Weyerhaeuser Tri mmi ng Operations

As part of its ongoing strategic review of operations, Weyerhaeuser will close two mills in Washington's Grays Harbor County because of poor markets, aging machinery, high operating costs, and the facilities' comparatively small size.

The company's 8l-year-old largelog lumber mill in Aberdeen, which produces 125 million bd. ft. per year of softwood lumber, will close by mid-December. A small-log mill in the same town, which produces 185 million bd. ft. a year, will continue to operate.

The second closure will be in the second half of 2O06 at its 50-year-old Cosmopolis mill, which produces specialty pulp.

"The closure of these mills is a difficult decision, but the reality of difficult markets is compounded by age, high cost, and the small scale of the mills," said Steven Rogel, chairman, president and c.e.o. "We reached the point where we have no alternative."

The day the shutdowns were announced, the company also reported that third quarter earnings had fallen 52Vo. Weyco also announced it would buy back up to l8 million shares-J.47o of its outstandins common stock.

Ochoco Acquires Deschutes

Ochoco Lumber Co., Prineville, Or., has acquired western softwood wholesaler Deschutes Pine Sales Inc.. Bend. Or.

Effective October l, Deschutes became a division of Ochoco. It will retain its name, office, distribution yard and personnel, including former owners Frank Cammack, Mike Carter and Loren lrving.

Future expansion is anticipated.

Dealers Unite At New Store

Two owners of Ace Hardware stores in neighboring Northern California towns have teamed up to open an Ace Superstore 20 miles to the south.

Jack Reike. owner of Shafer's Ace Hardware in Eureka, and Jerry King, owner of Hensel's Ace and Sunny Brae Ace in Arcata. co-own the new location in Fortuna. Unveiled Sept. 6, Fortuna Ace Hardware features

17,000 sq. ft. of indoor space and 5,000 sq. ft. of outdoor garden space.

The store stocks rental equipment as well as a particularly wide assortment of merchandise, including a large section of sharply discounted items obtained when the new owners purchased the former Fortuna Ace Hardware.

Store manager Jeff Fournier oversees 44 employees.

Bluelinx Adds Specialties

BlueLinx Corp. has signed an agreement with Louisiana-Pacific Corp. to expand its purchasing relationship beyond purchases of structural products to include specialty products, beginning with LP WeatherBest composite decking and railing and LP's Crystal White railing system.

In mid-October, Bluelinx began offering the composite products nationally as part of its outdoor living line.

WeatherBest had previously been distributed by a vast network of regional distributors. Some of these independent wholesalers will now no longer be carrying the product, accordins to LP's Steve Weinstein.

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Atlas Lumber Adds New Division

Atlas LLrnber Co.. Chino. Ca.. has larrnched a nov clivision to cx;rand its ploclr-tct lirtes as ucll as its ct-tsttlnrcr basc. Thc clistribtLtor hus conrcrtctl -1.5(X) sc1. 1't. ol'its cristitt" .lt).0(X)-scl. 1't. burltling into u Will C'all ('cntcr. ttffcrillg rttillu ork. ylLncls. boitt'cls ltrttl r ltlttc ltclclctl ptotltrcts. Nct pnrrluet lincs inelurlc pritrcrl \l[)[i rrrotrltlinss" SJS hlrrtl rr oocls. lrnrl plr * oorls. .lcrcnrr C'llutttrct'lrtirt I)tattrtgcs tllc nc\\ ecntcr'.

'.Wc e rcutcrl thi: rlir isiort to bcttct- scrvc wootlwotkcts lrntl cr-lrltsllcoplc u htt tl lticullr lutvc trtorc stt'ittgctlI Ittatct t ll r-cc1u ircrncnt\ thiur lurr.cr nutnttllctr.lrcrs." slritl Stclthcrt Orrtlich. r .p. ol srtlcs & ttutt kctitrg. "ll lt sortrcoltc tlcctls (tr cornc in irntl sclce t tltcil orr tt tttltplc ltoltrtls lirr lrrt irltlivitltrlrl yrnr.jccl. \\ c r)o\\ lurr c sonrcrr ltcrc to sctttl tltcttt.'[]or tlrc llrild-gcnclulitttt lutttilr bttsiltcss. thc cxllatlsttttl \\ ils l e lrsc irl "chltngc or tlic." ltccot'clittg Io c.c.(). Ii.lrrltll [)()r'tcf. "Wc hlrr c scctt tltc l]icccst chattgc itt ottt cttstolttctbusc in thc last thrcL' \crr\. rr ith thc tlctttisc ol' tlltlst ol thc lalgc f actorr lurnitut'c rnunul'ltctttrittg. This bLrsincss has golrc o\ cf\L'ls. and u c arc lclj $ itlltlttt this oncc-irn1)()l tltllt lrlrre trl \ \)lLllllC ! ll\lr )nlL t'\.

At thc sanre tinrc. Portcr saicl he "noticecl a charlgc itl the inclcasing sophisticatiort level of our custolttcrs. Thel have hacl to bc lean aticl st.ttart to sttn'ivc tlterttselvcs. ancl this attitLl(lc 1'lo* s riglit into thcir rioocl pr<tduct purchasins:.

