The Demqnd Grows for Philippine Mohogqny

The demand for Philippine Mahogany continues to expand in all fields but, despite a considerable increase in supply due to the entrance of Japanese manufacturers into the sawn lumber business during the past few years, the demand throughout the year 1955 has considerably exceeded the available supplies.

While importers and wholesalers are pleased with a situation which permits the rapid turnover of their inventories, they are concerned about their inability to completely serve the market which exists for their product.

Philippine Mahogany is now probably the best known imported wood in the United States, as far as the consuming trade is concerned, and the future for this beautiful and versatile wood is very bright indeed, once adequate production can be assured.

More and more manufacturers are switching to this high quality hardwood because of its many attractive features: good average widths and lengths, excellent grade, ease and versatility of finishing, ease of working, and excellent consumer acceptance due to the nationwide advertising program carried on by the Philippine Mahogany Association.

The importation of Philippine Mahogany lumber is holding steady at a rate of about 60 million feet per year, with about trn'o-thirds of this amount being imported directly from mills in the Philippines, and the balance coming from Japanese mills manufacturing Philippine Mahogany lumber from logs purchased in the Philippines.

This 60-million-foot figure is well above the pre-war average and, as a matter of fact, it exceeds any quantity imported in a single year in pre-war days by a considerable amount. Logs from the Philippines are being imported into the United States at the rate of around 30 million feet per year. The product of these logs is used for plywood, veneer and, to some extent, for lumber. In addition to the 90 million feet of lumber and logs reaching this country per year, at current rates of importation, substantial amounts of Philippine Mahogany plywood are being imported from Japan.

Where Does All the Philippine Mahogany Go?

IJnfortunately it is impossible to give accurate figures as to the end uses of the Philippine Mahogany imported into this country. A considerable amount is used in the boat building industry, where it is used in all phases of construction, from the keel through the interior cabin trim. The furniture industry also consumes a large amount of philippine Mahogany, using it in all types of designs, from the traditional through the extreme modern.

The church furniture industry is also a heavy user of Philippine Mahogany-in all types of church furnishings. The homebuilding industry is becoming more and more a factor in the consumption of Philippine Mahogany. In finer homes it is not unusual to find all interior trim, and a good percentage of the wall surface using Philippine Mahogany.

In the lower-priced and tract homes there is heavy de_ mand for Philippine Mahogany, as it offers the plus feature so attractive to the builder in these days of competition for the homebuyers' dollar, and often at a cost equal or less than many of the ordinarily thought of low_cost wall finishings.

At the retail level a considerable quantity of philip- pine Mahogany is sold to the "do-it-yourself" fan, for remodeling of existing homes, or the construction of furniture, built-ins, etc.

Since late 1949 the Philippine Mahogany Association has been engaged in an advertising and promotional campaign designed to acquaint the trade and the consuming public with the many valuable characteristics of this luxurious tropical hardwood. Over 500,000 pieces of literature have been distributed by the association to interested parties. The program has been very successful in all respects, and is, as a matter of fact, being used by other trade associations as a model.

In the past four years, for example, the number of requests for information on Philippine Mahogany has increased about 125/o-and for about the same total budget cost for advertising. These figures indicate two things: (1) The advertising and promotional program is being carried on on an efficient and effective basis; (2) there is great interest on the part of both the trade and the consumer for information on Philippine Mahogany, and the program of the association is reaching the interested parties-letting themknow where the information they seek may be obtained.

The advertising and promotion program of the Philippine Mahogany Association is designed to reach two levels, the trade and the consumer. For reaching the trade level (which includes manufacturers, architects, builders, contractors and retail yards) various trade publications, designed to reach the specific field to which the advertisement is slanted, are used. For reaching the consumer level it has been customary to use annual or semi-annual homebuilding manuals published by some of the leading monthly "shelter" magazines.

A large number of brochures have been prepared by the association during the past few years. Themajority of these have featured four-color illustrations of Philippine Mahogany installations, some designed for the tradeothers for the consumer. Just off the press and being currently distributed is an eight page booklet, in black and white, called "The fdea Book." This is designed to stimulate interest in Philippine Mahogany by the prospective homebuilder and those who intend to remodel. Another very popular piece of literature is the four-color folder showing actual finished wood samples and the formulas used in attaining the various effects. Over 100,000 of these have been distributed with excellent results.

Other Fields of Promotion

Other fields of promotion covered by the philippine Mahogany Association have included such efforts as the preparation of. a Zf'-minute motion picture in color and sound entitled "The Story of Philippine Mahogany,', the production of advertising mats to serve as dealer sales aids. and the distribution of envelope stuffers.

The major effort of the association has been directed towards the advertising and promotion phase of the work, but considerable attention has been given to such matters as ocean freight rates, rail.charges, and other factors afiectingthe industry as a whole. The Philippine Mahogany Association maintains close liaison with the philippine

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