FIR

Sales- Rich Stratton Greg Chase

Phone: (5411874-2236

FAX 541-874-2123

P.O. Box 7 Riddle, Oregon 97469

SPECIFIED: DENSE #1 & BTR. FOHC EXPOSED, Up to 14x24

WE woRK FoR You.

The sign on the door says Riley Creek. But we show up every morning determined to do the best job for you. Our promise: We'll find you the very best deal we can and we'll ship you preciselywhat you need. Always with the standard of qualityyou demand from Riley Creek.

Spruce Tests New Windows System

After three years of intensive research and development. Spruce Computer System is rolling out SpruceWare.NET. its nerv Windorvs.NET-connected business management system for the lumber and building material industry.

SpruceWare.Ner has been implemented rvith Microsoft's latest technolo_ey. Visual Studio.Nrr. and its SQL Server database. based on all open architecture standardsthe first such product for the LBM industry. Microsoft itself uses the .Ner platform to develop its nervest products. including the next release of Windorvs.

The .NEr framervork solves the IT problems related to connecting multiple applications across multiple s1'stems and devices and across the Web.

Bruce Hall Home Center. Cooperstorvn. N.Y.. signed on as the first beta site. "l want my company to be on the cutting edge of technology." said c.e.o. Bruce Hall. "The flexibility of SpruceWare.Ner enhances communication through the Intemet. The vendors and distributors we deal rvith rvill demand that in the future."

Hall said his store started saving money on forms as soon it upgraded. because it norv prints everything on plain paper. "We rvill further reduce paper use." he said. "rvhen rve begin to scan related documentation to attach to transactions. SpruceWare.Ner automatically links all related documents and keeps them indefinitely. rvhich cuts costs. is better for the environment. and elevates customer service to a rvhole nerv level. Our customers rvill get their questions ansrvered immediately."

Hall also discovered horv easy it rvas to bring nerv employees up on the system. since "today's generation is familiar rvith Windorvs. not the UNIX operating system."

The four product cornerstones of the SpruceWare.Nrr System are Application Folders. Attachments. Document Management. and Dynamic Reports. Application Folders provide an uncluttered desktop and are consistent throughout the system. making information readily and easily accessible by the user. The user can retrieve information needed to complete transactions from the folders (customer. vendor or inventory information) rvithout leaving the screen they are in.

Attachments provide a similar function as attachments in email systems. They may be graphic files. text documents. or Web links, and can be appended to tftrnsactions and records throughout the system. For instance. tvarranty information or manufacturer's specs may be attached to an inventory item as a separate document. or as a hyperlink to the vendor's Web site. for easy retrieval at point-of-sale. Or. if a load of material arrives damaged from a vendor. a digital picture can very easily be attached to the receipt record, along r,vith the scanned vendor paperwork, to create a permanent record fbr future ref'erence.

Thc porver and flexibility of SQL Server allo,uved Spruce to provide built-in Document Mana-uement.

Dynamic Reports refers to the ability to view a stored transaction simply by double clicking on the transaction number listed in a report view. a function previously only available in polverful stand-alone document management systems. The system also automatically links related documents within the life of a sale-from the material list, special order, purchase order, packing list, to the invoice. This infbrmation can be kept indefinitely, providing a secure and paper free audit trail.

"We believe the industry-wide migration tolvard .NEr is the rvave of the future," president Rob Fitzpatrick said. "SpruceWare.NEr rvill enable companies to conneet systems and employees from anylvhere, at any time, and deliver unprecedented levels of service and value to their customers."

Spruce plans to install SpruceWare. Ner at additional customer beta sites this month, with full product roll-out occurring in July. Many Spruce customers are already on the list for SpruceWare.Ner upgrades.

Based in Latham, N.Y., Spruce has satellite offices in Denver, Co.; Larkspur, Ca; Kansas City. Mo.; Atlanta, Ga.;Waukesha, Wi., and England.

Treaters Prosper In Transition

Despite a challenging transition to a new generation of preservatives, the wood treating industry remains stable and resilient, according to a study by Louisiana State University Forest Products Development Center.

Based on a survey of rvood treating plants, sales in 2004-the first year following a phaseout of CCA fbr residential applications-reached $4.9 billion compared to the $3.9 billion reported in 1996, an increase of 25a/o over eight years. Industry employment totaled 13.600 in 2004 rvith a reported payroll of $405 million for the 452 sites sampled.

Producers used more than 275 million gallons of preservatives in 2004. Waterborne preservatives totaled 55% of consumption, fbllor'ved by creosote at 3lVo, oilborne aI l2a/o, and fire retardants at 2o/o.

Mandated by n voluntary EPA agreement in 2004, the industry completed a succcssl'ul transition t() u new gcneration of advanced waterborne wood preservatives fbr consumer use. Next-generation fbrmulations ACQ, copper azole, and sodium borates captured a 644/o share of r.vaterborne preservatives consumed. Waterborne CCA, now limited to industrial applications. totaled a35o/o share.

Major products treated in 2004 included 5.6 billion bd. ft. of dimension lumber, decking, boards and timbers: 23. I million cu. ft. of pilin g; l7 .3 million railroad crossties. and 3.9 million poles.

The study was funded by industry trade groups. including APA, Southern Forest Products Association. Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association. and Treated Wood Council. lvith assistance from the Western Wood Preservers Institute. American Wood-Preservers' Association, Southern Pressure Treaters' Association, Railrvay Tie Association, and Timber Piling Council.