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-Importerg and BrokersPLYWOOD & LUMBER From tbe Oricnt

REpublic 14726 O 1996 West Washington Blad. O Los Angeles 78, Calilornia

STERLING'S NEW SHOWROOM AT CHICO YARD

(Continued lrom Page 6) ated under the name of Adams Lumber Company with headquarters in San Francrsco.

A couple of near legendary guys, Frank Duttle and Fred Say.", w"re it'the helm even in those days and when they moved their headquarters to Oakland in 1916. they decided to change the name of the outfit. So they threw Frank's fedora on the floor and started tossins names into the hat for the new corporatiJn. Fred drew the slip of paper ,with Sterling Lumber Company on it, today one of the best known names in California retailing. Frank Duttle retired as president -of the company during the mid 50's and is now living the life of a gentleman rancher up Sonoma county way, while Fred Sayri remained on as secretary-treasurer and general manager until the early 60's. Fred now lives in Orinda, but the travel bug's got him and he's pretty hard to locite these days.

The current president o{ the Sterling organization is Sabin Carr, former vicepresident and a long time stockholder in the firm. H. C. Edmonds is vice-president, and Lloyd Carter has succeeded Sayre as general manager and. secretary-treasurer.

Sterling outlets which have been expanded, remodeled or completely rebuilt within the last l0 years include those at Redding, Red Bluff, Chico, Roseville, Folsom, Placerville, Oakley, Mountain View, [,os Gatos and Santa Rosa. The company also operates yards at Willows, Morgan Hill, Hollister, Saratoga, Petaluma and Oroville. Remodeling plans for Morgan Hill, Hollister, Petaluma and Oroville are currently on the drawing board, Oroville taking priority due to a recent fire which destroyed the yard's warehouse and damaged its store.

Fire Losses Up

\'{ajor fires took a $1118,500.000 lritt: out of American pockets last I'ear. the National Fire Protection Assot:iation has reported.

The l96il loss total approat'hed thc re':ortl high of almost $i125 million set in 1960. lt was an ertremelv sharp rise from the relativelr' '"good"' 1't'ar o{ 1962" u'hcn similar large-loss fires in the t'nited Statt's cost nearlt' $205 miliion.

The reliort, t'ompiled annuallv bv the international fire safetv organization. includes onlr' fires indir,i<lually causing- a quarter million dollars or Inore in damaec. Tht'se are the fires rrhich in most itrstatrt't's startetl small but grew to destmt tive sizc lrecause of failure to use adequate protct'lion rrreasures. NFPA points out.

Seven major forest fires c'aused $.1 :1.:126,100 rvorth of damage to U. S. timbcrlands in 196:J. There r,r'ert six such fires the previous vear" but los-"es u ere held to 53.,1.00.000. Almost $U.500,000 of the l96ii loss was creditcd to the Atlantic (iountl'. \. J.. fir'e llhir:h swePt over l[.i3.150 acres.

According to the NI"PA analvsis of 1963 lruilding fires. r'onstnrc'tion leakness. ahserrce of protet'tive sprinkler and alarrn systems. and the hazartls of t'ontents ruere the principal r('asons rvltr- minor fires nt're not stopped br:fore thev be<'ame mnjor TOSSES.

Pell Coble Cutfer Sold

\1lor,.e-Starlett Products Company. originators and manufacturers of the impact type wire rope cutter, has acquired Pcll Calrk' Cutter Companr'. originators and manul'acturt:rs o{ hvdraulir. $.ire rope cut. ters. 'f'he Pt'll Factorv rvill continue operation trs thc Pell Cablc Cutter Division of N{orst.-Starrett Products Companr.. Phil S. Pell. irrr r-ntor ,,f the hydruuii. lr ir,, yr,1,e r'utter and long-time president of the firm bearing his name. u'ill be associated nith tht-' neu, ('ompany as an t'recutive-consrrltant.

Administrativc. marketing trnd pro<.uremt'nt functions of hoth firms hale lreerr t orrsolidated at \lorse-Starrett ht'trdouarters. l2()l lglh {r't,rrue" Oukland. (.lliforrria.

