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WWPA: Glinton's promises are pure lantasy
tnHE euvironment, code changes
I and our old favorites, supply & demand. dominated discussion at the fall meeting of the Western Wood Products Association.
WWPA's new WoodWorks program was presented, explaining to members how the industry can tell its strong el)vfuonmential message so customers can use wood knowing it's the best possible product to use to protect the environrnent. A key to the progrzun will be environmentally "certified" and identified products from association mills, the result of an independent, third party audit by Scientitic Certifi cation Systems.
A ploposed tightening of stud grade lurnber rules to meet new model code requirements was unveiled. Fewer knots and slope of grain requirernents zue some of the expected changes. Final review will be at the spring meeting.
Demand for lumber in the U.S. will improve slowly for the rest of this year and next" but western lumber mills will have their hands tied trying to meet that demand due to court actions and federal policies that have removed significant timber volumes from the marketplace, Robert Hunt, WWPA presidenl told members.
"The timber supply relief and jobs promised earlier to this industry by the Clinton Administration are pure fantasy," said Hunt. "Unless some-
Story at a Glance
New WoodWorks environmental program, supply & demand and possible code changes at lumber manufacturers'fall meeting.
thing changes dramatically, the constraints on timber supply will cause serious disruptions in the western lumber industry and limit mills' abilities to service customer demands."
Lumber demand is expected to finish at 45.83 billion board feet in 1993, slightly above the 45.74 billion b.f. used in 1992. Next year, demand should increase again, to 45.98 billion b.f., Hunt said.
Mill output is expected to be 6.87o below 1992, with production off 10Vo next year. Lumber from Canada and the South will gain market share, WWPA forecast. Shipments from (he
South should be tp 3Vo this year and 4Vo in 1994, Canadian imports are expected to rise 7.6V0 this year and 7.3Vo next year. WWPA expects both to peak in 1994. Lumber and log exports are also anticipafed to decline.
Housing starts are forecast to finish this year at 1.25 million, then rise 87o in 1994 to 1.35 million. The volume of lumber used is forecast to be up only 2.4Vo from this year to next, indicating an increase in the use of other materials in home building.
The meeting was held at the Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, Ca., Sept. lL-14. The spring meeting will be held at the La Quinta Hotel, near Palm Springs, Ca., March 8-11, 1994.
OREGONIANS (1)Maureen & Ray fl Haroldson, Gene & Virginia Wallers (-/ at WWPA meetinq. (2) Nancv & Randy James. (3)-Jim Murray, hoberl Shep ard. (4) Bob Hunl, Dan Green. (5) Michelle & Louie Buschbacher, Mike & Janet Phillips. (6) Bob Courlnev, Wade Mosbv. Mike Flannerv. (7) Arl & Sliauna Andreils, Kim & Sleve Fonester. (8) John Shelk, Marc Brinkmeyer. (9) Gaty & Carolyn Tragesser, Colette & Joe Kochis. (10) Jim & Linda Scharnhorst, Shari & Marly Schneider. (11)Ken & Wilma Lott. (12)
Kalhy & Stan Elberg, George Thompson. (13) Robert & Carole Harris. (14) Jack & Geri Martin, Barbara & John Ferguson. (15) Chuck & Jill Rogness. (16) Dan Harp, Pele Himmel, Dave Miller, Jerry Clark. (17)Timm Locke, Shelley Hershberger, Dr. Stan Rhodes. (18) Frank Stewad, Vic Riolo. (19) Mark & Michele
Mitchell, Dean Johnson. (20) Sandy & Craig
Broady, Steve & Georganne Schmitt. (21)
Peter Ellingson, Linda Shelk. (22) Ken McMillan, Bev Tuvey. (23) Jim Yuhas, Chuck
Andrus, Barbara Leline, Bob Pattock. (2a) Tim
Black, Dave Dickman, Steve Fonesler. (25)
Art Andrews, Kent Goodyear. (26) Brell
Bennelt, Frank Bennett, Duane Vaagen. (27) Pete Himmel. Jim Rarick.
