Partially wrapped piles had as much as 20.8 percent grade fallout. This study showed 

 that the moisture content increased 0.16 percent during the same 6-month period. Thus, 

 it appears as though proper wrapping material can help a great deal in reducing the 

 perishability of lumber in storage. 



The ability to ship banded or wrapped lumber is also a significant sales factor-- 

 particularly during late fall and through the winter- -to customers who store stocks 

 outside. It has been reported that the ability to ship wrapped lumber is the main 

 factor in maintaining production at high levels in three plants: all felt that this 

 also helped to obtain orders not requiring banding or wrapping. 



Yard material handling . --Improved material handling has become well recognized 

 not only for the distribution yard but for the retail yard as well. Clark Row reported 

 practically all retail yards sampled in the Southeastern States that had forklift 

 trucks preferred strapped shipments. ^ 



Yard area reduction . --Strapped lumber packages can be stacked safely as high as a 

 forklift can reach. This higher stacking reduces the amount of ground area required 

 for a given inventory volume. Too, sheds are not necessary. Consequently, property 

 taxes are lower. It is estimated that storage costs are reduced by two-thirds because 

 of these factors. 



Pricing aid. --Keeping the units intact until it is opportune to open them prevents 

 the dealer's customers from picking through the pile to take out the best pieces. 

 Where this picking over is done, the leftovers usually consist of poorer material for 

 the specified grade, which is difficult to sell. Oftentimes this little dab is put 

 into a lower grade at a reduced price or put into a "bargain pile" also at a lower 

 price . 



Delivery . --The loads can be dumped with less chance of breakage and will remain 

 intact; thus, it is simpler for the customer to check the volume delivered. There is 

 no scattering of pieces or individual pieces to count. Also, keeping the packages 

 banded until time to be used in construction prevents the removal of pieces beforehand. 

 There is less chance for pilferage at the job site. Practical Builder reports that 

 this is an increasingly important consideration for the builder where pilferage can 

 amount to $125 per unit being constructed.^ Not only the dollar loss but the 

 complicating of schedules can be costly. 



^Row, Clark. Changing role of retail dealers in lumber marketing. USDA Forest 

 Serv. Res. Pap. SO-7. 1964. 



^Practical Builder. Theft, vandalism, and pilferage. Bristol, Conn. July 1967. 



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