Operation Home Improaernent Underua,)t

On January 16, Albert M. Cole, administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, proclaims 1956 as "Home Improvement Year." From then on, the homeowning public will be barraged from every quarter with the Operation Home Improvement message-"'56 .. the year to fix." The Operation Home Improvement seal will appear in tens of millions of dollars worth of national advertising.

Operation Home Improvement, the year-long, industry-wide campaign to make 1956 Home Improvement Year, shows promise of becoming the biggest sales promotion effort in the annals of American business. Initiated by the United States Chamber of Commerce only a few months ago, the campaign has quickly gained the support of all leading building materials and home equipment producers as well as all of the trade associations whose members are in anv way connected with home improvement.

Basically, the campaign coordinates the selling and promotion efforts of all elements of the building materials, home equipment and financing industries at both the national and the local level. It is completely commercial and every participant has profit uppermost in mind.

Operation f{ome Improvement has two principal objectives:

1. To encourage more homeowners to improve their homes.

2. To make it easier for homeowners to buy the materials and services that go into home improvement.

House Beautiful's entire February issue rvill be tied into Operation Home Improvement. American Home r,vill feature it in 11 consecutive pages in the February issue, and the seal and the story of OHI will be featured in the editorial page of the January 20th issue of Collier's. Home Modernizing, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Household and Sunset are some of the many other magazines planning to tie in editorially. Homeowners will see the seal on television and hear the message on radio. And newspapers everywhere are planning to run more editorial features on the subject of home improvement.

Locally, lumber dealers, sarvings and loan associations, banks, Sears Roebuck stores, plumbing and heating and wiring contractors and everyone else in the industry will be using the seal in over a hundred million dollars worth of newspaper advertising.

Recognizing this, three major advertising services. serving among them every newspaper in the country, are planning to issue special editorial and advertising sections on Operation Home Improvement. This is in addition to including the seal and other materials in their regular advertising mat services.

Homeowners will also get the message from the displays, direct mail campaigns and other promotion activities of all kinds from dealers, contractors and lenders.

Dealer Kit Available

To facilitate concerted local promotion, the Operation Home Improvement staff has prepared a basic advertising and display kit, available for $5. The kit includes newspaper ad mats and reproduction proofs of the seal, a decal, counter card, windolv streamer, poster, radio and television commercials, news releases and an informational booklet. An order form in the kit allows any business concern to order additional complete kits or any parts of the kit in quantity.

Through the complete cooperation of all elements of the home improvement industry in this promotional campaign, industry leaders feel that the big home improvement market can be increased by many billions of dollars next year.

To further its second objective-that of making it easier for the homeowner to improve his home-Operation Home Improvement has developed a pattern for local activity by the home improvement industry to help opportunities in any community. It is suggested that all elements of the local home improvement industry, through the chamber of commerce, join forces and cooperate on a community-wide promotional campaign.

Through cooperation, dealers, contractors, architects and lenders can arrange for a local government official to proclaim a l{ome Improvement Week or Month, open up a home improvement information center-perhaps in an actual remodeled house-and urge all homeowners in the community to come to the center to get their questions answered. The Operation Home Improvement staff is preparing an informative and provocative film strip for showing at local industry meetings called to plan such concerted campaigns.

The materials mentioned above, as rvell as further information on the Operation Home fmprovement campaign, including suggestions for local implementation, can be obtained by writing direct to John R. Doscher, Executive Director, Operation Home Improvement, 10 Rockefeller Plaza. Ne'iv York 20. N.Y.

NRTDA Presidenf Sees lmprovemenf Mqrket Offsetling New Home Decline

A sharp upturn in home modernization will more than offset the modest decline in new home building expected in 1956, according to R. A. Schaub, president of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association.

"The volume of home repair and improvement which has been increasing steadily in recent years will reach an all-time high in the new year, stimulated by unprecedented promotional efforts being planned by the building industry," Schaub said.