I-or nrost o1'oirf e ustorlcrs rt is rrlret'e thc\ spettd tltc t'ntlst lnonc\. so tltcr \\ iurt (lulllit\ ittttl trtl-l rtotclt scrvicc ancl thc-1 \\'unt it lrt ir lciln priec. Oltcn thc\ \\lttlt to 1-rttsh thc tlllttlttllrctur-irtg bLtrtlcn luttl ltssoeiutcrl costs Lll) to tls. hrirruirlg irr rr ootl prorlLte ts lhrnr us irtstcutl rtl cltt-t-t'itt{ thcit' orvrt rttlttttl l lrctulin g or crhclttl."

i\tlls rculizcrl it hlrtl 1o bcttcr clpitirlizc ort its cxtcttsirc or cr-ltcutl strUctU|c. '.\\'c rtccrl trr Iirttl \\'lt-\ s Io lcVcragc rlll our lullcl srzc lrrttl rnolc cttcnsir c capabilitics altcl kccl-r ottr rnulsins rrp ttr tlrc point thltt \\c sct l)ai(l tttorc litt'thc trtltli tionul irrrcslllrcr)t rLnrl. ltoltclLrllt.Iltltrc uc briltc to thc glnrc. I)or-tcr suitl.

In luct. ,.\tlus ltts lrccn clttttrittg grlcltrltlly ttvct'thc last l0 rcurs. ''\\'c rlo ltl()r'c to thc riootl ltcfitrc it lcavcs tlttt' l)llnt. li)r'onc thin!.." I)rtrtct'suiil. '-Wc also at'c ltat'tttct'ctl r.nLrch lnolc closclr u itlr otu'cr.lstolttcrs. Wc clort't bttl 'otl thc'shelf'lr-rnrbcr'nr-afl\ as nrttch as irt thc past. Ottr salcs pcople clo nrr-reh lc-ss of thc 'roLrtc' selling o1'the past ancl alc r.ttr-rcl-t nrore fi)cusccl irttrt f-err er [rut lalger accoullts."

What does it take to make the best lumber in the business?

Certainly we believe it takes the best Timber and the latest Gchnology. But our biggest asset is our Talent - the exceptional people who make Riley Creek the largest lumber company in ldaho.

At Riley Creek, our facilities are a campus where we learn every day. Our people hold the highest quality ratings in the business. They take real pride in each finely crafted piece of lumber that we ship to you.

In other words, excellence has a face. lt's the people who show up every day at Riley Creek, determined to send you exactly the product you need, every time.

Rosbors Acquires Weyerhaeuser's Glulam Mill

Rosboro. Springtir-lcl. Or.. has pur- and rvill l'urtlicr cttlrartcc ttur sltLluttt chasccl Wcr c-rlltc'usc'r's Slttlltrl rnltntt- plotir.rct lirtc." luctr.rrin!.1 f ircilitr in VaLrchn. Or. IIc cxpccts thc actlLrisition to hcllt

"We arc cxcitccl uboLrt this uccluisi- Rosboro glorr its rnarkct :hrtc [rr tion." suirl .linr Enlighl. scncrurl sulcs inclcusing thc lincs ol'tlistlibutiolr lirr nranagcr for Rosbolo. "Thc purchusc its f anrillt ol glLr llrrrt pr-oclucts. lhc of thc \"auslrn plunt is in linc t ith plant rvus to inrnrctliatclr l.e ,:in pr',,Rosbolo's stlutcgie glon th ol-r.jcctivc rlucing Ilosborr's stock glulanrs.

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El & El Adds Northern California DC

El & El Wood Products has opened a new 90,000-sq. ft. distribution center in Elk Grove, Ca., exclusively to serve millwork retailers, lumberyards and door shops.

El & El is the exclusive distributor of Arauco Ultralite MDF in California and inventories for immediate delivery a vast range of mouldings including pine, fir, redwood, hardwoods and ValuFlex flexible mouldings. Other lines include White River mouldings, Chemcrest architectural products, HB&G columns, closet material, interior doors, and pocket frame doors.

While its DC in Chino, Ca., concentrates on Southern California and Las Vegas, Nv., markets, the new location will serve most of Northern California-Fresno to north of Sacramento. Reno to San Francisco, and San Jose.

Residents Fight Proposed Mill

A proposed lumber milling operation in Colton, Ca., is facing opposition from residents worried about increased traffic, noise, dust and other problems.

Pico Rivera Pallet Co. has asked for permission to operate the milling operation on 10.5 acres of vacant land next to its existing business. City officials support the project because it is near other industrial businesses. "The mill is 1,200 ft. from the nearest resident," said planning mgr. Andres Soto. "Noise shouldn't even be an issue."

In February, the company received $500,000 from San Bernardino County's business expansion loan program. If the mill is approved, the money would be used to buy equipment to process timber from local mountains that is infected with bark beetles. If the project is denied, said owner David Avina, it will be used for other purposes.

"What we have now is a slow process," said Avina. "To cut logs, you need something that's more efficient and produces the lumber faster."

Oso Lumber Hit With Robbery

Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the suspects in a Sept. 26 robbery at Oso Lumber & Hardware, Tacoma, Wa.

The warrant is for Quinn T. Hinkle, 34, and two other people, who allegedly broke into the yard and stole three semi-trucks loaded with lumber. One of the trucks was abandoned when its load fell off. The other two trucks and most of the lumber have also been recovered.

A $1,000 reward is offered to anyone with information that leads to the arrest of and charges against Hinkle.