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Higher'61 Soles Seen For Foctory-Finished Wood Kitchen Gerbinets

Factory-finished wood kitchen cabinets remained in strong demand last year despite a substantial home building decline, President George W. Mernick of the National Institute of Wood Kitchen Cabinets reported at the group's recent annual winter meeting in Chicago. He added that sales are expected to rise moderately in 1961.

The report was based on an institute survey of 17 leading manufacturers representing 32Vo ot the nation's major producers. They disclosed that 1960 sales averag:ed 3.48 per cent higher than in 1959. Nearly 90/o of the companies, he said, look forward to increased volume this year, with sales averaging 9.03% above the 1960 pace. Two producers expect shipments to remain at last year's level.

Mernick also told members that trade reports indicate an increasing volume of factory-produced wood kitchen cabinets is being imported, chiefly from Japan. He pointed Hugh Gregg of Gregg and Son, Inc., Nashua, N.H., chairman of a legislative committee which will study the effect of these imports on the American market. Another major function of the committee will be to explore the possibilities of legislation to liberalize financing' terms for kitchen modernization by home owners.

Stanley G. Krempp, United Cabinet Corp., Jasper, Ind., was installed as institute secretary, and William H, Wishart, fite Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., was elected chairman of the Associate. Members committee, succeeding David Carter, Allen Quimby Veneer Co., Bingham, Maine. Wishart said that according to various field reports many of the imported cabinets do not meet FIIA storag'e standards. Members voted to submit to F HA the institute's proposed recommendations for Minimum Property Standards for wood kitchen cabinets.

The institute's Fifth Annual Training School for Kitchen Specialists, to be held in Chicago March a2-17, bad a heavy early enrollment, said Manager l'red tr''. Montiegel. He added that the institute's exhibit at the recent National Association of Home Builders Exposition in Chicago attracted widespread interest. It was the first time that NIWKC had participated in the annual show.

FOR,EIGN AND DOMESTIC HARDWOODS

MOUI.DINGS

. Cleqr Oqk Thresholds

. Rod ond Spirol Dowels

PIYWOOD

. Wood Finishes, Glues qnd Hordwood Speciolties

The high level of sales for factory-flnished wood cabinets last year was especially noteworthy, Mernick declared, in view of the fact that housing construction dropped an estimated 19 per cent.

"Only two of the respondents," he said, "singled out tlre home building decline as a cause of lagging sales. Almost half of them agreed, however, that sales were lower than had been expected at the beg:inning of the year. They attributed this to general market conditions.

"New distribution policies were cited as a leading factor in higher sales by manufacturers reporting a 1960 increase. Three credited their increases mainly to the popularity of wood cabinets. An equal number said their higher volume was due to greater efficiency of operation."

The reporting companies have been in the wood kitchen cabinet manufacturing business for an averag:e of 23.5 years. F'orty-two per cent produce wood kitchen cabinets exclusively. The others also turn out countertops, millwork, vanities and furniture.

DIR.ECT SHIPMENTS

TRiongle 3-2653