NLfttA Executive Tells Woodwork ftlqnufocturers of Opportunities

Chicago, Oct. l7-Architectural u'c.roclrvork nranufacturers \\'ere told toclay they have an opportunity to "reap rerl':rrds unparallelecl in our country's history"-pror.iclecl they step rrp their mercl.ranclising and promotional activities to nreet the challenge o{ competitive materials. N{ortimer B. I)o1-le, executive vice-presiclerrt of the Natiorral Lumber Nlanrrfacturers Association, preclictecl an "expauditrg population, the ever-incre:rsir-rg rate at u'hic1-r rrerv families are being formecl, the constant rise in living starrrlards, the upsurgirrg movenrellt of the ec()lrolny itr getrerral" rvili bring aborrt a "business revrilrrtiorr orr a scale far greater than the industrial revolution tl.rat bcgarr sonre 200 years ago."

Arlrlressinq an arrnnal conventiou of thc Architectrrral Wooclu'ork lnstitute, manufacturers o{ ctrstom ntiilr'vork, Dovle sairl the lumber incltrstry nrust "foster rlew ideas, ac- cept new concepts, set its sights on new horizons itt ttrcler to keep pace rvith these new times."

In step rvith tl'rese prospective chatrges, lutnber uratrufacturers recently inaugurated the million-dollar National Woocl Promotion Program clesigrred to recapture tnarkets lost to competitive materials and clevelop neu, sales outlets, Doyle pointerl out.

This eft'ort, he cieclared, brings to more than $8 rr-rilliorr the tc.rtal annual anlount being spent by lumber tnanufacturers ancl their varions tracle associations otr urerchanclising. atlvertising arr<l lrrorrrotion.

"Norv, to tl'ris sanre acceler:rtecl tempo, rve must gear the merchanclising elTorts of other segllrellts of the lutnber an<l n'ood proclrrcts inclustrt'." Thesc "othcr l;cgmclts," he explainecl, include the manufactrrrers of u'ood pro<1ucts ancl allie<l materials, lurnber anrl noorl prodrrct clistribrrtors, ancl the nranrrfactrlrers of sau'mill and logging machinery-.

"Our ultir.nate objective lxust be to step up and cocirdinate the tnerchanclising progranrs of all elemerrts of all inrlrrstries u'hose futrrre is clepen<lent or-r the products of the fo rest. "

As another part of this promotion prograrl, Doyle told the u,oo<lu'ork uroup, the Natiorial Lurnber Xlanufacturers .\ssociation is expandirrg its technical promotion field staff. 'fhis, he said, u'ill enable the association to lvork rnore closely with brrilclers, architects ancl otl'rers responsible for specif,r'irrg u.oorl or solne colnl)eting ltrocluct.

Also, I)or'1e reporterl, the neu' fieltl stalT rvill intertsify tl-rt: indrrstry's elTorts to rerlrove or nrodifv builcling coclc restric tions :Lncl cliscriminatorv fire insurarrce rates o11 n'ood constrttctiort.

The irrclustr-y's ne\\- pronrotional activity, he enrpliasizerl, u.ill seek to l)romote "u.oocl irs such :rs opPosed to conrpetitive nraterilrls"-stecl, brick, aluminnm zrn<l plastics.

In this respect, it rlilTers from regional camiraigns rlersigne<l to create <lemanrl for specific brands and species, Dovle pointed out. Ilut he arldecl :

"No one part is rnore inrportant tharr anothcr. In fact, each is depenrlent onarrcl must be srrpporte<l bythe others."

Mqsonite Honors McGullough

\I. P. (Nlatt) McCullough, one of the founders of \{asonite Corporation and currently chairnran of the conrpany's ]rxecrrtive committee, u'as honored Oct. 13 at a testirrronial clitruer celebrating his 80th birthday. I)irectors, offrcers and executives of Masonite attenderl tl.re clinner irr the Bisnrarck hotel in Chicago. John l{. Coates, N'Iasonite presiclent, -,vas the principal speaker at the clinner.

Mr. McCullough, rvho is also presiclent of the AlexanderSteu'art Lumber Co., was a colleague of William H. N{ason during the early development o{ harrlboarcl.