Hordwood Plywood Institute OKoys lmportqnt New lmprovements

The 19th annual Spring meeting of the Hardwood Plywood Institute was held March 2, 3 and 4 at the Biltmore hotel in New York City. The convention began with a Directors meeting, March 2, at which Wood-Mosaic Corporation, Parkay 'division, of Louisville, Kentucky, was approved for membership in the Institute.

The Board also approved a new Institute Glue Bond Policy prepared by its Laboratory manag'er, William J. Groah, Jr., which covers plywood grades and glue line type set forth in the proposed revisions to hardwood plywood Commercial Standard CS35-

The Board heard a report from the Laminated Hardwood Block Flooring committee that, as a result of tests in the Institute's laboratory of over 2000 blocks since November, the Institute is recommending to the Federal unlimited source of supPlY whofesofe o/nY t950-t960

Housing Administration for FHA's Minimum Property Standards a 2-hotr boil test with 20 hours of drying at 1450.

President S. M. Nickey opened the membership meeting March 3 by introducing representatives of companies which have joined the Institute since the Memphis meeting. They include Klamath Hardwoods, fnc., Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Mr. Nickey reminded the membership that they can expect keen competition from hardboard and plastics in the furniture industry and tougher competition from imports to continue. To meet this competition, HPI in 1960 will begin a "reminder campaign" to bring about an increased awareness of the HPI symbol on the part of all buying and specifying influences and to push that the HPI symbol means quality.

This "reminder campaign" will on a consistent, everymonth basis throughout 196O reach architects, builders, wholesalers, retailers, furniture manufacturers, flooring applicators and other buyers or specifiers of hardwood plywood with a messag'e on the HPI Seal-what is is-what it means-why it's important to them.

Managing Director Clark E. McDonald, in his report, stressed that the HPi quality-control program gives HPIlabeled products a competitive advantage. Mr. McDonald also stated that kits of technical and promotional literature on hardwood plywood were being furnished free to all purchasers and specifiers of the product.

HPI's Counsel, R. N. Hawes, reported that the failure of the Tariff Commission to give the Institute a favorable report in the Escape Clause Case was a bitter disappointment. Mr. Hawes stated that an HPI witness will appear at lfouse Labor Committee hearings on legislation to increase the minimum wage from $1.00 to $1.25. In the South, plywood manufacturers' payrolls could increase by 25/o and overall costs of plywood by as much as 8/o if this proposed wage increase-b-ecomes law. This would price Southern plywood too high to meet the competition in their markets. Mr. Hawes also stated that, although 1959 domestic production of hardwood plywood is estimated as 148 million over 1958, it is only 29 rr'illion over the previous high of 1955. This is a small gain for the domestic industry when imports have increased for the same period by some 400%.

One of the high points of the meeting was a joint reception and luncheon with HPI and the eastern regional meeting of the National Plywood Distributors Association. S. W. Antoville, chairman of the board, United States Plywood Corporation, reviewed his 40 years in the plywood business from not only the manufacturer's viewpoint but also the distributor's angle.

The joint HPI-NPDA Meeting continued with an address on the research in plywood for use in home building.

The Fall meeting of the Institute will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, in October.