Hadwood that holds when the heat is on

llt ITH FIRE retardancy gaining f U importance, many dealers are searching for the right wood to have treated to take the heat. But a comparatively recent addition to the commercial hardwood market is said to meet all the requirements in its natural untreated state.

Bongossi, also known as ekki or azobe, has existed as long as there have been trees, but its practical applications have been limited because of its extraordinary strength. However, a hardwood engineering and construction company in Doylestown, Pa., recognized its special qualities and has spent the last 35 years developing and improving special techniques for processing and assembling the wood.

North-American Hacon says it has transformed the tropical wood's incredible weight (7Oto75lbs. per cu. ft.), reportedly twice as heavy as pine and half as much as concrete. from a barrier into a benefit, to complement its workability, availability, durability, strength, beauty and natural fire rating. Its density alone provides high resistance to oxidation, infestation and decay.

Bongossi gets its fire rating without employing preservative chemicals or pressure treating that might break down a wood's cells and rob it of up to25% of is original strength. In a test to meet the New York City, N.Y., fire code, for which woods are rated from I to 100. with chest- nut or red oak rating 100 and asbestos board having the least combustible rating of zero, bongossi also received a rating of zero. In fact, bongossi is said to be too dense to even accept fire retardancy treatment.

Technically, its fire resistance calculated in accordance with ASTM E84-8lA (the standard method of testing for surface burning characteristics of building materials) rates a flame spread index of zero for ten minutes and a low smoke developed value of l0 for ten minutes.

It also has an edge over some other woods in other categories. North American pine and redwood each have an allow-

Story at a Glance

Bongossi is naturally f ire retardant ... high workability, availabil ity, durabi I ity, strength and beauty resists splitting, warping and twisting ... mainly used in construction.

able bending stress ofabout 1200 psi, the stronger structural pine and structural grade Douglas fir, 1600 psi. Bongossi rates more than 3600 psi in bending.

Other areas receiving high marks in working stresses include tension (2200 psi), compression parallel to grain (2900 psi), compression perpendicular to grain (1200 psi) , shear parallel to grain (290 psi), and modulus of elasticity (2,465W psi).

The wood's interlocking grain provides superior resistance to splitting. The unique, inherent weave ofthe hardwood prevents crack from getting too long and also frees it from warping and twisting. Hacon says bongossi is known to last a minimum of 70 years without any treatment or maintenance. Its ultimate lifespan is not yet known.

Uses ofthe wood have centered on construction. Although it has been used for marine applications, such as piers, bongossi may or may not be affected by elements present in the water or soil when in constant contact with them. The hardwood has thus far been used in construction on sites in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, other states along the East Coast, and in numerous Western European countries.

From the family Ochnacea, its botanical name is Lophira alata Banks var. Drocera.

B.E. & Ole's To Merge Into One

Wickes Cos., Santa Monica, Ca., will combine its Builders Emporium and recently acquired Ole's chains so that within three years all Southern California stores will be using the same name and selling the same merchandise.

By year-end B.E. executives will decide which name to use or come up with something entirely new, perhaps something with "Wickes" in it, according to Jack Edwards, B.E. pres. and c.e.o.

"When you operate in one area, under one electronic media signal, it makes sense to have stores operating under one namel' Edwards says.

The chains are sharing advertising and adopting the same brands of merchandise for increased buying power. Which store's formatOle's garden equipment focus or B.E.'s housewares emphasiswill be the prototype has not yet been decided.

In June Wickes purchased the 62-unit Ole's chain and 46 other home improvement stores from W.R. Grace & Co. for $165 million in cash. So far, 26 of the centers have been closed. either because they competed with other Wickes-owned stores or were losing money.

More than 1,000 Grace jobs have been eliminated, including the lay off of most of the corporate staff. Nevertheless, Wickes projects sales to rise from the former Grace stores' $637.8 million last year to near $800 million this year for the B.E./Grace units.

"Mr. Redwood's" 100th Birthday

"Mr. Redwoodl' Professor Emmanuel Fritz. was honored on his one hundredth birthday by 140 friends with a special ceremony in the redwoods.

The Oct. 19 celebration for the professor emeritus of forestry, U.C. Berkeley, Ca. at the Bohemian Grove in Guerneville, in the Russian River area in North- ern California, included a tour of the grove and deluxe luncheon.

Frank Timmers, Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co., San Francisco, Ca., and a former Fritz student, presented a plaque on behalf of the Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club, a chapter of the fraternal lumbermen's organization. Vic Roth, Triangle Lumber Co., Kensington, Ca., also represented the club.

The idea for the celebration came in 196, when 195 friends, many who had not seen each other in years, met in honor of Fritz's ninetieth birthday. They said they would do it again in ten years.

University and industry friends came from all over California, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and five from Maryland to honor Fritz, who was actually born Oct. 29. 1886.

Personals

(ContirttteLl liotn page 13)

Phil Pobanz has been promoted to c.e.o. and treas. of Central Builders Supplies Co., Sturgis, Mi. Bret Fobanz is now gen. mgr. Roy Sanchez is now v.p., store operations, for Hacienda Home Centers, Albuquerque, N.M.

Hal Olson, Armstrong Ceilings, Denver, Co., was honored on his 30th anniversary with the firm with a diamond srudded gold ring. Keith Runyon, v.p.. Sagebrush Sales, Albuquerque, N.M.,is the state champion calf roper.

Mike Ballard and Walt Wright are now co-mgrs. of Hiway Lumber, Aztec, N.M. Pete Himmel has been named gcn. mgr. of Michigan-California Lumber Co., Camino, Ca. Bob Davenport is now asst. mgr. DickJohnson was a recent business visitor to So. Ca.

Frank Jason has been transferred to the Eugene, Or., office of Hirt & Wood Lumber Co. Inc., according to J.P. Donahue.

Tim Burr, Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., and his brother Lum, have adopted an orphan, whom they have named Tim "Buck" II, according to company owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Rich Geary is the new export mgr. of the Western Wood Products Association. Fortland, Or., succeeding Craig Larsen who has left the association.

John Morley has been named national professional finishes product mgr. for The O'Brien Corp., San Francisco, Ca.