TH E CAROLINA'PLUM. o*n"d

and ooerared by Andy and Maria Freeman, specializes in reloading and transporting wood products for companies wishing to penetrate the Southeast via the Carolinas.

Centrally located in North Carolina, The Carolina Plum (TCp) rs only 45 miles from Charlotte, 135 miles from Asheville, 55 miles from Creensboro, and 130 miles from Raleigh. This prime location offers your company accessibility to markets in an area that is one of the hottest building spots in the U.S.

TCP has the ability to unload centerbeam railcars, flat bulkheaos, and boxcars. TCP can also handle your transportation needs at a competitive price with prompt dependable service.

Service is the main part of our business at TCP. We encourage you to consider THE CAROLINA PLUM for your RELOAD and TRANSPORTATION needs.

Stock Opening Florida DC

Stock Building Supply, Raleigh, N.C., agreed to lease 240,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space at Scotty's former headquarters complex in Winter Haven, Fl.

Stock currently operates 14 locations in Florida, but this will be its first distribution center in the state. "We've been in the state of Florida for about five years and we're grow- ing very quickly," said Danny Rumble, Florida district mgr. "Our goal is to double in size in Florida over the next three to five years."

The DC begins operations next month.

Store Goes Long In Maine

Ames Supply True Value, Wiscasset, Me., has broken ground on a replacement location that will be the largest True Value hardware store in the state.

With a 40,000-sq. ft. facility, said Wayne Averill, "now we can change every department. We'll expand them into full departments."

He anticipates opening in January or February 2005.

U.S. Exporter Lands In China

Although the company has been exporting lumber for 60 years, Putnam Lumber, Jacksonville, Fl.. has never seen an opportunity with as much potential as China.

VBR.SATIIE. DISTINCTIVB. CODE-APPROVED.

"This is the biggest opportunity that any American business ever had," said Ellis Crosby. "How would you like to get into a 1.3 billion-person market where they don't know who you are but they want to buy your stuff?"

The firm has started shipping wood - primarily southern yellow pine timbers-to China, but wants to do more than wholesale. In a joint venture with Chinese Dartners. Putnam has formed Changihun New Sunlight Wooden Preservation Co. The pressure treating and remanufacturing facility sits in Changchun, a city of about 7 million people about 530 miles from Beijing.

"We're seeing a growing market for pressure-treated lumber in China," confirmed marketing manager Reese Blanton. attributing the increase to "one of the fastest emerging middle classes" in the world.

Over the last four years, housing market in China has srown 357o annually.

Weyco Sells Barnesville Mill

Weyerhaeuser Co. has completed the sale of its Barnesville, Ga., lumber mill to Jordan Forest Products. LLC., Mr. Gilead, N.c.

Jordan Forest Products is a subsidiary of Jordan Lumber, a privatelyheld, fully-integrated forest products company.

Jordan plans on retaining the 80 employees at the Barnesville facility, which produces 140 million bd. ft. of dimensional lumber annually.

Fire Hits New Hampshire Mill

"The sawmill is gone," Christain Vallee said of Paul Vallee Lumber

Co.. Milan. N.H.

A May 22fte did heavy damage to the sawmill, leaving Vallee unsure whether or not to rebuild the mill. The mill is the largest employer in Milan.

The fire broke out as workers were using acetylene torches to do repairs. The fire started out small, but once a hydraulic line broke, spilling flammable fluid, the blaze quickly sPread through the building.

While the building was consumed, equipment including the kiln, boiler and planer mill was not damaged, and approximately 7 million board feet of lumber is still ready to be processed and shipped.