Weyerhaeuser Makes Important Innovation in the Merchandising of Lumber

To give the lumber merchants a quality line with which to meet the competition of dealers in building specialties, and to give the building public clear-through-to-the-consumer guarantee of lumber quality, the Weyerhaeuser mills in the Pacific Northwest as well as in Idaho and Minnesota will shortly begin to ship lumber in packages.

The gist of this innovation is just this: The better grades of square-edge finishing lumber will be shipped and sold in packages. The stock for this line is reprocessed so that the ends of every piece are absolutely smooth and foursquare, eliminating one of the most costly wastes in building-the time the mechanic takes to square up each piece by hand. Each package bears a label on which is printed, in plain English and not in a code understood only by experts, the kind, species and grade of its contents; this label is the first consumer-guarantee the lumber industry ever has had.

Among the chief advantages of this new departure, to the lumber merchant, are these:

1. The retailer who is permitted to handle this new line will be listed as a "4-Square Dealer."

2. He will receive the benefits of the great advertising campaign being launched behind the line.

3. He will be given protection against unfair competition.

4. He will have the backing of the finest manufacturing plants in the country.

5. He will have the inside track on all future developments of the quality line.

6. He will receive the higher profits of this line and, if it wins the public acceptance that is anticipated, he will benefit by more rapid turnover.

7. He will get the reputation of handling the finest lumber it is possible to make.

To begin with, the items being shipped in this manner include all finishing grades of squire-edge stock-bevel and

Colonial siding, drop siding, rustic siding, softwood flooring, ceiling, end-matched West Coast hemlock flooring, casing, base and a wide variety of mouldings.

Excepting the smaller mouldings, these boards are packed in from three to twelve thicknesses. of a standard length. The container consists of a heavy sulphate fibre end-cap which fits over each extremity of the package, working on a combination of the sleeve and hinge principles, to accommodate the flexure of the lumber as it goes through the various' movements of handling.

Each cap is attractively labeled with bright clean reds and yellows. On each label is printed inblack-notin a code, understandable onlyby lumbermen, but in plain English which any layman, can understand-the kind, species and grade of the package's contents, together with the name of the particular Weyerhaeuser mill which shipped it.

This description isa guarantee of quality, not only to the dealer, but to every interested member of the public. Items which are sold in broken lots bear corresponding piece-labels, so that no single board of inferior lumber maf be substituted for a piece of the quality-line. The customary percentage of shorts is included in each package of such items as siding, and these shorts are all re-butted and of first quality.

Presumably the first question that the lumber merchant will ask is, "Is the plan practical?-is it possible to package boards as long as 16 feet so that they will hold together during the whole process of shipment and handling?" The answer is contained in the fact that the Weyerhaeuser organization spent l8 months in developing the package and is satisfied that it will hold together perfectly during transcontinental shipment and all of the ordinary hazards of handling and loading.

The question, whether the package causes any defects in the lumber, is out of order, for, as a matter of fact, it improves the condition in u'hich the commodity is delivered to the ultimate consumer. The fibre caps are fastened to the top and bottom boards in the package and these outside wrap pieces have only the reverse or low grade sides exposed. The faces of all the boards are protected. Likewise the ends.

Here the contractor and the carpenter are likely to ask about the time required to r'emove the stapled caps. It is negligible, for a quick jerk releases the cap and the lumber is ready for instant use.

It is obvious that lumber, in order to be packed this way, must be finished better than is customary. The cap makes the ends of the board of primary importance, and it is surprising, really, that the average lumber manufacturer has not before done more to improve the ends of his product. AII lumber merchandised in this way isre-butted. It is made absolutely smooth and four-square-which gives the line its brand name, "4-Square."

The re-butting process is the result of some six or eight months of work on the part of the Weyerhaeuser developmenfengineers. It rvas found impossibie to inspect, grade, re-butt and re-inspect the pieces selected for this line without slowing up the lvhole mill-process. So these refinements were included in a separate operation. The seleeted lumber is brought from the sheds of the planing millto a special re-manufacturing plant where the electrically operated re-butting saws are located. These sarvs are built into newly invented re-trim benches, pneumaticallv operated, with rubber-faced clamps to hold the lumber against the guides. At this point the lumber is re-inspected so that it meets the highest specifications as to manufacture and finish. Then it is shunted onto a trttck, r.vhere it is packaged and labeled, a{ter which it is ready for loading.