"New housing starts may drop 100,000 or so below the 1,300,000 plus level attained in 1955, and farm building probably rvill not increase, but commercial construction promises to keep on at a near record level and the do-ityourself trade will continue its amazing expansion.

"The strength of the light construction market is shown

NRTDA lssues Deoler Guide for 'Operqtion Home lmprovement' Tie-in

A new 16-page brochure telling retail lumber dealers how to cash in on the great \'vave of home repair and modernization business, which will be stimulated by Operation Home Improvement, has been distributed to members by the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association through its federated associations. Describing OHI as the greatest sales promotion effort ever undertaken by the building industry, the brochure tells dealers hor,v to publicize and promote OHI locally in their own community, how to interest homeowners in improving their homes, and l-row to prepare efiective advertising and promotional materials.

It gives specific suggestions and copy for direct mail' nervspaper, and radio and television advertising, and for signs and product displays. Another feature of the brochure is a lO-minute talk on Operation tlome Improvement. suitable for use before community organizations and in radio and television programs.

The brochure suggests these five main ways to cash in on the great volume of national publicity which will be inspired by OHI:

1. Plan an aggressive merchandising and advertising by the fact tl-rat basic products such as gypsum board, insulation board, and cement have continued in short supply even with expanded production.

"Mortgage money has been relatively plentiful in recent months and should be ample in 1956, although the supply of funds may not be evenly distributed over all areas.

"A feature of the new year should be a great expansion in the use of time payment financing to pay for home repairs and improvements. Many homeowners do not realize that a loan of $500 to finance home improvements can be repaid over a period of 36 months at a rate of only $15.67 per month.

"Homeowners also will find it easier to get home improvements completed as more and more retail lumber dealers offer a complete home improvement service in which they help the customer develop his plans, arrange time payment financing, and obtain competent workmen to complete the job, in addition to providing the right materials."

Mqrsh Woll Executive Sees Deoler Blessing in OHI

By V. R. Marsh, Erecutizte Vice-President Marsh Wall Products, Inc.

The anticipated decline in new home construction in the foreseeable future should prove a blessing in disguise for many lumber and building materials dealers. The extreme emphasis on new homes has made many of us overlook the "burning desire" in the hearts of the owners of more than 43,000,000 existing homes to "live better where they live now." Many of them do not want to move-they would like to stay where they are. Others, for economic reasons, cannot buy a new home. But all of them would like to improve and modernize their present home.

"Operation Home Improvement," sponsored by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, A.C.T.I.O.N. (American Council To Improve Our Neighborhoods), community projects such as "Operation Demonstrate" in Cleveland, and the designation by program. Feature specific types of seasonal home improvements. Use your NRLDA Merchandising Calendar as a guide.

2. Use the OHI seal in your advertising and displays. Building products manufacturers will be using the seal in their national advertising; consumer magazines will feature it in their editorial columns; builders and lending institutions will use them in their local advertising. Dealers rvho display the seal will identify their yard as the place for homeorvners to go when they respond to the great volume of advertising and publicity.

3. Feature lorv monthly payments. Stress this idea again and again.

4. Promote a local Operation llome Improvement. See to it that a local Home fmprovement Program is conducted in your community to keep the idea before the public week after lveek.

5. Make it easy for homeorvners to improve their homes. The easier it is for a homeowner to arrange all the details the more help you can give him the more home improvement business there will be.

President Eisenhower of 1956 as "National Home Improvement Year," all will serve to focus attention on the vast possibilities for sales in this market.

We are looking forward to greatly increased residential sales of prefinished wall panels in 1956. These panels have top rating for the remodeling market, as they provide beautiful, durable and easy-to-clean surfaces-a must in modern home interiors.

The dealers who prepare themselves to take advantage of the remocleling market with the right products and services will realize substantially increased sales and profits. It's an endless business. The more new construction there is, the more remodeling business there will be.

