Second best ain't bad !

LlousINc starts in the U.S., the I I best single indicator of strength in the lumber market, are expected to total 1.5 million units in 1976. reflecting the second highest total for single family units in history.

This was the prediction of H. A. Roberts, exec. v.p. of Western

Wood Products Association, at the recent two-day WWPA Fall Meeting in Newport Beach, Ca.

Roberts pointed out that singlefamily units will comprise 78% of all conventional starts this year, a figure which has been closer to 557o in recent years. In real numbers, he said, this year will be the second best Year of single-family starts ever. "This year we expect l.l5 million single-family starts compared with the all-time high of 1.3 million single-family starts in 1972," he noted.

As for 1917, he expects to see a total of 1,625,000 conventional starts in both single and multi-family construction. "What this means, in short, is 19'77 looks like a strong carbon copy of 1976 n about every respect."

Implications for producers in the l2 contiguous Western states are that (PLease turn to page 46)

Story at a Glance

Total of 1.5 million housing starts forecast for '7 6 at Western Wood Products Assn. Fall meeting routine changes in Grading Rules OK'd.

Weyerhaeuser has revealed that an internal investigation showed $1.2 million in "impraper foreign payments" ovet the past 5 years had been made to foreign gov. officials and overseas firms; George H. Weyerha€user, pres., called the payments "traditional" in those scicieties, but acknowledged the possibility for abuse and said llt. firm had halted the prac- tlce...

Southern Forest Products Assn. has begun an 8-state, 3week promotional "blitz" of the riin Northeastern turnbir market, using their entire fieldstaff ala their successful Midwest campaign last year. . principal advantage stressed is freight cost savings, plus what they describe as the "long range availability of Squthern Pine from Southern forests.

House-senate conferees were still at it, as we went to press, trying to iron out differences between the two houses' bills on the Monongahela situation; initial give/take quickly settled 3/4 of the problems, but a handful of sticking points still remained at this writing.

The presidential campaign has brought strong support for the housing industry from both candidates; President Ford pledging to work for lower interest rates and improved federal housing progrcms. Jimmy Carter prbmises to make housing 'ia priority item" if elected.

The housing recouery, if that's what it is, moved ponderously forward; housing starts in Aug. (latest figs.) were up ll% from July, a 6-mos. high, due mainly to a 487o leap in apt. produc- tion. .building permits rose to their highest annual rate since

Mar. 1974. . .for the lst 8-mos. of '76, starts in the West were running 42% above the same period a year earlier. . .the prime lending rate now stands at 6 3147o. .

DG Shelter Products Co., was fined $50,000 in federal court and Elwood W. Buck, pres. of the DiGiorgio div., was fined $6,500 for" price fixing; three other door mfg. firms received lesser fines. .20 cement industry firms have been charged iir Superior Court in Phoenix with a wide ranging conspiracy to fix practically all cement and ready- mix prices in Az., the suit also implies a nationwide conspiracy.

Additional acreage for the Redwood National Parfr has been requested by the State of California "to offset the'effects of commercial logging" and create what officials called a "usable park;" estimates for expansion r,ange from $5G'$600 million (!) for what is already the most expensive park in U.S. history. .

Capital Lumber, Phoenix, has opened a new distribution yard in Orange, Ca., staffers include Mark Lofland, Nelson Sembach. . Jnland Lumber, Colton, Ca., has established a new sales office in Fremont, Ca.. .OregonPacific has moved its sales oifice from Fairfield, Ca., to Concord.

Lane-Stanton Vance Lumber Co. is the new name for two sister companies that were previously separate entities; Hq. is City of Industry, Ca. . *Fremont Forest Products, Whittier, Ca., held its annual management seminar at Silverado, Napa, over Labor Day. .Specialty Forest Products has moved to new quarters on N. l9th Ave.. Phoenix. .

Redwood Empire, Inc., Morgan Hill, Ca., plans to complete its new 16,000 sq. ft. warehouse and offices this mo.; firm concentrates on plywood, redwood uppers & pine. . .Oregon-McKen- zie Lumber Products, Eugene, Or., was recently opened by Fred Spiekerman.

{-gn" Star Industrzes plans to build a $ l2 million sand & gravel plant near Sacramento, Ca., on 1,473 acres it purchas- ed. .Slaughter Brothers, Inc. has officially closed its Denver sales office. .Pope I Talbot plans permanent ilosure of its medium density fiberboard plant, Oakridge, Or., after sticking $3 million in it since '74. .

Payless Cashways is bldg. a new supermart in Sacramento, Ca,. Justus Lumber Sales, Albuquerque, N.M., is now in expanded quarters at Southwest Insul-Bead, which they rep in their area, in addition to forest prod- ucts. .Cissy Fowler Lumber plans to operi a new consumer operation in Colorado Springs, Co., in late Dec.

New officers at the Hoo-Hoo International conuention in Albuquerque, which drew members from 3 countries are: pres., Bill Bader, Ontario, Canada; Laurn Champ of Kansas, I st v.p.; Gene Zanck, Spokane, Wa., Znd v.p.; and new sec.-treas. Bill Russell, Houston, Tx.

Simonson Lumber's Phil Kelty has been active in raising $$ for the Smith River, Ca., Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery; send donations to Smith River Kiwanis, P.O. Box 328. Smith River, Ca. 95567 ...

Monroe St. Lumber. Spokane, Wa., has been purchased by Plywood Distributors, Inc. (no price revealed) which is constructing a newl0,000 sq. ft. bldg.mtls. center . . Redwood Economy Center is a new Lemon Grove, Ca., retailer. .