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| March 25, 1965 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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1965 SHEI2rON--MASON COUNTY JOURNAL-- Published in "Chr sfmastown, U.S.A.", Shelton, PAGE 9
~~~?11 This is the conclusion of re-
marks by Robert Seidl, Simp-
son Timber Company vice-pres-
ident, research, before the Shel-
ton Chamber of C o m m e r ce
March
11,• • •
make innovative moves once
in awhile.
"Please do not think I am sug-
gesting that we have not been re-
~v~
I Ik I~ I~r ,ad chill
I. 10 lee=
reet la 6
ddw, ~I
CHAIN SAW
tern
sponsive to change. In my opinion,
much of the present status of the
company exists because leaders
have made bold and innovative
moves over the years. As exam-
ples, Simpson was very early in
recognizing the potential in secend
growth lands and in relating this
to good land management. Simp-
son made a bold move in building
the wood fiber plants to improve
utilization. The purchase of other
locations that makes the company
better able to compete on an over-
all basis was important. The CaN
ifornia pulp and paper venture is
another example. The automated
sawmill in your area is still an-
other example. I want to recog-
nize these with satisfaction, but
point out that there can be no
relief from change in the future,
as some conditions will be grossly
different from what they have
been. in the past
"Nothing describes a company
more, at least to outsiders, than
the products it makes. As we look
ahead let us think of the whole
spectrum of products from wood
in its natural form, wood in its
fiber form and wood in chemical
foxTa. The basic factory is the soil
and the land. It is obvious that to
combat mounting costs and com-
petition we must do the best pos-
sihle job of growing the raw ma-
terial, converting it to the right
products for existing markets and
developing new uses that will
bring more returns. There really
31
are only two ways to advance--
one is to get more money from the
customer by greater 'conversion
and upgrading products, and the
other is by better utilization and
cost reduction at the producing
end.
"A point of great importance
to me is the collision of products
from so many different industries
at the market place, and the in-
tensity of competition for the
consumer's dollar. We are living
in a time of rapid technological
change, which can affect us in two
ways. One (rather negative) is
the tremendous onslaught on our
present markets for wood led by
the producers of metals, plastics
and chemicals who are out to take
our markets, and the second
Which is positive) is the tremen-
dous opportunity for the forest
products industry which has a
good position now to benefit from
the fallout from the whole world
of science, including these compe-
titors who are after our markets,i
"We should not underestimate l
the strength of the plastic, metals
and chemicals industries who are
making a strong attack on the
traditional wood markets, but we
need not be intimidated by them.
These companies support large R
& D programs, often with the un-
fair advantage of great govern-
ment support. They are merging
and integrating from market to
raw material. For example, chem-
ical companies are merging with
oil companies to obtain the source
of raw material. Since they can
pipe liquid oil raw material and
do not have to pile it in trucks
the way we do with logs, maybe
nature is more on their side than
on ours.
"I was surprised a few weeks
ago to hear a research director of
a large chemical company report
that rigid polyvinyl chloride could
be made for about 6 cents a pound,
which he had computed was about
the price of a piece of redwood.
Another example of competition is
In the plastic milk bottle. Paper
AT NO EXTRA COST
0
1 1 ~ e
n c ~ t, pre.'erw~tiv ~, treahnent,
building consH~mtion, fiber an(I
particle products, and product de-
sign.
"We are fortunate that the En-
gineering Department is also lo-
ca.ted in the Bellevue laboratory.
You have certainly 'seen the hn~its
of their work in Shelton on the
plant modernization program.
Their practical knowledge of man-
ufacturing is very helpful to Re-
search. They introduced electro-
nic data processing, and made pi-
lot studies on a small computer,
which is available for linear pro-
gramming and Research problems.
"We do not carry on'.any for-
estry research program out of the
Bellevue laboratory, but I cer-
tainly am anxious to acknowledge
the fine work that is carried out
in the field, especially in your
area, but also in California. In-
teresting experiments are under-
way on fertilization and systemic
chemicals and outplantings of gen-
etically improved trees. I find it
very stimulating to be able to
meet with Bill Looney on that
subject whenever we have a
chance to be together.
I have talked about the technol-
ogies that can be focused on cer-
taln product areas, and perhaps
we should talk about these areas.'
