Far East Contingent Tours

Western Sawmills

Last month, a delegation of Chinese and Korean wood importers toured lumber mills in western Montana.

"The forest materials in Montana are a good fit for our Chinese market," said Wu Zhi Xi, general manager of the Shanghai Daonuo Industry Co. "China has a high demand for forest resources. For Montana, this is really good."

Like many on the tour, Xi has worked with suppliers from Washington and Oregon, but had little knowledge about the products offered in Montana. "Given China's projected growth rate over the next five to l0 years, the demand for wood products will increase 2OVo." he said. "I definitely want to further my business relationship with Montana companies."

According to Craig Rawlings, president and c.e.o. of the Forest Business Network, growing demand in Asia represents a new opportunity for wood-oriented businesses in Montana.

"China, in particular, has never used wood in construction. but in the last few years, they keep using more," he said. "It's not like we're competing for a market that already exists, or trying to place wood against concreteit's a brand-new market for us."

Arnie Sherman, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center at the University of Montana, met the delegation in Idaho at the Small Log Conference, hosted by the Forest Business Network, then took them on a tour of Montana producers.

"They were surprised to see what we offer," he said. "We're very excited about the potential of long-term relationships and building new partnerships in this market."

At Sustainable Lumber. Missoula. Mt., Ryan Palma told the group that his company already was sold out six weeks in advance, but they plan to increase capacity from 60O00 bd. ft. to 100,000 ft. in the coming months.

Gordy Sanders, manager of Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Seeley Lake, Mt., said that the mill currently has more customers looking for product than it has lumber to sell, but it never hurts to distribute materials across multiple markets.

"We have the capability to ramp up or increase production, but it's all a function of what we can bring into the plant site, as far as raw materials go," he said. "That's the limitation that keeps us at the operational level we're at. All mills in Montana would look to increase production if the materials to support that were to increase."

True Value to Stay on lsland

Local treasure True Value Hardware, Mercer Island, Wa., has found a new location, months before its landlord was to bulldoze the property to make way for a mixed-use residential/retail project.

Owner De Calvert's new space is 5,700 sq. ft.- not quite as large as her current facility. "It is a bit smaller, but we will just have to make it more efficient," she said.

True Value has been a beloved island mainstay since 1977, but its lease was set to expire in July.

Bay Area Lowe's Accused of Racial Discrimination

Six current and former Lowe's workers have filed suit against Lowe's, claiming management at the two-year-old store in San Francisco, Ca., discriminated against minorities. According to the suit, minority employees were allegedly passed over for promotions, hired only to meet city-mandated quotas, and frequently fired only to be replaced by nonminorities.

Rogue Valley Rail Renamed WCTU Railway has been renamed Rogue Valley Terminal Railroad Corp., after the small Oregon rail operation's purchase by Scott DeVries.

DeVries, a former engineer for Canadian National Railway, purchased the operation inlate2012 after the U.S. Surface Transportation Board demanded that Marmon Transportation Services divest itself of two shortlines by Dec.31.

The railway includes l4 miles of sidings, spurs, switching leads, and two yards in a two-square-mile area in White City, Or. DeVries is also considering developing a reload facility.

Pau Lope Decking Returns

A new company, The Pau Lope Company LLC, Cape Canaveral, Fl., has been formed to re-introduce the Pau Lope brand of ip6 decking.

Pau Lope was among the first hardwood decking imported into the

U.S., trademarked in 1984 and active into the early 2000s, but dormant for the last several years. The Pau Lope Company aims to return the brand "better and stronger than ever." Some regional distributution has already been established, with some geogra-