Howlrumber l-rooks

Seattle, Washington, June 9, 1943---:Ihe weekly average of West Coast lumber production in May (4 weeks) was 168,621.,000 board feet, or 111.0 per cent ol 1939-1942 av€rage according to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association in its monthly survey of the industry. Orders averaged 180,251,000 board feet; shipments, 166,355,000. Weeklv averages for April were: Productiole, l&,497,000 board feet (108.3 per cent of the 1939-1942 average); orders, 777,757,@0 ; shipments, 167,110,000.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at I,104,623,000 board feet at the end of May;gross stocks, at 499,845,A00.

Changing war requirements for West Coast lumber were the feature of the industry picture in May.

Due to our entry into the offensive phase of the war, the demand on the industry is now for a great variety of materials for battle service instead of the construction lumber which formerly went into cantonments, powder factories, warehouses and similar structures. Vast quantities of box and crating lumber will be required to carry munitions overseas, through beach landings and exposed dumps. Many more landing barges and special types of boats will need West Coast lumber until the war takes a decisive turn. There is yet no prospect of decline in total volume of lumber required for war. A greater part of the total national requirements is now being bought to the Western industry, increasing the load of West Coast mills.

The bottleneck of lumber production remains in log sup- ply, and the great overall problem still is shortage of manpower in the woods. The industry is'engaged in a continuing struggle to get back to the production volume ol 1942, which is again demanded by the war agencies for 1943.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended May 22,99 mills reporting, gave orders as 77,673,M feet, shipments 75,mp$ feet, and production 79,185,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 457.835.000 feet.

The Southern Pine Association for the week ended May 29,I54 mills reporting, gave orders as 28,580,@0 feet, shipments 27,249,W feet, and production 22,632,W feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 143.733.00O feet.

The California Redwood Association reported production of twelve operations for the month of April as 37,420,0ffi feet, shipments 48,346,000 feet, and orders received 34,ffi8,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the month totaled 93,O40,00O feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended May 22 reported orders as 138,136,@0 feet, shipments I17,357,W0 feet, and production 124,345,0ffi f.eet.

For the week ended May 29 orders were reported as 116,730,000 feet, shipments 124,650,000 feet, and production 119.809.000 feet.