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Fire Claims Yard's Historic Buildings

Investigators are searching for the cause of a fire that destroyed two buildings and severely damaged a third at Padula Lumber Co., San Jose, Ca.

The Oct. 8 blaze decimated the main lumberyard office, as well as an 1860s era bunk house on the property. An adjacent 1850s former Union Pacific railway depot also caught fire, but was saved by fire crews. Both vintage structures are on the Santa Clara County Historic Buildings Registry.

Two vehicles at the yard were also destroyed.

New Owner for Oregon Dealer

McNair True Value Hardware, Port Orford, Or', has been sold to Ryan Ringer, owner of Gold Beach Lumber Yard, Gold Beach, Or.

"This will be a win-win for Port Orford, providing a variety of new product lines for local residents to choose from," said Bill McNair, whose family has owned hardware stores here since 1914. "Gold Beach Lumber currently has outlets in Gold Beach and Brookings, and will now have all three corners of Curry CountY."

The new owner will expand the business into a full-service lumberyard and a hardware store affiliated with Do It Best.

Roseburg Modernizing Dillard Plant

Roseburg Forest Products will upgrade its Dillard, Or.' sawmill to allow it to utilize a broader range of fiber in its manufacturing process. Small-diameter logs commonly referred to in the business as "whips and tops" will be the target raw material for this project.

"We see this as an opportunity to strengthen our commitment to adding value to the raw material source in our area," said Grady Mulbery. v.p.-operations.

In addition to the small-log processor, the project will also include an upgrade to the log merchandising systems.

Ainsworth Offers Longer OSB

Ainsworth Engineered, Vancouver, B.C., has reintroduced longer length OSB panels: OSB XL 9-ft. and OSB XL lO-ft. panels.

The longer length panels are available in multiple thicknesses, and even custom length, just like the company's 8foot OSB product line.

"With the recovering housing market and the trend toward higher ceilings in building designs, the demand for longer OSB boards is very clear, and we are thrilled to offer our customers a more complete OSB product line," said v.p.-sales Bart Bender. "With longer boards, we see a unique opportunity to offer our customers cost-avoidance on labor, since there is less cutting and installation labor required when sheathing with longer OSB boards."

The launch of OSB XL follows Ainsworth's re-opening of its OSB mill in High Level, Alb., after an extensive equipment upgrade and hiring of 135 new employees.

New Trader Works for Flat Fee

Woodbrowser Inc., New London, N.H., has launched what it describes as the first flat-fee based lumber-trading firm to offer the advantages of a buying group to the general lumber market without the upfront costs.

Similar to the current buying process, Woodbrowser