Lumber filonufqcturers Preview lO-Yeor Plon to Put Wood Aheod of lts Competitors

Washington, D.C.-In a colorful hour-long presentation backed ,p by slides, films and statistics, the Nalional Lumber Manufacturers Association laid before the lumber industry a dynamic proposal for a lO-year, multi-million-dollar, research-advertising-trade promotion program designed toput wood ahead of its competitors in the race for new markets of the 1960s.

Tt-t" presentation, highlighting an annual meeting of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. Nov. 9-12. at the Statler Hilton hotel, was given by industry principals, NLMA staff members and the VanSant-Dugdile advertising agency of Baltimore. Industry principals participating in the program included Robert M. Ingram, Aberdeerl Wt.b. ; Thomas J. McHugh, Boston; C. H. Bacon, Jr., Seattle, ar-rd A. B. Hood, Anderson, Calif.

The program calls for new or expanded marketirrg activity by the lumber industry in five broad areas

1. An enlarged technical promotion field activity to make sure that all builder and dealer personnel. all architects and engineers, all school ar.rd comnrunity leaders are completely up--to-date on tl-re latest advances in wood technology.

2. A progressive industry program of product and market research to find new ways of building with .ivood and new products utilizing wood.

3. The development and total industry use of a special "salesmark" to c-ertify the quality of wood proclucts -our- factured by subscribers to the program.

4. A powerful all-media advertising program, including use of network television and top consumer and tradi magazines, to create g'reater public awareness of the many attributes and qualities of wood and associate these qualitiel rvith the proposed industry "salesmark.

5. A complete merchandising and product publicity program to tieall these activities together and carry wood's newmark and aclvantages to builders, u'holesalers and retailers.

In outlining the proposed lO-year program, NLMA Executive Vice-Presider-rt Mortimer B. Doyle called attention to the prospect of expanding markets during the 1960s. _ "Population growth, an increase in the rate of new-family formations and a continued rise in living standards will offer the lumber industry-and its competitors-great new op- portunities during the next ten years," he stated.

"fn construction and other areas, there should be a sig- nificant increase above present levels of activity. llowever, there is no guarantee that our industry will gain its fair share of these new markets.

"Wood's competitors-the manufacturers of steel, brick, aluminum, plastics and similar materials-are already spending millions of dollars on research and marketing activities. The lumber industry can gain its share of the new markets of the 1960s only by an all-out effort to put itself in a dominant position in relation to its competitors."

Doyle pointed out that the presentation, viern'ed by some 300 ir-rclustry principals attending the NLX{A meetirig, was cleveloped in line with tl-re reqtlest of a National Wood Pronrotior.r Comn.rittee which mit last Jurre in Atlantic City.

The proposal for a lO-year program is an outgrowth of a $1.3-million-a-year National Wood Promotion Program lattnchecl by the lumber industry late in 1958.

Lumber Group Elects New Officers

Thomas J. McHugh,66, president of the Atlantic Lumber Co., Boston, was elected president of the National Lumber Nlanufacturers Association to climax the 1959 annual meeting of NLn{A directors and committees. He succeeds Robert M. Ingram, president and general manbger of the tr. C. X{iller Cedar Lumber Co., Aberdeen, Washington. Ingram u'as electecl NLMA board chairman, succeeding N. Floyd McGowin, wl-ro becomes chairman of the association's Policy committee.

A. B. Hood, vice-president and general Ralph L. Smith Lumber Co., Anderson, elected first vice-president of the national Elected regior.ral vice presiclents were : manager of the California, was lumber group.

J. D. Bronson of the Cascade Lumber Co., Yakima, Wasl-rington, president of the Western Pine Association, Portland, Oregon;

Eliot Jenkins of Er.rgene, Oregon, president of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Portland;

E. C. Gates, president and general marrager of the