilities at Stockton and Riverside, Ca., have been closed with manufacture and sale of compounds in this market discontinued.

Hamilton Materials has been appointed master distributor of Beadex drywall accessories in California and adjacent sales tenitory. This provides a link with Canadian Gypsum Co., Diunar Gypsum and Synkoloid Co. of Canada through a master distributor group.

Insulation Demand Growing

Demand for thermal insulation will grow 3.2Vo annually through 1996 to $6.4 billion, srengthened by rebounding construction activity.

Fiberglass will comprise over half the total market this year, although foamed plastics will be the fastest growing. The Freedonia Group, Inc. reports that excellent performance qualities, including high R-values, ease of installation and cost competitiveness, will create rapid growth for the latte,r.

Doug \illllls is celebrating his 5th anniversary with Product Sales Co., Orange, Ca.

Tom Baxter, Ganahl Lumber Co., Corona, Ca., and his new bride, Llz, were wed July 25, 1992.

Emerlc Wlgand, founder, Wigand Corp., Colorado Springs, Co., is retiring after mor€ than 40 yeus in the industy.

Todd Pollard, Gemini Forest hoducts, los Alamitos, Ca., and his wife, Amy, are the new parents of l0 lb. 7 oz. Erlca Alyse, bom June 16,1992.

Dave Buf6, Mesa Forest Products, Costa Mesa, Ca., and Jerry Hlgman, Reliable Wholesale Lumber, Temple City, Ca., competed in the Baja 500 offroad race, winning third in class.

Chrls Schaller, Schaller Forest Products, Redding, Ca., vacationed at Disneyland.

Rod McCammon is now doing engineering work on glulams and other engineered wood products at Huff Lumber Co., Santa Fe Springs, Ca., reports MarkHuff.

Gene Baker is now in sales at Enterprise Lumber, Arlington, Wa.

Tlm Saunders is senior lumber buyer at Weyerhaeuser, Tacoma, Wa.

Todd Bybee is the new sales mgr. for RLD Trading, Oakley, Ca.

Patrlc Taylor, Cal State Forest Products, Orange, Ca., is a candidate for tbe November election to the Moreno Valley City Council.

Joe Bowman, Bowman Lumber Sales, Cloverdale, Ca., was in Gulf Breezn. Fl., on business.

Dave Mlckelson is now in cedar sales for Hall Forest Products, Tacoma, Wa.

Greg Gomon has been promoted to sales mgr. at All-Coast Forest Products, Cloverdale, Ca., reports v.p./gen. mgr. Kent Bond. Rles Van den Heuvel is now assL sales mgr.

Wlllam D. Eberle and G. Robert Evans have been elected to tbree year terms on the board of Fibreboard Corp., Concord, Ca.

Tom Mock has been named sales mgr. for [,ouisiana-Pacific's padicleboard plant, Arcata, Ca., and the hardboard and MDF lines in Oroville, Ca. He's based in Samoa, Ca.