PLYWOOD--This is, as you
know, the major product line of
the company. It is a highly com-
petitve product, plagued in recent
years by low prices. In order to
survive in this business, it is nee-
essary to mechanize and modern-
ize wherever possible. Certainly
you can see big evidence of this
in Shelton. Also, we must figure
out how to get the greatest utili-
zation and the right log in the
i right place. At the market place
l we have always had to find the
i best balance of what the customer
wants and what the logs will
make. We have two new competi-
tive forces---one is southern pine
and the other is competition from
Canadian plywood. We think that
milk bottles, which now u~ per- one of the most attractive areas
haps 2,000,000 tons of wood per for future development will be in
year, are in danger of being dis, overlays for plywood. One of the
placed by the plastic milk bottle, major defects in Western soft-
The famous Keepsake
certificate guarantees
protection against loss of
the diamonds from their
setting for a full year.
Also, perfect quality and
lifetime trade.in priv.
liege.
.... 1 Jonson $500.00
Wedding Ring 125.00
Oakland $125.00
Wedding Ring .50.00
nl. , e.h a ,o.t.,, ae,.c
Prlcee Include Federal Tax.
We have always said that few
things can substitute for paper,
but here is a possible case of large
scale invasion of the paper nmrket
with a plastic.
"Although I sincerely respect
the threat of chemical companies,
I do not worry about it as much
as I once did. The plastics and
chemicals have now been with us
for so many years that some of
their shortcomings are evident
and like wood they are certainly
not perfect materials. They can
be used to supplement and im-
prove wood by using them as ov-
erlays and coatings and composite
structures.
"Some wood companies have
now become large enough so that
they can make a real showing in
the technical area. We can com-
pete using some of the tools the
big companies have, and we have
certain advantages such as the
wide acceptance of wood. By hav-
ing only modest size research and
development programs we can
tune in on the technology they
develop, as applying it is much
easier than inventing it.
"I would like to point out that
industrial research is a good deal
more than, sin:pie product~ deveJ-
opment. It consists of a lot of
hard and u~spectacular wsrk, and
the daily affairs of technical ser-
vice, cost cutting, and the long and
sometimes thankless raw material
problems which must be solved.
"I do not want to take much
time to talk about our research
program. We do have a relatively
new laboratory in BelleVUe, which
some of you have seen. We do
have a competent staff which can
focus technology on certain areas.
The trick is to probe in a wide
area of technology but be able to
concentrate on selected areas. The
principal technical areas, are: glu-
ing,
coating, overlays, nrc treat-
T0wil & C0untry-sh0es
take the supple approach to spring
~ft, Pliant, flex~le -- it's the most wonderful
Shoe You ever stretched a footstep in.
Black matte calf with patent.
4L80 .
Platinun~ Candy Kid
With bronze Patent
"l'ip Toe
ItANbI AGS to match
Miller's Shoe Dept.
Operated & Managed by
Christensen's for Shoes -*- Bremerton
:woods is performance of the sur-
'face--that is, the way it will hold
paints and resist checking the
weather. We are already a leading
producer of overlaid materials,
and we hope to strengthen this
further. An immediate problem
ia to improve facilities for making
plywood, and then we have mml-
erous ideas on how in upgrade as
much as possible of the basic
product. As you know, we also
produce redwood plywood which
is a good supplement for fir at
the market place.
LUMBER --- We have hecn ev-
olving from green to dry lumber,
as you know from our investment
in dry kilns. We really cannot
compete very well with substitute
materials using green lumber. Dry
lumber is a good base for other
products, .such as bean]s, roof dee~
king and glued products. One it-
em of interest is the trend toward
engineered lumber. We have a
stress-rating machine at Shelton
which can rapidly determine the
:strength and stiffness of each
member and print the data on
the board. If this develops further,
I think we should be able to quit
apologizing for variations in lum-
ber. Stress-rating, coupled with
gluing offers a very good poten-
tial. We are now only on first
base ~ ~
ah ...... , see it. Other problems
cad are improving fire resist-
ance and decay resistance of hnn-
bet.
I found a quote dealing with
changes in the building industry
(our customers) which goes as fol-
lows: "It is fair to say that we
have seen no industry that has
less interest in plastics, is slower
to adopt newer material, and pre-
sents so many obstacles to
change." I hope that this will no
longer be true in the lumber In-
dustry, as items like stress-rating
advance.
DOORS -- Another major area
is doors, which of course are im-
portant to this area. We have un-
derway much more intensive stu-
dy, both of n:arketing and manu-
facturing aspects. We know we
have a good deal of catching up
to do. In the meantime, there is
some interesting product develop-
merit underway, especially in the
field of product design.
