The hardboard industry and its future in the U. S., the Southeast, and in Georgia

Project B-209 THE HARDBOARD INDUSTRY AND ITS FUTURE IN THE U. S., THE SOUTHEAST, AND IN GEORGIA
Prepared for The Georgia Department of Commerce
by
Tze I. Chiang :
Industrial Development Branch Engineering Experiment Station Georgia Institute of Technology
August 1961

Table of Contents

Foreword

i

Acknowledgments

iii

Sunnnary

v

Introduction

1

Purpose and Scope

1

Production Description

1

I. Four Major Segments of the Hardboard Business in the

United States

3

Production and Consumption

3

Imports and Exports

6

II. The Market in the Eight Southeastern States

13

Estimated Market by State in 1960

13

Imports vs. Domestic Supply

15

III. Distribution of the Domestic Hardboard Plants and

Market Competition

21

Distribution of the Domestic Plants

21

Market Competition

24

IV. Future Trends of the Hardboard Industry and Market

in the United States

27

Trends and Projections

27

Service and Products

32

v.

Georgia's Potential for a New Hardboard Plant

35

Wood Raw Material

35

Market

36

Appendices

A-1 Imports of Hardboard into the United States, 1955 to 1959

39

A-2 Exports of Hardboard from the United States, 1955 to 1959

40

B

Values and Indexes of Furniture Manufacture, Private

Construction and Number of Housekeeping Units in the Eight

Southeastern States and the United States, 1958 to 1960

41

c

Directory of Hardboard Producers, the United States, 1961

42

D

Hardboard Products Reference Guide

54

E

Detail Requirements of Hardboard

57

F

A Partial List of Firms Engaged in the Design and

Construction of Hardboard Plants in the United States

58

Tables

1. United States Hardboard Production and Consumption,

1939-60

4

2. United States Imports and Exports, 1939-60

7

3. Hardboard Freight Costs Per 1,000 Square Feet, 1/8-Inch

Basis, to Specific U. S. Destinations From Domestic and

Imported Origins, 1954

9

4. The Imports and Exports of Hardboard in Quantity and in

Value, the United States, 1955-60

11

5. Estimated Hardboard Consumption in the Eight Southeastern

States and the United States, by Aggregate Volume and by

Percentage, 1960

14

6. Estimated Domestic Hardboard Consumption by State in Per

Cent of Industrial and Building Uses and in Per Cent of

the Eight-State Total, 1960

15

7. Estimated Domestic and Imported Supplies of Hardboard

Consumption in the Eight Southeastern States, 1960

16

8. Percentages of Hardboard Consumption by Domestic Supply

and Imported Supply in the Eight Southeastern States, 1960

16

9. Hardboard Imports by Port of Entry and Country of Origin

in the Southeastern States, 1960

18

10. Hardboard Imports in Percentages by Port of Entry and

Country of Origin in the Southeastern States, 1960

19

11. Number of Hardboard Plants and Rated Capacity by State

and by Region, United States, 1961

23

12. The Production Volume and Indexes of Five Major Wood-Using

Industries in the United States, 1939, 1954 and 1958

28

13. Projections of Hardboard Production, Imports, Exports and

Consumption in the United States to 1970

29

14. Net Increase in Quantity and Average Annual Per Cent of

Increase of the Hardboard Production and Consumption in

the Successive Intervals, United States, 1939 to 1970

30

Figures

1. The U. S. Hardboard Production and Consumption, 1939-60

5

2. Hardboard Exports and Imports in the United States, 1939-60

8

3. The United States Hardboard Production and Consumption in

Terms of Net Increase in Square Feet and Average Annual Per

Cent of Increase in the Different Intervals, 1939-70

31

1. The Hardboard Plants Distribution in the United States, 1961 22

Foreword
Strong interest in locating a hardboard plant in Georgia has been evidenced throughout the analysis which produced this report. Not only outside firms, but a south Georgia company interested in diversification and a local development group are considering investing in such a plant.
This reaction, which hopefully will result in an early decision to establish Georgia's first hardboard mill, indicates the industrial potentials offered by the State's vast timber resources. Numerous opportunities exist for generating additional revenue from this important source of raw material.
The need for a strong program of laboratory research to develop new products and to identify new means of utilizing wood residues and wastes is also pointed up. Until such a program has been built, we shall inevitably continue to miss out on many opportunities.
This is the seventh report in the forest products field completed by members of !DB's staff. It is hoped that this and reports in process are only forerunners of the much greater effort needed in the months ahead.
Kenneth C. Wagner, Head Industrial Development Branch
-i-

Acknowledgments
The author wishes to express his appreciation to a number of executives in various fields for their courteous and helpful cooperation in the course of preparation of this report. Since so many persons were involved, it is impractical to identify them all. Their contributions are gratefully acknowledged.
Acknowledgment is also made to Mr. J. R. Peterson and to Dr. Kenneth C. Wagner for reviewing the draft and for their helpful comments. Thanks is due to Mrs. Betty R. Jaffe for her typing of the draft and the report.

l

-iii-

Summary

Hardboard consumption in the eight southeastern states was estimated

at 252.7 million square feet in 1960. Industrial uses accounted for 136

million square feet or 54 per cent of the regional consumption, while

building uses accounted for 116.7 million square feet or 46 per cent.

Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee led the region in industrial uses

while Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi led the area in building uses.

In the last two decades, the production of hardboard increased 10

times and the consumption increased 11 times in the United States. The

current production is over 2 billion square feet annually while consump-

tion exceeds production by 10 per cent or over 200 million square feet.

The excess consumption is supplied by imports. Imports increased nearly

16 times in the last decade. Exports are substantially below imports.

In 1960, exports were only 7 per cent of imports or a little over 16 mil-

lion square feet.

The rapid expansion of the hardboard market in the United States was

due partly to the post-war boom in manufacturing and building activities

and partly to the intensive research efforts by the domestic producers.

Currently there are 50 different types of hardboards on the market. The

imports come mostly from the Baltic ports where the maritime freight costs

are lower than the United States freight costs to major hardboard consuming

areas. In addition, the imported stocks are cheaper.

Of the 1960 regional consumption, the domestic supply accounted for 85

per cent, while imports accounted for 15 per cent. Domestic suppliers sold

77 per cent of the regional industrial uses and 93 per cent of the building

uses. The balances were supplied by the imports. Total hardboard imports

for the eight-state consumption were estimated at 39.1 million square feet

in 1960. Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina were heavy importing states.

Each imported 9 to 10 million square feet in that year.

Twelve ports, ranging from Newport News, Virginia to New Orleans,

Louisiana import hardboard. The total imports through the 12 ports were

39,414,907 square feet in 1960.

There are 20 hardboard plants in the United States with a production

capacity of 2,844,000,000 square feet annually. Mississippi has three

Plants with 45 per cent of the nation's production capacity. Oregon has

seven plants with 20 per cent of the capacity. Other plants are scattered

ll in the Great Lakes area and the Carolinas.

~

-v-

INTRODUCTION
Purpose and Scope
In the past year many inquiries regarding the hardboard market in the southeastern states have been directed to the Industrial Development Branch. The purpose of this report is to offer to interested concerns general and specific information regarding the hardboard industry and the hardboard market in the United States with an emphasis on the southeastern states.
Three major areas are covered in this report. They are (1) the economics of the hardboard industry in the United States, (2) estimates of the eight southeastern states' market and the origins of the supply and (3) projections of future production, imports, exports, and consumption to 1970. In addition, the production capacity of domestic plants, their geographic distribution, and wood materials used are discussed.
Information for this report was obtained through direct interviews, correspondence, published statistics and literature.
Product Description
"Hardboard is a board material manufactured from wood or other lignocellulosic fibers, refined or partly refined and felted into a panel having a density range of approximately 50 to 80 pounds per cubic foot under carefully controlled optimum combinations of consolidating pressure, heat and moisture so that the board produced has a characteristic natural ligneous bond. Other material may be added during manufacture to improve certain properties."!/
Hardboard may be tempered or standard. Tempered hardboard is treated with oil blends to make it stronger and more water resistant. Standard hardboard is untreated with any impregnating materials.
Hardboards are separated by surface into smooth-one-side (SlS) and smooth-two-side (S2S) types. Smooth-one-side board is also known as screenback.
In many respects hardboard resembles natural wood, and possesses many of the characteristics of natural wood. On the other hand, it is without knots or grain. As a result, it has substantially equal strength in all surface directions.

ll The definition by American Hardboard Association, Chicago, Illinois.

l

-1-

I. FOUR MAJOR SEGMENTS OF THE HARDBOARD BUSINESS IN THE UNITED STATES
Production and Consumption
Hardboard production has been one of the fastest growing segments of the United States woodworking industry in the last two decades. In 1939, domestic production was 232,474,000 square feet. By 1960, production increased nearly 10 times to 2,211,574,000 square feet. In the same period, domestic consumption rose from 216,474,000 square feet to 2,430,424,000 square feet, an increase of over 11 times.
Domestic production and consumption of hardboard since 1939 are presented in Table 1 and Figure 1. Annual per cent increases for both production and consumption are also indicated in Table 1. The growth of hardboard production and consumption was fastest in the war and post-war years when hardboard was used largely for packaging and transportation purposes. After the war, the removal of controls over materials used for housing, automobiles, television, furniture, etc., and the universal desire to obtain these items helped the expansion of the domestic hardboard market. Furthermore, hardboard was a rather inexpensive material which fitted the needs of the post-war rehabilitation period.
From 1950 on, domestic hardboard production and consumption generally followed the national economic trend, especially during such boom years as 1953, 1955, and 1959. Domestic production and consumption of hardboard has increased continuously since 1939.
Hardboard was developed in the United States. In the early years, domestic production exceeded consumption; the excess was exported. Since 1951, the trend has been reversed. Domestic consumption has exceeded production; the net difference has been imported. Currently, domestic production is about 90 per cent of the consumption.
The growth of the hardboard market was due partly to the intensive research efforts of several leading domestic manufacturers. Various new kinds of hardboard have been developed and promoted in the market from time to time. Besides basic stocks of tempered and untempered, and SlS and S2S of various thicknesses and densities, special boards are offered with embossed tile scores, leather patterns, wood grain or other surface designs; they are also perforated, tongued and grooved, corrugated, dyed, termite treated, or otherwise specially processed. Currently, about 50 different kinds of domestic-made hardboard are available.
-3-

Table 1 UNITED STATES HARDBOARD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, 1939-60

Year
1939 1944 1947 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960

Pr o du c t i.. o na- /
232,474 471,411 758,236 950,899 956,801 1,067,262 1,225,808 1,267,004 1,481,083 1,496,778 1,555,888 1,693,308 2,016,591 2,211,574

Annual Per Cent Increase
17~./
201 8 1
12 15 3 17
1 4 9 19 10

Annual Production as Per Cent a Per Cent of Consumpti..ona-/ Increase Consumption

216,474

107

471,411

2o'E.I

100

746,164

1~/

102

945,469

9

101

990,553

5

97

1,093,614

10

98

1,283,631

17

95

1,319,990

3

96

1,569,999

19

94

1,628,741

4

92

1, 700,011

4

92

1,862,873

10

91

2,282,877

23

88

2,430,424

6

91

~/ In thousands of square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis.
/ Average annual per cent increase.

Sources: Production 1939 - 1953 1954 - 1959 1960
Consumption

Hardboard, U. S. Tariff Commission, Washington, D. C., 1955
Facts For Industry, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census
Facts For Industry, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, converted from monthly to annual basis
Derived from data for production, imports and exports.

