NNONTANA NtrWS

By R.V. PEIERSEN executi\e secretary

f) efAtl- lumber dealers should be l\aware of regulations provided under the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Bill which concerns itself with consumer products and imposes new regulatory constraints and prescribes changes in warranties, In dealing with consumers, the dealers could become representatives of the manufacturer as regards to the remedy of defects or malfunctions. Generally, the manufacturer is the warrantor, but the dealer involved in a service contract can be subject to the new act.

Dealers should understand warrantv provisionsin orderto: (a) explain them to the consumer, (b) avoid becoming a warrantor or, (c) while serving as a manufacturer's representative for purposes of remedying defects, be sure he does not become a co-warrantor, The act applies to consumer products manufactured after 714175. It does not require that a warranty be issued but it does indicate what shall be in a warranty if one is issued. Any warranty, in writing must "fully and conspicuously" disclose the terms and conditions of such a warranty, including what will be done in the event of a defect, malfunction or failure, and at whose expense, and for what period of time.

$il4il8$

By KENT MOXEY executive secretary

lnUn 82nd annual lumber dealers \gfconvention in Albuquerque was a great success! 330 people registered for the three-day, late September event.

James Ellis was elected new president. He is general manager of The Independent Lumber Co., Grand Junction.

Elected new members of the board of directors were: Jerry Woodward, Woodward Lumber Co., Las Cruces, N.M.; Leonard Treft, Nu-Way Builders Supply Co., Salt Lake City, Ut.; Mike Lehan, Weld County Lumber Co., LaSalle, Co.; and Lee Richardson, Richardson Lumber Co.. Denver.

Governor Jerry Apodaca of New Mexico addressed the convention with an inspirational message, urging all to go beyond their everyday responsibilities and get involved and do all they can to improve the life style of those around them.

Chet Nortz and Dorothy Wilson were both recognized for their many years of service to association. Both will retire from association activities at the end of year. Roy Anderson of Ogden, Ut, made the presentation honoring them.

Nino Trujillo, chairman of the convention; he made it happen and we all want to thank him for his role in making Convention Number 82 such a success.

Charles Smith, Roswell, N.M., received a plaque for service as a member of the board of directors. Bill Grimm, R-W Specialfies, Denver, received an award for his services on the board as did Henry Stringham, Salt Lake City, for his work as a member of board of directors.

The statement must include what the customer must do, the expense he must bear, any exemptions or exclusions under the warranty, and the steps the consumer can take to obtain performance under the warranty. Under a "full warranty" (meeting federal minimum standards), defects must be remedied within a reasonable time and without charge; there may be no Iimitation on the duration of any implied warranty, nor limitation nor exclusion on consequential damage unless expressly stipulated.

If defects in the product cannot be remedied after a reasonable number of attempts, the consumer may elect either a refund or replacement without charge and replacement shall include installation without charge. A "limited warranty" is one not meeting minimum federal standards.

The act permits warrantors to designate representatives to perform duties under written or implied warranties providing reasonable arrangements are made for compensation for such designated representatives. (This does not relieve the warrantor of direct respon- sibility to the consumer or does it make the representative co-warrantor).

These provisions are of significance to retail lumber dealers.

The implementation and enforcement policy established by the Federal Trade Commission was published in the Federal Register for Wednesday, June 18,1975.

Thanks again to the scores of companies who were hosts of the industry party at the convention. They put on a fine party for the lumber dealers. We appreciate their support.

Welcome new associate members: St. Regis Paper Co., (lumber, plywood & door div.), Roy Corning, Englewood, Co.; Weather Guard Building Products, (Div. of K & W Metal Fabricators Inc.), Jim Dudley, Denver; National Steps, Inc., William B. Davis, Jr., Burns Flat, Ok.; Dry Wall Supply, Inc., Bill Haligas, Denver.

Ready to use right out of the can, Famowood applies like putty-sticks like glue; dries quickly; won't shrink; takes spirit stains, and will not gum up sander. Waterproof and a'nd will gum Waterproof weatherproof when properly applied. 44

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EEVERTY

C(liIPANY

NOTHERthorn is thrust into thel belly of business.

The Fair Credit Billing regulations were effective October 28, 1975 and undoubtedly affect every dealer. The regs apply to the open+nd creditor who extends credit to a customer to make purchases or obtain loans direct. ly from the dealer and/or indirectly through credit card, check, or other device. This does not apply to commercial accounts (builders and contractors) or industrial accounts. It applies to the walk-in customers.

The purpose of the act is to give consumers an opportunity to react to billing errors and to attempt to reduce such errors on the part of businessmen, (Apparently we are all considered as unscrupulous operators with the only reason for being in business to gouge the consumer). It is interesting to note that the regulation was approved by the Federal Reserve Board, an organization noted for Regulation Z and the tons of uncontrollable reports and paperwork caused by Z.

You are required to place this note on your first billing after the billing cycle beginning October 28. "NOTICE" See accompanying statement for important information regarding your rights to dispute billing errors." A long and short version of the rights of the customer will be sent to each dealer. The sample should be placed on the dealer's letterhead and sent to each account having a $l or more debit or credit on the books. This notice must be sent to all existing accounts during the first full billing cycle after October 28, 1975. Further, it must be sent to all new accounts at the time the account is opened.

The same notice must be sent again to everyone in not less than five months nor more than seven months after the previous notice.

Other items required on billing statements include:

(A) Credit balances both for "previous balances" and "new balances" must be identified.

