Hubbord &. Johnson ffloving Lumber by Roller Conveyor of Port of Redwood City Corgo Yord

We've all heard the saying that "There's nothing new under the sun," but it's not true, really-. Actually, there's always iomething that can be improved-if people are really intirested enough in improving it.

One of the newest swilches we've seen in lumber handling (and there've been a bunch of them lately) comes from Hubbard & Johnson Lumber Company, at the firm's recently installed Port of Redwood City cargo yard. Although Partners Bud Hubbard and Chet Johnson and Yard Manager Bill Wray had their lumber handling rvorked out just aJwell as any other cargo yard, as in all cases there was still room for improvement.Every piece of equipment was doing its job and the Skippers were more than satisfied with their disiharge rate, bui Bud and Chet continued to eye the operationlor a better way of getting lumber from the ship to their S-acre dockside yard.

Then an idea came from an old and tested method used by canners to move their products within and out of their plants... rollers! A free-wheeling roller con' veyor for lumberwhy not?

And so, Bud and Chet checked with the Food Machinery Corp. in San Jose and became convinced that it would work. Together with Yard Manager lMray, the three men work:d up the plans and had a local welding shop build the- system. -When installed, the lumber conveyor stretched from the dock, some 300 feet down into the yard. The conveyor has a 6-foot rise from the yard to the dock, and is absolutely true and levelaccountirig for the fact that they've never had a unit "sidetrack" out oT the millions of board feet that have already traveled over the system. By installation of the system, Dealers Hubbard and Johnson have eliminated three truck-and-trailer rigs Irom their discharge cost sheeta savings right there of approximately $600. Fornierlv. tire ti'ucks 'ivere used as carriers betlveeu the dock and the yard, with lift trucks doing the loading and unloading at either end. In addition, on the l'ery first cargo' Hubbard ancl Johnson's already good discharge time was cut an additional 20/o| And each uew cargo load brings a new record as the yard crew.gets tl.re hang of it.

In actual operaliot-t, the system is foolproof. Tu'o lift