-4-

,
FIGURE 1 THE U. S. HARDBOARD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, 1939-60
(Million Square Feet on 1/8" Thick Basis)

MILLIONS 2,600

2,400

v

2,200

J

2,000

/ / /
vI/' /

1,800

1,600

I

\J1

I

1,400 r -

1,200

/ /

CONSUMPTIO~ ~

V_, /

/

v /

I - - -,...--

-;p/ -- /. I/ ~ /'-._PRODUCTION

1,000

800 r-

600 400

v -~~
~f""

~~

200

~ v
I' """""

~
--~ ~ ~-

0 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960

The consumption of hardboard is highly concentrated in the northeastern and Great Lakes states. According to the United States Tariff Commission's report on hardboard in 1954, the North Central states accounted for 40 per cent of the domestic shipments, New England and the Atlantic states 23 per cent, the Southern states 15 per cent, the Pacific Coast states 8 per cent, and the rest of the nation 15 per cent. Although New England, the North Central, and the Atlantic states still remain the major consuming areas, the trend of domestic shipments is toward other regions. This is caused partly by the import situation. The imported stocks are heavily concentrated on 1/8-inch basic boards which are used largely for manufacturing or industrial purposes. The newly developed boards, such as the wood grained and embossedfinish panels used for the interior or exterior walls of a building are popular in the South. These new building boards have helped change the distribution pattern of the domestic hardboard markets. An estimated 50 per cent of wood grained panels used for interior wall and weather-proof exterior panels are sold in the South.
Imports and Exports
Imports and exports of hardboard in the United States give a contrasting picture. Imports increased nearly 16 times, from 14,750,000 square feet in 1950 to 235,059,000 square feet in 1960. In the same period, exports dropped nearly 20 per cent, from 20,180,000 square feet to 16,209,000 square feet. Detailed import and export figures are presented in Table 2 and Figure 2.
Although hardboard imports have not shown increases every year, the trend has been steadily upward at an increasing rate. (See Figure 2.) In contrast, the trend of the exports has remained fairly steady. Exports generally have remained at around 16 to 18 million square feet annually in recent years.
Some other measures in Table 2 indicate the different trends of imports and exports of hardboard. Imports as a per cent of domestic consumption rose from 1.56 in 1950 to 9.67 in 1960. In the same period, exports as a per cent of imports dropped from 137 to 7.
Four major reasons account for the mammoth increase of hardboard imports in the last decade: low transportation costs, low wage rates, a favorable tariff situation, and advantages in foreign exchange for imported stocks.
Low transportation costs for imported stocks are due to the locations of domestic producers in relation to the major hardboard consuming regions in
-6-

~
1939 1947 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960

Table 2 UNITED STATES HARDBOARD IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, 1939-60

Importsa-/

Import as a Per Cent of Consumption

Index of Imports

(1950 = 100)

Export as

E x p o r t sa- /

a Per Cent of Import

Index of Exports

(1950 = 100)

N.A.

16,000

79

N.A.

12,072

60

14,750

1.56

100

20,180

137

100

55,755

5.63

378

22,003

39

109

47,653

4.36

323

21,301

45

106

73,625

5.74

499

15,802

21

78

66,498

5.04

451

13' 512

20

67

105,815

6.74

717

16,899

16

84

149,923

9.20

1,016

17,960

12

89

161,940

9.53

1,098

17,817

11

88

153,078

8.22

1,038

16,487

11

82

281,572

12.33

1,909

15' 286

5

76

235,059

9.67

1,594

16,209

7

80

~/ In thousands of square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis.
N.A. = Not available

Sources for the imports and exports:

1939 - 1953 1954 - 1959 1960

Hardboard, U. S. Tariff Commission, Washington, D. C., 1955
Hardboard Imports and Exports, 1954-59, Hardboard Association, Chicago, Illinois, 1960
United States Imports of Merchandise for Consumption and United States Exports of Domestic and Foreign Merchandise, U. S. Bureau of Census, converted from monthly data.

-7-

FIGURE 2 HARDBOARD EXPORTS AND IMPORTS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1939-60
(Million Square Feet on 1/8" Thick Basis)

MILLIONS 288 272 256
240

\
\
\

224

208

192

176

160 144 128 112 96 80 64 48 32
16 --- r----

IMPORTS

/
I
I
I
/_

~
~

If
I
vI ~vI
I~
I

V--- -------

- --- ---

-EXPORTS ~

---

---

---

0 -4~ 1939 1947 1948 1949

1950 1951

1952 1953 1954 1955

1956 1957

1958 1959 1960

-8-

the nation. Maritime costs involved in transporting hardboard from the Baltic ports to the major United States consuming areas are less than the freight costs of domestic mills on the West Coast, in Mississippi, and in Minnesota, where U. S. production capacities are highly concentrated. Table 3 indicates the freight rates of the domestic supplies and the maritime rates from the Baltic ports in 1954. Rates from the Baltic ports to the three major destinations listed in the table were less than rates from the West Coast. Compared with the mills in Mississippi and Minnesota, the rates from the Baltic ports were lower in three places and higher in three other places. Since the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the transportation cost advantage of foreign supplies has been extended into the industrial centers bordering the Great Lakes. Currently the only domestic supply with lower transportation costs (Table 3) is from the mills in Mississippi to the New Orleans-Houston area. The supplies from Canada and Mexico do not have the same transportation advantage enjoyed by the supplies from the Baltic ports.

Table 3
HARDBOARD FREIGHT COSTS PER 1,000 SQUARE FEET 1/8-INCH BASIS, TO SPECIFIC U. S. DESTINATIONS
FROM DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED ORIGINS, 1954

Destination
Boston, New York and Baltimore
Chicago and Detroit
New Orleans and Houston

From West Coast
Mills

From Mississippi
Mills

From Minnesota
Mills

From Baltic
Ports

$10.27-$12.84 $8.87-$9.71 $8.01-$8.53 $5.90-$7.69

$ 8.89-$12.40 $6.25-$8.33 $2.74-$5.86 $9.06-$9.41

$ 7. 97-$11.13 $3.29-$5.50 $8.28-$9.50 $6.99-$7.18

Source: Hardboard, U. s. Tariff Commission, Washington, D. C., March 1955.

The lower wage rates enjoyed by the major foreign suppliers are quite obvious. According to the United States Tariff Commission's report, the average hourly wage of domestic plants in 1954 was $2.29 compared with $0.98 in Sweden and $0.65 to $0.70 in Finland.
The low import duty on hardboard in the United States is also distinctive. The duty on hardboard in the 17 countries which imported hardboard

-9-

from the United States ranges from 15 to 30 per cent ad valorem, compared with 8 per cent applicable to most United States imports of hardboard. Only two countries are below the United States rate. They are 4 per cent in Finland and 7 per cent in Sweden.l/
Moreover, some foreign suppliers enjoy a fourth advantage. According to a leading hardboard importer on the East Coast, European producers can sell their hardboard at a lower price in the United States than in their own countries, due partly to the benefit gained in foreign exchange. After the war, many European countries reduced their money value in order to stimulate export activities. The value of the American dollar in terms of exchange rates has been maintained at the same level throughout the pre-war and post-war periods.
Sweden is the major exporter of hardboard to the United States, supplying 65 per cent of the total exports in 1959. Canada, Finland, and Norway follow. On the other hand, Canada absorbed about 60 per cent of all United States hardboard exports in the same year. The detailed import and export figures by country since 1955 are listed in Appendix A.
A look at the values of the imports and exports of the United States hardboard market will show the unbalanced relationship between the two operations. In terms of quantity, the imports of hardboard were 14 to 15 times the exports in 1959. If the total values are compared, the imports were only 5 to 6 times the exports in the same year. In value per thousand square feet, the imports dropped from around $40 in 1955 to $30 in 1960, while the exports increased from about $70 to $80 in the same period. This reveals that the exported boards are generally high quality or specialty items which may not be available in certain foreign countries. The imported boards are generally basic stocks, as mentioned above, used largely for industrial purposes. The detailed import and export figures in square feet, total value and per unit value from 1955 to 1960 are presented in Table 4.
l f Hardboard,~ cit., p. 32.
''
-10-

Table 4
THE IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF HARDBOARD IN QUANTITY AND IN VALUE, THE UNITED STATES, 1955-60

Year
1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960

Sguare Feet
(1/8-inch thick basis)
105,815,076 149,923,040 161,940,008 153 '077 '808 281,571,522 235,058,554

Im orts
Total Value
(Dollar)
4,586,386 5,802,806 6,522,444 5,089,382 8,877,058 7,136,510

Average Unit Value (Per thousand sq.ft. in dollars)
41.59 37.12 38.65 31.90 30.25 30.36

Year
1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960

Sguare Feet
(1/8-inch thick basis)
16,898,921 17,959,945 17,817,342 16,487,178 15,285,818 16,209,280

Ex orts
Total Value
(Dollar)
1,254,818 1,404,428 1,417,396 1,376,976 1,213,342 1,305,631

Average Unit Value (Per thousand sq. ft. in dollars)
71.25 75.03 80.20 80.13 73.54 80.55

Source: Facts For Industry, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census

-ll-

II. THE MARKET IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES
]stimated Market by State in 1960
The eight southeastern states included in the estimates which follow are Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. These eight states could serve as an unique region for marketing purposes in the Southeast.
Sales of hardboard are generally classified as industrial and building. Industrial sales are made to manufacturers engaged in cabinet and millwork, in making furniture, industrial products, transportation equipment, games, toys, and sporting products, as well as for display and similar purposes. Building materials sales are made to building material wholesalers, and lumber and building material dealers. The estimates are based on these two classifications.
All estimates reported here were derived from such reliable sources as the leading producers' sales offices, importers, and published figures of regional hardboard imports. These estimates are limited to the regional consumption of hardboard only but do not include the total shipments which would include shipments after processing.
Hardboard consumption in the eight states was estimated at 252,700,000 square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis, or 10.4 per cent of the national total in 1960. The major consuming states were Virginia with 55 million square feet, North Carolina with 53 million square feet and Florida with 42 million square feet. The other states ranged from 9,700,000 square feet in South Carolina to 24 million square feet in Mississippi. Detailed figures are presented in Table 5.
Industrial uses of hardboard in these eight states are heavily concentrated in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, where substantial furniture manufacturing is located. In terms of national percentage, hardboard consumption in these states is substantially below the percentage of furniture-output value in most of these eight states. (See Table 5.) This is because not all furniture requires hardboard.!/ This is particularly evident in Georgia, where manufacture of bedspring and upholstered furniture is heavily concentrated.

1/ See Appendix B.

-13-

Table 5
ESTIMATED HARDBOARD CONSUMPTION IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES AND THE UNITED STATES, BY USE, BY AGGREGATE VOLUME AND BY PERCENTAGE, 1960

Industrial Uses

Building Products

Total

(In thousands of square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis)

Industrial Building Uses Products ~
(In per cent)

United States 8 S.E. States Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee Alabama Mississippi

1,166,604 136,000 44,000 40,000 4,500 4,500 9,000 20,000 6,000 8,000

1,263,820 116,700 11,000 13,000 5,200 11,400 33,000 19,900 7,200 16,000

2,430,424 252,700 55,000 53,000 9,700 15' 900 42,000 39,900 13' 200 24,000

100.00 11.66 3. 77 3.43 0.39 0.39
o. 77
1.71 0.51 0.69

100.00 9.23 0.83 1.03 0.41 0.90 2.61 1.57 0.57 1.27

100.00 10.40 2.26 2.18 0.40 0.66 1. 73 1.64 0.54 0. 99

Use of hardboard as a building material is distributed more evenly among the eight states than in industrial usage. All the states except South Carolina and Alabama consumed over ten million square feet in 1960 with Florida and Tennessee leading the region. If the national percentage of hardboard uses for building purposes (Table 5) is compared with the percentage of build ing activities in the respective states, only Tennessee and South Carolina were higher in hardboard uses.l/ The heavy reliance on brick as a building material in the region might account to some degree for the low percentage in some states.
Table 6 indicates the percentage of hardboard consumption for industrial uses and for building uses in the eight respective states. For the United States as a whole, consumption is split almost evenly between the two uses. For the eight-state total, industrial users have a small edge over building users. Virginia and North Carolina are high in industrial percentages, while Florida and Georgia are high in building percentages. The consumption in each state as a per cent of the eight state total is given in the same table.
ll See Appendix B.

