Douglas Fir Plywood Association Holds Annual Convention at Tacoma

It was a visual presentation with short, punch-carrying talks seemingly designed only to expand the facts given on panels and maps which made up part of the properties for the stage setting.

That was the way the story of plywood activities during the past year and plans for the future were told to 250 plywood manufacturers and their salesmen at the two-day annual convention and sales clinic held recently at Tacoma, Washington, by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

"Douglas fir plywood now is an adult among building materials," said W. E. Difford, managing director of the Association. And the show-the presentation was just that-proved conclusively his statement.

Actually, the annual meeting was held one day and the sales clinic the second day as two separate undertakings although both were staged at the Crystal Ballroom of Winthrop Hotel at Tacoma. However, because almost all of the first day was given over to a study of the qualities and uses for plywood, the second session seemed almost a continuation of the facts discussed previously. Perhaps the only semblance of the ordinary trade as- sociation annual meeting that prevailed when the plywood men got together was the election of officers during opening minutes of the session.

Most officers, including E. W. Daniels, president of the Association, and president of Harbor Plywood Corp., Hoquiam,'Wash., were re-elected. Mr. Daniels, who has been an official of the Harbor firm since its formation in 1929 and who was interested in plywood even prior to that time, has served one year as head of the industry-wide organization.

Other Association officers reelected are: secretary, Herman Tenzler, president of Northwest Door Co. at Tacoma, and treasurer, Bruce Clark, vice-president of Elliott Bay Mill Co., Seattle. Morris Sekstrom, president of Olympia Veneer Co., was named vice-president of the Association to succeed E. Q. 'Walton, vice-president of Oregon-Washington Plywood Co., Everett, Wash.

Trustees of the all-industry board are: J. R. Robinson, president of Robinson Manufacturing Co., Everett; E. E. Westman, president of Washington Veneer Co., Olympia, and Thomas B. Malarkey of M & M Wood Working Co., Portland, Ore.

Review of activities and accomplishments of the plywood association during the past year was accomplished in short order. A three by five-foot book was rolled on the stage, and on its pages were charts, tables and facts dealing with each aspect of the plywood promotional-researchinspection program for 194O. While the leaves were turn- ed, Mr. Difford expanded or commented on these facts.

He explained, "We jealously guard the Douglas fir plyrvood grade-trade marks because the consumers rely upon these stamps to assure them quality and uniform material in each of the several grades designed for different uses."

With the removal of the "book of the year" the managing director commented, "Our show from here on will take on a different aspect and will point out where .we are going." Attention then rvas directed to an eight by eight- foot map of the United States shou'ing distribution of plywood by states. By switching lights in each state, relative sales of each of the several grades \Mere shown.

During the remainder of ihe annual meeting and the subsequent sales clinic, Difford dwelt primarily with current and future market conditions.

He cautioned, "Plylvood manufacturers face peculiar problems as the result of doubled production capacity of the industry, possible increasing costs, disrupted normal market conditions and the probable future business slump in building which is expected to be accompanied by increased inter-industrial competition."

Ifowever, he outlined a five-point promotional program of the Association destined to bring even greater. demand for Douglas fir plywood, which today does more building jobs than any other single material. Here are the factors:

1. Expanded research and engineering projects to pro- vide ever increasing technical data on the qualities of fir plywood.

2. Expand the farm market, which this year was tapped by the plywood industry for the first time. (Farm building is to reach a half. billion dollar mark this year.)

3. Increase use of exterior (waterproof) type fir plywood in marine construction. (More than 100,000 small boats have been built of plywood; the waterproof panels are being used for bulkheads and cabins in luxurious yachts.)

4. Bolster commercial use of plywood by railroads, tobacco companies and other industries. (Thousands of freight cars are lined with plywood; one tobacco company is using 25 million square feet of the panels for curing barrels.)

5. Foster prefabrication of houses built of plywood. (The prefabrication of houses represents the nation,s fastest growtng industry. More than two-thirds of these house "manufacturers" rely upon plywood as the basic building material.)

The Association manager explained that one of the forward-looking undertakings of the plywood industry at this time is its cooperation with the National Homes Foundation in promoting better housing in villages and on farms. This foundation, which is supported jointly by industry and government agencies, has drawn eight basic house plans for modern, usable rural and city homes for various parts of the nation.

The Plywood Association has made adaptations from the basic plans for all-plywood houses and is distributing these "key plans" which show prospective builders the floor plans and appearance of these plywood homes. Detailed working drawings are obtained through lumber dealers.

Perhaps the secret of success of the all-business convention was the introduction of the five field men of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association with each man relating diff'erent phases of the promotional work in the field. Their parts in the program were staged in a question and answer series with Mr. Difford.

First field man called upon was A. C. Sherman, Northeastern representative stationed at Ner,v York for the Association. He told of the activities undertaken to aid lumber dealers promote plywood sales and become familiar with proper usage of plywood.

Joe Weston, Southwest representative for the Association at El Monte, Calif., gave a demonstration of the strength and other qualities of the material. Harry Steidle, Eastern representative at Washington, D.C., explained the part plywood is playing as our government makes this

Doors and \(indows Give Attics a Future Home Show at Los Angeles Featured a Great Variety of DisplaYs

Significant of the great interest in home building, thousands attended the Home and Flower Show, sponsored by the Building Contractors Association, at the Pan-Pacific auditorium, Los Aigeles, from June 6 to June 15. The 100,000 square feet of the auditorium was transformed into a veritable garden by thousands of flowers, plants and trees.

