THE CALIFORNIA LI.JMBER MERCHANT Jack

Dionne, Publisher

How Lumber Looks

The low-down lumber market of the last half of 1956 continued the upturn in the week ending December'29 that it had begun in the period ending December 15 and, for the second time in a month, there was definite cause for optimism among retailers and wholesalesmen alike . . Lumber shipments of 450 mills reporting to the National Lumber Trade Barometer of the National Lumber Manufacturers Assn. in the week ended Dec. 29 were a whopping 25.1/o abovc produbtion, while new orders of these mills zoomed, 36.9/o above production in the holiday period. For the year-to-date, however, it was impossible to get the mills out of the minus column to which they had fallen-shipments were 2.2/o and orders 2.7% ltelow production.

West Coast Lumbermen's Assn. reported orders of 77,078,866 f.eet were a 61e 37.8% over production in the holiday week ended December 29. Shipments of 75,659,616 feet were 35.2/o above production of 55,945,7{3 feet. For the year-to-date, the score remained orderc 1.3/o and shipments 0.7% under production.

The 85 mills reporting in the Western Pine Association also showed a much healthier condition in the holiday week ended December 29. Orders of 48,801,000 feet were 53.1/o above production of 31,873,000 feet; shipments of 40,181,000 feet were 26.1% above.

Production and shipments of redwood by the 20 mills reporting to the California Redwood Association for November reflected the dorr-ntrend in the market still apparent at that time. Production of 52j79p00 feet was 7,000,000 feet below October but practically the same as November 1955. Shipments of 39,523,000 feet were down 12 million feet, and orders of 37,616,000 feet were down 10 million feet from the corresponding 1955 month. Orders on hand November 30 were 47,837,00A feet and stocks on hand were 392,013,000 feet.

Douglas Fir Plywood As5n. reported orders of 64,683,000 feet and production of 59,111,000 feet were both below both the previous week and the similar period of 1955 in the holiday week ended December 29. The unfilled order file in the year's closing week was 303,478,000 feet. Orders for the year-to-date hit the staggering total of 5,007,421,000 feet, while production soared to 5,172,77,5,0N feet in the year's span. Orders were 4.2/o and production 5.67o greater than for the'year 1955. The plywood market as a whole showed strong signs of firming up with the recent price increases, and inventories at jobbers' warehouses were reported relatively low.

J. Uf. Copelond Yords Buys Hqmmond Yords qt Browley, Hohville, Golif.

Further expansion in California has been made by the big J. W. Copeland Yards of Portland, Oregon, with the purchase of the retail lumber and building materials yards of the Hammond Lumber company at Brawley and Holtville.

The seller was the Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Portland, which a few weeks ago completed the purchase of the Hammond Lumber Company. No price was revealed.

J. W. Copeland, president and general rnanager, said his company will operate the long-established yards with customer and service always uppermost in mind.

The branches also carry a complete line of builders hardware and roofing. Mr. Copeland said Leslie Marquand will continue as manager of the Holtville operation and W. E. Corwin at Brawley.

The new purchase makes 50 retail lumber'and building materials yards for the Copeland Company, of which seven are in California, 30 are in Oregon and the rest in Washington and Nevada. Copeland's first yard was established in Portland more than 40 years ago.

First Nstionql Home lmprovemenf Gongress in Tucson Next Month

The first national Home Improvement Congress will be held February l-2 in Tucson, Arizona, announces John R. Doscher, executive director of Operation Home Improvement. The Congress is being held to review and document the 1956 expansion of home improvement and plan for the further expansion of this 1S-billion-dollar market in 1957.

Administrator Albert M. Cole of the Housing and Home Finance Agency rvill be the featured speaker at the event, which will be attended by leaders in finance, building materials, home equipment and labor. 1957 has been designated "Better Your Living" year. The major emphasis will be on May, which u'ill be nationally declared "Better Your Living" Month.

Because Tucson r,vas outstandingly successful rn'ith its local OHI campaign during 1956, it was chosen as the site for this Congress, according to Mr. Doscher. Tucson showed an increase in remodeling permit dollar volume of 43/o last year as a result of the campaign.

il8+,962,749 Record L.A. 1956 Building

First figures in on the year just ended reveal that Los Angeles hit a record valuation of $484,962,749 in 1956 building construction, topping by $55,506,864 the previous record of 1955. The official figures almost duplicated the earlier estimate by the city building official last month. December's valuation alone was $37,761,724, compared to $32,312,870 for the same 1955 month.

During the past year, 23,981 housing units were constructed in the city, with the San Fernando Valley accounting for nearly half of the construction in the record 1956 building boom. Valley construction was valued at $238,387.510 in 1956.

Son Diego Dinner-Dqnce tsn.26

The annual Hoo-Hoo holiday dinner and Diego Club No. 3 will be Saturday, January Ranch in El Caion.

CATENDAR of COMING EVENTS

Jonuory

NORTHWEST HARDWOOD ASSOCIATION (3253 Commodore Way, Seattle 99, Wash.) Quarterly meeting, College of Forestry, University of Washington, Seattle-January 19.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS

Convention and Exposition, Conrad Hilton hotel, Chicago.-January 20-24, 1957

OAKLAND HOO-HOO CLUB 39-"Bingo Nite," Fisherman's Pier, January 21.

SOUTHWESTERN LUMBtrRMEN'S ASSOCIATION

(513 R. A. Long Bldg., Kansas City 6, Mo.) convention, Municipal auditorium, Kansas City, Mo.-January 23-25, 1957

Februory

INTERMOUNTAIN LUMBER DEALERS ASSOCIATION (432 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, Utah) convention, Elko, Nevada-February 4-6, 1957

SAN FRANCISCO HOO-HOO CLUB 9, February 12.

MOUNTAIN STATES LUMBER DEALERS ASSOCIATION (2I7 Colorado Natl. Bank Bldg., Denver 2, Colo.) convention, Shirley-Savoy hotel, Denver-Februuary 13-15, 1957

WESTERN RETAIL LUMBERMEN'S ASSOCIATION

6333 First Avenue, West, Seattle 99, Wash.) convention, Davenport hotel, Spokane, Wash.-February I9-2L, 1957

OAKLAND HOO-HOO CLUB 39-Birthday Party, Fisherman's Pier, February 21.

Morch

MONTANA RETAIL LUMBERMEN'S ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 1384, Missoula, Montana) Convention. (Dates not yet available.) Exhibits.

SAN FRANCISCO HOO-HOO CLUB 9, Marc}r 12.

OAKLAND HOO-HOO CLUB i9, "St. Patrick's Nite," Fisherman's Pier, March 18.

April

LUMBERMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS (First Federal Bldg., Austin, Texas) convention, New Dallas Auditorium, Dallas Texas-April 14-16. Exhibits.

LUMBER MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (24 Calilornia St., San Francisco 11) convention, Ahwahnee hotel, Yosemite National Park, Calif.-April 7-8-9. Exhibits.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RETAIL LUMBER ASSOCIATION (111 W. 7th St., Los Angeles) convention, Ambassador hotel, Los Angeles-April 23-25. Exhibits.

flere's my check for another year of fine editorial reading.

-R. A. Johnson

Rt. 3, Box 1687

Oakdale, California dance of San 26, at Caspers (Tell them you sau) it in The California Lumber Merchant)