-14-

Table 6
ESTIMATED DOMESTIC HARDBOARD CONSUMPTION BY STATE IN PER CENT OF INDUSTRIAL AND BUILDING USES AND IN PER CENT OF THE EIGHT-STATE TOTAL, 1960

Industrial Building

Uses

Products

(In per cent)

Total

United States

48

8 S.E. States

54

Virginia

80

North Carolina

75

South Carolina

46

Georgia

28

Florida

21

Tennessee

50

Alabama

45

Mississippi

33

52

100

46

100

20

100

25

100

54

100

72

100

79

100

50

100

55

100

67

100

Source: Table 5

Industrial Building

Uses

Products Total

(In per cent)

100

100

100

32

10

22

29

11

21

3

4

4

3

10

6

7

28

17

15

17

16

5

6

5

6

14

9

Imports vs. Domestic Supply
The total hardboard supply to the eight southeastern state region in 1960 was estimated at 213,600,000 square feet from domestic producers and 39,100,000 square feet from foreign sources. The detailed figures for each state and the total of the eight southeastern states are given in Table 7.
Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida were heavy importing states, bringing in 9 to 10 million square feet each in 1960. Georgia imported only 900,000 square feet in the same year and was the lowest in the region.
Table 8 gives the respective percentages of the figures shown in Table 7. The percentages are based on industrial products, building products and the total of the two uses for each of the reported states as well as the total for the eight states. In order to obtain a total of 100 per cent, it is necessary to add up the percentages of industrial uses under both domestic and imported supply for each state or for the eight state total. This applies also to building products and the total of industrial uses and building products.

-15-

Table 7
ESTIMATED DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED SUPPLIES OF HARDBOARD CONSUMPTION IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES, 1960

8 S.E. States Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee Alabama Mississippi

Domestic SuEEl:Y

Industrial Building

Uses

Products Total

ImEorted SuEEl:Y Industrial Building
Uses Products Total

(In thousands of square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis)

105,000 35,000 32,000 3,000 4,000 2,000 18,000 5,000 6,000

108,600 10,000 12,000 4,800 11,000 30,000 19,000 6,800 15,000

213' 600 45,000 44,000 7,800 15,000 32,000 37,000 11,800 21,000

31,000 9,000 8,000 1,500 500 7,000 2,000 1,000 2,000

8,100 1,000 1,000
400 400 3,000 900 400 1,000

39,100 10,000
9,000 1,900
900 10,000
2,900 1,400 3,000

Table 8
PERCENTAGES OF HARDBOARD CONSUMPTION BY DOMESTIC SUPPLY AND IMPORTED SUPPLY IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES, 1960

8 S.E. States Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee Alabama Mississippi

Domestic SuEElY

Industrial Building

Uses

Products

(In per cent)

Total

77

93

85

80

91

82

80

92

83

67

92

80

89

96

94

22

91

76

90

95

93

83

94

89

75

94

87

ImEorted SuEEl:Y

Industrial Building

Uses

Products !!el

(In per cent)

23

7

15

20

9

18

20

8

17

33

8

20

11

4

6

78

9

24

10

5

7

17

6

11

25

6

13

Source: Table 7

-16-

Of the eight state industrial consumption, imports accounted for 23 per cent and domestic supply accounted for 77 per cent. For building products, imports accounted for only 7 per cent in the region and the domestic supply for 93 per cent. Among the individual states, Florida imported about 78 per cent of industrially consumed hardboard in 1960, while Tennessee imported only 10 per cent. Of the total imports for industrial and building uses, Florida led the area with 24 per cent, followed by South Carolina's 20 per cent, Virginia's 18 per cent, and North Carolina's 17 per cent.
The imports for building uses in all eight southeastern states were low both in absolute quantity and in relative percentage if compared with the imported quantities for industrial uses. The imports for building products ranged from a low of 400,000 square feet or 4 per cent in Georgia to a high of 3 million square feet or 9 per cent in Florida. In contrast, the imports for industrial uses ranged from a low of 500,000 square feet or 11 per cent in Georgia to a high of 9 million square feet or 20 per cent in Virginia. The 12 ports in the Southeast stretching from Newport News, to New Orleans, regularly admitted hardboard for regional consumption. Among these, Newport News and Port Everglades are dominant in hardboard imports. Following in order are Norfolk, New Orleans, Charleston, Wilmington, Tampa, and Jacksonville. The remaining -- Savannah, Mobile, Miami, and Richmond all admitted less than a million square feet in 1960. The imports for each of these 12 ports in 1960 are presented in Table 9. The origin of entries is also shown. In 1960, 39,414,907 square feet of hardboard or 16.77 per cent of the national imports were brought in through these 12 ports.
The imported figures are given as percentages in Table 10. Of the 12 ports, the imports from Sweden accounted for 67.5 per cent of the total. The remaining 32.5 per cent came from other countries. Newport News imported about 40 per cent of the regional total; Port Everglades, 21 per cent; and Norfolk, 10 per cent. The rest were all below 10 per cent.
-17-

Table 9
HARDBOARD IMPORTS BY PORT OF ENTRY AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES, 1960

Newport News, Va. Richmond, Va. Norfolk, Va.
Wilmington, N. c. Charleston, s. c.
Savannah, Ga. Jacksonville, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Port Everglades, Fla. Miami, Fla. Mobile, Ala. New Orleans, La.
Total

Sweden

Others

Total

(In square feet on 1/8-inch thick bas is)

12,471,025 0
2,230,492

3,413,073 395,709
1,850,210

15,884,098 395,709
4,080,702

393,022

1,205,342

1,598,364

1,012,483

751,648

1, 764,131

684,999 671,312

180' 118 658,597

865' 117 1,329,909

235,830 5,939,785

1,133' 194 2,217,087

1,369,024 8, 156,872

436,239

108,652

544,891

568,633

0

568,633

1,955,186

902,271

2,857,457

26,599,006

12,815 '901

39,414,907

Source: United States Imports of Hardboard for Consumption, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Report FT-8027.

-18-

Table 10
HARDBOARD IMPORTS IN PERCENTAGE BY PORT OF ENTRY AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES, 1960

Newport News, Va. Richmond, Va. Norfolk, Va.
Wilmington, N. c. Charleston, s. c.
Savannah, Ga. Jacksonville, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Port Everglades, Fla. Miami, Fla. Mobile, Ala. New Orleans, La.
Total

Sweden
31.6 0
5.7 1.0 2.6 1.7 1.7 0.6 15.1 1.1 1.4 5.0 67.5

Others (In per cent)
8.6 1.0 4.7 3.1 1.9 0.5 1.7 2.9 5.6 0.3
0 2.2 32.5

Total
40.2 1.0
10.4 4.1 4.5 2.2 3.4 3.5 20.7 1.4 1.4 7.2 100.0

Source: Table 9

-19-

III. DISTRIBUTION OF THE DOMESTIC HARDBOARD PLANTS AND MARKET COMPETITION
Distribution of the Domestic Plants
Twenty plants manufacture hardboard in the United States. Their specific locations are indicated on Map 1. Some detailed information regarding these
a! plants and their products are given in Appendix 1 and Appendix D.l/
The distribution of hardboard plants in the United States is quite uneven. Mississippi has 3 plants with 45 per cent of the nation's capacity. oregon has 7 plants with close to 20 per cent of the total capacity. Table 11 gives t he numb er o f p1ants, rated capac.1ty3-1 and per cent of tota 1 capac1. ty of each state to the nation.
Regionally, the West Coast has 9 plants with 28 per cent of the nation's production capacity, the Gulf Area has 5 plants with 50 per cent of the capacity, the Carolinas 2 plants with 8 per cent, and the Great Lakes area, four plants with 14 per cent. The distribution of hardboard plants appears to follow the wood supply in the different regions rather than the market. This is generally true for most wood-using industries.
The huge lumber mills on the West Coast provide a source of low-cost material for hardboard manufacture. The hardboard plants on the West Coast use wood wastes or residues from lumber mills or logging operations, extensively, turning huge quantities of these materials into useful products each year.
Warm weather and heavy rainfall in the Gulf Area provide a favorable condition for timber growth. Both the Masonite Corporation and the U. S. Gypsum Company own large timber lands in Mississippi. Rapid timber growth and high yields on forest lands reduce the raw material costs for hardboard manufacture in this region. Generally, low-grade and small-size logs of second-growth timber are used.
ll Appendix C lists plant capacity, types of process, panel sizes,
thicknesses, specific gravity, colors, raw material used, specialty items and trade names of the existing 20 plants in the United States.
ll Appendix D lists types of products, specific gravity, surface, normal
thickness, standard panel sizes, modulus of rupture, tensile strength, water ~bsorption and special texture or finish available of the fifteen corporations n manufacturing hardboard in the United States.
ti ll Rated capacity depends not only on the scheduled hours of plant operabaon (ranging from 5,750 to 8,400 a year), but on the thickness and density of
bOr&drbdo. ard produced and on the extent of operation on products other than hard-
-21-

CORVALIS, ORE. LEBANON, ORE.

MAP I THE HARDBOARD PLANTS DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, 1961

FOREST GROVE, ORE.

ANACA TES, WASH. PILOT ROCK, ORE.

BEMIDJI, MINN. DULUTH, MINN.

PHILLIPS, WIS.

COOS BAY, ORE.

ALPENA, MICH.

UKIAH, CALIF.

I N N I
CONWAY, N.C.
CATAWBA, S.C.

EL PASO, TEX.

LAUREL, MISS. GREENVILLE, MISS. LITTLE ROCK, ARK.

