How Lrumber Lrooks

Portland, Ore., June l7-Despite floods, a boom men strike and early vacations, the Pacific Northwest's Douglas fir lumber industry has continued to maintain record production.

In the first 21 weeks of this year, the cut was 100 million board feet above the like period last year, reports H. E. Smith,'secretary of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association. He said the 3,343,336,000 feet manufactured so far this year is proof of the industry's capacity to supply the nation's lumber requirements.

Full impact of the destructive flood which has closed virtually every sawmill along the Columbia River, will be reflected in June and July production figures, Smith pointed out. He said some mills may remain closed for repairs for two months after flood waters recede because the damage is so extensive.

Despite these disrupting influences on production, Smith said the possibility is excellent that this year's cut will match or exceed last year's 8,344,000,000 board feet.

Weekly average production in May was 139,472,000, or 89.7% of the 1942-1947 average. April's production was 148,339,000. Orders in May averaged 160,684,000 weekly and shipments 154,649,000.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at 754,O20,000 board feet at the end of May; gross stocks at 447,407,60.

Lumber shipments of. 414 mills reporting to the National Lumber Trade Barometer, National Lumber Manufactdrers Association, were 10.1 per cent below production for the week ending June 12, 1948. In the same week new orders of these mills were 13.2 per bent below production. Unfilled order files of the reporting mills amount to 62 per cent of stocks. For peporting softwood mills unfilled orders are equivalent to 8 days'production at the current rate, and gross stocks are equivalent to 44 days' production.

For the year-to-date, shipments of reporting identical mills were 4.7 per cent above production; orders were 6.2 per cent above production.

Compared to the average corresponding week of 193539, production'of reporting mills was 34.0 per cent above; shipments were 25.1 per cent above; orders were 28.4 per cent above. Compared to,the corresponding week in 1947, production of reporting mills was 13.4 shipments were 9.4 per cent below, and 14.3 per cent below. per cent belorv; new orders were

Western Pine Association reports an increase in output of. Idaho white pine, sugar pine, Ponderosa pine, and associated species for the week ended June 12 but not enough to equal a year ago.

Orders totaled 49,737,N0 board feet corirpared with 40,086,000 the previous week and 55,526,000 feet the corresponding week a year ago. Shipments were 53,548,000 feet, well ahead of the previous week's 48,234W but behind the previous yearls 58,950,000. Production ol 63,527,0A0 represented a big gain over the 49,817,W a week before but trailed 1947's 67,2O6,N0 feet.

For the year to date, orders are up O.5/o, shipments are down 4/o, and production is down 0.5/o.

The Southern Pine Association for the week ended June 12,84 units (112 mills) reporting, gave orders as 17,546,000 feet, shipments 17,849,000 feet, and produ'ction 20,163,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 62.n5.000 feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended June 5, 161 mills reporting, gave orders as 72,737,000 feet, shipments 72,077,M feet, and production 71,508,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end oT the week totaled 543,099,000 feet.

For the week ended lune 12, 161 mills reporting, gave orders as 75,850,000 feet, shipments 75,725,0n feet and production 82,609,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 537,445,W feet.

Building New Hcrdbocrd Plcnt

Stimson Lumber Co. is building a new hardboard plant at Forest Grove, Oregon, adjacent to its sawmill. It is expected that the plant will start operating by January 1, 1949. Its daily capacity will be 40,000 square feet of hardboard. Mill waste will be utilized. O. W. Frost, formerly with the United States Gypsum Company, designed the mill and is in charge oT construction.