The model home, "The Californian," built of Redwood siding and a tile roof,was an outstanding feature of the exposition. The five-room bungalow, which has two bedrooms, was designed to appeal to families of moderate circumstances' The flooi plan covers 1200 square feet and is a combination of the structural ideas of a half dozen prominent architects and contractors. The home is completely furnished in 18th century style, and with every conceivable modern household accessory.

Interest in doors and windows-their proper selection and use in the home-is being stimulated by "Ponderosa Pine Woodwork" through advertisements illustrated by photographs and isometric drawings like the one shown above. The story that goes with this picture tells how to plan an "attic with a future." It is recommended that fullsized windows, storage closets protected against dust by properly fitted doors, and storage areas separated from the rest of the attic space by partitions and doors-all be included when the house is built. The local lumber dealer is referred to as a source of helpful information and active assistance in all advertising and literature.

Calls On Plywood Mills

W. F. (Bill) Fahs, manager, California Plywood & Veneer Co., Los Angeles, returned June 5 from a 10-day business trip to the Northwest where he called on a number of plywood manufacturers, visiting Portland, Tacoma, Aberdeen, Seattle and Everett. He made the trip by the air route and spent a day in San Francisco on the way back.

This year, for the first time, the Southern California Horticultural Institute joined with the building contractors in presenting the biggest summer flower show ever held in I-os Angeles.

fh.r" were ten days of competition under direction of the horticultural institute, in which many of the leading professional and amateur flower arrangers in the Southland participated. Opal Scarborough, secretary-manager of the Institute, outlined a competitive schedule which included events for all principal garden clubs, the women's auxiliary of the Builders "ttd Contractors' Association, and a "no handicap" flower arrangements sweepstakes for men only.

The variety of displays represented every item that goes into the making of a home and garden' The following firms participated in the Lumber Exhibit: Consolidated Lumber Co-p"ty, C. Ganahl Lumber Company, Hammond Lumber Cornpany, Kerckhoff-Cuzner Mill & Lumber Co', Lounsberry & Harris, Owens-Parks Lumber Co., Patten-Blinn Lumber Co'' San Pedro Lumber Co., E. J' Stanton & Son, Sun Lumber Company, E. K. Wood Lumber Company, Woodhead Lumber Company, American Lumber & Treating Co', Roll-O-Seal Windows, Western Pine Association, California Redwood Association, West Coast Lumbermen's Association, and Red Cedar Shingle Bureau.

Among the other firms having exhibits were: American Lumber & Treating Co., J. H. Baxter & Co., CadwalladerGibson Co., Inc., Duplex Incorporated, A. J. Koll Planing Mill Ltd., I-ong-Bell Lumber Co., and West Coast Screen Co'

L. M. Hamman Named President of Arizona Douglas Fir Plywood Association

Retail Dealers' Assn.---Chris Totten Annual Convention

Reelected Secretary-Manager

(Continued from Page 25) nation "the arsenal for democracy.,' Mr. Steidle explained that there are ffi major governmental agencies buying for Uncle Sam; plvrvood has gone into 4,000 assault boats. fmportance of the prefabrication industry was related by Dave S. Betcone, Midwest representative at Chicago, as he told that there now are 45 firms each prefabricating from a few to as many as 300 houses a month. He pointed out that 31 of the manufacturers use an average of S,50O feet of plywood for inside and outside walls, sheathing and subflooring.

J. D. Long, agricultural representative at Fredonia, Kansas, for the plywood industry, told of the experimental work being done with plywood in construction of various farm buildings.

At the sales clinic the following day, these field men were recalled to expand their statements and to emphasize to the attending salesmen promotional possibilities they have found. Three other men also were brought before the clinic. They are: Dr. Don Brouse, engineer for the Forest Products Laboratory, Madiso.n, Wis.; N. S. Perkins, chief engineer for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, and Charles E. Devlin, director of publicity for the Association.

Dr. Brouse told of the experimental work being done at his laboratory on plywood glues and binders and on the peeling of hemlock. These latter studies, which started nearly a year ago, are made possible partly by financial aid given by the plywood industry.

L. M. Hamman (seated) was elected president of the Arizona Retail Lumber and Builders Supply Association, Inc., at the annual convention held at the Monte Vista Hotel, Flagstaff, on May 23-24. Mr. Hamman is one of Arizona's prominent retail lumbermen and is president of the Hamman-McFarland Lumber Co. of phoenix. Chris Totten of Phoenix (standing) was reelected secretarymanager of the Association. Other officers elected were: Albert Stacey, Bassett Lumber Company, Douglas, first vice-president; Jay Gates, Central Commercial Company, Kingman, second vice-president, and Clara Fenchurch, Phoenix, assistant secretary.

Mr. Perkins carried to the salesmen technical information about acoustical, insulation and vapor barrier qualities of plywood. Mr. Devlin, in turn, explained that the basic advertising policy of the plywood industry is to "show how" the material can be used to build better buildings. He stressed also that the Association has all kinds of literature and mailing pieces available for dealers.

Theme of the two-day session was work. But it was a fast-moving affair with all talks clipped short and giving straight-from-the-shoulder factual information. Only intermission was an evening cruise on Puget Sound after the first day session. About I75 men boarded the chartered steamer Sightseer for a two-hour cruise up the sound, a shore dinner and return to Tacoma.