Table 11
NUMBER OF HARDBOARD PLANTS AND RATED CAPACITY BY STATE AND BY REGION, UNITED STATES, 1961

California Oregon Washington
West Coast

Number of Plants Rated CaEacit:Y
(In square feet on 1/8-inch thick basis)

Per Cent of Total CaEacit:Y

1

200,000,000

7

7

565,000,000

20

1

36 2000 2000

1

9

801,000,000

28

Arkansas Mississippi Texas
Gulf Area

1

30,000,000

1

3

1,274,000,000

45

1

100 2000 2000

4

5

1,404,000,000

so

North Carolina

1

60,000,000

2

South Carolina

1

16020002000

6

South Atlantic

2

220,000,000

8

Michigan Minnesota Wisconsin
Lakes Area

1

200,000,000

7

2

184,000,000

6

1

35 2000 2000

1

4

419,000,000

14

Total

20

2,844,000,000

100

Source: Appendix C

-23-

The hardboard plants located in the Great Lakes area have to use pulpwood due to the limit of wood residues in the region. This disadvantage is balanced by a shorter distance in the transportation of products to the major hardboard consuming areas.
The two hardboard plants in the Carolinas use southern hardwoods. Many low-grade and small-diameter hardwoods are found mixed with pine in most of the forest lands in the Southeast. Finding ways of using these hardwoods not only would give these species value but also would improve timber stands for the more useful species.
Of the 20 hardboard plants in the United States, the Masonite Corporation built the first hardboard plant in Miss~ssippi in 1925. The U. S. Gypsum Company started a small hardboard plant in Mississippi in 1934. The big increase of hardboard plants came after the expiration of the basic Masonite patents in 1946. Plants then spread to the West Coast and the Great Lakes area. By 1954, nine plants were in operation with a total rated capacity of 1,585,000,000 square feet annually. Currently 20 plants are operating with a rated capacity of 2,844,000,000 square feet annually. The latest plants to join the group are located at Alpena, Michigan (1958); Catawba, South Carolina, (1959); and El Paso, Texas (1960). These new plants probably still do not produce at their rated capacities.
Market Competition
In addition to the many new hardboard plants built since World War II, the rising volume of imports provides keen competition for markets. The competition can be separated into two kinds -- between domestic and foreign producers, and among the domestic producers themselves. Generally there are three major areas of competition: product, price, and service.
To meet domestic competition, the leading producers lean heavily on product development. Large plants generally have their own laboratories for testing products or for developing new boards. Engineering schools of various campuses provide technical service to the producers. Since the war, various specialty boards have been developed. It seems easier to develop a new board than to secure its market acceptance. Major efforts must put forth in advertising, education, and technical help to customers in order to sell new products. This is where the competition in service takes place.
Prices of major domestic boards are generally kept confidential by their producers. There are some differentials in prices among several basic boards
-24-

but the differences are not great. However, high transportation costs curtail the profit margins of distant producers or prevent their entering distant markets.
The competition between domestic and foreign stocks is of a different nature. The imported stocks, which come mostly from Sweden, Finland, and Norway, are generally cheaper than domestic stocks.
Prices of the imported stocks are generally 20 to 30 per cent below the domestic prices. A 1/8-inch Swedish board, standard, and SlS, sells at about $41.50 per thousand square feet at most of the southern ports. Domestic stock with identical specifications would sell for $61.50 per thousand square feet. Even allowing a transportation cost of $5.60 per thousand square feet by carload lot, the Swedish boards could still outsell the domestic stocks at most railway terminals 500 to 600 miles from the port of entry. If the imported stocks are hauled by trucks to inland areas, the transportation costs would run higher. Generally, a range of 200 to 300 miles is the economic truck distance.
The majority of imports lies in the basic stocks which are 1/8-inch to 3/16-inch thick, standard and tempered, and SlS and S2S. Very few specialty boards of the imported stocks are offered in this domestic market. To combat the imported stocks, domestic producers manufacture a lower quality basic board which is acceptable to industrial users but is in a price range close to that of imported boards. The battle of basic boards may turn keener due to rising production capacity both at home and abroad.
The major advantage of domestic boards over the imported stocks lies in the difference in service provided. To begin with, orders of imported stocks require eight to twelve weeks delivery time, while orders of domestic board require only two weeks. Once the import order is given, no change is permitted in terms of volume, panel size, thickness, composition of shipment, timing of delivery, etc. The advantages in service performed by the domestic producers is the major deterrent to further inroads by the imported stocks.
-25-

IV. FUTURE TRENDS OF THE HARDBOARD INDUSTRY AND MARKET IN THE UNITED STATES
!Fends and Projections
In order to show the magnitude of growth of the hardboard industry relative to other major wood-using industries in the United States, the production and the indexes of softwood lumber, woodpulp, hardwood plywood, softwood plywood and hardboard since 1939 are presented in Table 12.
The production of lumber and woodpulp comprises the bulk of wood consumption in the nation. However, the growth of hardboard production far exceeds the growth of these two basic wood consuming industries. The plywood industry, which is regarded as one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, falls short of the growth of hardboard production. Between 1939 and 1958, the production of hardboard increased over seven times, softwood plywood six times, hardwood plywood over four times, woodpulp over three times and lumber only 28 per cent. The relative growth of these major wood-using industries could serve as a guide to those who have an interest in the hardboard industry.
Projections of hardboard production, imports, exports, and consumption to 1970 are presented in Table 13. Lower and medium level projections are included.l/ The medium projection should be regarded as the most likely level of growth. Domestic production probably will reach 4 billion square feet by 1970, an increase of 83 per cent. Imports may reach 621,000,000 square feet in 1970 or a 164 per cent increase from the 1960 level. Exports are expected to remain the current level of around 16 to 18 million square feet annually. Detailed figures and the projection equations used are given in the table.
However, future imports from the Baltic countries will be limited by the availability of raw material. A Swedish manufacturer of hardboard machinery is looking toward America for major machinery sales because Baltic raw material is already almost fully utilized. Therefore, little increase in production capacity is anticipated.
The validity of the projections given in Table 13 is further tested by comparing the different rates of growth in the five successive intervals
l l An upper level projection has been made but it is too high and is not
included in the table.
-27-

Table 12
THE PRODUCTION VOLUME AND INDEXES OF FIVE MAJOR WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1939, 1954 AND 1958

Year

Softwood Lumber

WoodJ2U1J2

Hardwood P1~ood

Softwood P1~ood

Hardboard

Production

Index

Production

Index Production Index

Production Index

Production Index

(In mill ions of board feet)

(In millions

(In millions

(In millions

(In thousands

of sq.ft.

of sq. ft.

ofsq.ft.

of short

3/8-inch

3/8-inch

1/8-inch

(1939=100)

tons) (1939=100) basis) (1939=100) basis) (1939=100) basis) (1939=100)

I N

1939

21,407

100

(X)

I

6,993

100

234

100

1,043

100

232

100

1954

29,282

137

18,256

261

912

390

3,989

382

1,267

546

1958

27,379

128

23,944

342

985

421

6,255

600

1,693

730

Source: Census of Manufactures, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census
L _

Table 13
PROJECTIONS OF THE HARDBOARD PRODUCTION, IMPORTS, EXPORTS AND CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED STATES TO 1970

Production

Imports

Exports

Consumption

(In thousands of square feet, 1/8-inch thick basis)

1960 1970
Lower Medium

2,211,574

3 4

' '

263 054

' '

ooo!!/
ooo1

235,059
47o,ooo1 62l,Ooo..1

16,209
16,500 17,500

2,430,424
3,716,500 4,657,500

Methods of projections:

!!I Least squares method
Estimation equation Y = 1447.63 + 121.025X, Origin 1955

/ Modified second degree curve Estimation equation Y = 996 + 35X + 5.2688X2 , Origin 1950

..1 Linear correlation between the production (X) and the imports (Y). Estimation equation Y = 0.1914X- 154.63 Correlation of coefficient (r) = 0.9644
Standard error of the estimates S = 24,540,000 square feet.

from 1939 to 1970. The using of intervals as a measuring unit is intended to eliminate the extreme highs and lows of particular years. The rate of growth is expressed either in net quantity increase or in average annual per cent increase for both the production and consumption. Detailed figures are given in Table 14.
It is apparent that the production and consumption of hardboard in the United States has been increasing since 1939. The trend is generally upward in each successive interval. In contrast, the average annual per cent of increase is generally downward. The projected period, 1961-1970, follows the trends. These trends in both the net quantity increase and the average annual Per cent increase are presented in graphic form in Figure 3.
The declining rates of the hardboard production and consumption in the nation are complying to the law of growth. An industry or population tends to
&row at a nearly constant rate during its youth, then at a diminishing rate as

-29-

I I...V
0
I
l

Interval
1939-44 1945-50 1951-55 1956-60 1961-70

Table 14
NET INCREASE IN QUANTITY AND AVERAGE ANNUAL PER CENT OF INCREASE OF THE HARDBOARD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN THE SUCCESSIVE INTERVALS, UNITED STATES, 1939 TO 1970

Production Net Increase

(In thousands of sq.ft. on
1/8-inch thick bas is)

(In per cent)

Average Annual Per Cent of Increase

ConsumEtion Net Increase

Average Annual Per Cent of Increase

(In thousands of sq. ft. on
1/8-inch thick basis)

(In per cent)

238,937

103

17

479,488

102

17

530,184

56

11

730,491

49

10

254,937

118

20

474,058

101

17

574,446

61

12

860,425

57

11

1,842,000~/

83

8

2,227,000~/

92

9

~/Based on the medium projections. Sources: Table 1 and Table 13

FIGURE 3 THE UNITED STATES HARDBOARD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN TERMS OF
NET INCREASE IN SQUARE FEET AND AVERAGE ANNUAL PER CENT OF INCREASE IN THE DEFFERENT INTERVALS,
1939-70

NET INCREASE IN MILLION

AVERAGE ANNUAL PER CENT

sQUARE FEET

INCREASE

2,250 r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -..... 20
.,_ ,'I

' .,_

! /

------'--'--\

/
,','/

~ ~'~
\~~CONSUMPTION
., PRODUCTION--\\

, 'I
!
/ 1

, I
I
15
,','

,'/

,'/

1,500

\

,,

\ ,,--

'

...............

\ ... ......_.,

--._ .........

,'

I

,'

II

/

1,'

I ,'
,' I

I /
I II

- . ...............

I /...... .,.,._1I

,' ................................. I ,'I ...,................

10

7 ' - . .:..

.. ..

I

I .........

/ ,'I

I

__ _ ......... -~~,

,' ,' ,/ ,'

................ ..

,,I I

750

I I

5

- - - - N E T INCREASE IN SQUARE FEET -----AVERAGE ANNUAL PER CENT OF INCREASE

0~------~-----~------~-----------~ 0

1939-44

1945-50

1951-55

1956-60

1961-70

-31-

it matures. Hardboard with over three decade's history still grows at an average rate of 10 per cent a year and can be regarded still in its youthful stage. This stage is maintained by the vigorous research and development work on new products and new markets. According to reports, new hardboard products will continue to come out in the years ahead and the hardboard market is expected to expand further.
By comparing the projected production figure of 4,054,000,000 square feet in 1970 with the current rated production capacity of the 20 domestic plants -- around 2,844,000,000 square feet -- it can be seen that an additional production capacity of 1,210,000,000 square feet is needed to fulfill
the expected growth in this coming decade. An increase of this magnitude
would require 12 new plants with an annual capacity of 100 million square feet. Certainly the existing plants will expand as the market expands but they will be limited by the wood supply available in a given area. A substantial part of the needed production capacity will go to new plants. Since most of the hardboard plants are raw material oriented, new plants will locate in areas where an adequate and low-cost supply of wood materials is available.
Service and Products
The hardboard industry in the United States has taken a new turn in the fields of service and product development in the last few years. Many new types of specialty board for specific uses unheard of a few years ago are common in the market. The trend away from conventional boards to those made to customers' specification (panel size, thickness, and density) complicates plant investment costs and management of a mill. Many of the new boards used in the manufacture of finished products bear little resemblance to the original hardboard. It is reported that a new type of board designed especially for drawer backs and bottoms will probably come out within two or three years. The market for drawer backs and bottoms is estimated at 400 million square feet annually. Such specialized uses have required much more diversified production in most mills.
The competition either in the field of conventional or basic boards or in the area of specialty boards will increase in the years ahead. Intense competition is putting a tighter stra~n on every manufacturer's activity, from new product research to the field sales force. The search for new and better products with greater user appeal will no doubt sharpen and service to customers will undoubtedly increase in the years ahead.
-32-

