Deolers Flocking to Cqsh-in On lllosonite Promotion of 'Fonrous Bronds Showcose'

With 116 lumber dealers participating in the Masonite "Showcase of Famous Brands" model home promotion to the tune of. I47 houses, and the totals increasing every day, Paul B. Shoemaker, Masonite Corporation's vice-president in charge of sales, commented : "This is a record-breaking achievement and marks the promotion as a prime merchandising vehicle for building supply dealers. We are so encouraged by the fine response that we are considering the continuation of a similar model house promotion for 1959."

Among lumber dealer industry leaders indorsing the prood in rhprr -*, fr'HiTi*1'"r"iT".t""ff1ffi! Fm Bord, for exmple, i: q exlsiq poel d*igned for thir pwpo:e fqgh, w.olh€-rsirtof tenplred hcdbwd pmel: nciled riglrt over the old bcdo; t6-fr. length .implinet iob frm Gqrtruction od qpw rtodpoint. Fmer in thit pholo ho odded bdtm ;tripr ol iointr; with H poinl iob od rof, hir old bm will be q weotherprof crcdit to hi! fsm gram as a successful method of merchandising a large number of products was Ray A. Schaub, former NRLDA president, current member of the Lumber Dealers' Research Council and president of the Northern Indiana Lumber and Coal Company, Whiting. Interested in participating from the outset, Mr. Schaub only recently was able to obtain the land in the heavily built-ub Chicagb suburb to sign up for a "Showcase" house.. He said:

"New ideas that can revolutionize trade practices and offer unexcelled profit-making opportunities seldom occur more than two or three times in the lifetime of any businessman.

"For lumber dealers throughout the country, the 'Showcase' program, which is one of the most complete and wellplanned of its type I've ever seen, definitely is one of these tremendous opportunities. Our firm welcomes the opportu- nity of taking part in this program."

Mr. Shoemaker disclosed that all divisions and geograph- ical regions are represented in the dealer participants, heaviest in the southwest.

As indicated by the figures, a number of dealers have decided to, build or have built for them more than one of the seven model homes designed by the nationally-known architectural firm, Rudolph A. Matern & Associates. Most of the houses will be furhished and opened with attendant local promotions during National Home Week, though a number of dealers are rushing construction in order to begin their open houses and promotions during the summer.

In addition to giving lumber dealers an unparalleled op- portunity of showing their nationally advertised brands in actual installations, the "Showcase" house of their choice will give them an opportunity to cooperate with builders who want prospects to visit the model.

Moy Housing Storts - | O5,OOO

The preliminary estimate of 105,000 new nonfarm dwelling units started in May is 2,000 units more than a year ago, and 10,000 units above the April figure, The 413,700 units started the first five months of this year is just 700 units less than the same five months last year, reports the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association.

According to preliminary estimates of the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the month's advance of about ll/o followed a more than seasonal rise in April. Preliminary tallies of building permit reports indicate that the gain in housing starts this May was nationwide, though strength was less evident in the South than elsewhere.

Privately owned starts totaled 98,000 in May and accounted for most of the overall increase. Housing begun under FHA and VA programs lvas responsible for two- thirds of the May rise in private starts, compared with about half of the previous month's gain.

Seasonally adjusted, the private starts this May were at an annual rate of 1,010,000-marking a return to the betterthan-a-million rate prevailing during the latter hall of 1957 and in January, 1958.

Building permit data available through April for selected metropolitan areas indicate that private housing activity continued to lag more than nationally in those places classified by the Labor Department as having a considerable surplus of labor.

Nikkel Represents Toppel Mill

Sacramento, Calif.-Bob Nikkel, head of R. F. Nikkel Lumber Co. here, announces his firm has been appointed exclusive sales agents for the Sid Toppel sawmill at Truckee, Calif.

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