Neul 'Saver Sells Homes

L-P Changes in So. California

[.ouisiana-Pacit'ic ('orp. is in the Irr()ec\\ of rnaking tirree rtrajor .li.trr!c. rrr Ilrcii SoLrllttr rt ('.tltlot tti.r operat ions.

Division headquarters have recently been moved from E,l Segundo to new offices in Huntington Bcach. The retail merchandising group moved the first rreek of this month from the Garden Grove facilin' lrr H',t,t1nnt,,n Bea,th

I P's (roun Hardsare. rr'hich sells upscale burlders' hard*,are to developers and contractors, has mol'ed to Costa Mesa, on the same site as the L-P Home Center and the contractor yard.

The

The entire distribution business

I.ouisiana-Pacil'ic opcrated at its ()rltnqt-, (-lt locltliort will ntort'lhc t'flti rrl'lltir tttotttl' to:ttt t'ri.tinc lacrlrty at [-os Alarnrtos. I he property in Orange has been sold. The contractor business formcrly at Los Alamitos, which built up loads for builders and frame rs, has be en discontinued, the property norv being devoted solell'to the distribution operation formerly in Orange.

Changes planned for the distribution business, rvhich rvill be in full nneral inn t hc fir51 week in uP!rq(,v,, December, include two additional buildings for the existing mill. This rvill provide additional capacity to surface, resawand run pattern stock. More specialty lumber and lumber products, including Waferwood as well as more pine and redwood,as part of an incrcased product mir is also cnvisioned. Thc DC plans a markcd decrease in commodity ltems.

Strike Background

((-otttittucd .lrrtrrt ytugt' .i I) level of interest rates and the extent of the economic recovery, L-P says it agreed to a one-year contract as the most sensible approach for both sides.

"Unless we take steps now to keep our Western sawmills competitive, those mills will face further erosion of their share of the lumber market," Merlo said. "And there's no question that the ultimate result will be a loss of jobs for Western sawmill workers."

L-P's 24 wood products plants in the Southern stalcs continue to operate normally. Allof those lacilities are nonunion.

Currently about 1,650 workers are on strike at L-P facilities in the West.

(Continued from page l8)

R-W Specialties, Inc., Denver, Co., and Palmer G. Lewis Co., Auburn, Wa., were regional winners of the annual S.M. Van Kirk Wholesaler of the Year award sponsored by the National Building Moterial Distributors Association...

The National Forest Products Association has formally ok'd its restructuring. .A proposal to reduce the size of green 2 x 6 dimension from 5-5/8" to 5-9/16" with the size of green 6" timbers adjusted upwards to match was withdrawn from consideration by the American Lumber Standords Committee...

The Mineral Insulation Manufacturers Association is marking its sfth anniversary . . PPG Industries is celebrating its lO0thanniversary...

Housing's further recovery is tied to the nonresidential morkets, leading economist George A. Christie predicts; he sees a 7Vo gain overall for '84 construction. .Manville Corp., Denver, Co., has received its 9th extension for filing its bankruptcy reorganization plan (see related story p. 43); a federal judge has proposed Manville establish a 20-year sinking fund for asbestos-related claims against the co..

As expected housing starts fell ih Sept. Qatest figs.); off 13.490 fromthemo. earlier. . .the seasonally adjusted annual rate was 1,652,000, 45.7slo above the year earlier mark, average home mortgage rates near 13.6t/o are blamed for part of the decline.

Single family starts were off ll.6s/o; multis sagged 16.3s/0, both sharper declines than anticipated. . .bldg. permits for future construction fell 990 from the mo. previous (a 4-year high) and were 46t/o ahead of the same time last year.

National Housewares Manufacturers Association is establishing a U.S. Housewares Trade Panel in Western Europe

Wood Production Outlook

Western lumber industry Productive capacity remains high, even though more than 100 sawmills have disappeared with the building industry "depression" that stalled lumber markets during the past three years, according to the Western Wood Products Association.

"This industry has learned to work lean," declared H.A. Roberts, WWPA's executive vice president. "We won't know how much it can now produce until it's had its capacity tested or a chance to run at normal levels for several months. But, at every turn we see indications of improved productivity."

Besides efficiencies in PeoPle and management, many Plants have made capital investments designed to increase output and product quality. The newer facilities are state-of-theart and replace older, less efficient units.