The keen competition in product research and customer service will naturally lead to greater expenditures in both production and marketing of hardboard in the years ahead. For an average size new plant designed to produce 100 million square feet annually, a capital investment of $5 million to $7 million may be required. To provide such a plant with a steady source of raw material, another major investment of from $15 million to $20 million may be required in timber reserves, providing, of course, that an adequate timber stand is available and that costs of transporting logs to the plant are not prohibitive. Costs of sales and distribution now account for between ten and 25 per cent of the unit price on most hardboard products, a ratio which has climbed considerably in recent years. Advertising and promotion are becoming increasingly important, as are personalized pre-sale and postsale customer services. Manufacturers today must be prepared to do much more than merely make hardboard and offer it to the buyer.l/
1/ F. M. Hughes, "Hardboard Output Tops 2 Billion," The Lumberman, July, -1960.
-33-

V. GEORGIA'S POTENTIAL FOR A NEW HARDBOARD PLANT
In the long run, Georgia will be an excellent location for a hardboard plant. Although there is overcapacity in hardboard production now, within a very short time expansion will be required. When additional production facilities are built, raw material will receive first consideration and market area, second.
Wood Raw Material
Technically speaking, nearly any species of wood may be used as the raw material to produce a hardboard. If specific qualities or characteristics are stipulated, the problem becomes more complicated and the field of satisfactory materials is narrowed. The need to produce a board that will compete economically with other board products and competitive materials narrows the field still further. In fact, experience has indicated that economic considerations and not technological feasibility dominate the selection of raw materials.
There are several major types of raw material being used for the manufacture of hardboard in the United States. Industrial wood residues and logging and forest waste are used extensively in West Coast plants. Second-growth timber of small diameter, together with cull trees, are the principal materials used in Mississippi plants. Southern mixed hardwoods or non-commercial species are used in the plants of the two Carolinas. On the other hand, pulpwoods of northern species comprise the major wood supply for the plants in the Great Lakes area. Coniferous species (softwoods) and broadleaved species (hardwoods) are both satisfactory materials for hardboard manufacture and are ~ed for the manufacture of different kinds of hardboard in most of the existing domestic plants. The choice of wood materials, as indicated before, depends largely upon the economic consideration and the availability of the supply.
Georgia is one of the leading states in timber resources and forest Products in the nation. Forests occupy 24,056,600 acres or 63.8 per cent of the total area of the state and the acreage is increasing. Of the total for-
acreage, southern pines occupy 13,821,000 acres or 57.7 per cent and 10Uthern hardwoods make up 10,147,500 acres or 42.3 per cent. Hardwood forest
~es are increasing at a faster rate than pines because of the natural aggres-
ss of hardwoods and the heavy cutting of pine either for pulpwood use or
-35-

for lumber manufacture. Many hardwood species are of small diameters and low quality with little commercial value. The spreading of hardwood species among pine forest stands is a management problem for most forest owners in Georgia.
With the heavy commitment of southern pines for pulpwood and lumber uses, hardwood species become the logical choice for other new uses in Georgia. Southern hardwoods have been used successfully and economically as the raw material for hardboard manufacture. The two hardboard plants located in North and South Carolina could serve as examples. The hardwood timber in Georgia suitable for hardboard manufacture is almost inexhaustible. The best utilization of low-grade hardwoods may be an integrated operation of a hardboard plant with existing sawmills or pulpmills in Georgia. Many owners of these sawmills or pulpmills have large forest land holdings. Integrated operation not only would provide them a fuller utilization of their forest resources but also would produce a better return on their operations, especially in view of the expected growth of the hardboard market in the years ahead. A further note should be brought to attention that huge quantities of wood residue are available in the state. These low-cost materials could be an important consideration for setting up a new plant if their supplies are assured.
Market
Although most of the existing hardboard plants are highly raw material oriented, the future potential of a given market nevertheless holds the key of any entry of a new hardboard plant. The national hardboard market and the eight-state regional market have been discussed at length in Sections I and II. The national market has been projected to 1970 but the regional market can not be projected on the same basis, due to the lack of comparable data. However, the future regional market can be roughly derived by presuming the same rate of increase as the national market.
Nationally, the hardboard market (consumption) in 1970 has been projected as a 92 per cent increase over the 1960 level (medium projection). If the same percentage is applied to the eight state southeastern market, a consumption of 485,184,000 square feet could be expected in 1970. Supposing the domestic supply of the regional market to be 80 per cent in 1970 instead of the current 85 per cent, domestic plants would furnish 388,147,200 square feet. The supposed drop in the domestic supply from 85 to 80 per cent

-36-

j

in the regional market is comparable to the projected drop of the national market from 90 to 87 per cent.
A hardboard plant with 50 million square feet annual capacity would need to capture only about one tenth of the regional market in 1970, or about 13 per cent of the domestic supply in the region. If the plant capacity is 100 million square feet, it means that about one fifth of the regional market, or 26 per cent of the domestic supply of the regional market, would be required to keep the plant running at full capacity.
-37-

-------------------------------------------~

Appendix A-1 IMPORTS OF HARDBOARD INTO THE UNITED STATES, 1955 TO 1959

Total

Canada

Mexico

I
w

\0 I

Brazil

1959

Tons

Dollar

105,589 8,877,058

13,448 1,491,671

1,323

190,562

2,177

159,464

1958

Tons

Dollar

57,404 5,089,382

8,447

994,097

774

100,077

612

40,310

1957

Tons

Dollar

60,728 6,522,444

23,296 3,335,244

427

59,856

26

1, 916

1956

Tons

Dollar

56,221 5,802,806

20,849 2,864,965

73

7,145

1955

Tons

Dollar

39,681 4,586,386

20,614 2,962,355

107

8,864

Sweden Norway

69,030 6,677

5,495,642 510,698

38,340 1,513

3,201,099 120,106

33,798 491

2,818,670 44,771

27,178 370

2,278,107 34,035

15 '013

1,279,630

Finland
Union of S. Africa

9,042
-

707,197
-

7' ll8
-

582,513
-

2,202 72

212,383 5, 956

2, ll5 4,873

180,072 368,575

3,060

255,593

Netherlands

-

565

47,546

Other

3,892

321,824

600

51, 180

416

43,648

763

69,907

322

32,398

Appendix A-2 EXPORTS OF HARDBOARD FROM THE UNITED STATES, 1955 TO 1959

1959

Tons

Dollars

1958

Tons

Dollars

1957

Tons

Dollars

1956

Tons

Dollars

1955

Tons

Dollars

Total

5,937 1' 213 '342 6,183 1,376,976 6,359 1,417,396 6, 735 1,404,428 6,337 1,254,818

Canada

3,491

715' 722 3,302

637,560 2,457

530,737 2,107

505,765 2,603

549,160

Mexico

97

28,487

14

10,471

88

16' 722

97

18,900

89

20,823

Bahamas

119

25' 114

23

5,764

23

4,461

88

16,462

63

12,661

Cuba

92

11,523

201

49,526

198

45,288

685

104,001

461

65,450

North Antilles

-

-

83

14' 250

57

10,048

Venezuela

300

58,493

204

48,460

444

144,423

222

64,288

262

52,053

I
+-

Netherlands

-

-

74

13,684

1

1,907

0
I

United Kingdom

136

37,065

5

2,288

10

5, 729

Belgium

690

127,467

756

136,321

756

134,565

811

145,457

412

68,163

Switzerland

131

22,793

135

23,343

61

11,547

205

33,672

47

7,458

France

100

10,090

102

11,013

318

35,689

Union of S. Africa

72

16,797

22

12,945

79

65,799

Korean Republic

-

Colombia

-

-

401

210,788

-

-

-

582

86,412

208

45,869

218

42,656

Dominican Republic 53

11,223

Chile

119

23,276

-

-

-

-

122

21,041

4

1,376

Honduras India

-

-

-

-

-

-

201

19,226

25

2,193

-

-

-

-

-

-

302

57,087

British Malaya

-

-

-

-

-

-

252

52,690

Other

537

125,292

861

200,563

1,285

324,069 1,435

319,970 2,153

432,825

Appendix B
VALUES AND INDEXES OF FURNITURE MANUFACTURE, PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION AND NUMBER OF HOUSEKEEPING UNITS IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES AND THE UNITED STATES, 1958 TO 1960

A

B

c

Furniture Manufacture 2 1958

Private Construction Authorized by Building Permit in 3,014 Permit Issuing Places in the United States

Number of Housekeeping Units in Authorized New Residential Construction in 3,014 Permit Issuing Places in the United States

Value Added

As a Per Cent of the U.S.

1959 and 1960 Total

As a Per Cent of the U.S.

1959 and 1960 Total

As a Per Cent of the U.S.

(In thousands of dollars)

(Valuation in millions of

(Valuation in millions of

I
+='

dollars)

dollars)

1-'

I

United States

2,474,000

100.00

37,707.9

100.00

2,090,440

100.00

8 S.E. States Virginia

521,712 104,984

21.09 4.24

5,260.5 931.6

13.95 2.47

356,355 60,004

17.05 2.87

North Carolina

212,496

8.59

427.7

1.13

22,305

1.07

South Carolina

14,377

0.58

178.5

0.47

6,391

0.30

Georgia

39,000

1.58

618.4

1.64

43,286

2.07

Florida

41,112

1.66

2,204.1

5.85

156,489

7.48

Tennessee

62,908

2.54

405.8

1.08

31, ll5

1.49

Alabama

16,975

0.69

380.9

1.01

28,433

1.36

Mississippi

29,860

1.21

ll3 .5

0.30

8,332

0.40

Sources: A Census of Manufactures, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census B and C Construction Review, U. S. Department of Commerce, Business and Defense Service Administration

Appendix C DIRECTORY OF HARDBOARD PRODUCERS, THE UNITED STATES, 1961

ABITIBI CORP.

Home Address:

Penobscot Building, Detroit, Mich.

Plant Address:

Alpena, Mich.

Personnel:

D. W. Ambridge, pres.; C. H. Rozier,
vice pres. & gen. mgr.; E. J.
Schultz, vice pres. - sales; 0. B. Eustis, mill mgr.; R. E. Paul, tech. dir.; W. E. C. Wood, plant mgr.

Production:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 200,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" and 1/2" basis

1959 Production:

175,000,000 sq. ft.

Rated Capacity:

250 tons daily

Process:

Wet process SlS, wet-dry process S2S

Panel Sizes:

Up to 4' X 16'

Thicknesses:

1/2 to 5/16 inches

Spec. Gravity:

. 85 to 1.15

Colors:

Woodgrain

Raw Material Used: Northern hardwoods and softwoods

Volume:

(from logs) 75,000 tons

Specialty Items:

Overlayment; tongue & groove;
tempering; prefinish, perforated; contour edge.

Trade Names:

Plateboard (R)

Per Cent of Product

for own Use:

None

AMPAC HARDBOARD CO,

Formerly Riverside

Manufacturing Co.,

Inc.

Personnel:

Production:
Rated Capacity: Process:

Conway, South Carolina
E. P. Brown, Sr., pres.; R. E. Wicks, mgr.; E. P. Brown, Jr., sls. mgr.; M. F. Kemerer, plant engr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 60,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis 100 tons daily Dry

-42-

Ampac Hardboard Co. Contd.
Spec. Gravity: Colors: Raw Material Used:

1.10 Light tan Hardwood

ANACORTES VENEER, INC., hardboard Div.

Anacortes, Washington

Personnel:

Earl Cheldelin, pres.; T. L. Bentley, mgr.; Arthur C. Carlson, supt.; Robert Howlett, sls. mgr.

