THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCFTANT

JackDionne,ptblishu

How Lumber Looks

Seattle, Washington, July 10, 1941.-The rveekly average of West Coast lumber production in June (4 weeks) was 157,92O,000 board feet, or 99.1 per cent of estimated capacity, according to the monthly survey of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association.

Orders averaged L79,256,W board feet; shipments, 172,584,000. Weekly averages for May were: production, 153,767,W board f.eet (77.8 per cent of the L9Z6L9Z9 average); orders, 183,965,00O; shipments, 171,583,000.

26 weeks of. 194I, cumulative production, 4,224,342W board feet; same period, l94f,3,492pf,2,m; i,939, - 3,056,652,000.

Orders f.or 26 weeks of. I94I break dorvn as follows: rail, 2,463,542,W board feet; domestic cargo, 1,303,484,000; export, I05,4N,0@ ; local, 596,105,000.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at 813,98g,000 board feet at the end of June; gross stocks, at 838,172,000.

More than ever before, national defense was the keynote of the West Coast lumber industry in June. On the basis of defense requirements for the first half of 1941 and estimated needs for the last six months, the industry rvill probably furnish close to a billion feet of lumber for de_ fense before the year is out. This demand is particularlv strong on high grades and large sizes that cannot be pro_ duced elsewhere in the United States, bearing on such items as piling and timbers for shipyard construction, planking, decking and keel timbers for rvooden ships, high- grade boxcar material, and the maximum amount of lumber adapted to airplane construction.

Time is the essence of practically all national defense lumber requirements, and the resources and ability of the West Coast industry are being concentrated on maintaining its record of production and delivery of defense lumber on schedule. With termination of the strike, the industry is again operating near its full estimated machine capacity, under pressure of a tremendous backing of undelivered orders.

The most critical situation on the West Coast lumber horizon is the withdrawal of intercoastal shipping from normal trade lanes.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended July 19,96 mills reporting, gave orders as 91,499,000 feet, shipments 88,832,000 feet, and production 101,949,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the $'eek totaled 489,500.000 feet.

The Southern Pine Association for the r,veek ended July 19, 115 mills reporting, gave orders as 44,313,000 feet, shipments 36,124,WO feet, and production 28,744,W teet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 187.140.000 feet.

Lumber cargo arrivals at Los Angeles Harbor for the week ended luly 26 totaled 23,900,000 feet as compared to 20,165,000 feet the previous rveek.