Sh skes e Sh ingles

Bv Marshall Ritchie Marketing manager Red Cedar Shingle & Handsplit Shake Bureau

TYTHILE the vY sinsle family residJnce continues to be the major market of red cedar shingles a n d handsplit shakes, an idcreasing divelsification of product uses is again forecasted by the Red Cedar Shingle & Handsplit Shake Bureau for 1973.

Current market trends project that new residential housing starts in the first half of 1973 will continue at the same record breaking volume exper' ienced in 1972, and therefore, we expect continued strength in our pri. mary market during the coming year.

Anticipating however, the eventual fall-off of single family housing starts in the coming years, a diversification of product uses to augment and broaden our base residential housing market, will play an important role in 1973.

Since the national economy is fin' ally reaching stability and the {inancial indicators point to increased personal spending, a definite trend in the development of recreational property and second home construction has taken place. During the first ten months of. 1972 we have seen in' creased construction of vacation and recreational homes nationally and specifically on the West Coast where the environment is ideally suited for this type of living. Due to its high investment potential, we see this area continuing to expand in 1973. And with the current high level of spe' cification of red cedar shingles and shakes in vacation home construction, this important secondary market should continue to expand.

Another market which will b" "g- gressive in 1973 is the use of shingles and shakes for remodeling and restor' ation. Constantly increasing costs of new construction have provided an unusual emphasis on remodeling in recent years, and already shingles and shakes are playing an important role in these projects.

Story ot q Glqnce

Diversification of product uses will continue . housing star.t decline seen for coming years . low co6t market will use more shingles.

Also noted as a growing market by the Bureau is the nostalgic use of shingles and shakes in numerous restoration projects being undertaken by cities throughout the nation, and specifically in the West Coast cities of Seattle, San Franciscq and Vancouver, B.C. As further restoration projects continue to develop, we project an increasing use of shingles and shakes.

One segment of the market that is receiving considerable attention is low-cost housing. This market ofrers the shingle and shake industry a dis. tinct advantage because it is able to offer both design appeal and practicability, which is foremost in the minds of urban planners today. Many architects, builders and developers have come to appreciate the low maintenance and relatively low plied cost factors of shingle shakes.

aPand

The move into the low-cost housing market is being watched carefully by the Bureau and the industry gener' ally. Shingles and shakes have a major service to render in providing an attractive, environmentally pal' (Continued on Page 14)