69 Fir Plywood Plants ln 3 Western States

Spurred on by increasing consumer demand for plywood and by the impact of war in Korea, West coast panel makers have turned in a new all-tirne production record that far surpasses the most opitimistic guess-timates of the halcyon years immediately following World War II.

Production of standard-size fir plywood is at a record high with the panel makers reporting a 1950 production increase over the previous year of 34 per cent-a total output of 2.5 billion square feet of this all-purpose panel material. Best estimates this year are that 1951 production of fir plyrvoocl in standard grades and sizes rvill be ten per cent highel than 1950-probably arouncl 2.7 billion square feet.

Right now there are 69 plants producing Douglas fir plywood in standard grades and sizes in the three-state area excluding British Columbia. That represents an increase over the end of 1949 of 15 plants.

California is playing an increasingly important role in this tremendous expansion of the plywood industry. Beginning in 1947 with just two plants which turned out only 1.23 per cent of the industry's total production of standard grades and sizes of fir plywood, California has increased its productive capacity to L2 plants. nine of thcrn manufacturers of standard grades and sizes infir. Four t.rerv plants have been added since 1949.

Last year, California accounted for 175 ntillion square feet of fir plyrvood, or 6.8 per cent of the industry's total. In 1949 California :rccounted for .5.4 per cent of irrdustrv output.

The four new plants which have gone into production in California since 1949 or those which are virtually ready to do so, include Mutu:ll Plywoocl Corp., Eureka; Albright Manufacturing Co., Oakland; Santa Rosa plywood Corp., Santa Rosa, and Sonoma Plyrvood Co., Sonor.na. Other California firms producirlg star.rclard grades and sizes <lf fir plywood are Coast Manufacturing Co.. Calpella; Crescent Plyrvood Co., Crescent City; I-Tumbolclt plyrvoocl Corp.. Arcata; Industrizrl Plywoocl Co:-p., Willits, ar-rcl I\[ ancl r\{ Wood M/orking Co., llureka.

Today lhere zrre 31 plants in Washingtor-r :rnd 29 in Oregon pro<lrrcing standard sizes arrd grades. T,;rst year Wash_ ington accounted for 52.4 per cent of procluction ancl Oregon 40.7 per cent.

Defense needs for tl.re parrels are expected to take about 2O per cent of total ltrocluction leavirrg about Z billion fcet available for use irr homes, concrete forms, farm build_ ings, boats and indtrstry.

Of particular note irr the explrnding mar-l<ets for plyu,oo<l is the gror,r'ing accel)t:urce of the parrels for hidclen strtrctural features of the hcl'e ir.r ne\1r constrnctio. and remodeling. As a finish materi;rl, D<>rrglas fir plywoocl is zrdaptable to virtually ;rny architectrrral stlrls ,r. decor as either :rn exterior siding material or for ir.rterior paneling. However, the utility grades of plywoocl are finding expanding outlets as subflooring, r,vall sheathing and roof decl<ing. The sanre grades also provide a firm, solid backing for finish panels of other materials. One of the best examples of plywood's advantages in these applications is House Beautiful magazine's 1951 Pace Setter Home-a $.50,000 luxury residence with plywood construction throughout.

Also significant is the remodeling market-another prirue source of plywood sales. The panels are used here both for structural and finish applications in basements, attics hnd other unused areas of the house. As the cost of living increases, more and more amateurs are doing tl-reir own worl<. Irlywood meets their needs because it speeds their work, goes up easily and can be handled with ordinary tools.

The farm market, too, opens neu' sales vistas. The farmer is increasingly aware of the vital neecl for aclecluate sanitation in handling stock and dairy products. Because of plyrvood's large panel size, the material builds more easily cleaned, crack-free structures. The broad smooth surfaces offered l>y plywood construction are vital irr linirrg dairy barns arrcl milk houses.

The proved performance of exterior plywood rvith n,aterproof bond calls for its use in large permanent installations like grain bins and silos. Plyr,r'ood offers a comltination of strength and light weiglrt rvhich is rurbeatable in the construction of portable farrn structures like hog houses, farron'ing crates and brooder houses.

Expanding requirements by industry for plyrvood constitute a new testimonial to the amazing versatility of this panel material and another avenue to profits for the dealer. Small lots can be sold for plant n-rainteuance to virtually arry inclustrial operation. But plyrvoocl is being increasingly rrsed as a. material that out performs all otbers in many inclustrial applications. Typical of these are tanks and vats. I)emonstrating plywood's ability to st:rrrd up under corrosive acids and fluids is its application in plating tanks used by metal products manufacturers in electroplating. fn constructing plvwood tanks for this purpose, one firm founcl that plvwood constructior.r rvas 80 pcr cent cheaper than rubber lined steel tanks and half as rnuch as ordinary lnmlre r.

Ncrv products mean neu' marl<ets and thc first harrlboard prodtrctior.r line in the industry is nearirrg- conrpletion at the plant of Anacortes Veneer, Inc., Anacortcs, Wash. Several other plar.rts plan to get into l.rarclboarrl procluction this year, dentons;trating the m;rnrrfacturers determir-ration to produce panel materials meeting market specifications. Already in production on a limited scale is hardboard hot pressed to plywood to create a premium surface panel norv used chiefly in concrete forms.

