'lo-Yeor Plon' of Product ond lndustry lmprovement Suggested for Industry by Lumber ftlonufqcturers' President

Lumber manufacturers are urged to begin work ou u "comprehensive, carefully-considered 1O-year pLur" of prod- uct and industry improvement. Robert M. Ingram, then presiclent of tl-re National Lnmber Nlanufacturers Association, said this is necessary for tl.re lumber inclustry to take advantage of the " tremenclous rnarket opportunities" promised by the 1960s.

Addressing a meeting of the Alabama Forest Products Association earlier this year, Ingram (president and general rnanager of the E. C. Miller Cedar Lumber Co., Abercleen, Wash.) snggestecl as the "harcl core" of lunrber's lO-year plan: l. E,xpanded research to fincl nerv arrcl improved uses for rvood and cut pru<luction costs.

2. Better channeling of lumber and wood products to the end-user through clevelopment of a "more effective" sales aud distribution pattern aucl "closer relationships" between producers and distributors.

3. Measures to prevent "improper use" of lrrmber and wood products in construction work.

4. Stepped-up merchanclising and promotional activity by all segments of the lumber industry.

"A.rapidly expanding population, the trend toward largcr. lamrlles ancl the constant upgrading in American living standarcls," Ingram asserted, "will present the lumber irr-clustry-ancl its cornpetitors-with tremendous market op- portunitics. The 1960s, in particular, will see a sharp incre:rse in the rate of family formations as the 'war babiis' o{ the early '40s begin to rnarry, raise families of their own, buy hornes ancl furuiture and other goods, ancl enter the market place in earnest." he said.

To reilize the full potential of this era, the lumber inclustry must redouble its efforts to offer builders, consurners and inclustrial users, "the highest quality products at the lowest possible cost," he emphasized.

"Our future objectives must also take into accorrnt the need to develop nerv products and new services that arc right for tl.re times. trclually important is the finding of new uses for existing products. Often, this u'ill tie in with another tenet of successful selling-that of aclding llore corlveuience to your product."

One of the problems facing lun-rber manufacturers collcerns the manner ir-r which lumber and woocl proclucts are used for constructiorl purposes, Ingram stated. The lumber industry, he stressed, must "make sure that our nraterial is being properly used by buyers anrl specifiers of wood arrcl rrot being sold by lumber manufacturers or distributors for an irnproper use rvhich can only hurt all lumber in the r.nir.rcl of the cor1srlmer."

Lumber Mqnufqcturers' Position on lndion Timberlqnds Restoted

The National Lumber Manufacturers Association tl-ris year renewed its stand thatthe Klamath Indian timberlands_in Oregon-about 745,000 acres colltainir.rg more tharr four billion feet of timber-should be sold to -private bidders "uncler reasonable terms and over a reasonable time period-" Proposals- are being considered by Congress for federal purchase of the lands or for sale to- privatl parties under severe restrictions.

The Association's position was set forth in a telegram to Sen. Neuberger (D-Ore.), chairman of a Senate -Irrterior subcommittee which recently approved a bill (53051) to permit_ private. purchase of the timber acreage only under federal regulations that most purchasers corld be e.xpectecl to reject.

The measure, now pending before the full Interior Con.rmittee,_ provides_ f9r- _fed91al acquisition, probably costing more than $100,000,000, if the Klamath lands are not our-ch4sed by private parties. This measure, if enacted, woukl establish a precedent for similar action onother Indian reservation timber resources throughout the country and would.deprive local taxing jurisdicti,ons of a new and'badly needed property tax base.

The Association believes that sale of the Klan-rath timberlands under Public Law 587 to private bidders and under reasonable terms and over a reasonable time period, to pre- vent overly rapid sale of timberlands and to increase ievenues to the Indians, "would provide a solution to the Klamath problem which would be in the best interests of both the Indian owners and the general public."

Old PotronsReturn to New Site of Chico Lumber Co.

"We are now back in the saddle and are enjoying prac- tically 100/o business from our former patrons, whiih is indeed gratifying to us," writes Fred Aisthorpe, owner of Aisthorpe Lumber Co., Chico, ina recent note to The CALIFORNIA LUMBER MERCHANT. Mr. Aisthorpe continues: "The outlook for our new operation (the former location of Chico Lumber Company) is very bright, and we feel that this end of the valley is due for greai expansion within the near future."

Aisthorpe's business was formerly located at 948 Broadway,, in downtown Chico, but this location, along with several hundred-thousand board feet of lumber. was leveled bv a disastrous fire in February of this year. A five-month shuidown ensued while Aisthorpe deliberated the feasibility of rebuilding on the same one-acre site, or starting at a new location offering more elbowroom.

Chico Lumber Company, opeirated until two years ago by Bob Grant just north of town, turned out io be the answer. Aisthorpe bought the location and moved his lumber and know-how into the vacant, but ready-made lumber- yard last Fall, and is now doing busineis "better than usual." Aisthorpe Lumber's new three-acre site has almost 26,000 sq. ft. undercover space in a building materials warehouse, two lumber storage buildings, a small cutup shop, a large steel shed, a finish lumber storage building and a large office and shorvroom.

"Three times the storage and display area means better customer service," Aisthorpe notes. Operation of the business will continue as before-a "one-stop service where customers may obtain lumber, plumbing, wiring, paints and everything for building."

Dealer Aisthorpe succeedecl to sole ownership of Ais- thorpe Lumber in L946, when he purchased the interests held by his brother, Harry Aisthorpe, and father, W. L. Aisthorpe.

Under various ownerships, the cornpany has been in business in Chico for 66 continuous years, going back to 1893. It was first known as the W. B. Griswold-Lumber Company at West 2nd and Salem Streets and was moved to its old Froadway location about 1920, the year Aisthorpe first got into the lumber field.

The senior Aisthorpe got into lumber with the old Sierra Lu.mber_Compqny in the late 1890s, and in 1911 joined the Griswold organizatioq. Established in 1893, Aisth6rpe Lumber, successor toW. B. Griswold Lumber Co., quilifies as one of Northern California's oldest lumber firms. -

Yard manager at the new location will be Royce Garman, a Chico resident for the past 13 years and a former wholesale hardware man. Garman brings experience in retailing and building, as well as merchandising and a knowledge of housebuilding to his new job.

In retrospect, Aisthorpe was quoted in the Chico Enterprise-Record during his opening as feeling "fortunate to be in a position-qf growing with the city of Chico." Aisthorpe continued, "We have appreciated the patronage given the business in its 66 years of operation and we sfiall-continue to justify all the faith and confidence placed in it."

New Book on Resilient Flooring

Just off the press is a new publication of the Building Research Institute, "Installation and Maintenance of Resllient Smooth-Surface Flooring," containing some excellent tips from top men in the business on both the installation and the maintenance of all of the various tvoes of resilient floorllg ott the market today. Priced at $5 per copy, the 145-page illustrated Publication No. 597 may be obtained from Buil-dr.rlg Research Institute, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington 25, D.C.