25,OOO,OOO U. S. Homes Will Be Obsolete by 1980, Holf of New Houses Need Repoir, DFPAnnuql ls Told

The problems and potentials of the fir plywood industry were examined at the recent annual meeting of the Douelas Fir Plywood Association in Gearhart, Oregon. Over -325 western plywood manufacturers were on hand for one of the best-attended DFPA meetings in years.

Highlights of the two-day gathering:

1. W. D. Page, executive director of Plywood Fabricators_ Service, Inc., announced his new orginization has already signed nine fabricators who will assemble box beams and stress skin panels under the PFS program.

2. Peter Hoguet, president of New-York's Econometric Institute, predicted plywood demand would reach 150 million square feet per week in the first half of 1960.

3. DFPA President A, W. Agnew outlined a striking contrast in the amount_ of money spent for research by the plywood industry and its competitors. Some induitries spend 33 times as much as plywood in this vital field.

4. P.I. Prentice, editor and publisher of House & Home magazine, told the plywood manufacturers that Americans are outgrowing their present houses at such a rate that 25 million homes will be obsolete by 1980, and half the new houses built in the U.S. will soon- be for the replacement market.

-5- G.ilbert -lVlorris, general manager and superintendent of building for the city of Los Angeles, told the DFpA members that plywood grade-trademarking backed by a responsible organization such as the DFPA is of vital importance to a building official.

W. E. _Difford, DFPA managing director, reported on the association's $4 million research, promotionj advertising, merchandising and quality control program, and how it helps hnd markets for the record 7 billion square feet of will be produced this year. He noted that the first quarter of 1959 saw plywood sales set an all-time record, and that the industry has set a new sales record in each of the past fourteen years.

As an example. -gf thg way that DFPA is searching out new mar.kets, Difford introduced W. D. page, exeirtive vice-president of the new Plywood Fabricalors Service, fnc,, a DFPA subsidiary. Page described the progr.r. oi

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