T. M. GOBB COMPATIY

Distribatots ot

Ecsy To Renovc Ior Pciating

A REAL PACKAGE ITEM FOR THE LUMBER DEALER !

MouldingrsPlywood Ponderosa qnd Sugcrr Pine Lumber

Los Angeles

ever has it been our ambition to be known as the largest producer of plywood. But for 28 years we have had a m6re important objective-to be the best.

This adherence to quality extends not only to manufacture in modern mills. It has to do with long range product research programs, honest dealings with buyers, integrity of management, and the establishment of APMI sales service in major building areas.

A telephone call to any of the addresses below will bring you intelligent answers to your plywobd requirements.

Demand for Plywood Picks Up

Hocluiam, \\rashington, April 29-With plyrvood prices down 25 per cent, the buyers rvho have been shying arvay for the past three months are actually today rvaving orders at panel makers in near-record volune, a leader in the expanding industry reported here today.

The pronouncement came from E. W. Daniels, chairman of the board of Harbor Plyn'ood Corporation, rl.ho added "this drastic cut has come about despite the fact that production costs are unchanged and at. all-time highs."

In speaking for his company rvhich long has been a leading panel manufacturer and rvhich operates 10 u'holesale rvarehouses, he stated, "These decreases can not be obsorbed out of profits because there just isn't that much profit, er,en though lorver prices expand markets and sales."

l)lyu'ood "sales by the nou' 50-factory industry last u'eek exceeded 39 million square feet, nearly 50 per cent more tl.ran for a colnparable rveek a year ago, Daniels made knolun. Further, he said, April sales are rvell al-read of a year ago r.vith the upsurge being most evident for the past tn o n'eeks.

\Vhile expressing encorlragement over the upturn in demard after the first "buyer's market" in ten years, Daniels expressed concern orrer fixed production costs. "A disturbing condition is that production costs do not justifv the sha:p price decrease at mill level.

"I-abor and logs, u'hich together account for more than 85 per cent of our plywood manufacturing costs, are just as high today as they 'ivere six months ago, and mill level prices c:rnnot conceivably furtl.rer clecline so long as fixecl costs remain at today's level," is his vien'.

In pin-poir-rting 'n'hat har-c happened to plys.ood prices at the c()nsllmer ievel he qrroted srrch figrrres as these from a spot check of recent sales. Chicago suburbs : pl1.u.ood for interior u,alls of homes u-hich sold for l6f cents last July, sold this rveek for 13 cents a foot. Savannah, Georgia: plynood has clropped frorn 19 to 1(r cents a foot.

At \\rashington, D. C., a popr.ilar grade of fir plvn'ood Ior inside paneling that sold last fall for 15 cents a foot $,ent over-the-counter at lumbcr dealers this u'eek lor I2l cents. At Dallas, Texas, tl-re price of a popular 1>I1'rr'ood itern lracl droppecl lrom l8l cents a foot to 12 cents a foot during the period.