Production:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 36,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis

1959 Production:

22,000,000 sq. ft.

Rated Capacity:

50 tons daily

Process:

Semi-dry

Panel Sizes

4 X8

Thickness:

1/10; 1/8; 3/16; 1/2 inches

Spec. Gravity:

1.00' 1.10

Colors:

Blond

Characteristics:

Smooth one side

Per Cent into

Cut-up Sizes:

1%

Raw Material Used: Veneer & core block chips

Volume (from Mill)

residues:

7,500 tons annually

Uses:

Industrial, remanufacturing, furniture

Specialty Items:

Overlayment; perforated

Trade Names:

Armorbord; Armortex; Armorwood

Per Cent of Product

for own Use:

5%

-43-

BOWATER.BOARD CO. Div. of Bowaters Southern Paper Corp.

Catawba, South Carolina

Personnel:
Production:
Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Characteristics: Raw Materials Used: Volume (from logs): Specialty Items: Trade Names:

John G. Robinson, mgr.; P. L. Kvale, supt.; J. R. Hahn, sls. mgr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 160,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis (Tons) 200 daily Bowater air process All sizes up to 4 X 16 feet 1/10; 1/8; 3/16; 1/4; 3/8 inches 90- 1.10
Light & dark
S2S Hardwoods 44,000 cords Tempering Bowater Board

CASCADES PLYWOOD CORP.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:

Production:
1959 Production: Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Characteristics:

Portland, Oregon
Lebanon, Oregon
C. W. Fox, pres.; J. C. Brande, mgr.; Tom Alley, supt.; Fran Phibbs, sls. mgr.; J. R. Stillinger, tech. dir.; John Pearl, plant engr.
(Rated Annual Capacity) 100,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
61,500,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
(Tons) 100 daily
Dry
4 X 8 net; 50 X 100 gross
1/10; 1/8; 3/16; 1/4; 5/32; 3/8 inches
1.06
Light buff
Smooth 2 sides, high internal bond strength

-44-

Cascades Plywood Corp. - Contd.

Per Cent into

Cut-up Sizes:

20%

Raw Material Used: Douglas fir chips

Uses:

Furniture; overlays; secondary gluing with resin; impregnated papers.

Specialty Items:

Striating; tongue & groove; prefinish;
perforated.

Trade Names:

Lebanite

Per Cent of Product

for own Use:

10%

EVANS PRODUCTS CO.

Home Address:

Plymouth, Mich.

Plant Address:

Corvalis, Ore.

Personnel:

EdwardS. Evans, Jr., pres.; P.
Zenczak, mgr. & tech. dir.; E. Chap-
man, supt.; W. F. Ritchie, sls. mgr.;
V. Davis, plant engr.

Production:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 40,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis

1959 Production:

39,000,000 sq. ft. 1/811 bas is

Rated Capacity:

(Tons) 40 daily

Process:

Wet process hardboard

Spec. Gravity:

0.8 - 1.0

Colors:

Light blond

Uses:

Paneling

Specialty Items:

Striating; etching; overlayment;
tongue & groove; tempering; pre-
finish; tempered prefinished.

Trade Names:

Evanite Hardboard

Per Cent of Product

for own Use:

None

-45-

FOREST FIBER PRODUCTS

P. 0. Box 68, Forest Grove, Oregon

Personnel:
Production: Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Raw Material Used: Specialty Items:
Trade Names:

Harold Miller, pres.; F. M. Hughes, mgr; Gene Tower, supt.; Henry Jacobson, sls. mgr.; Keith Kruse, tech. dir.; Clyde Mason, plant engr.
(Rated Annual Capacity) 60,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
(Tons) 150 daily
Wet
4 X 16 feet maximum
Long fiber Douglas fir chips
Striating; etching; overlayment;
tongue & groove; tempering; pre-
finish.
Forest Hardboard; Forest 3/8" panel; Forall; Forestex; Sandalwood; Punched Board; Thrif-tone; Tee-N-Gee; Random Plank; Underlayment; Thriftwood

GEORGIA PACIFIC CORP.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:
Production:
Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Characteristics:
Per Cent into Cut-up Sizes:

Equitable Building, Portland, Oregon Coos Bay, Oregon Robert B. Pamplin, pres.; Armin A. Wehrle, mgr. of fiber products mfg.; Eugene Mobley, plant mgr.; W. C. Walling, sls. mgr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 90,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis (Tons) 120 daily Dry 4' X 16' and under 3/32; 1/8; 3/16; 1/4; 3/8 inches 1.08 Light colored Smooth-both-sides; excellent machining qualities; high internal bond strength
10%

-46-

Georgia Pacific Corp. - Contd.

Raw Material Used: Volume (from mill) residues: Uses:
Specialty Items:

Douglas fir fiber
100%
Cabinets; furniture; laminate core stock; garage door panels; displays; wall paneling.
Perforating; sanding; sealing; and grooving.

KROEHLER MANUFACTURING CO.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:
Production:
Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Characteristics: Per Cent into Cut-up Sizes: Raw Material Used: Volume (from mill) residues: Uses: Trade Names: Per Cent of Product for own Use;

Naperville, Ill. Meridian, Miss. D. L. Kroehler, pres.; Fred L. Meyers, mgr.; Walter Johnson, supt.; C. C. Stewart, tech. dir.; E. J. McFarland, plant engr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 14,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis Emerite-dry felting process 60 X 120" 1/8 to 1 inch
o. 70 - 1.00
Natural (grey, brown) High dimensional stability
100% Hardwood lumber residue
19,500 tons Furniture cores and panels Cultured Wood
100%

-47-

LITTLE ROCK HARDBOARD CO.

Home Address: Plant Address: Production:

Little Rock, Arkansas
North Little Rock, Arkansas
(Rated Annual Capacity) 30,000,000 sq. ft. on 1/8" thick basis

MASONITE CORP.

Home Address:

Chicago, Illinois

Plant Address:

Ukiah, California

Personnel:

John M. Coates, pres.; William A. Cotton, vice pres. in chg. of mfg.; Paul B. Shoemaker, vice pres. marketing; F. 0. Marion, vice pres. sls.; Donald J. Gray, vice pres.; Dean Thatcher, gen. mgr., Ukiah; Orcutt W. Frost, dir. of research and development; Frank Lesniak, chief engr.

Production:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 200,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis

Process:

Exploded wood fiber process, wet and semi-dry type

Panel Sizes:

Up to 5 X 16 feet

Thicknesses:

1/10 to 2 inches

Spec. Gravity

0.9 - 1.4

Colors:

Brown

Characteristics:

Smooth, dense, wear-resistant surface

Raw Material Used: Hardwood and softwood

Uses:

Many in building and industry; walls, ceilings, cabinets, underlayment, siding, decorative specialties, bathroom and kitchen "tiles," concrete forms, etc.

Specialty Items:

Striating, groove, tempering, embossed patterns, grooving, priming, graining.

Trade Names:

Masonite Presdwood; Tempered Presdwood;

Panelwood; Underlayment; Tempered Duo-

lux, Dorlux; Tempertile; Leatherwood;

Ridge line; Peg-Board; Shadowvent Siding;

Panelgroove; Ridgegroove, Concrete Fo~

Presdwood; Benelex; Primecote products,

Seadrift; Misty Walnut, Panelok Wall

System, Royalcote, Sunline. -48-

_j

,

MASONITE CORP.

Plant Address: Production:
Panel Sizes:

Laurel, Mississippi
(Rated Annual Capacity) 1,160,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
Up to 5 X 18 feet

NU-PLY CORP.

Bemidji, Minnesota

Personnel:

F. Russell Eggers, pres. & mgr.;
Archie Gulsvig, supt.; Paul Barthelemy, sls. mgr.; Don Gould, tech. dir.; Don Hanson, plant engr.

Production:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 40,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis

1959 Production:

24,000,000 sq. ft.

Rated Capacity:

(Tons) 60 daily

Process:

Dry felting

Panel Sizes:

Up to 49 X 97 1/2 inches

Thicknesses:

13/32 to 3/8 inches

Spec. Gravity:

1.04 and 1.11

Colors:

Light

Characteristics:

Smooth both sides; high internal bond

Per Cent into

Cut-up Sizes:

25%

Raw Material Used: Aspen

Volume (from logs): 12,000 tons annually

Uses:

Walls; furniture; toys; trailers; displays; backing sheets; cabinets; laminating.

Specialty Items:

Tempering

Trade Names:

Bemidji-Bard; Door-Life; Door-Bord; Undr-Layr.

Per Cent of Product

for own Use:

None

-49-

OREGON LUMBER CO.
Sub. of Edward Hines Lumber Co.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:
Production:
1959 Production: Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Per Cent into Cut-up Sizes: Raw Material Used: Volume (from mill) residues: Uses:
Specialty Items:
Trade Names:

200 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Dee, Ore. Charles M. Hines, pres.; William J. Runkel, mgr.; Edward N. Jolly, supt.; David W. Marti, sls. mgr.; Harold M. Ely, tech. dir. (Rated Annual Capacity) 75,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis 61,000,000 sq. ft. (Tons) 75 daily Allwood-Asplund 4 X 16 feet 1/10 through 5/16 inches
1
Light brown
None Sawmill chips
21,816 tons annually Furniture; automotive; general construction.
Striating; etching; tongue & groove;
tempering; prefinish; primed; grained; siding. Allwood Prestpanel; Allwood; Stribord; Weavbord; Shadobord; Louverbard; Shobord; Heatherbord.

Per Cent of Product for own Use:
Sales Agents:

5%
Simpson Logging Co.; Certain-teed Products Corp.

SUPERWOOD CORP.

Personnel:

Duluth, Minnesota
M. J. Opsahl, pres.; K. V. Hafner, mgr.; Geo. Jondal, supt.; Robert Stephany, sls. mgr.; George C. Fewson, tech. dir.

-50-
j

"
Superwood Corp. Contd.

Production:
1959 Production: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses:
Spec. Gravity: Colors: Per Cent into Cut-up Sizes: Raw Material Used: Uses:
Specialty Items: Trade Names:

(Rated Annual Capacity) 144,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis 85,000,000 sq. ft. Wet 4 X 8 and 4 X 16 feet 1/12; 1/10; 1/8; 3/16; 1/4; 5/16 inches 0.640 Natural
20% Aspen pulpwood Building field, underlayment; exterior siding; cabinets, etc.; industrial; fabricated parts, etc.
Tongue & groove; tempering
Superwood

THE TEMPRON CORP.

Plant Address: Personnel:

Production:
Rated Capacity: Process: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Characteristics: Raw Material: Trade Names:

P. 0. Box 44, El Paso, Texas
Dr. J. F. T. Berliner, Pres.; H. K. Linzell of Tayler Corp., Supt.; J. G. Stemples, sls. mgr.;
J. B. Graves, vice pres. & sec.
(Rated Annual Capacity) 100,000,000 sq. ft. 1/811 basis
(Tons) 100 daily
Wet-dry process
1/10 to 3/8 inches
66 pound/cu.ft. (approx.)
Tempered, smooth two sides
Creosote Bush
Temp r o n

-51-

U. S. GYPSUM CO.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:
Production:
Specialty Items: Trade Name:

Chicago, Illinois
Pilot Rock, Oregon
0. N. Knode, pres.; S. E. Martin, mgr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 120,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis Tempering; prefinish Duron

U. S. GYPSUM CO.

Home Address: Plant Address: Production:
Trade Name:

Chicago, Illinois Greenville, Mississippi
(Rated Annual Capacity) 100,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis Duron

WEYERHAUSER CO. Silvatek Div.

