Lumber Consumption Estimated 162 Higher Than 1936--stocks Decfine

Lumber Sutvey Committee Reports Advances in Lumber Operating Costs-West Coost \flages

Washington, May 19,-Throughout the depression lumber prices have averaged substantially less than building materials prices generally, the Lumber Survey Committee states in its 24th quarterly report to the U. S. Department of Commerce. On the other hand, the Committee finds that lumber operating ,costs have largely advanced. It reports that prevailing wage scales in some sections, nota.bly on the West Coast, are the highest in industry history.

Total national lumber sto.cks at the mills on 1:pril l,1937, the report shows, were approximately 7.1 billion feet, compared with 7.9 billion feet at the end ol 1936, a decline, partly seasonal, of 10 percent. During the year 1936, softn'ood stocks increased approximately 3l percent; hardrvood stocks declined about 7 percent. National consumption in the first half is estimated at nearly 13 billion feet, about 16 percent above the first six months of 1936. Estimated total lumber consumption in 1936 was slightly above 23.1 billion feet.

The Committee reports that unfilled order files in some regions continue abnormally large, particularly in the West. In many sections, stocks are unbalanced and inadequate as compared with unfilled orders. and with the ,continuing upward trend in residential building. The ordinary processes of the industry however, if enabled to operate normally and rvithout continued interruption of producing or shipping, u'ill restore a reasonable balance of supply ancl demand, and a more stable price level.

The long-term outlook for construction indicates substantial expansion, in the opinion of the Committee. The nearer

Hishest n History

outlook is less clearly defined. Buying of timber products by the railroads has shown appreciable increase this year over similar period in recent years. Recent heavy ordering of equipment may slacken somewhat temporarilv but the large backlog of unfilled orders will put 1937 lumber buying well in advance of 1936.

Heavy.rural demand Ior lumber is forecast for 1937, and the prospect is good for a substantial increase in demand for hardwoods for building, especially for finish and flooring. The furniture industry, which continues to be the leading hardwood ,consumer, rn'ill probably show increase in the first half of L937 ol 20 to 25 percent over similar period of last year. The wooden box industry has shown gains over last year in spite of extensive frost damage to citrus fruits. Gain of about 12 percent during the first three months of 1937 over the first quarter of last year was recorded, largely due to increased demand for crating.

Brief reference is made to status of lumber stocks in retail yards, the Committee finding that although stocks in Midwestern yards rvere appreciably heavier on April 1 than on January 1 or a year ag'o, in the Eastern yards they are still low and unbalanced, due largely to slow resumption of shipping after the West Coast maritime strike.

The Lumber Survey Committee. appointed by the Timber Conservation Board in 1931, has reported each quarter since the summer of that vear, to the Departrnent of Commerce, on ,conditions and prospects in the lumber manufacturing industry.

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Booth-Kelly Douglas Fir, the Aseociation grade and trade mark certify to your customers t'he quality of the stock you handle. Builders quit guessing about what trhey're buying, and buy where t}ey know what they're getting.

General Salec Ofrce: Eugene, Ore. Mills: Wendling, Ore., Springfield, Ore.

Silentite Insulated Casement Announced by Curtis AND NOW--.!

In recent issues of trade papers and general magazines, Curtis Companies, Inc., of Clinton, Iowa, woodwork manufacturers for 71 years, announces the introdu,ction of a new wood casement window called the Silentite Casement.

The new,casement is already receiving nation-wide attention. Several years of thorough research stand behind the introduction of this new casement, according to H. H. Hobart, vice-president. Mr. Hobart says:

"Our new Silentite Casement window is a natural development after our introduction of the Silentite doublehung window in 1932. The new casement has been

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The very complete tests conducted by Curtis and Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory shorved the new Curtis Silentite Casement to be outstanding in many ways. It was tested with both wood and metal casements of numerous kinds and proved to be the most lveather-tight casement on the market today.

One of the most outstanding leatures of the new Curtis Silentite Casement is its rveather-tightness. The sash is weatherstripped on all four sides with a new type of weath-

The new Curtis Casement is available in four stock sizes2, 4, 6 and 8 lights, all trvo lights wide with B" x 1?' glass size. Two and four-light transom sash are available.

According to Mr. Hobart, Curtis recommends this new Silentite Casement and expects it to be just as big a success as the Silentite ,double-hung window, which was the first major improvement in windows in 300 years. A1though the casement itself is new, the road for the experience which developed it, is paved by more than 7O years of fine craftsmanship in the stock woodwork field.

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S. J. Irwin, founder of the Irrvin Lumber CompanY, Escalon, who sold out to the Moorehead Lumber Company about 10 years ago to enter the banking business in Escalon, passed away May 14.

Johns-Manville HoldsPacific Coast Merchandising Clinics

The National Housing Guild plan of consumer selling sponsored by Johns-Manville was introduced to the retail lumber and building material dealers of California at clealer merchandising clinics held at the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, May 18, and the St. Francis Hotel. San Francisco, May 21. Both meetings were largely attended.

The meetings were addressed by P. A. Andrervs, vicepresident of Johns-Manville in charge of building materials, and other l.trew York representatives of the company including Arthur A. Hood, founder and director of the llousing Guild system for dealer controlled selling; Gus Meissner, co-director of the Housing Guild division; and H. M. Shackelford, vice-president in charge of sales promotion and advertising. The speakers explained this complete plan of consumer selling, discussed many of the problems facing the industry, and outlined the plans for holding a l2-day Training School Course for retail salesmen and sales mandgers at San Francis,co from June 1 to June 12.

Under the Housing Guild plan, as explained by Mr. Hood, the retail building material dealer becomes the sales headquarters for the various industry factors in his community. By coordinating the services of contractors, architects, realtors and financing agencies, the Guild dealer is able to offer the home owner a complete package service.

To assume the responsibility and leadership for local building industry sales requires a high degree of profi,ciency in sales and sales management which explains the emphasis being placed on training in the Housing Guild plan.

The contractor has usually been the salesman for the industry, Mr. Hood pointed out. Such a system has never been sound, however, because (1) the contractor seldom has sufficient personnel or is equipped to do an intensive, mqdern selling job; (2) he has no facilities for displaying rvhat he has to sell and (3) his primary interest is in construction and he ceases to function as a salesman as soon as he has sold his services.

By placing a trained force of salesmen in the field to create jobs at a profit for all, the dealer, through the operation of the Housing Guild system, relieves the contractor of creative selling responsibilities without usurping any of his prerogatives.

An important point in this connection, said Mr. Hood, is that while the Guild salesman takes the order and the Guild dealer thus controls the sale, the order does not become a contract until it is approved and accepted by a contractor member of the Guild.

All present at the meetings were served luncheon and a buffet and banquet in the evening. During the dinner there was an excellent entertainment prog'ram which included many radio stars appearing on national broadcasts. Mr. Shackelford rendered several vocal numbers with Mr. Meissner accompanying him at the piano. Follorn'ing the banquet, Kenneth Smith, secretary-manager of the Lumber and Allied Produ,cts Institute, Los Angeles, tvas the speaker of the evening at Los Angeles, while F. Dean Prescott, Valley Lumber Co., Fresno, spoke at San Francisco.

A sales clinic was held at Seattle May 25, and a Training School Course rvill be held there from Tune 15 to Tune 26.

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