PACIEIC FOREST PRODIJ:CTS,

this preference to l5.l%.

The predominance of oak in kitchen cabinets, 500/o-600/0, accounts for some of the variation in the tabulation of color trends. This is reflected in the very minor percentage of cabinets in the warm or fruitwood brown category. However, it is noted that twice as manY cabinet firms now include cherrY or alder among their woods, comPared to l8 months ago, Curtis said.

Other color trends listed light brown cabinets at 33.10/0. warm brown (fruitwood) at 4.40/o; dark or burnished oak and pine, 60/o; painted or plastic, 15.10/0. Antique mahogany did not appear in the cabinet survey.

Hardwood Exec On Trade Trek

Dave Sweitzer, secretary-manager, Western Hardwood Association Portland, Or., will rePresent the hardwood industry at the Oregon governor's mission and all-Oregon trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, Oct. 19-22, and in Tokyo, JaPan, Oct.2627. 1987.

Hardwood Education Nite

Encouraged by the reception of their recent customer education program, Weber Plywood & Lumber Co., Tustin, Ca., plans to make the session an annual event.

Over 100 members of the Woodwork Institute of California gathered at the Weber yard for a demonstration designed to enlighten them on what the Weber people described as the controversial and undesirable practice of selling hardwoods in "blended" loads such as No. I Common being mixed with FAS, the top grade.

Weber points out that this Practice can only be stopped bY having distributors deliver the grade specified by the customer and educating the customer to recognize the grade he has received. "lt's not the job of the mill to police the problem," asserts Butch Pope, general manager at Weber.

Those attending the August l8 seminar were given packets of informative literature to augment the demonstration conducted by Jesse Villapando and David Dentino, certified National Hardwood Lumber

Association inspectors employed at Weber.

Weber Plywood and Lumber Co., Inc. goes "to great pains to see that the customer receives the grade and quality that he expects," Pope points out. "We personally insPect the mills that we are planning to do business with to help ensure that we get the quality that we demand. We have two NHLA certified lumber inspectors that grade and tally all lumber that comes into our yard. Even after material has been milled, this material is reinspected for its quality. We want our customers to receive the best that we can deliver. "

The problem, which some feel threatens the age old industry practice of doing business on a handshake, disturbs many distributors on the West Coast. The Pacific Ccast Wholesale Hardwood Distributors Association has discussed horv to address the problem at its annual meetings for several years and has passed resolutions condemning the practice.

Response to the two Point Piogram presented at the Weber meeting has been "very, very positive," Pope says.

Gregory's On The Job Training

There's a lot to learn from Bill Gregory and his Gregory Forest Products in Glendale, Or. And even NBC considers it newsworthy.

Gregory is now offering adult basic education classes entirely free for employees who want to improve their reading, writing and math skills.

All thirteen workers who participated in the initial May-to-September semester are continuing in the fall semester, along with a growing number of others.

The classes have also been documented by network television, as an NBC Nightly News crew visited the company in August. Their story centered on Gregory locomotive engineer and student Pepe Gallego, who quit high school years ago to work for the mill.

NBC also interviewed owner Bill Gregory, the sponsor of the classes and many other local education incentives, including $500 scholarships for each graduating senior at the local high school (see The Merchant Magazine, August 1986, p.45).