Redwood Outlook for 1950

By Sherman A. Bishop, General Monoger California Redwood Association

The year 1949 u'as cne of preparation, for the redwood industry in general, for what is believed will be an active selling year in 1950. The California Redwood Association and its member mills, fully cognizant of this, have been active in research. A more complete utilization of the log has been studied; improved and accelerated methods in both air seasoning and kiln drying have been developed, and new and broader marketing ideas are being perfected. It should further shermcn A' Bishop be noted that for some time now a sincere effort has been made by responsible operators to perpetuate yield through better forest management. The adoption of the Redwood Tree Farm movement is the latest proof of sincerity in this regard.

As a preliminary step in the preparation for the coming year, the Association produced a new 3o-minute sound and color film-"Sempervirens." The film deals primarily with the uses for redwood, but includes woods, mill, and secondgrowth sequences to round out a complete redwood story. Bookings for over 5O prints owned by members and the Association have been solid since production and current requests indicate almost solid bookings for the coming year. The favorable reaction to "Sernpervirens" occasioned the decision to produce another fifteen minute training slide film in color. The latest film,entitled "Box Score." is made up of about eighty slides that are automatically projected in conjunction with an appropriate narrative record. "Box Score" tells the story of the physical and mechanical properties of redwood, quoting and showing the authority for each statement made. Like "Sempervirens" the film "Box Score" is getting heavy bookings.

The value and usefulness of the Red.ivood Data Book cannot be over-emphasized. This manual, rvith letter size pages, represents the findings, records and authoritative data collected during the existence of the Association, now inits 33rd year. More than 300 pages of factual redwood data in the possession of redwood salesmen equips these men with uncluestioned authority on redwood. The Redwood Data Book is recognized by deak:rs, architects, specifiers and schools asthe most authentic and complete compilation of redwood data the world over. Recognizing it as a potent sales tool for 1950, many sheets have been revised and new ones added in anticipation of next year's demands. A pocket-size Data Book has just been printed, which, while it does not serve as a substitute for the larger one, contains helpful factual data on redwood. This book_ let is also available through member mills.

To prepare for the upsurge in farm building, the Association has been busy reactivating its farm division. New Data Sheets and specifications on popular farm units have been added to the Redwood Data Book and, others now onthe drawing board, will soon make their appearance.

Numerous calls on dealers, farm bureaus, and schools, have indicated the need for more of this kind of contact rvork in 1950. Twelve miniature redwood farm units, constructed to exact scale, were made and exhibited at test county fairs and dealer shows. The enthusiastic ac_ ceptance already received means that the Association will schedule many suchexhibits during the forthcoming year.

With an eye toward next year's industrial business, the member mills and the Association have been gathering facts and making testcalls on industrial users of redwood. Heretofore, the bulk of industrial business for redwood has been east of the Rockies, but, with the tremendous increase in population industrial growth in the west, industrial customers for redwood has picked up proportionately. This condition warrants considerable attention on the part of the redwood operators. Known outlets, such as tank companies, cooling tower concerns, casket manufacturers, and pattern makers, are being maintained. Nerv users, such as smog control manufacturing companies, recovery tower concerns, and core stock buyers, are being developed. Smallindustrial customers are being sought too, and lumber dealers, realizing this, are putting in stocks of commons and shop redwood to service these industrial needs. Considerable emphasis will be placed on industrial sales in the future, as redwood is a specialty wood serving special uses best.

Perhaps the most outstanding marketing experiment of the year was the two test redwood seminars conducted in Texas. The Dallas and llouston trading areas were selected for the experiment because they represent a comparatively nerv field for redwood. Each seminar, of two days' duration, r,vas an attempt to bring the sawmill to dealers and architects, as well as sales representatives, since it was impractical to bring these people to the sawmill. At each seminar a complete carload of mixed redu.cod was unloaded and displayed. Grades and uses were discussed in detail.The story of redwood, the Association, and its many sales aids was outlined tothis entire group and both new films were shown. These sessions, made up of more than 200 dealers, architects and specifiers, were climaxed with lively floor discussions.

The seminar experiments proved so successful that a gcod many will be scheduled for 1950. This, it is believecl, will aid materially in increasing the demand for redwoocl where it is needed most and a widening ofits uses across the nation.

Shipments for 1949 overthe previous year were not as heavy as might have been expected in spite of the fact that p:-oduction ran higher than in 1948. Knowing full wellthat the demand for processed lumber is increasing and will continue to increase in 1950, the redwood operators have put many millions on sticks for subsequent drying in the kilns. This of necessity has meant the sacrifice of many sales during 1949, but now that the drying cycle is nearing completion, shipments should shor,r, a decided increase next year.

Additional kilns, new kilns, new milling and handling equipment are becoming more and more evident at the major redwood mills. This is their acknowledgment of the fact that the most desirable and dependable outlets want redwood that is properly milled and thoroughly processed.

The California Redwood Association and its member mills feel that their intensive preparation this year will .pay dividends next year. They feel that the ground work made this year was necessary to qualify them for next year's potential volume. While prospects are good for redwood in 1950, the buyers will be more discriminating and insist on higher standards ofmilling, seasoning, and grading. Good markets for redwood will be developed in 1950, but to hold them, good merchandise and sound merchandising practices must be improved.

New Booklet Now Avcdlcble

"Be Sure When You Build," the newly-published booklet of the West Coast Lumbermen,s Association is now available free in quantity to retail lumber dealers. This eight-page booklet in full color is proving to be a highly effective sales aid for direct merchandising to customers and potential home builders. Widely different architectural styles and settings illustrate the versatility of wood as a home building material.

The textand illustrations tell thestory of wood in a dramatic way. The four main sections of the booklet serve to back up the title. They tell the reader to "Be sure your home will be practical," "Be sure of everyday liveability," "Be sure you're building for the future.', and "When you build a home, be sure and see your friendly lumber dealer."

Currently featured in the association,s national consumer advertising, "Be Sure When You Build" has already been mailed in response to thousands of individual requests. It will be distributed free in any quantity to retail lumber dealers u,ho request it from West Coast Lumbermen's Association, 74tO S. W. Morrison Street, Portland 5, Oregon.

Pennsylvcnic Tops Ecst in Tree Fcrm Acrecrges

Washington, D. C.-With the certification of 58,448 acres of privately owned, actively managed forestland October 5, Pennsylvania became the E,ast's number one Tree Farm state. Acreage certified represents 13 farm and industrial or.vnerships in the Keystone State's North Central Allegheny hardwood region near the cities of Kane, \Varren, Johnsonburg and Coudersport, Penna.

Largest of the Tree Farms dedicated in thc October 5 ceremonies !\'as a 57,538 acre tracr orvned by the Armstrong Forest Company of Johnsonburg.