PrimeSource Buys Pacific Steel

PrimeSource Building Products, Inc., Carrollton, Tx., is acquiring San Leandro, Ca.-based Pacific Steel & Supply, the largest independent nail distributor on the West Coast.

PSS began operations in 1952 as a division of Great Western Industries, and incorporated on its own in 1961. It now operates its own fleet of trucks from warehouses in San Leandro, Ontario, Ca., and Tacoma, Wa.

PSS's expertise in agricultural products will enhance the product assortment and services offered by PrimeSource to its customers nationwide. Both companies anticipate that current products and brands will remain unchanged.

The deal was expected to close by the end of September.

PrimeSource operates 34 distribution centers across the country.

Redwood Association Streaml i nes

The 90-year-old California Redwood Association has streamlined its operations, outsourcing its marketing efforts to the Cal ifornia Forest Products Commission, Auburn, Ca.

Under the partnership, the Commission will manage advertising and public relations efforts for CRA and report to new CRA president Charles Jourdain, who has overseen technical services, including the Redwood Inspection Service division, for the last l6 years.

CRA will maintain its office in Novato, Ca., albeit with a smaller staff. Former president Christopher Grover has retired after 26 years with the association, but will serve as a consultant.

"We are excited about partnering with the Commission and tapping into its extensive expertise in marketing and communications," said CRA's board chairman Kevin Paldino. "The Commission's leadership in promoting sustainable forestry and its leadership role in the California Grown campaign make it ideally suited to assist the Redwood Association to create enhanced marketing initiatives."

Commission president Donn Zea said the partnership furthers his own organization's mission to increase public understanding of the benefits of California forestry and wood products. "We are looking forward to working with the redwood producers and promoting redwood as the premium natural product for landscape architecture applications, fencing, decking, and high-end interior and exterior architectural design," Zea said.

He said the first major task of the partnership would be to launch a comprehensive marketing campaign for the upcoming selling season.

New Planer Line For Simpson Timber

Simpson Timber Co. has begun running its new automated grading, trimming, and sorting line in the planer operation at its waterfront complex in Shelton, Wa.

The most modern technology in the new line is the grade-scanning equipment. The scanner and associated computer determine the grade of each board. Each board is then automatically turned by the machinery, instead of a person, saving effort and enhancing the safety ofthe operation.

The new line also includes a highspeed trimmer and a 50-bin sorter, which allows much more flexibility than the 32-bin sorter in the old line, according to Mike Durga, general manager of Simpson Timber Co.Northwest Operations. The line also has two new stackers, one a dual-fork capable of running significantly faster than the old stacker.

Begun last August, the project has added equipment from the back end forward-first the infrastructure upgrades to the railroad and shipping facilities, then the grading, sorting and packaging stations, including a new bander and paper wrap machine, as well as two new dry kilns. Last to be added are the planer itself along with a new planer infeed.

"We anticipate continuing on schedule, which means start-up and working the bugs out this fall," said Durga. "When we are up to speed, Sawmill 3 at the waterfront will increase its hours to 120 per week."

Most equipment in the new planer mill was made by MillTech Industries of B.C. The scanning equipment is from FinScan of Finland and is supported by ScanWare, Portland, Or. Controls for the line were provided by Autolog in Montreal.

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