News Briefs

(Continued frutm page l8)

Weyerhaeuser Co. agreed to sell 168.000 acres of timberland in Tennessee for $65 million to Fountain Investments Inc. to rcpay debt

Weyerhae user Structurwood is switching four additional OSB mills from APA to TECO certification. beginning Jan. l; with the addition of Grayling, Mi.; Elkin, N.C.; Arcadia, La., and Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada, TECO will certify 20 panel mills for Weyerhaeuser

General Woods & Veneers Ltd. is ceasing production at Swords Veneer & Lumber Co., Rock Island, Il., Dec. I after 41 years; 94 workers will lose theirjobs...

International Paper will pay $410,000 to six former employees in Pine Bluff, Ar., who alleged age discrimination as part of a consent decree entered with the E.E.O.C.: the sum will come in the form of retirement benefits and back pay

Anthony Forest Products ' wood laminating plant in El Dorado, Ar., qualified for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative labeling program

Lincoln Logs Ltd., Chestertown, N.Y., acquired sawmill Adirondack Forest Industries, Galway, N.Y. ...

Trex Co. received a $300,000 grant to add a 2,000-sq. ft. rail extension to its Winchester, Va., plant

Chamberlain Group, Elmhurst, Il., has acquired Elite Access Systerrs and Elite Entry Phone, Lake Forest, Ca.

Grffin Lumber Co., Cordele, Ga., sustained a mid-moming fire Sept. 26 in a dry kiln

Waltersdorff M/9., New Oxford, Pa., is consolidating its Hq., milling operations and separate leased warehouse at a 54,000-sq. ft. building in Hanover, Pa., early next year; a showroom will be added by 2006

Woodcraft Supply Co. will add 1l retail locations by Jan. 6, including Nashville and Johnson City, Tn.; Indianapolis, In.; Oklahoma City, Ok.; Wilmington, De.; Greensboro, N.C.; Virginia Beach and Roanoke, Va.; Jacksonville, Fl., and Albany, N.Y. ...

Louisana-Pacific Corp. donated I million sq. ft. of OSB to the N.C. coastal region damaged by Hurricane Isabel.

Potlatch Corp. 's OSB plant in Bemidji, Mn., will temporarily shut down its No. I line from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 to install in-line sanding capability and do routine maintenance

DAP Products, Baltimore, Md., has acquired sealant/caulk manufacturer Gloucester Co., Franklin, Ma. Montrose Reload 1nc.. Montrose. Co., has increased its number of trucks from 15 to 28...

Old Bridge Chemicals, OId Bridge, N.J., recently expanded its capacity to 24 million lbs. of copper carbonate products...

Mid- State Lumber, Branchburg, N.J., is now distributing a full line of Koma PYC Trimboards

Ertruded Polystyrene Foam Association has been formed by several leading manufacturers

Anniversaries; Frank Miller Lumber, Union City, In., 100th .. West End Lumber, Houston, Tx., 8Oth... West Durham Lumber, Durham, N.C., 80th... Stotlar Lumber, Marion. Il.. 1sth Ace Hardware. Eureka. Il.. 25th Iowa Lumber & Construction, Des Moines. Ia.. 20th ... Prime Lumber, Thomasville, N.C., l5th.

Biewer Switches To CBA

To be in compliance with the mandated Dec. 30 deadline to stop production of CCA for non-industrial applications, Biewer Lumber, Lansing, Mi., has changed to copper azole, effective Nov. l.

Although the company has begun manufacturing Wolmanized Natural Select building materials, CCA products will be offered as long as inventories are available.

The company will continue to carry CCA industrial products, such as posts, pilings, utility poles and permanent wood foundations.

Hard Surface Flooring Grows

The demand for hard surface flooring in the U.S. is expected to increase 3.3Vo annually for the next four years, totaling 9 billion sq. ft., according to a new study from The Freedonia Group.

The increase is expected to be stimulated by rebounding commercial construction and residential repairs and improvements, as well as product innovations, such as mechanical locking laminates.

The laminate, wood and ceramic tile segments are expected to capture the market share from carpets and rugs, which have been the strongest segment in the past. Since its introduction in the mid '90s, laminate flooring has been growing yearly at a high double-digit pace.

By 20O7, laminate flooring is expected to account for more than 20Vo of the demand for non-resilient flooring and more than l07o of the demand for hard surface flooring. The demand for wood and ceramic tile flooring will be spurred by a growing consumer preference for high-end products made of natural materials, according to the study.

Until now, vinyl flooring products, such as sheet, tile and composition tile. have dominated the hard surface flooring market.

Although vinyl flooring is anticipated to continue to account for the greatest share by volume of all hard surface flooring shipments through 200'7 , its overall share in terms of value is expected to fall just under one-half in 2007-which is down from almost three-fourths in 1992. The decrease is expected from competition of advanced and premium nonresilient flooring products, such as laminate and wood floor coverings, which are increasing in popularity.