INSULATION BOARD PLANT
--Here Is an area of very difficult
technology. Our plant is rathgr;
small for national distribution, and;
the distances are too great for!
low cost commodities. When we l
try to develop specialties, we com-
pete with such companies as Arm-
strong and Insulite. Investment in
the plant is heavy now and pro-
duct development work is concen-
trated. We are going to compete
with the giants, however, and we
are making good gains. I think
that people like Woodrow John-
son and Bill McCann deserve nmch
credit for this. One Kern you are
ve~ familiar with is the PCP or
fire-retardant insulation bead. It
is interesting that we have been
able to lead the whole industry
with this product, and it is a very
important one.
REDWOOD -- Another area
worth mentioning is redwood. This
is a whole new geographic area,
but the products it yields supple-
ment the ones made in Shelton
and open ,other markets for all
of our products. We have the dif-
ficult problems of integrated use
in California to overcome the ba-
sic disadvantage. The latest sub-
stmltial move is the Crown Simp-
son pulp project.
OTIIER PRODUCTS---\Ve have
!numerous other pr,~joets dealing
[ ,. " .
~lth products that are or nnght
become important. These illclude
resins, binders, g!ues, pipe and
tanks, alder utilization, tanoak
use, finger jointing, laminated
beams, house panels, prefinishing,
decorative finishes, particle board,
siding and many others.
I want to emphasize that by op-
erating in other areas too the col{]-
pany can be large enough and
strong enough to support services
like engineering and research and
a distribution that locks us in as
well as possible with customers
and provides more options for
growth.
Also, to get back where we
started, we have the t)roblems of
most efficient generation of raw
material "in the first place, the
work on seed orchards, fertiliza.
tion, systemic chemicals, etc., and
these are among the most exciting
in the company when you look at
them in the proper time context.
With a closed loop from land
management to the customer, and
with competent people and good
management, we have enough rea-
son to be optimistic. I would be
delighted to have any of you in
the Seattle area visit the Belle-
rue ~boratory and talk more with
us a~out things we are doing'. Per-
hapsI the easiest way to make
arraltgements would be to call Jim
Hartley. We want you to under-
stand our plans and are confident
that ~ou will share the hopes and
philosophies of Simpson and un-
derstand how they will affect your
pleasant area of SheIton.
I
,Ft. .,
! ay 1344 Buili On mndshep
cT:2, 2 :i
helium logging balloon developed
by the Goodyear Aerospace Corp.
T~iti~ iSeatich:21g%:;?HSzheapedaili(lin~IO)
be capable of yarding, without
breakage, to distances up to 3500
that representatives of all facets feet.
of the Northwest timber industry Rounding out this panel will be
have met to discuss and seek so- a
presentation of the newly dev-
lu ti°n s t ° corn m°n P r°blems in the ii~i:t~!~C° ii!~lpaCnlal!ii~i!,i~i~l!~
friendly atmosphere provided by " . '" ~'' • :
this conference, Flits stated.
Bob Cram,r, loggrng represen-
tative of the Caterpillar Co. of
Peoria, II1., will deliver the key-
note address on the afternoon of
May 13. His talk will center
around the development of equip-
ment and its relationship to the
progress of the timber industry.
Tile principal speech of the :sec-
ond day of the conference will be
delivered by John H. Hall, vTce
president of the Western Market-
ing Region for the Shell Oil Com~
pany. Hall's headquarters are in
San Francisoo.
Panel discussions will be of rea~
interest again this year, accord-
ing to the chail~nan. The equip-
improving the utilization of tim-
ber.
The panel discussion on the sec-
ond day will take up the matter of
stream clearance and will feature
panelists from the Game Dept.,
the Fisheries Dept., the Forest
Service and a representative~ of
the logging industry.
Fitts expressed the hope that
this 20th anniversary,,~ conference
will be considered a "Homecom-
ing" for all who have attended
these meetings during the past
20 years.
The conference is headquartered
in Port Angeles.
HAINES PANCAKE WAFFLE HOUSE
Built out over the water, one ':mile North of Hoodsport
Specialties of the house
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
PANCAKES, WAFFLES
OYSTER STEW, CLAM CHOWD~ER Open Every Day
HOME-MADE PIES Dess & Edna Haines
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