These developments are the procluct o[ the plyrvood industry's continuing prograllt of research. Other research activities, horvever, offer more intmecliate benefits u,ith the clevelopment of data proving nelv capabilities and new applications for plywood as it is norv proclucc<l. Typical of this kind of research is a series of tests uow underway by industrv engineers to develop clesign data for plyrvood

A CORDIAL \TELCOME A\TAITS YOU i" ouR NE\r sAN FRANcrsco HotvtE

DITIDS0I PtllT00D & tt llBER ro'

1930 cARRoLL A\rE' AT Ii*HALL STREET iiin"ttE;; 'zTuq 'sAN FRANcIsco' .ALIF' ' "ganwce tl o't'ttt' J{eyPrcatat' phlr.ne;r

R"lPh Mannion' 9:T'"1 Mana5ler Del Manni";-:-&a'.* ; n:"olJ Foe'st ' .W'avne D"lb*v Chock g""it"tit"i"* ' Roy Carr ' Don Catlcart " ' no{ the reet of us!

PLYWOODS: Douglas Fir, Pine, Redwood, Birch, Walnut, 0ak, African Mahogany, Philippine Mahogany, Gum, Avodire, Prima Vera, Elm, Ash and other fancy woods of highest quality.

Etchwood, Sketchwood, Etchwa ll, Plyweave, 0inolite.

D0O RS : Flush and panel, interior or exterior.

Jt|iltPlR 4-1239

(REVERSE CHARGES 0N ToLL CALLS) sheathing when used as a floor or roof diaphragm. The tests are expected to turn up new information on a cornltlex engineering problem.

The following list of Douglas Fir Ir,lywood plants now in operation in the three Western states is exact and r1pto-date as compiled for THE CALIFORNIA LUN{BEII MERCHANT by the Douglas Fir Plyrvood Association of Tacoma, Washington.

Douglas Fir Plywood Mills Producing fn Standard Grades and Panel Sizes (,,e/s basis)

Washington

Aberdeen Plywood Corporation, Aberdeen

Anacortes Veneer, fnc., Anacortes

Buffelen Manufacturing Co., Tacoma

Columbia Veneer Company, Kalama

Elliott Bay Mill Co., Seattle

Everett Plywood and Door Corporatior-r, Ilverctt

Harbor Plywood Corporation, Aberdeen

Lacey Plywood Company, fnc., Lacey

Lake Pleasant Plywood Company, Beaver

M and M Wood Working Company, Longview

Mt. Baker Plywood, Inc., Bellingham

North Pacific Plywood, Inc., Tacoma

Northwest Door Company, Tacoma

Pacific Veneer and Plywood Corporation, Bellingham

Peninsula Plywood Corporation, Port Angeles

Puget Sound Plywood, Inc., Tacoma

Rainier Plywood Company, Tacoma

Resinweld Plywood fnc., Tacoma

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., Olympia

Simpson l-ogging Company, Shelton

Simpson Logging Company, McClearv

United States Plywood Corporation, Seattle

Vancouver Plywood Co., Van,couver

Walton Plywood Company, Everett

Washington Veneer Corporation, Olympia (Plant

Washington Veneer Corporation. Olympia (Plant (Bellingham Plywood Co.) Bellingham

West Coast Plywood Company, Aberdeen

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co., Longview

The Wheeler Osgood Company, Tacoma

Woodlawn Plywood Co., Hoquiam

Oregon

Associated Plywood Mills, Inc., Eugene

Associated Plywood Mills, Inc., Willamina

Astoria Plywood Corp., Astoria

Carnpbell & Mclean, Inc., Eugene

Cascades Plywood Corporation, Lebanon

Coos Bay Lumber Company, Coquille

Evans Products Company, Coos Bay

Fir Manufacturing Company, Myrtle Crecl<

Edlr,'ard Hines Lumber Co., Westfir fnterstate Plywood Corp., fnc., Bandon

Italpine Plywood Co., Klamath Falls

Linn Plywood and Door, fnc., Albany

M and M Wood Working Company, Portland

I{ and M Wood Working Company, Albany

The Martin Brothers Box Company, Oakland

Menasha Plywood Corporation, North Bend

Multnomah Plywood Corp., Portland

Oregor.r Plywood Corporation, Sweet Home

C)regon-Washington Plywood Co., Garibaldi

Southern Oregon Plywoods, fnc., Grants Pass

Springfield Plywood Corp., Springfield

Stevenson Plywood Cdrporation, Stevenson

Tirnber Products Company, Medford

Umpqua Plywood Corp., Roseburg

United States Plywood Corporation, Mapleton

Valley Plywood Company, Junction City

Western Door & Plywood Corp., Mihvaukie

Western Veneer Company, Lebanon

Willamette Plywood, Inc., Eugene

California

Albrite Manufacturing Company, Oakland

Coast Plywood Mfg. Co., Calpella

Crescer.rt Plywood Co., Crescent City

Humboldt Plywood Corporation, Arcata

Industrial Plywood Corporation, Willits

M and M Wood Working Company, Eureka

Mutrral Plywood Corporation, Eureka

Santa Rosa Plywood, Inc., Santa Rosa

Sonoma Plyrvood Co., Sonoma

Long-Bell's Plywood Operction

(Continued from Page 35) very small knot holes are plugged rvith the Standarcl Veneer Plugging machines.

.t+t\ B;r nreans of the roller type dryers, veneer is dried to;.r T-;:, moisture content of 3 to 5 per cent. This drying is accom- 1+'' plisherl by nreans of a large volume of air being citculated around high pressure steam coils. The heated air is then forcecl over the veneer. This occurs while the material is slowly nroved through the dryer by many series of long metal rolls. Drying veneer to such low moisture content makes it possible to ship plywood at an optimum moisture content of 8 to 10 per cent. This factor, coupled with special panel construction features, has practically eliminated n'arping in 5 ply plywood.

The plant employs 135 people and is operatecl in conjunction with the large sawmill and lumber re-manufacturing departments of the Long-Bell L,umber Company all located in Weed.

Jol-rn M:rnlle is General Manager of all Long-Rcll operations at Weed, and J. M. White Jr., Assistant General Manager.

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