plant employed over 100 persons while four furniture plants did so, with 

 one plant having nearly 300 employees. Pulp and paper mills are the 

 largest in terms of employment and product value out-turn. 



These wood using industries represent long term husinesses. Of the 53 

 plants only five were in business less than seven years ; one had heen op- 

 erating less than a year (Table 6) . Their long term of business perhaps 

 reflects the renewable resource upon which they depend. Forests renew 

 themselves when protected adequately, as they have been in New Hamp- 

 shire. 



Table 6. Number of Years in Business by Employment Size Classes 



1-25 



26-100 



100 plus employees 



32.2 yrs. 60 yrs. 



6 yrs. 30 yrs. 



Average years in business 26.9 yrs. 



Minimum years in business 9 mo. 



Marketing Practices 



Sales outlets for lumber from sawmills follow a rather definite pattern. 

 For example, a mill owner who is not part of a wood-using industry or 

 marketing intermediary firm may contract to sell his output to a retailer 

 for a period of time after which he may supply other users of lumber as 

 he finds markets. Another mill owner may be a part of a wood-using in- 

 dustry under terms of a continuous contractual arrangement. Thus the 

 sawmill owners sales depend upon his position in the lumber distribution 

 system. Table 7 shows hardwood lumber destinations. This was sold 



Table 7. Sawmill Sales Outlets for Hardwood Lumber 



Marketing 

 Classification* 



Outlets 

 Wholesaler Retailer Manufacturer Consumer 



23 



* Classification based on total sales, not hardwood only. 

 t Actual number mills producing some hardwoods. 



graded with the exception of 18 percent, but buyers requested grading of 

 over half the volume before they would purchase. Two-thirds of all 

 hardwood sold was measured by the buyer's agent. This indicates an in- 

 complete knowledge of the amount sold on the part of the sawmill oper- 

 ator but also reflects the small volumes handled. 



Prices received varied according to the quality, extent of manufactur- 

 ing, volume available, and size. The range in prices reported for yard-run 

 hardwood lumber was much larger than expected. Oak price spread was 

 $60.00 per thousand board feet, maple and birch $87.00. and mixed 

 species $32.00. Table 8 shows the average prices by grades and species. 