Now, the additional price of the 4-Square line is barely enough to cover the cost of re-manufacture. It requires that the dealer sell it on a distinctly higher level from that on which he disposes of his ordinary stock. But this higher price is not enough to prevent acceptance of the improved product by the building-owner. For the additional material-cost is believed to be offset by the economy in labor-cost. Tests conducted by Weyerhaeuser have determined that there is a substantial saving in the application of this improved material.

While the distribution of the 4-Square line will be handled entirely through lumber dealers and while these dealers will be given the special rating of "4-Square Dealers," they will not be expected to carry thisline exclusively. Nor will they be required to stock the packaged goods heavily. They rvill be asked to carry a small but as- ' sorted stock of 4-Square as a supplement 'or adjunct to their regular stock. They will be able to get the two linbs in the same mixed carload. And they will be protected by' the producer's absolute refusal to place the line with any retailer whose price-policies are known to be detrimental to the lumber industry.

Aside from this, the dealer will be able to command his price by pointing out that the buyer is getting the finest lumber it is possible to produce-he gets the highest qual- ity at the start, which is the cheapest in the end. The packaged line is better looking than ordinary lumber and produces better buildings at a substantial saving in cost, since it eliminates one of the most costly wastes in building-the time the mechanic takes to square up every board by hand before he uses it.

This assurance of high quality is not based on intangibles. Grade of 4-Square lumber will, of course, be the standar{ association grades of the several regional producin! districts. But manufacture has been refined and improved and rigid standards of size, width and dressing and seasoning will be rigidly adhered to.

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HPNRY W. RIDDIFORD DIES

Henry W. Riddiford, prominent figure in Southern California lumber circles, died at Glendale on March 31. For many years, he was secretary of the Los Angeles Lumbermen's Exchange. A ferv years ago, he retired from active association work. He was one of the best informed men in the Los Angeles district on lumber and building affairs and to those interested in lumber things, he was well knorvn. He was a sage, statesman, historian, and statistician. He was a mem,ber of Hoo-Hoo for many years, his number being 9327.

Mr. Riddiford built himself into the lum.ber life of Los Angeles in a

Frankparkleaves For Tour Of Europe

Frank Park, Park Lumber Co., La Mesa, was a Los Angeles visitor the last week in March, where he was completing arrangements for his tour of Europe. His boat left Wilmington on April l. His first stop will be in Italy, from where he will start a tour of the continent that will consume several months. Mrs. Park accompanies him on the trip.

J.E. NETGHBOR BACK AT OFFICE

J. E. Neighbor, Neighbor's Lumber Yard, Oakland, is back at his desk after being confined to his home by illness fora short time.

Henry Hink A Southern California Visitor

most constructive fashion. He rvas genial, keen, kindly, Henry Hink, l)olbeer & Carson Lumber Co., San Frandependable, honorable, and a philospher both at home and cisco, was a Los Angeles visitor the first part of the month. abroad. His passing is regretted very much by his num- He spent several days at their Los Angeles office conferberless lumbermen friends. ring with Ed. Seward, their Southern California repre-

Funeral services rvere held at Glendale on Thursday, sentative. Accompanied by Mr. Seward, he called upon the April 5. retail trade in'the Los Angeles and San Diego districts.

Alley Brothers To Have Yards At North Hollywood And Van Nuys

Alley Brothers Lumber Company of North Hollyu'ood have been granted permission by the North Hollywood and Van Nuys City Councils to erect trvo nerv lumber yardsone at 14423 Calvert Street, Van Nuys, and the other at the northeast corner of Chandler and Tujunga Boulevards, North Hollywood. The Alley Company yard in Bell is also undergoing a remodeling.

FF.H.BROWN

Yards and Offices: 1044 47th Ave. at E. 12th St.

OAKLAND CATIF'ORNIA

HARDWOOD LUMBER AND FLOORING, PANFLS, etc.

G. H. BROWN, President

New Yard At Livermore

O. H. Shoemaker, formerll' manager of the Independent Lumber Co., Livermore, and E. E. Rose are starting in business at Livermore as the Shoemaker Cash Lumber Co.

R. O. WILSON A LOS ANGELES VISITOR

R. O. Wilson, R. O. Wilson Lumber Co., left San Francisco April 10, for a business tripto Los Angeles. He expected to be away about a week.