Lumber, Wood Products Colled 'Hqrdest Hit' in Business Survey

Most manufacturers of basic building materials have been hit by the current recession but the greatest profit losses have occurred in the lumber and wood produits industry, according.to latest figures published by the Federal Trade and Securities-Exchange Commissions.-

_An -analysis of these figures by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association-points up the full extent of this d_e_veloprnent. The analysis was prepared to assist a 35-man Wood Promotion committee in administering a $1,250,000- a:ye?: national wood merchandising program proposed by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association.' tr'ollow_ing are highlights of the absociation's study, covering 1952-57 sales, net profits after taxes and net profit rates of corporations engaged in the manufacture of-lumber- and wood products, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, and stone, clay and glass products:

The committee, now being appointed by NLMA's 16 regional associations, was schidtit-ed to holi its first session during the 1958 spring meeting of NLMA directors and committees, May 25-28 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

^ Following is a- tabulation of 1952-57 sales and profit figures for these four industries.

^ ^l!r. 1957 profi.t rate for lumber and wood products- 2.3/' of sales-was the lowest since pre-World War II. It go_mpared with 1957 profit rates of 6.6/ofor iron and steel; 9.97q I"t nonferrous metals (aluminum, copper, etc.) ; and 7.5/o for stone. clay and glass products.

^lgmpared with an ".,r..-r.g. for the years l9S2 through 1956, lumber's_ profit rate lait year was off about aa/". 6n this same basis, nonferrous metals were down only' l3/o; stone, clay and glass products were ofi less than lVo: iion and steel were ttp l7/o.

Dollarwise, the net profits of lumber and wood product