(B) An address for the purpose of receiving billing inquiries from customers. The address should include a caption "Send inquiries to. ."

For full details and a sample of the letter of customers' rights refer to Bulletin f,l of the Western States Lumbermen's Council, which is being mailed to Association members'The Western States Lumbermens Council is an organization consisting of the five Western lumber and building material dealeis associations in order to provide you with timely and needy information,

"Feds Fiddling" sayo APA

Leaders of the plywood industry, meeting recently in Biloxi, Ms., were told that the Administration and the Congress haven't tried hard enough to help the economy, particularly housing, back on its feet.

American Plywood Assn. exec.v.p. Bronson J. Lewis warned that immediate action is needed at the federal level to avert a new housing plunge "that could be far more harrowing than anything previously experienced."

"The Feds continue to fiddle while Rome burns," said Lewis. He pinpointed an emerging new mortgage money shortage as a serious threat to "the precarious home building gains of the past few months."

The APA board urged President Ford and the Congress to take immediate steps to expand home building by action on three fronts:

(l) Assuring adequate mortgage money is available to provide at least 1.8 million housing units in each of the next five years:

(2) Sharply reducing federal spending, which will in turn ease interest rate pressure and halt further disintermediation of funds from savings institutions: and,

(3) Changing the banking sysrem to assure a long term stable money supply that will elimi nate "boom or bust" housing cvcles.

Conventlon ls LASC'g 25th

The Silver Anniversary convention of the Lumber Association of Southern California will be held Nov. 19-22 at the Spa Hotel in Palm Springs.

Profitability will be the number one topic of the convention keynoter and the two panel discussions that follow will also discuss profitability as will an additional wholesaler panel discussion.

Additionally, Nancy Kiner and Ken Venturi will talk to conventioneers about adding more profitability to leisure time.

Complementing the serious business is the annual golf tournament, held this year at Cathedral Canyon Country Club, and the tennis matches in both doubles and mixed doubles. In keeping on the fun side will be the cocktail parties, dinner-dance and the always popular grand luncheon that concludes convention activities.

Modernization

(continued from page rz) try. South Bay can keep a detailed list of eight different grades ofuppers, including shop lumber by dimension, the suppliers, whether it is vertical grain or flat grain and the date the lumber is put on the line for air drying. Using cards giving the exact makeup of every stack of lumber in the yard, this information is then punched into the computer. The machine can store and classify this information in eight different processing levels. This is, lumber milled to S4SEE or pattern, rough kiln dried lumber,lumber in the kiln, air dried lumber on sticks in the yard: lumber in back of sticks:lumber back of the resawi cars rolling and cars on order.

"The use of the kiln, other moderni zationsin the plant and the printout of the computer has enabled us to do a better job of serving our customers, according to Jim Frodsham, South Bay president. "We believe the installation of these expensive business tools coupled with modern marketing and management controls allows us the opportunity to do a first class job for our customers."

Bl-cENTEITINIAL themed. rhe U.S. Plywood Fall dealer meeting seen here at Busch Gardens in Los Angeles, was one of 14 held throughout the West recently. Retailer Russ Fritchey won the drawing for a chance to be one of the four chosen later for a free trip to the World Series. USPmen at meel included (l) Bill Clow. Ed Lang, Gene Richardson, and Hank Richards v.p., West Coast operations. (2) Tom Supple, Russ Fritchey, Mike Hynes. (3) Dennis Debritz, Carol Mabin, Gertrude Armstrong. (4) Gene Stone, Bob McBrien, U.S. Plywood. (5) Lisa Cun' ningham, Frank Roos. lan Cunningham. (61 Linda Walker, Harry Walker, Ed Stoner. (7) Ken Raney, Jon Covington. (8) Tom Jones, Joe Medico, Harvey Vander Baan. (9) Steve Jones, Tim Knox. (10) Tom Mabin, Byron Armstrong, Virginia and Dennis Debritz. (11) Harry and Ron Anderson. (12) Larry 0uinlan, Chuck Caple, Pat Cotter. (13) Donna and Rick 0rlando. (14) Don and Jerilyn 8rown.

Hoo-Hoo's 85th Annual Confab

Hoo-Hoo International, the Fraternal Order of Lumbermen, held its 85th annual convention recently at Vancouver. B.C. More than 300 attended.

Elected international officers were: David B. Marteney, Wichita, Ks., chairman; Thomas M. Partridge, Edina, Mn., president (snark); William A. Bader, Weston, Ontario, lst v.p.; Laurn R. Champ, Goddard, Ks., 2nd v.p.; HenrY C. Hess, Pine Island, Mn., sec-treasurer; Clifford H. Cunningham, Quincy, Ma., exec. sec.; Domenic Gautieri, Providence, R.I., asst. treasurer; Leroy H. Stanton, Sr., Los Angeles, Seer.

On the board of directors: Don Hershey, Robert Van Every, L. Clair Richey, Graeme Smith, Gordon S. Doman, James A. Jones, Bob Hertling, Gerald Jewitt, Jr., and Robert Hayes.

BELTY DANCING, poems and a pep talk on scouting tri-lighted a recent 0range County Hoo-Hoo club meeting. Glenn Johnson was honored with 3 pins recognizing his role in founding the club, HooHoo's newest. (1) Club prez Jim Martindale; belly dancer Trisha Mahoney; bu ilderpoet Duncan Stewart. (2) John Hull, B ob McBride.

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