IH PA HOLDS ANNUAL CONVENTION ATOJAI

F|rstR0w(ssated)!AlStIuyvenberg-H.zwart&company,|nc',LosAnge|esiArno|dBi|dsoe_Georgia-Pacificcorp.,Po|and;Ted J, Schmitt-Atkins, Kroll & Co., Ltd., San Francisco; John R. osgood-Robert S. osgood Company, Los Angeles; Tom Parker-M. S. Cowen Company, San Francisco; Robert S. Reid-Ziel & Company, Inc., San Francisco; Grant Hellar-Heidner & Company, Tacoma; Elston Baker-Dant & Russell, Inc., Portland; Henri Muth-W. R. Grace & Co., San Francisco; Dave Eorum -Getz Bros. & Company, San Francisco; Gordon D. lngraham-lmported Hardwood Plywood Association, Inc., San Francisco; Mahlon S. Munson-National Plywood Distributors Association, Portland.

Sec0nd Row (Standing): John Vanguard-V cago; Mogens Silleman-The East Asiatic Co., Inc., San Francisco; Bill Shelly-Welsh Panel Co., Longview, Wash.i Roy Harlow-Myers Sales Co., Inc., Tacoma; Leonard Websterca.te|azo&Associates,LosAngeles;victorA.Fu|ton-AmericanPresidentLines,Ltd.,LosAnge|es; Co., Los Angeles; Rolf Seibert-J, wm, Back Company, Los Angeles; E. M. critchfield-California Wood Products, Inc., Santa Rosa. Ange|es;A'Redingar_Atkins'Kro||&co.'Ltd.'[osAnge|es;R.Axte|l-Atkins,Kro|l&co.'Ltd.,NewYork;L.Da|ewatson_WatsonHardwd lace Manufacturing Co., North Kansas City, Mo.; Francts Haley-Haley

The Imported Hardwood PlJrwood Association, fnc., with headquarters in San Francisco held its annual convention and elections at the Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California, February 8, 9, and 10. Sixty executives representing forty-six importing firms, ports, steamship companies, door manufacturers, plywood pre-flnishers, customs brokers, other national associations, and others attended the meeting from,points as far distant as New York, Chicago, and Kansas City.

The new Board of Directors consists of Thomas Parker, President; John Osgood, F'irst Vice-President; W. Grant Hellar, VicePresident; and the following directors: (Los Angeles area) Jack Davidson, Seiichi Nobe; (San Francisco area) Henri Muth, Robert S. Reid, Charles J. Schmitt, Eric Wagner; (Paciflc Northwest area) Elston Baker and Arnold Bildsoe.

Colonel Gordon D. Ingraham -was re-elected Managing Secretary and Treasurer.

Tom Parker, on taking over the gavel as President, said:

"Let's look back a moment to see what we have accomplished since the days in early '55 when IHPA's seed was sown and competitors met for the first time to orgalrize a self-preservation. Look also to our first annual convention at I'resno. It was there that our voice began to change. We had reached adolescence. It was here that we really set the pattern for the future in an outline of aims and ambitions. What have we accomplished since then ? I think there is much.

"Three times we have had to defend our right to do business. Alone, none of us could have done it. Together we were efrective and have performed a service not only for ourselves and for our industry, but also for the benefit of users.

"I won't go into those positive services developed by our committees, as these were covered by Elric Wagner, Coordinating Committee Chairman. Ilowever, these are our positive gains. Appraisal of our intangible gains requires a little thought. Many of our efrorts did not prevent sickness, but at least eliminated some of the pain.

"We must admit that chaotic conditions have dominated the plywood market recently. But these conditions are not isolated to imports and importers. They are epidemic among our entire wood industry-hardwood and softwood, mill and builder. Doug'las Fir rose from $64.00 in '58 to $85.00 in early '59. Today it is below $60.00. Percentagewise, imports have done the same.

"Ilowever, for imported plJrwood the worst is apparentlli over. Buyers' inventories are approaching balance. Prices are recuperating. And while there are no rainbows yet, the center of the storm has apparently passed.

"Let's reflect for a moment on our purpose as an association. We have joined together with the idea that there are many area,sl where united action is essential and other areas where uniform action is desirable. By such joint action each member company, big or small, sees an opportunity of increasing their individual long rang'e proflts. To deny the individual profit motive is to ignore the fundamentals of business and the responsibility management has to provide his employees a livelihood, and the stockholders a just return on their investment.

"An inkling of some of your responsibilities can be found in the survey made at our convention. The member firms present represented 3,500 American workers who depended on export and import activities for their livelihood. It was estimated that there were another 4,000 American workers employed in door plants whose livelihood depended on imports. Remember that these figures do not include importers outside of our association, nor do they include those who received a fair share of their income because of imports.

"We must never overlook that we have a responsibility not only to ourselves but to our suppliers and our buyers. For us to remain healthy each of these must profit also. We have had excellent cooperation from trade associations in Japan, a"rrd are developing better coordination with the Philippines and other areas, IJnderstanding and trust between our associations has grown. It will continue to g'ro\ /. We have embarked on some activities which are still in their infancy stages. These are our re-inspection procedure, uniform purchase orders, grading rules, etc. We also hope that we can simplify ocean freig'ht rates to a basis of square footage rather than cubic volume.

"But above all still stands the pressing problem of duty in declining profits, combined with service to our users and coordination with our suppliers. The association is not in a position to interject itself into the question .of pricing. This becomes an individual problem except that the association can assist the publicizing of the services the members render and the risks they taRe. We as individuals provide a channel of communication between buyer and supplier. We insure, expedite, and finance. We take on the burden of standing behind the produce we sell in matters of claims. We are confronted with the everlasting problem of duty increases. We assume the credit risks involved. These risks cannot long be undertaken at the small profits at which we provide these services today, but how are we to tell our story to the buyer and how are we to hammer home these points to our suppliers ?

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