Economists Optimistic Abouf 1956 Business, Conslruction Ouflook

Business this year rvill be even better than last year, with greater output, higher wages and higher prices in prospect, according to the forecasts of 2Ol leading economists polled by F. W. Dodge Corporation in its annual survey of economists' opinion,

The poll shows the economists generally agreed that total output, measured by gross national product, will rise to a peak in the middle of L956, with a slight dorvnturn in output in the second half of the year.

According to the analysis, the panel expect this year's total nelv construction to be about $41 billion, a very slight decrease below the estimate of $42 billion for last year. However, they expect housing starts to decline substantially, rn''ith a total of 1,150,000 in 1956, and with the rate in the second half of the year lower than in the first half.

Hollowell, Jr., Heqds ASA

H. Thomas Hallowell, Jr., president, Standard Pressed Steel Company, Jenkintown, Pa., has been elected president of the American Standards Association.

Findloy Millor Timber Compony Re-enters U. S. Mqrket

The Findlay Millar Timber Company is now entering into the plywood industry and is commencing the construction of the largest and most modern plywood mill in the Philippines, involving an investment of over $2,000,000.

The Findlay Millar Timber Company was incorporated under the laws of the Philippines on June 15, 1915. It later acquired the interests of the Kolambugan Lumber and Development Company. One of the early stockholders of this company was the late Gen. John J. Pershing.

For more than 40 years the two companies developed in the forest areas located on the shores of Iligan Bay, Kolambugan, Lanao, an efficient and expanding sawmill and logging operation. At the outbreak of World War II, in 1941, it was the second largest in the Far East.

The company's sawmill plant, machine sl-rop, dry kilns, wharf, bodegas, offices, employes' dwellings and all installations were completely destroyed by the USAFFE on May 4, 1942, in furtherance of its "scorched earth" policy to prevent their use by the enemy and, during the enemy occupation, the logging roads, railroads and such like installations had to be neglected, with the result that at the end of the occupation the entire plant was, for all practical purposes, non-existent.

In 1951 the company was sold by its former British owners to its present American parent company. The new management immediately entered upon a reconstruction program of the company's facilities at Kolambugan. It completed the construction of a new mili in July 1952, with a rated capacity of 60,000 b.f. daily. Unfortunately, a disastrous fire occurred in May 1953 and completely destroyed this mill. Following this disaster the company erected two small mills which enabled it to continue shipments to the United States and Okinawa, on a reduced scale.

The company has again rebuilt its main mill and, with the new mill now in full operation, expects to resume its former prominent position in the United States and other export markets.

The company possesses excellent shipping facilities at its mill site at Kolambugan. Its wharf, which is possibly the longest in the Philippines-being 2,@0 feet long, was completely rebuilt and is capable of docking several ocean-going and inter-island vessels at the same time. Regular calls are made by inter-island and overseas vessels.

The United States and Canada sales agent is Scrim Lumber Company, 111 West 7th Street, Los Angeles 14, California. W. G. Scrim has bee,n with the company since 1920.

The company's present investment in the industrialization in the Philippines is now in the neighborhood of. 4l million pesos. A. W. Robertson is president of the company, Allan A. O'Gorman is first vice-president, S. M. Austin is vice-president in charge of production, and Ruperto Tamula is plant superintendent.

The Department of duction in the first D,700,o00,4n bt.

Commerce reports that lumber pronine months of 1955 hit a record

1*CREI0N FASED PANEIS.. . All purpose plywood

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".'l'his Crt'zort faccd c\tcrior eradc fir plywood is so cxtcnsivc in application and size t'rtttgt' tltrtt thc Ltrrnbcr l)c:rlcr t'lrn grcatly rcducc thc numbcr of itt'ms in-his invcntory by sttx kitrq it- CltE,Z()N- PANELS rcpl:rct: various typcs of plyrvood, shr.lving stock, asbt'stos lro;ttd. stt't'l :tttd:rlutttinutn siding, und nurnt'rous othcr nratcrials. Avail:rblc with cither onc or trr'o ridc flcing. it is t:conotrtical and highly practical for alnrost r'-vcry typc of installation.

