'Two Homes for Every Fomilyr'Add-o-Room Boom Among Deqler Aids Discussed qt Annucll Plywood Meeting

MANAGING DIRECTOR DIFFORD rold rhe industry's 20ih onnuol meeling of rhe DFPA's fourpronged promotion progrqm

The n'estern fir plyrvood inclustry is shifting its emphasis from do-it-yourself promotion to increased activity in the light construction field in an effort to push plyrvood sales beycind the 7.5 billion feet mark by 1960. This development emerged from a series of actions taken at the Douglas Fir Plyu'oocl Association's 20th annual meeting at (iearhart, Ore. Among other things, the industry:

1. Heard about the development stages of a rrew ap-

DFPA PRESIDENI HOWARD GAR. RISON soid plcnned promotion is lhe onswer to continuing increosed plywood soles proach to home design and construction intended to enable lumber dealers to sell more building materials including fir plywood to contractors.

2. Saw renderings of new designs in church and school construction produced by architects retained by DFPA in an efiort to capture a greater amount of the booming church-school construction field.

3. Heard of DFPA's program to exploit recreational facilities to keep in tune with the greater leisure time afforded by the social and work pattern in America. This would include the theme of "two homes for every family," one for a base close to r,vork and one for leisure.

4. Heard of the increased activity in the home-expansion field in which DFPA will launch an "Add-a-Room" promotion aimed at the six million families rvho are living in small two-bedroom homes built since World War II.

5. Held an election of officers to direct the association for the coming year.

6. Approved the construction of a nerv building to house expanding research and new products development.

In the home construction field, the DFPA program is beginning to take shape already. Under a plan that is uniclue in the inclustry, the association has developed a new system of home construction that is keyed quickly to the lumber dealer. DFPA recently comnrissioned Los Angeles

Architect Chris Choate, originator of the famed Cliff May panelized system, to work out a system of pre-cutting parts for homes that a dealer can handle without complicating his inventory.

This new approach gives a lumber dealer the merchandising tools and sales aids with which he can sell a house "package" to the co,ntractor. It gives the small contractor a better opporunity to compete with the pre-fabber and big builder, by tying in with the lumber dealer. And it gives the consumer a home in a style or size which he can have built on his own lot at a price that is competitive with a tract home.

The DFPA describes the system as a "minor revolution in the home-building field," primarily aimed at 4A/o of the nation's lumber dealers who are already building homes. Pre-cutting of constrttction materials at the lumberyard, plus careful planning, rvill permit speedier and more efficient materials handling by both dealer and builder, rvhich pays off in faSter construction time.

DFPA expects to provide dealers with presentation