Cqliforniq Redwood Associotion Fires Heqvy Ammunition ot Wholesole Conferences to llove Lumber Through Retoil Yords

The figures are in from the "first-time" Redwood Wholesale Conferences staged by the California Redwood Association for its member mills to tell wholesalers about the qualities of CRA-Certified redwood and what is being done to help them move more redwood lumber through the retail yards. Here they are:

Dallas, Texas (April 29) : 94 wholesalers from 12 states; Rockford, Illinois (May 9): 183 wholesalers from 11 states and one province of Canada; Columbus, Ohio (May 13) : 180 wholesalers from 17 states, District of Columbia, and two provinces of Canada. Grand Total: 477 wholesalers from 31 different states, District of Columbia, and three provinces of Canada.

Also participating were 50 executives and sales representatives of CRA member mills-including three members of the CRA board of directors (Howard A. Libbey, Pres. of Arcata Redwood Company and Immediate Past-Pres. of CRA; Russell Ells, Pres. of Willits Redwood Products Co. and a former Pres. of CRA; Thomas P. Geoghegan, VicePres. for Redwood Operations of The Pacific Coast Company) and members of CRA's important Promotion com- mittee, which is made up of the sales managers of the member mills.

In addition to representing the Promotion committee as its chairman at all three meetings, Leo B. Hulett, mayor of Willits, presented young redwood trees to the mayors of Dallas, Rockford, and Columbus.

The dramatic one-day program, using wide-screen color slides, moving pictures, tape recordings, shadow screen, and twin narrators, was created by Douglas George of Hollywood under the direction of Charles L. Schafer of San Francisco for the California Redwood Association. Displays of redwood in use, and'CRA's literature, publicity and advertising material were created by John Matthias of Pasadena and Ernest Born, FAIA, of San Francisco. A new Promotion Aids Kits, a correspondence course on "Lumber Technology for the Salesman," and a set of colored slides, "Redwood Inside and Out," by Douglas George, were offered at the meetings.

The sales meetings were launched in Dallas by the California Redwood Association at the Statler Hilton's Junior Ballroom. Theme of the conference: "New Dimensions in Sales."

Philip T. Farnsworth, executive vice-president of the California Redwood Association, said in his introductory remarks, "Redwood is a pretty good producer for the wholesale firms that handle it. In terms of dollars earned per thousand feet handled, it's well above average among softwoods. It also represents a profitable sale for the retailer. As producers, we'd like to see redwood not only stay in this preferred earnings positions for you-we'd like to see it even more profitable. More earnings for you mean, more earnings for us."

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Farnsworth went on to say that the member mills of the California Redwood Associaiion have been carrying on an effective advertising and promotion program for a long time . "more consistent and more effective than the program of any other lumber group. The Redwood Association is currently spending just under a million promotion and advertising dollars per year-and it is being joined by substantial campaigns of other species, and by the National Wood Promotion Program.

"Now I suppose," continued Farnsworth, "that some of the people in the lumber business might be foolish enough to feel that,,with all these hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars-worth of advertising, literature, field work. promotional aids and so on, busily shaking the tree, that all they have to do is to sit under it and let the plums fall in their laps. Nothing could be farther from the truth !"

The facts of life today are that the sheltered world of lumber selling fell apart in 1955 and will never return, he added. There is no field of lumber usage that is not under active attack by fiber products, synthetic products, or metal products-one or all three.

"Their competition will be neither fitful nor amateurish. They will do a precise, workmanlike, merciless job of stepping into the markets for lumber-the markets for redwood. And, as of today,. we are no match for them in either experience or organization. The only advantages we hold are (1) our historical position in the building market, (2) the established habits of various building skills and trade fac-