ASSOCIATED
PLYWOOD MILLS, Inc.
SPECIAL SECTION
R0SEBUR8, OREGON TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1949 '
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This is the new sawmill located a few miles south of Roseburg. Employing 150 men, the mill will pro-
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ASSOCIATED. PLYWOOD MILLS, Inc.
The history of the Associated Plywood Mills., Inc., is as interesting .
as phenomenal. In 1921, at Olympia, Wash., a small group of men con
ceived the idea of organizing a cooperative association composed entire
ly of workmen for the purpose of building a plant and engaging in the
manufacture of plywood. When the company was organized, the manu
facture of Douglas Fir Plywood for commercial use was practically un
known. Some veneer was manufactured by mill companies in connec
tion with their own millwork, but not for sale In the open market. 7
The organizers of the company sought to Interest, men In proven
ability from different parts of the stale. Men engaged in the logging in
dustry, men skilled as mechanics, engineers, carpenters, and others with
executive ability, men wha were capable of receiving good compensation
in their regular line of work. The stockholders were thus a group of
picked men.
The cooperative system was successful from the start. Within a few
years, other plywood companies were organized in the Pacific North
west, some of which may be said to be direct outgrowths of this company,
as many men were Induced to leave the company under the assurance of
greater remuneration for their services. It may safely be said that there
are few, if any, commercial plywood companies in the Pacific Northwest
today whose key personnel, or executives, have not at one time or another '
been associated with this company.
In the early history of the Industry, many new developments and lm-.
provements were initiated in the manufacturing process by the stock
holders of Associated Plywood Mills, Inc. The system of steaming, bark
ing, peeling, and grading were Improved., The company also developed
improvements in the lathe, wnich were patented and aaopted by the St.
Joe Machine Company. Improvements were made on the clipping sys
tem. Patents were obtained on automatic patch-cutting saws which per
fected the patching process. Suggestions for improved drying facilities
were adopted by both the Coe Manufacturing Company and the Proctor
and Schwartz, Inc., manufacturers of dryers. Most of these earlier Im
provements have been adopted generally by the Plywood Industry. In
1940, our Research Department developed a patching machine, known
as the Skoog Patcher, which cuts out the defect and inserts and seals the
patch in one operation. This latter machine has caused an enormous
conservation of raw material and saving in manpower and it is in great
demand by the entire Plywood Industry.
- In 1927, when the organizers of the Aberdeen Plywood Company
were unable to get that plant into production, the company acquired the
entire capital stock of the Aberdeen Plywood Company. The mill was
soon on an operating and profitable basis. This operation was con
tinued at Aberdeen, Washington, until Marcn, 1940, when the entire plant
was destroyed by fire. Due to logging advantages in Oregon, a plant site
was obtained at Eugene, Oregon, a mill erected and production started
in the latter part of 1940. The name of the company was Changed to that
of the Eugene Plywood Company In October; 1940, and later to Associated
Plywood Mills, Inc.
Due to a steadily diminishing log supply In the State of Washington,
the company in 1937 began to Investigate the possibilities of locating a
Plywood Plant in the Slate of Oregon. In 1939, a plant site was obtained
in Willamina, Oregon, and a modern plywood mill constructed thereon.
The plants at Eugene and Willamina have a combined total production
capacity of 160 million feet 38" basis of plywood per annum.
During 1948, the company completed Its plans for a nation-wide sys
tern of company-owned warehouses to distribute plywood and lumber
products. Company warehouses are now operating in San Francisco,
Dallas, Texas, and St. Louis, Missouri. Wholesale distribution in Oregon
is handled through the two mill warehouses. In addition thereto and
through contractual relations with the Pacific Mutual Door Company
and Bessonette & Eckstrom, the company has nine additional warehouse
distribution centers throughout the United States.
The company operated Its mill at Olympia, Washington, from Its In
eeptlon in 1921, until the date of its sale in 1946. The manufacturing fa
cilities were enlarged from time to time and the output grew from a pro
duction of fifteen million feet 38" basis In 1922, to a production of sev
enty million feet annually.
The company has Just completed its new band sawmill at Roseburg,
Oregon. The mill will have a dally capacity of 125,000 board feet. The
mill is located on a company-owned log pond at Green, Oregon, near
Roseburg, where the Company also has plans for constructing a plywood
plant.
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For the past several years, the company has operated Its logging
camp at Little River. This operation has provided some peeler logs for
its plywood operations and sawlogs for the local market. With the com
pletion of the sawmill and expanded operations in Roseburg, the company
expects to consume approximately 40,000 M feet of timber a year from
the Roseburg area. This volume will be obtained from its own operations
supplemented by purchases on the local market.
The company owns over 25,000 acres of timbered lands In the State
of Oregon, most of which are situated in Douglas County. The company
also owns 33 13 of the capital stock of the Valsetz Lumber Company
and has contractual relations for-approximately a 10-year supply of peel
er logs for Its Willamina plant.
The company employs approximately 900 and has an annual payroll
of $3,500,000.00.
"'-Review 0n,E
Seb,"OrogOI,
Generaio":gene,0r
Oregon
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ASSOCIATE . ..
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Leonard Nystrom, President
Associated Plywood Mills, Inc.
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E. R. Wentjar, Vic President
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John Gragg, General Monoger
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Lynn Norman, Secretory
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Miles E. Bachelor, Troeu.-r
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Wollace D. Greig, Comptroller
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