rgSo Looms as Banner Year for the lDealer

Year-End. Staternent

By R. A. SCHAUB, President, National Retail Lumber Dealers Association

The retail lumber industry enjoyed an excellent year in 1955, and 1956 promises to be at least as good and perhaps better, since consumer savings and buying power are expected to remain at high levels. Sales volume probably reached an all-time high in 1955 and profits were relatively good on the whole.

Sales to the farm market declined somewhat but the demand from new home construction, repair and modernization, the do-it-yourself trade, and the commercial market was strong all year.

The fact that such basic materials as gypsum board, cement and insulation board were in short supply is indicative of the slrength ,'f the light construction market.

Dealer merchandising was more aggressive than ever announced that creclit coutrols rvill be so regulated as to during 1955, and modernization of sales rooms and make that goal attainable' yards went forward at a fast pace. There are indica-

Dealers report that collections are reasonablv good and tions also that dealers a.e doing more and better adver- that in'entories are as high or a little higher than a year tising and that they have been adding new sales em- ago' Nlost 1'ards are gradually adding nerv items in an ployes in order to step up their service to consumers. effort to diversify and to stock most of the principal items used in home building and home improvement.

Mortgage and consumer credit lvas generally plentiful

The industry slogan, ,,If you plan to builcl anything, see and promises to be adequate in 1956. Federal housing your local lumber dealer first,', seems to be catching on officials have indicated that they expect to see betu'een qrrickly rvith the public ancl u,ith cons'mer magazines, 1,200,000 and 1,300,000 new hornes started in 1956 and have

(Continued on page 52)