NATIONAL SASH & Door Jobbers Association recentlv held its annual convention in Orlando, Fl: (1) Incoming president Biian & Shannon Mcllwee. (2) Randy Roedl, Terry Lewis. (3) Kellie Schroeder, Kimberly Lister. (4) Doug House, Corol Lyn Groce, Chris Terrels. (5) Jerry McNamara, Susan Gurry, Ken Stubert, Barbara Gahan, Jim McOooey. (6) Rod Nichols, Ken Caylor. (7) Alberto Valenzela, Juan Carlos Ugarte, Ramon Vergara. (8) Dallas Stovall, Mark Schongalla, Catherine Towers, Lonnie Ramey. (9) Tom Elias, Howard Simons. (10) Nick Georgelis, Greg

BurLorNc Pnooucrs DrcRsr NoveveEn 2003

Haupt. (11)Enin Norlie, Alex Vaynshtok. (12) Bryan Hoyle, Mark Setzer, Jim Murk. (13) Becky Plemmons, Mary Anderson, Kathy Cope. (14) Larry Blagrave, John Monison, Mark Westlake. (15) Cal German, Tom Keller, Randy Luebe, Kevin Hughes, Jim Houser. (16) Omar Pabst, Erwin Kaufmann, Charles Kimber, Rodrigo Monreal, Rodrigo Winther. (17) Joel Adamson, Garnett Douglass. (18) Scott Vollbrecht, Gary Lacy. (19) Jeff Baker, Scott Kipp. (20) Charlie Risinger, Greg Thom, James Danielsen. (More photos on next page)

(Culvert Pipe - 8" to 48"Comes in 20 ft. lengths) Conugated Drainage Pipe

Slotted. Solid. or Septic-Leach Bed Styles

Dealer Parts With Casework Plant

In an effort to focus on its core pro business, Brown Lumber Co., Traverse City, Mi., has consolidated its casework manufacturing on-site millwork shop and sold its Brown Manufacturing casework plant in Grawn, Mi., to Odom Re-Use Co.

"Contractor sales were always our main business and we're re-focusing on that," said Ted Shaw, co-owner with Scott Williams and Phil Cochran, Jr. Pro sales represent about 927a of Brown's business.

Faced with thinner profit margins, the company shut down its Brown Manufacturing subsidiary in May.

In time, the partners hope to sell their current properties and relocate. "With most of our business being with contractors, we don't need such a high-visibility, high-traffic location," Cochran said

DHP To Sponsor NASCAR Series

Diamond Hill Plywood Co., Darlington, S.C., will assume title sponsorship of the spring's NASCAR Busch Series race for the next three years.

According to DHP executive v.p. Jim Ramsey, "My brother John and I have been long-time fans of Darlington Raceway and NASCAR, basically since the day our grandfather, Sherman Ramsey, donated the property on which Darlington Raceway now operates."

DHP had sponsored the event from 1991 to 1999. This time around, the company also plans to sponsor a golf tournament in conjunction with the race weekend, the Diamond Hill Plywood Golf Classic. ln 2004, the golf tournamenr will be held March 19, the race March 20.

"The Diamond Hill Plywood Co. 200 NASCAR Busch Series event and the Diamond Hill Plywood Golf Classic are perfect promotional venues to showcase our building supply customers and industry suppliers," said John Ramsey, chairman and c.e.o.

Arch, Bayer Sign Trademark Deal

Bayer AG has agreed to allow Arch Treatment Technologies to use Bayer's Preventol trademark in promoting Wolmanized Natural Select wood. Preventol is the trademarked fungicide used in the copper azole preservative that protects Natural Select wood.

"The real impact of the agreement," explained Arch v.p. Tom Kyzer, "is that it advances the relationship between Bayer, an internationally respected producer of chemical ingredients, and Arch, a leader in wood preservation, as the science of preservation continues to evolve."

Dr. Navnit Upadhyay, marketing mgr.-specialty products at Bayer Chemicals, echoed the mutual possibilities: "Our knowledge in organic chemistry is an excellent match for Arch's expertise in wood preservation. The treated wood market is looking for preservatives that rely less on traditional metals and more on organic components."

Home Depot Ratchets Up Security

Home Depot is installing digital video surveillance in all its retail locations over the next few months to reduce shrinkage and deter fraud.

The new technology will enable the retailer to store digital images and e-mail them to law enforcement agencies. The security cameras can also help deter and investigate cases of identity theft.

"We are employing [this] technology to meet a number of important objectives," said Marvin Ellison, Home Depot's v.p.-loss prevention.

One of the objectives is, according to Ellison, "generating business intelligence that can be used to improve merchandising."

The surveillance technology will be provided by Verint Systems, a Melville, N.Y., supplier of software-based solutions for communications interception, video security and business intelligence.

Home Depot expects to install the new video cameras throughout its 1,576 stores.

Mill Worker Dies After Burns

A worker at B.A. Mullican Lumber and Manufacturing Co., Norton, Va., died of severe burns OcL 12, 12 days after accidentally dumping hot ashes on himself.

According to plant mgr. Rick Birchfield, ashes are produced at the hardwood flooring mill by two woodfired boilers and contained in hoppers. Cold water is used to cool the ashes, and then a forklift is typically used to remove and empty the hoppers.

Mark R. Mefford, 36, sustained burns to about 35Vo of his body, Birchfield said, apparently after removing the ashes without cooling them and using a piece of equipment other than a forklift.

After the accident, the victim remained conscious, walked into the office and told co-workers he needed an ambulance.

The state Department of Labor and Industry is investigating.

Alcoa Plans Composite Lines

Known for its aluminum and vinyl siding and accessories, Alcoa Home Exteriors is expanding into composite decking and railing through a partnership with PVC-U extruder Dayton Technologies.

Their first collaboration on "a new generation of building products" will launch by early 2004 with a composite decking and railing program.

Monroe, Oh.-based Dayton will expand one of its plants to accommodate production of the new decking line, which will be composed of high density polyethylene and wood flour.