West Coqst Plywood Distributors Get Chonce to Speok Their ftlinds of NPDA Western Regionol in S. F.

Nearly 100 West Coast plywood distributors and interested parties attended a western regional meeting of the National Plywood Distributors Association atthe Sheraton-Palace hotel in San F'rancisco, October 29. The lively session was coordinated by the late C.E. Devlin of the NPDA, and his assistant, M. S. Munson, and presented by Program Chairman Bill Fahs, manager of California Panel & Veneer, Los Angeles, and vice-president of NPDA.

The meeting was officially called to order at 10:30 a.m. following early morning registrati<-rns. Tl-re first topic on the agenda-"Ply.'r,vood Imports"-proved to be an excellent "ice-melter" and drew personal suggestions from practically every distributor at the meeting. Presenting the jobber's point of view r'r'as U.S. Plyrvood's Fred Smales of Los Angeles. Tom Parker, Getz Bros. & Co., handled the importer's point of vierv An open discussion followed on the increasing breakdorvn of proper trade channels for imported wood products. Next speaker on the morning's program was Dr. Fred E. Dickinson, director of the U. C. Forest Products Laboratory, speaking on particle board, its development and many uses in modern construction.

Dean Trumbo, M. Trumbo & Sons, speaking on a subject of considerable importance to all businessmen alike"Credits and Collections"-brought the morning session to a close. The group then adjourned to the SheratonPalace's French Parlor for luncheon :rnd further roundtable discussions.

At I :30 p.m. tl-re meeting again n'as brought to order by Chairman Bill Fahs, who introduced the afternoon's first speaker, \\r. E. Difiord, managing director of the Douglas Fir Plyrvood Association. Difford's talk- "Open- ing New Markets for Fir Plyrvood"-emphasized the terrific farm-market potential for exterior gradt fir plywood and was illustrated by a film made in cooperation with Iot'a State College, showing how an Iou,a hog raiser had greatly increased his efficiency through construction of modern housing and breeding facilities. The DFPA donated approximately $10,000 rvorth of exterior fir ply'rvood to the project, which has received acclaim from farm circles throughout the nation.

Dift'ord went on to discuss the increasing use of plywood in component building and the fact that"today's builders are more interested in the "in-place cost" of materialsrather than just horv cheap they can buy building materials in the rough.

Difford further believed that the plywood industry was about ready to shift to the manufacture of exterior plywood only. In connection with this point, he noted that out of 130 DFPA members, only 16 mills are still operating cold presses.

Dick Davis, western division salesmanager for Plywall Products Co., Inc., speaking on "Pre-finished Hardwood I'lywood Paneling," was next on the program. He outlined the past, present and future of pre-finished hardwood plywood paneling and noted that today approximately 40/. ol all hardwood plvwood paneling is pre-finished. In closing, Davis discussed the four methods of pre-finishing, namely : The laccluer method, the hot w'ax process, the transfer process, and the photo reproduction method.

The meeting was then turned back to Bill Fahs, who urged participation in the association's Cost of Doing Business Survey. Fred Smales, reporting on NPDA's highly successful 1957 membership campaign, brought the r.neeting to a close.