Oregon Dealer Doubles Up

After 49 years operating a single location, Gold Beach Lumber, Gold Beach, Or., has purchased a site in Brookings, Or., to open a second Gold Beach Lumber yard by late spring or early summer.

"This is something we have talked about and wanted to do for 15 years," president Reed Ringer said of expanding into the southern part of CurrY County.

Ringer expects this month to begin remodeling the site, formerly an auto dealership, into a replica of its Gold Beach yard, along the same products. "That piece of property is physically almost a sister match to the property we have here," Ringer said.

He hopes to open in four months, then gradually expand staff and finetune products lines to local tastes over the next two years. To plan a new store, said general manager Ryan Ringer, "Do It Best likes 18 months. We're cramming 18 months into four."

Both locations will carry the same number ofproduct lines, but can stock less inventory, since backstock can be split between two warehouses.

"We won't reduce the number of SKU's. We may be able to increase the number of SKU's," said Reed Ringer. "Take, for example, plywood. We won't have to keep four truckloads here Iin Gold Beach] now. We'll keep two here and two in [Brookings]. It will take the pressure off in the warehouse."

More warehouse space will also allow Gold Beach to experiment with bulkier new products, such as roofing.

Boise Trims White City

Boise Cascade, Boise, Id., will permanently close sawmill and planer operations at its lumber manufacturing plant in White City, Or., and lay off 32 of 59 employees. Most of the remaining 27 employees will work in the log yard or barker operation.

Pine lumber from the plant is used for non-structural components such as doors and windows.

"It's something we've been evaluating for a long time," said spokesperson Bob Smith. "The issue with log supply goes back to the 1990s and it is why we curtailed a shift early last year. We are to the point where pine supplies are not affordable. Essentially, we have to go into central California to buy pine logs and when you add transportation costs, that's what drives this decision."

The mill, which has been in continuous operation since 1950, was Purchased by Boise from Olson Lawyer Lumber in 1976. The third shift was discontinued in 2000, and the second shift followed last March.

"It's the end of an era," said Dave Schott of the Southern Oregon Timber Industry Association. "It's the last regular sawmill in Jackson County. In 1947, when my father came out to join the lumber industry, there were close to 40 mills in Jackson and Josephine counties, including three or four in Ashland." He said that Wood-Mizer and Oregon West are the only remaining sawmills. "The problem is, as more timber comes off Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, where are you going to cut them?" he asked. "Transportation costs are dramatically higher than when diesel was even $2. It will cost too much to transport logs."

Parr Opens Yard #26

Parr Lumber. Hillsboro, Wa., opened a nerv yard in Everett, Wa., in late January, its fbuth location in the Seattle area.

"This is a grorving market for us, and the new facility will allow us to continue this grorvth," said c.e.o. David Hamill. Founded in 1930, Pan is a family-orvned business with 40 facilities, including 26 lumberyards, in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California, and Utah.

The nelv yard will service contractors, a grorving customer base for Parr, but the company sees potential for a retail store at the same location. Doug Nelson. formerly assistant manager at Parr's store in West Linn, Or., is the manager.

End ls Near For Xtendex

McFarland Cascade, Tacoma, Wa., is phasing out Xtendex composite decking, as its searches for another manufacturer to produce a comparable product for a lower cost.

The company has been selling off its remaining Xtendex inventory since it ceased production at Carney Timber Co., Barrie, Ont., reportedly due to

Canada's high energy costs and a rveakening U.S. dollar

In addition, unlike most composite decking, Xtendex contains rice hulls, which increase mold and moisture resistance, but proved more abrasive to manufacturing equipment during the production process.

McFarland Cascade is currently evaluating proposals from several manufacturers to produce a new composite decking.

Stimson ldles Three Sawmills

Stimson Lumber, Portland, Or., has temporarily idled its sawmills in Priest River and DeArmond. Id.. and Bonner, Mt., for at least a month, beginning February 4.

Stimson v.p. Jeff Webber attributed the closures to declining lumber prices and nationwide lumber demand at about 6OVo of capacity.

Harwood Shuts Down Mill

Harrvood Products has shuttered its mill in Branscomb, Ca., for at least a month and laid off all but 40 of its 200 employees.

"It could be extended beyond that," said Art Harwood, the third generation of his family to run the 57year-old mill. "Lumber prices are low, maybe the lowest they've ever been."

Until last year, the mill had been producing betrveen 110 million and 130 million bd, ft. of lumber a year.

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The Harwoods have faced tough markets before. A similar dorvnturn 40 years ago forced the sale of their mill in Willits, Ca., and thousands of acres of timberland. The family then focused on the Branscomb mill.

When new regulations and a dr,vindling supply of large trees hit the industry in the 1990s, the company turned to specialty wood products such as large beams.

It also spent millions to expand the mill's capacity and install high-tech equipment that could utilize smaller logs.

Harwood said he is concerned that employees rvill find other work if the mill remains closed long. He said it is increasingly difficult to find mill workers in Mendocino County, panly because of the illegal marijuana industry there.