'Right Action Will Bring About New Prosperity for Lumbermen'

A leading lumber manufacturer recently warned his industry thaithe producers of steel, brick, aiuminum, plastics and_glass are preparing for "a giant thrust at every wood market they consider vulnerable."

Thomas J. McHugh, president of the Atlantic Lumber -Cq.,. Bgqton, said thJdrive by wood's competitors will have be-hind it "the desperate stiength and rriounting force of millions and millions of dollais poured into aEvertising, merchandising and promotion."

McHugh, first vice-president of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, said lumbermen can meet this challenge only if "the complex, varied interests in our industry are brought together as a single solid force."

-Addressing a meeting of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, McHugh declared :

Ouch!

The Reynolds Aluminum Co. predicts that some 15,000 aluminum homes will be built this year, compared with less than 500 in 1958. A number of prefab home producers have followed the lead of National Homes, largest prefab manufacturer, in adding aluminum houses to their lines. An aluminum test home will be constructed by the research institute of the Natl. Assn. of Home Builders near SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, this fall.-"Lumber Letter" of the National Lumber Manufacturers Assn.

"We can't hope to match the opposition dollar for dollar. "What we can do is wring out of every dollar that we spend a double value by careful planning and coordination of our efforts at the national, regional and local level."

This is one of the primary objectives of the new milliondollar National Wood Promotion Program being sponsored by NLMA and its regional associations, he pointed out.

Besides contributing directly to this effort, every company in every segment of the lumber industry must develop "a new sensitivity to.wood's virtues, a new creativity in selling," McHugh emphasized.

"The steps that we must take are these:

"pi1s1-v7s must expand the membership of our regional trade associations. You can be most helpful in accomplishing this objective.

"$ssend-s,'e must get these groups to pull together more effectively than in the past. Make no mistake-this is important.

"Third-we must enlist support for our National Wood Promotion Program from every member of each of our federated groups and from every other trade association whose membership depends in whole or in part on the sale of wood.

"pgup1h-gach of us must adopt a new and more dynamic approach to merchandising and inspire others to match our record."

Such action, he predicted, will bring about "a new era, a new period of prosperity for lumbermen."

Wood's future in home building and in other areas of construction work, McHugh asserted, will depend largely on the extent to which the lumber industry assists the architect and builder to "squeeze maximum value out of every building dollar."

He added: "If this requires the development of new wood products, or new applications for existing products, or new refinements in the manufacturing and processing of our material, then the lumber industry must be prepared to sponsor research that will serve these ends."

For Every Purpose

Hunter Woodworks Operotes Outdoor Plont Down to Dusk

"We never lose production time clue to inclement weather, ancl our woik scheclule-b1- shifts, calls for continuous operation f rom claylight to clark througl.rout the year. \\'re fincl that rveather conditions in Soutl"rern California are icleal and our experience rating for orrr type of remanufacturing is just a few percentage ltoints belorv perfect -ancl rve do it all outdoors."

It was Bill Hunter, general manager of Hunter Wooclworks, Torrance, California, speaking about the moclerrr plant his firm operates in tl're Lcis Angeles Harbor clistrict.

It rvas more than 15 years ago that George Hunter, founder of the wood'rvorking concern, established his small worksl'rop in Sorrth Gate. Giftecl with rratural business irrgenuity and production ability, he inauguratecl new r.nethods of mass pro<lrrcing rvoocl pallets, skicls, boxes, crates, blocks ancl many other items of quality.

He recognize<l inrmediately tu'o <lortritrant facts that have been the key to tl're steady grou'th of Hunter \\,'ood.rvorks. Con'rpetitive price structure rvith clepenclable service has been the principle gor-erning every step. Qualitl' u'ith leadersl.rip has done the rest.

Early in 1951, just eigl'rt years following the establishrnent of the firnr, Hunter Woi-r<h,vorks movecl to its Dresent five-acre rrrodern plar.rt at 1235 llast 223rd Street ii Torrange. 'Ihis plant is definitely ecluippecl to nreet the treecls of Southenr California irrclustrv.

It requires the services of 25 experiencecl sales engineers, estimators and supervisors to furnish llunter customers rvith their rt'ood-manufactrrrecl rectuirenrents. Tl.rev are itrst the start of this successf rrl (,1)eration.

I\,[ore than 100 extterienced sarvnren. nailers and heloers are or tlre job'.rlleraiitrg tlre 31 units of prorlrrctiorr nraclrirrery. It recluires tl're services of 10 mobile units of yarrl equiprnent, in addition to ser-eral autcitnatic coltveyor systems, to keep nraterials efficiently flou'ing to the ntodern procluction lines. F'orrr trucks are olr r:onitant cleliverr. to Southland inclustry using Hunter ltrorltrcts

Heading the aclnrinistration teanr is George Hunter, o\\rner, rvho is assistecl by Bill Hurrter, general manager. Chas. "Lefty" Apperson, production superintetr<lent; ltarl Mace, general sales nlanager, and I{ay Kraai, offrce marrager, are tl.re departmental executives. Supervisors Austiu Brewer, mill superintendent; Brian NIiller, traffic manag'er, ar.rd Dee Worthen, nailing forenran, complete the managernent staff.

"Hunter \Vooclrvorks is gearerl to hanclle all problern,*