Home Address: Plant Address: Personnel:
Production:
Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Colors: Characteristics: Uses:

Tacoma, Washington
Klamath Falls, Oregon (2 plants)
Norton Clapp, pres.; R. D. Pauley, mgr.; N.J. Briggs, supt.; D. C. Greeley, sls. mgr.; A. M. Fisken, mgr. of mfg.; Dale Alter, plant engr.
(Rated Annual Capacity) 80,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
Semi-dry process, developed by Weyer hauser Co.
Up to 4 X 16 feet
1/12; 1/10; 1/8; 3/16; 1/4; 5/16
Light tan and brown
Excellent machining, bendability, paint finishing
Building and industry -walls, ceil ings, floors underlayment, siding cabinet work, decorative specialtieS

-52-
j

Weyerhauser Co. Contd.

Specialty Items: Trade Names: Sales Agents:

Striating; tempering; prefinishing; perforating; U-Groove; V-Groove; prime coated; planing; flail sanding.
Weytex; Weylite; Weyfair; Weybase; Weytone; Weygrain.
Silvatek Division of Weyerhauser Co. and authorized distributors, nationwide.

WISCONSIN WOOD PRODUCTS, INC.

Phillips, Wisconsin

Personnel:
Production:
1959 Production: Rated Capacity: Process: Panel Sizes: Thicknesses: Spec. Gravity: Colors: Characteristics:
Raw Material Used: Uses: Trade Names:

Harry Gustafson, pres.; John F. Campbell, mgr.; E. A. Leonard, sls. mgr. (Rated Annual Capacity) 35,000,000 sq. ft. 1/8" basis
9,580,000 (started production 4/1/59) (Tons) 45 daily Emerite dry process
4 X 8 feet 1/10 to 5/16 inches
. 90 to 1. 20 Dark
High MOR; high internal bond; stability. Hardwood pulp
Industrial & retail
Lionite

Source: The Lumberman, July, 1960.

-53-

Appendix D

HARDBOARD PRODUCTS REFERENCE GUIDE
Reprinted from December 1960 Wood and Wood Products

Hardboard

BRAND NAME ORNO.

Tl.CLASS! FICATION

TYPE I (S.andatd)

6C0I.-nI

2 50-60

Lb. Lb.

TYPE 2
Trd or Tem

SPEC. 9.RAY. (Dena sity)

Cu,Ft, Cu.Ft, pered)

SURFACE
I SIS S2S

ABITIBI CORP.

Platebo.rd Standard

X

X

"

Te~.pered

X

"

X

"

Special

X X

Utility

X

"

Yood&raio

X X
X
X X X

NOMINAL THICKNESS
(Inches)
I/8 3/16 IL~ 5/16 I8 3I I 4
I/8, 3/16, I!'I 5/16 1/8 3 16 I 4 .230 I 4 "

STANDARD PANEL SIZES
44- 4.16
" " "
4.4 4.8 4.16
"

MODULUS OF
RUPTURE
O~tio/psi)

"

X

Automoti X

Grooved

X

"

Horizontal

X

"

Perforated X

X

X

"

Laminated X

X

X

X

I 8

"

X

I 12, I 10

4.4 4.16

X

5/16

4.4 4.8 4.16

X

1/4 5/16

12& 16".96"' 192"

X X 1/8, 3/16, 1/4,5 16

4.4-4.16

X X

4.12

TENSILE STRENGTH
(Mio,psi)

A

B"

WATER

ABSORP.
(Max.~
Weiaht 24
Hours)

SPEOAL
TEXTURE OR FINISH AVAILABLE

Plaia or Fii...Coa~

USES (Sec Code
ar Ead)
---

Coated Plain or Fil-Coac Coated Plain or Fit-Coat Coated Walnut, oak, others, rooYcd ocrf. or olaio Walnut oak others Plaia or coated

Plain or Fil-Coat

2, 4, 7, ~

--------

Cross Baodia& ednua Density

1/10- 3/8
I/16- 3/16 I 8- 3 8

Continued

-54-

Hardboard

BRAND NAME OR NO.

CLASSIFICATION TYPE I TYPE SPEC (Standa<d) 2 GRAV:
si;;) 6C~l~.5l:JC5~l~.20 TT.~e~a~t (D

I SUR~ ACE
SIS S2S

Cu.Ft Cu. Ft pered)

NOMINAL THICKNESS
(Inches)

STANDARD PANEL SIZES

MODULUS OF
RUPTIJRE (Min/psi)

TENSILE

STRENGTH

I(Min/psi)

A

B'

WATER ABSORP. (Max.%
Weight, 24
Hours)

SPEOAL
TEXTIJRE OR FINISH AVAILABLE

USES (See Code
at End)

~NACORTES VENEER, INC.

Armorbord

X

X

X

~edium Density

X

X

J!()'I'ATER BOARD CO.

!.00 X
!.05 X
!.08 X !.00 X
X

1/8 3/16 I/4

6,500 500

200

20

16

12

20

I-3, 0, 8, IO, I5, I7 I9 20
2-4,6-8, 13, 15-17, 19 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15-17
l 13, -IH, 20 , 12, 13, I -18

Panel Standard Underlay

X

.95

X

1/8

4x6 - 4:116

3500

1 500

30

X

X

3/16

27

X

X

7 2

X

X

!.0

X

X

1 4

X

1 8

X

3/16

6 000

..3 500

20

18

X

X

1 4

16

.90

X

.215

4x3, 4x4

CASCADES PLYWOOD CORP.

L-30
PL-90 UL-50

X

!.08

X

1/10- 3/8

4z8

5, 500 - 5,800

X

I.I2

X

6800-700

X

1.00

X

1/!0- I/4

4z8 to 50xl00 3,800 - 4,20

18 to 6 Pcdorated, striated
12 to 5 28 to 14

1, 3, 5-8, ll-14, 16-18 20 5-8 13 16 18 20 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13 17 19

EVANS PRODUCTS CO.

Ennite Std. liimooth

X

.95 X

X

.97 X

X

.98 X

X

.96 X

Temp. smootb

X .99 X

X I.Ol X

X !.02 X

X 1.00 X

X !.02 X

Economy

X

.92 X

Rib-.Bord

X

X

X

Deca-Bord

X

X

X

Corru-Bord

X

X

Perf-0-Bord X

X

X

Driftwood

X

X

X

1/10
1/8 3 16 1 4 I IO 1 8 3 1 1/4 I4+ 1 ~ All
1 10 All

4z8

5,500

3,100 3,100 20

1-3, 5-8, ll-17. 19,

20

6 000

3 200 3200 16

3 000 3 000 14

5 800

12

8 500

5 200 5 200

All

9 200

11

Factor sealed

9 100

5 000 5 000

9 200

5 400

ll

1-3 5-8 ll-14 19

Striated

2 8 12

Bead-like teztu.re

2 7 8 17 18

Wavy corruuted

7 13 14

Ru:ular or scatter holes 2 3. 7 8 12-15 17

Factory-fiaished

I~(/' 5-B, 11-17, 19,

.. Panels 4 & 8 X

X

X

V-Plank

X

X

V-Sguare

X

X

Gara e liner X

X

X

Prim~Bord

X

X

1/4 1/4+ 1 4 4z4 4z8
1 4 1 4+

V-J:rooved
Perforated F actoryprimed

Panelin~&: SidinA Paoelina; Ceilinu Paoelin Exterior Sidios

FOREST FIBER PRODUCTS CO.

Standard

X

"

X

"

X

r~mpered

Sandalwood

Thrift wood

X

1.00 X

X

X

X !.02 X

X

X

X

X

X

X

.80 X

Underlavmeot Thriftone Pur~ched Board
Forall (Standard)

X

.85 X

X

.83 X

X

!.00 X

X

.80 X

X 1.02 X

X

.80

X

Forall Sandalwood T~mp~red Rustic For~st 3/8 Standard

X

.8

X

X .92 X

X

.80 X

For~st 3/8 Tempered
For~stex T~eNGee

X

.8~

X

X

!.02 X

Manufactured from Standard, Thriftwood, Tempered, TbriftoRe & Sandalwood

I 8 3Jl6 1 4 I 8
1 1/4
l/4

4z4 - 4zl6

6 000
5 500 9 000

100 000
2,900 5 200

..

8 500

4 600

Same as tempered FOREST Hardboard above

4z4 to 4zlb

3,~00

2,000

.215

4x4to4x8

1 4

4z4 to 4zl6

(Same as corrcspondin8 items above)

1/2, 5/8, 3/4
1 2 3/4 1/4 .370

4z8 4:.:4 to 4:.:16

3.~oo
4 500 7 500 2,500

2,~00
,.soo

3 750

114

7 500

4 000

16":.:96"

Same as above on listed

products)

17.5 17.0 16.0 10.0 9.0
7.0
18.0
11
'0
12.0
6.0 7.9 18.0
9.0 19.5

1-' 5-8
11-17 1
20 1-3 6-8 ll-18 20

Pr~sealed & finished 23 7~ 12-17

1-3, S-8, ll-17,

19-20

Planed

Underlayment

Pre- sealed l!t fir>ishcc ~a! Panel

Perforated (round

2, 7, 13, 14, 15, 17

or squar~)

3. 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16 17 PreSealed & finished 2 7 16
Rustic, smooth or ran Siding, 1w ~ll panels
dom plank

Deep _groo't'e striated T&G on 16" centers Wall panels

EDWARD HINES LUMBER CO.

Scandard Allwood

X

.96 X

1/8

4:.:1 4x16

5 500

20

Prime coat av ob1e I 6-8 I 19

X

.98 X

1

18

------,:,:------~~~~+---~--~~oTo-+~~~~--+-----~;71~16,---~------,::.-----~--~::----r-----t-----~-f:~~~--------'-'-------tJ~-5008~J,-~;i4__J_8__

i~mpered Allwood

X !.02 X X !.04 X

I/8 3 I6

9,000

"

"

15

"

1, 3, 11, 12, 14,

16 i7 "

12

X

"

X

1 4

"

8.500

10

R~ ular rooved

X

"

X

X

X

5 16

"

8 000

8 Grooved

2 12

AUwood Heatherbord X

X

X

I 8 14

-..----=---- Shohord

X

X

X

I8 3I I4

4xl to 4x8

~~st-pa-nel "

X

X

1/4

4x8

2 8 2 4 7 8 13

Standard Shobord

X

X

18 1

4xl to 4x8

Perf. so. holes

7 14

~~T~.e~l!~l,p~-e-rp~e~dn~e"1.-----~----+-,x.--~X~4-~.9"'2,X+~X~~--+-----,37'lu-6----+---,4.~8,--'4~x~ll~o--+--~3'8"'ovo,-~----~----~--~25.-~--------------~~2-z6-8o-'I"9-- ~~---

~ 118 -4=:===4~x~8==~=====+===+==~f==O==ti~[lli:;]l;~~[!QJ~--~~d4.o=-7 -~ 89

3 000

! : iDii'aHm,"o"n~d"-'S~hho"-b'o,r'd-",'-'D"';"'.i;:,"-'XSh"-o-h-oX-rd+~x~+"---+~~--4----+-""~~f----+---,1~8"'7IT4.----+-I-----"T.'.,

Prefinishe~; oerforated 2 7 -=;=.~-~~----

Stribord "

~

X

18/ 4

4xl 4xl6

Striated _ _

__1...._(}-~~ 12__

i'r,::m--p<er-e'd'S~trcc;bo.-rd-c---4----+---+-x- -----+-~~,__;~--+------'sl,,l-'6l'----~----,4-xl,---'4"x;c12,---t--------~----~----~------+.-y,-_.,-,-oo-.-,-d.-~~~~-i-~2--12___'_'______

eaybord Sliadobord

X

X

X

X

1 8 lt4

4x8

f---------+------4------t------+S~Bh~asjd<o.Cwt'?efmeabveossed

0s7 l1h__1J2_2

ouverbord It, Plankbord

X

X

X

X

!!!ather Tilebord

X

X

Underlavment

X

X

ierop.Sbadobox, Temp.