CREZ()N Pr\NELS st'n'c tht' Prcfabricatcd Homcs Buildcr pt,rfectly as :rn cxtcrior and intt'rior pl1'srxrd. \\'t':rthcrprtxlf and rt'sistant to chcmiclrls :rnd iunsus .qrorvth, thc surfacc inhibits sr:rin ris.c :rrr<i holds paint for ycars without :chccking. In utility ()r rurnpus roorns, garas('s, :tIld otht'r h:trd usust' urc:ts, CREZON PANELS pr('s('nt a durublc, attiactivc surf:tcc t'r'en unP:rinttd. Rcine rnldc with \r'atcrproof qlucs .;rnd furthr.r protcctcd by a plastic "skin". tltt'v :trt' higlrll dt'sir;rblt' irt t'onstructine kitchcns, birthrrxxns'1nd l:rundrils.

-I'hc N{obilc Ilorttt's l\{;rnufl(tur('r cun forrn CI{EZON FIISEI) PANELS t() cxtrcmc radius on cxtt'rior lrnd intcrior lulls.:rnd uill find it an cxccllr.nt lnatt,ri:rl for c:rbincts. sink tops:rrrd other applic:rtions throuqhout thc trailcrs. C:rbint't:rnd slidinc doors u.ork smoothlv rlithout sticking bc<'aust' \1 :lr[):r{r(' is rrrinilrrizcd.

Commt'rt'i;rl 'I'ruck and -l'r:rilcr l\Iunufat'turt'rs c:rn rt'ly on CREZON PANELS for thc rugecd strcnqth and tough surfacc dt'rnandcd of thcir mati.ri;rls. Severt' tests havc Drovcn ,ltg,ll!!i1'- -g_f lltl""L'ty hish rcsist:rncc to abrrrsion, splitting, slrfat.t' drntinc, and *r,irping. CREZON l'USED PL\'\\'OOt) cndurt'. lons :rft('r- otht'r m:rtcri;rls h:rvtj rust('d out or othcrrri.t' dr'tr'rior:rtcd.

IHTSF APPIICAIIONS, TOGETHER WITH COUNTIESS OIHERS, MAKE CREZON PANELS

The Universal Type Ptywood

STRENGTH-The CREZON PANEL's focing increoses the olreody enormous strength of exlerior grode plywood, moking il somewhol slronger ond more rigid. On some slructure5 CREZON FUSED PIYWOOD siding hos eliminoled lhe need for brocing ond sheolhing, resulting in consideroble sovings on mon hours ond moleriol.

Dl^ ENSIONAL STABltlTY-cREzoN PANEIS ore unoffected by exlremes o{ lemperoture ond humidity, thus reducing groin rise ond worpoge lo o minimum,

FIEXIBILITY-CREZON FUSED PTYWOOD (in the thin ponels) moy be rurved to exlreme rodius withoui ruplure or. disfigurement lo the fqce, ond noiled, slopled, or glued to o fromework for unusuol derignr in modern orchileclure.

PERFECT PAINT SURFACE-CREzoN PANEts, when poinred, show none of lhe delects thol normolly presenl o problem, ond will present o morvelous surloce lor yeors qnd yeo15.

COMPLETE SIZE RANGE-CREZoN FUSED PLYwooD PANE| S ore stondord in thicknesses ol t/t",5/l6tt,3/8tt, \ht,, s/st, and 3/t', with one piece ponels lo 48"x120". Other lhicknesses ore ovoiloble, ond lorger sizes moy be hod by scorfing,

SIMPLIFIES WOODWORKING-The cREzoN overloy keeps the wood fiber lirm ond tight for sowing, ploning, grooving, rouling, elc., wilhout donger of splilling ut or splinlering, whelher the cut is wilh or ogoinst lhe groin.