Man On The Firing Iine

(Continued. lrom Page 16) the first customer contact with a counterman to the final delivery of material. The dealer must stand ready to process the order as quickly as possible, suggest experienced contractors if he does not have carpenters on his staff, and arrange financing, if desired. In other words, the dealer must live up to the slogan-('Qng-51ep service."

Some dealers have had good success in the home improvement market by concentrating on a certain room, such as the kitchen or bath. These specialists figure that a satisfied customer will return aeain for assistance in other rooms. Other dealers survey their market area and try to meet the needs of the majority. If there are many houses with unfinished basements, for example, a dealer might concentrate his promotional efforts in this area. Dealers near a major development of smaller houses may focus their promotion on garages or room additions. unusual installation with a prospect or a banker charting a loan plan for a family. These aids are available, and the aggressive dealer takes advantage of them whenever necessary.

We have always found the most successful lumber dealers to be those who took the time to plan merchandising programs that would stimulate interest in major home improvements. These dealers know that the home improvement market remains steadv through the years, and actually increases each year as the number of houses goes up, while the new home market is much more closely allied to curMAKE

The dealer, like the soldier on the front line, still will find it necessary to call for specialized help. This may be in the form of a contractor inspecting an older house a sales representative discussing an rent business conditions. In fact, long-time Marlite dealers report that their remodeling business usually goes up during oobad" years !

Unlike mony wholesolers, our yord inventory is mointoined with the retoiler in mind _ you con olwoys depend on United to fill oll your Pine ond White Fir needs.

Another "plus" {or the dealer active in the home improvement market is commercial remodeling. Once he has established himself as a remodeling specialist, local businessmen will begin to rely on the dealer for big ticket commercial iobs. Dealers who can plan u ba.emeni or kitchen project {or the homemaker can modernize a store or enlarge a restaurant for her husband. The improvement market. therefore, is a double barrel sales tool -home and commercial.

A well-planned merchandising program geared to efficiently serve the remodeling customers' needs will mean increased dollar volume per job and greater profit in the long run.

Weslock Exponsion Progro'm

An additional 15 acre plant site and buildings in Los Angeles has been purchased by Weslock Company as part o{ a $3.5 million expansion program, Ernest Cipriano, president, has announced.

Weslock, a manufacturer of residential locks and builders' hardware, €xpects to occupy the new 130,000 square foot plant and offices early next year.

Weslock engineers are engaged in designing manufacturing facilities and processes for the most advanced and automated production.

Moore Veneer Dryer Instolled

Nloore Dry Kiln Company ol Oregon has recently completed manufacturc and installation of a four-deck. l8-section [-niJet vt'rteer dryer. an In-Line typc outfcetl section and two mechanical venecr {eetlers at the Vancouver Plywood (iompanv plant in Springfield, Oregon.

Initial tests and production runs of the new Moore tlni-Jet Dryer have shown impressive results in reduced drying time and increased production for the amount of floor space utilized. Compared with th.e Iatest conventional type veneer dryers, the new Moore Uni-Jet Dryer cuts drying time by 50/o or better. Drying is extremely uni- form. resulting in high quality veneer rvhich is llat and elastic. without cracks or disr:oloratiorr. Important fuel cost eltrciencies are also said to be olrtained. l-ach of the trro \{oore PAC ft'eders will supply two decks with a continuous llorv of veneer sheets. The In-Line type outfeed section is designed to simultaneously deliver vetteer from the f \^o toD rlecks onto a sorting table at the left o[ the dr1er. and from the two bottom decks onto a sorting talrle at the right of the dryer.

This new veneer production equipment, described as the most modern available. is the first to be installed I'y Vancourer Plvwood Co. at Springfielcl.

Celotex Soles ehonges

W. D. Gahrine, sales rt-presentative for The Celoter Corporation. has been transferred to the compaul.'s Santa Barlrara territory, according to C. L. Ilenson. manager of Celotex's Los Angeles sales distlict. He formerly was assigned to Los Angeles county.

Allen A. Lasko has been appointed roofing representatitve {or The Celotex Corporation. according to G. L. Benson, Lasko, a l4-year veteran in the building industry, will call on building marerials dealers. wholesalers, and builders in the Los Angeles county area.