Starpoint, Temp. Stri bord Shadobox, Temp.

X

X

I !,ribord Starpoint

1 4 l 4 . 21 S
1/8

4x8 4x4 4x3 4x4
2x8

Louver embossed

2 6-8 12

Prefinished V-grooved

"

Prefinished tiled

20

Perforated design

2, 6, 7, 12

-55-

Hardboard

CLASS! FICA TION

BRAND
NA~E
OR NO.

TYPE I TYPE SPEC C(Sl.ta1]ndCarld. )2 Tr2eat G(DRAY. 60..7 5 5o.60 ed or . en)-

Lb. Lb. Tem suy

Cu.ft Cu.Ft ered)

GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP.

Standard Hardboard

X

1.01

SURFACE
I SIS SIS j
X

Cabinet Panel
Premium

X

.93

X

X

1.01

X

X

X

X

X

X

1.08

X

Hardboard

X

X

X

X

X

X

Garage Liner

X

Channel Plank

1.01

X

X

Random Plank

X

"

X

Underlayment

X

.93

X

arag_e Panel

X

1.10

X

Plastic Core

X

X

NOMINAL THICKNESS
(Inches)

STANDARD PANEL SIZES

MODULUS OF
RUPTURE
(Min/psi)

TENSILE STRENGTH
(Min/ps~i)

A

s

-------L----.------~----~--

WATER ABSORP, (Max.,.
Vleiht
H
How-s)

SPECIAL
TEXTURE OR FINISH AVAILABLE

1/8

4x8

),)00

20 Plain or perforated

USES
(See Code at End)

1/4 I 8 I 4
1/8
/16 I 4 3/B

4xl - 4xl6

4 200 j )00
6, )00
6 200 6,000

ll

I 8 12 14 -

fg-+P-"iA"''m"'''-"""''""'""i;.-,l~<d,___--t'2~

13

..

14 Suled, natural,

lain erforued

12

Sealed or aatwal

2 B 12-14 17 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12-17 20
2 4 7 8 12-17 20

1/4

4.8

13 Pi ment-sealed ~rf. 12

-

12

.215 /4
1 8 3 lb, 1 4

4x4 4x3 -~xJ- 4xl6 Up to 50:.:122 '

4,200
,OVO 7 500

V- rooved,p&nu.-acale 12

15 Sanded back

12

-

9

ara e oor Pane -

14

Hi-Press. lam, cOif

Presdwood
Paoelwood Presdwood,,
Duo lux
Dorlux Exterior Dorlux Rid-.~ line

X

1.00 X

1/10- l/16

X

.92 X

X 1.0) X

X

X

X

1.09

X

X 1.1()+

X

3/16, I 4 110-)16 18-)16 I B 3 16
1/B, 3/16, 1/4

X 1.08

X

1.07

X

X 1.05 X

1 8 18 14 1 4, 5 1!)_

4x1- 4d6
"
4.I-4zl2 4zl- 4.16 ~~:: ~~:~
Special 4x8- 4xl6 4xl - 4x16

6,200 ave. 3,000 ave,

l 000 10000

2 400 4)00

9 000 9,)00
8 000 10 000 7 90
8 500

~ 000 5,300
3 800 5 000 4 000

9- 16

17- IB 6 13
;,
18 6- 7

J)y,d black

7 12
7 Striated

3 9 00 S.adrift
i;LC'<"'at"he"'rw'-"';o;"od,.___

__-+---,~'-;---X-.-'-""X.,..-'l-.'l-"''"'~c-Xk-,--",-..-.C----;----t-.-;-~1i1:7-4"B'i;<----;-c-.--+------t--c-,-;"-;-",">"-".~,,'cCc';~,"'-l-~t-t-----_'7-~,'=~-o-t----"_-_)'hl"_'o:3<";o0,0_,__+-+----

-t---"cllf-6

-EEm~bb.. fw~oa"t'hoedr'it'ecx"t".~."ea"i"'n=c--t-----------

Peg-Board

Standard and Tempered Presdwood

1/8, 1/4

4xl - 4x8

Perforat~d

'L~oLft~in~AB~o~~~d,-----t----r~~;d~T~;~m~or~~~~~~~urol~u~-.-.x_-t-----,l/~8.-----t---,4~~'--.4T,~6-.4~.1p2.-t-'1'1~7~0~0--t-~6'1"oon--+---t---z6--t---------------t-------------

Benelex 70

"

0

Royalcote 100

400

X 1.40

ll: 1.2

X

.94

X

NU-PLY CORP.

Bemid'i-Bord Standard X

Urilitv

X

High-Bond X

Temp-Bord

Tool-Bord X

Door-Life X

Undr-Layr X

F~rnic

X

X LOB 1.04 1.06
X 1.09 X 1.09
1.04 1.04
1.04 1.06

SUPERWOOD CORP.

~tandard

X

Terrpered

Panel Stock

UNITED STATES GYPSU~ CO

1.00 X 1.10

1/10 Re.r.ular Duron 1/B
.. .106 " .. .... 22-S "

X
X X

1/B Temo. Duron
. 16 .. .. 22-5 . .. 1/4
.. WEYERHAEUSER CO

X X X X SILVATEK DIY

70
62 54 65 73
6~
55 67

Waytex

X

1.00

..
Weylite
"evbese "eylec
.... tt'eytone

.. X 1.05

X

.9)

X

X

l.Ol

X

1.00

X

1.05

X .9)

1VISCONSIN WOOD PRODUCTS, INC.

....Lionitc Standard Paael Uoderlavmeat

X

X

1.08
..1.00

Temper~d
.. Std. Perf
.. Pud P<rf .. Temo, Perf.
Econolite Unt~m .d
.. Utatemp. P~rf.
Underl_U!Dent
.... Ternr>~red Temp. Perf.

X
X
X X X
X X

X X

X 1.15
1.08 oo
X 1.1) 1.00
X 1.0) X

X X X X

X X X X
X X X X X

X X X

X X X X X
X X X X

X to

order
.. X . X .. X

X

X
X X

....

X

X X
X X X X X X X X

1 4-2 B- I I 4
1/4
1/10- 3/8 I B- B
I 10- 3 B 1!10- 1/4
I B- 1/4 7 32
I B 3 16
1/12- j/16 I 10- l 16 B j/16, (4
.100
3~
.lBO .22
10 .135 .180 .225 .240
1/12- l/16
I 10- 5 16 I B- I 4 .215
I 12- j 16
....1/B- 1/4

4' 44- 4 B 4x6 4x8 4xl2 16' x96" 16' x84
4xB
4x4 4x3
4.B - 4.16
...... 4.B 4.12 4.16 " .
4.6 - 4.16
" .
4x4 4x 4xlb
....4.6 - 4>16

~~~~;n;t~6
I B _2116 I 4 .215
1/11~{lB/i~l6,
I B......I 4
I B .21) I B I 4

..4xl - 4x8
4x4 4:r3, 32"x48" 4d- 4.B
4.2- 4B 4<4 4zB 4x2- 4:r8
4x4 4x8
4.2 - 4.8 4x4, 4x8

12 00 6 700 7 000

7 700 3 500

les 2 15 Printed walnut uain
Printed chenv uain

j )00 4 000 j 500 9 000
4 )00 3 )00 4 )00

150 12- 20 100 12- 2)
25 10- 20

12) 10- 16

100

I

12)

17

I-4 7 B 12-17 1-4 l-20 1-4' 6.8 11-18 7.8, ll-ll,17
2-3 7 B ll 17

6 BOO 9 )00
j 3

4 000- j 000 4 000-S 000 3000-4000

10- 16 Perforated

6- 12

..

14- 20

1-8 12-20

B.)OO
~
6.300
4 000

3jj)(L 3.BOO 2 00

IB
...21)_

6. 00

9 000

j 000

12

7 )00

5. 00

),000

B

7 )00

10

~
2 3. 6 7 I
2 3 B 17 2 II 7 7

6,500
.B )00
4 000 8 )00 6,)00 8 )00 4 000
7,)00
..4 00
9,500
6 000 4 )00 B )00

4,000
..4 )00
2 )00
.4 000
4 )00 2 )00

10- 30
8- IB I l - ~~
IB

Ptrf., flai 1 sanded, grooved, striated,
rimed "
P~rf. ~trooved. oriroed

.... 10- 20
B-10 I j- 2)

Prefinish~d, perf.,
V~ooved

20

All

22

21

ll

AU

26

------
.-
..
::.:-

26 16
A-Parallel to surfac~

All
to..,.,. B-P~rpendi cular

USE CODE: The numbers in the hardboard ''Uses Column" precedin& are keyed with us~ descriptions printed below.

1- Boxes, ~lleta, paclr.ac:ing
2- Cabinet members 3- Case1ooda pans 4-Chair ae.ta, backs 5-Cross banda

6- Doors aad skins 7- Fixtur~s, displays, shelves
8- Juvenile furniture 9- Millwork, trim 10- Musical instruments

11- Patterns, dies, jigs 12-Prefabs, house trailers, boats 13- School ~quipmeot U- Special indust, forms, parts 15- Sportin& goods, James

16- Table and counter tops 17- Toys & novehiu
18- Truck, trailer bodies
19-Uphol. fum. & beds 20-Ven~cr. plastic und~rlay

-56-

Appendix E DETAIL REQUIREMENTS OF HARDBOARD

TABLE I-DETAIL REQUIREMENTS

NOMINAL CLASSIFICATION SURFACE TIDCKNESS

SIS Class
1

INCH
I I 12 1/10 1/8 3/16 1/4

TIDCKNESS TOLERANCE
INCH
0.070-0.090 0.090-0.110 0. 115-0.155 0 170-0.205 0.225-0.265

MODULUS OF
RUPTURE MINIMUM
PSI
5000

TYPE 1

S2S

STANDARD
Class SIS 2

5000 3000

S2S

3000

2500 100 1500 50 1500 50

WATER WATER ABSORP. MAX.

E
SWELLING MAX.

"/o

"/o

43

30

25

22

20

16

18

14

16

12

25

18

25

18

18

14

27

25

27

25

10

SIS

7000

3500 !50

8

TYPE 2 TEMPERED
OR TREATED

S2S
II *NOTE: PARALLEL TO SURFACE;

7000

3500 !50

I PERPENDICULAR TO SURF.-\CE

AIIIerican Hardboard Association

-57-

Appendix F A PARTIAL LIST OF FIRMS ENGAGED IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
OF HARDBOARD PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Parsons and Whittemore 250 Park Avenue New York 17, New York
E. Sigurd Johnson, President Production Development Company, Inc. 2404 Hillsboro Street Raleigh, North Carolina
Industrial Development Company 3848 South Pine Tacoma 9, Washington
Johnson & Johnson
22 W. Madison Street Chicago, Illinois
Giffels & Rossetti
Marquette Building Detroit, Michigan
Donald Seip New York City
The Tayler Corporation 32 West Scott Place Elizabeth, New Jersey
-58-