We were not seeking a merger when my phone rang and Steve Rogel first proposed it. We said no a number of times, but Steve was persistent and we finally arrived at a proposal that we are recommending to shareholders. From a financial point of view, this is a no-brainer. It's good for MB shareholders and good for Weyerhaeuser shareholders. Beyond the numbers, however, are the similar cultures of the two companies.
Some mergers get into trouble because of cultural incompatibility.
In this merger, that is a non-issue. The future for the combined companies is exciting. For the last 15 years the forest products industry has been undergoing a consolidation process. It's generally agreed that this process will continue. After this combination, Weyerhaeuser will have all the attributes to compete most effectively in that environment on a world-wide basis.