The Red Cedar Shingle Industry, 1922-1947

Prepared lor The Calilornia Lumber Merchant Bv Red Cedar Shinsle Bureau

The last 25 years have seen a great many changes in the red cedar shingle industry of the Pacific Northwest. In brief, the industry has declined in size rvhile at the same time it has made definite, long strides in the standardization and irn'provement of its product as an article of tradc.

The output of shingles in 1922 rn'as at the rate of approximately 10 million squares annually. This rate of output declined gradually during the late l92o's until, with the advent of the depression, an appreciable drop was experienced until less than 4 million squares were produced in 1932. There followed a gradual increase in output throughout the 1930's until a peak of 9 million squares was reached in 1941 . The impact of World War II was severely felt by the shingle industry and as a result the years following Pearl Hz;rbor saw a steady decline until 1945, when output totaled slightly less than 4l million squares. The industry recuperated somewhat in 1946 and turned out upwards of 4fo million squares. This trend 'continues dving 1947 and it is expected that further gains will be registered as the industry shakes off the effects of war.

Back in the 1920's, the industry suffered from lack of grade standardization. Many mills produced shingles according to their own standards and applied to these shingles names which carried little or no meaning to the trade. "Extra Star-A-Star," "Extra Clear" and a host of other names cluttered the picture. Then in 1931 the industry, under the leadership of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau, petitioned the U. S. Bureau of Standards for arr acceptable industrr'-r.r'ide grade standard for rvood shingles. There carne as a result the Commercial Standard CS31-38, which has since served as a guide-light for the industry and its trade alike. This Commercial Standard set forth specifications on length, thickness, method of packing, grading tolerances, etc., and has exerted a tremendously helpful influence on the shingle industry.

At the' same time that the grades u'ere standarclized, a change u'as made in the method of packing shingles which resulted in great benefits for the consumer. The "thousand-pack" method of packing gave way to the present "square-pack" system, which is based on the area coverage of the shingies. This change simplified greatly the merchandising of shingles by the retail lumber dealer.

Red cedar shingles continue to be shipped throughout the 48 states of the union by rail in large quantities. Cargo sl.ripments to California, the Gulf Coast and the Eastern Seaboard were shut off by the war but are again reappearing. Red cedar shingles have shown a substantial increase in popularity in the state of California during the past 10 years until today California ranks as one of tl-re leading users of cedar shingles in the country. In 1935 the Golden State consumed approximately 2/o of total industry output, while ten years later this had increased to 7%.

A great majority of the shingles produced in the Pacific Northu'est are made by member mills of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau, whose functions involvq, the inspection and promotion of the product under. the Certigrade label. This label is a guarantee of quality standards as set forth in Commercial Standard CS31-38 of the Bureau of Standards. N{ember mills of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau are located in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.

Retires lrom Hcmmond Shipping Compcny

Ralph C. Robinson, vice president and general manager of Hammond Shipping Company, San Francisco, has retired from his position on account of the fact that the Hammond orvned ships have been sold, and the ships operated by the company for the War Shipping Administration have been turned back to the Government.

Mr. Robinson, who was associated with the Hammond interests for the last 28 years, was presented with a gold wrist lr'atch by his associates at the office, 417 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, who expressed regret at his departure.