wewontlequeyou outon3|limll.

We know what you really wanttrcm your softwood lumber and panel products supplier: a consistent supply of products, up-to-the-minute market information, and competitive pricing. At Furman Lumber and Slaughter Brothers, accurate, reliable service has been the number-one priority for over 30 years. We now meet the diverse needs of more than 6000 satistied customers, and we'll supply them with more than one billion board feet of lumber this year.

Our national network of 14 sales offices, 12 distribution centers, 7 coastal distribution centers, 1 remanufacturing tacility, and 7 reload distribution centers guarantees that our entire line of products will always be available, at prices that will keep you competitive.

Right now is the best time ever to make the seasoned traders at Furman Lumber and Slaughter Brothers your working partners in the forest products industry. lf you're looking for a dependable source call us today toll-free at 1-800-547-1942 or (503) 636-0320. And watch yoqr protits grow l4le make marl<ets in all sottwoodspecies.

Softwood Lumber Panel Products Wood Specialties lnc.

Far West Goes Universal

Next year will be a new name, but that will be the only change, as Far West Fir Sales adopts the Universal Forest Products name and logo. Far West was acquired by Universal in December, 1986. With headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mi., Universal operates 23 facilities in l9 cities coast to coast. It had combined 1987 sales of $356 million, making them the 4th largest building material wholesaler in the United States. Far West has operations in Huntington Beach, Ca.; Phoenix, Az.; and a new distribution yard in Stockton, Ca.

Gary Adamson is president of Universal's Far West Co., one of five semi-autonomous Universal Companies. General managers of operations are Bob Abbott for the So. California Wholesale Region; Dave Sinjem for the No. California Wholesale Region; and Bobby Hill for the Industrial Region which also operates a mobilehome truss plant in Moreno Valley, Ca. Steve Garrison is general manager of the Arizona Region which is now part of Universal's Southwest Company.

"The new name will be more representative of the wide range of species we handle and the variety of activities in which we now operate," according to Jack Secoy and Petter Svenkerud, vice presidents of Universal Far West and former Far West Fir Sales partners.

Meet Berdex lnternational

Berger & Co.'s lumber division, based in Sacramento, Ca., has a new name: Berdex International, Inc. It is co-owned by D. L. Berger & Associates and Con Agra, Inc.

The personnel, address, telephone and FAX numbers of Berdex International's lumber division are unchanged. The company continues dealing in millwork, cut stock, western white woods for commercial and industrial uses as well as plywood and particleboard. The firm will also be involved in international trading of other commodities in the U.S. and overseas.

D. L. Berger, previously chairman and founder of Berger& Co. and executive vice chairman of Con Agra International heads the new venture. Robert Glatt is the general manager of Berdex International's lumber division.

New Housing Units Down 147o

Construction of new housing units tumbled l4o/o in the third quarter from the same period last year, according to McGraw-Hill Information Services Co.

New housing starts from July through September totaled 371,042 units, down from 429,376 during the same months of 1987. According to George A. Christie, chief economist, "The decline of housing starts since last year's third quarter was heavily concentrated in multifamily units as the adjustment to past overbuilding continues to dominate the housing market. Since the 1985 peak of the apartment building boom new construction has been scaled back by nearly half, but vacancy rates have only recently begun to recede from their 20 year high."

Christie pointed out that "stability of mortgage rates in the range of l0 to 10-l/20lo has supported a fairly steady volume of one-family homebuilding so far in 1988."

Only three of the top 25 housing areas - Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Seattle - posted gains dur-

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