The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-07-19
GREAT CRATE MILL TAKEN
OVER BY GROWERS

/
GREAT CRATE MILL TAKEN
OVER BY GROWERS
Exchange Supply Company Has Pur-
chased the Warnell Company
Holdings
News of one of the biggest busi-
ness transactions in the state in re-
cent years comes in the formal an
RoIncement by President J. III. Ross
of the Florida Citrus Exchange, and
its affiliated organization the Ex-
change Supply Company, of the pur-
chase by the Exchange Supply Com
pany of the Warnell Lumber and We
neer Company with headquarters at
Plant City. The transaction involves
the ownership of properties valued at
approximately a million dollars or
more, through the purchase by the
Exchange Supply Company of all the
outstanding capital stock of the
Warnell Company. 1t includes the
big veneer and crate mill at Plant
City, together with various mill
buildings, warehouses, lands. lots and
other buildings. the company's saw
mill at Fort Green, the privately own
ed Warnell logging road with four
locomotives and full equipment, some
forty mules, wagons and much mis-
.eellaneous equipment.
It is estimated by Manager w. F.
Miller of the Exchange Supply Co.,
that the Warnell plant together with
the mill of the Exchange Supply Co.
already in operation at Ross in Hills
borough county and the mills of the
Poly County Sub Exchange at Lake
Wales and Avon Park will give this
CO. cooperative purchasing organization
of the growers facilities for the man
ufacture of practically all the orange
boxes required by something more
than four thousand growers who are
members of the Florida Citrus Ex-
change, and whom the Exchange
Supply Co. served exclusively. 1t is
also estimated that the timber hold
ings acquired through their purchase
when added to the present holdings of
the Exchange Supply Co. and with
the addition of another tract which
already under option, will provide a
timber supply for the box require
ments of members of the Florida Cit
rus Exchange for a period of approx
imately twenty years. Present ar
rangements provide for operation of
the Warnell plant under the old offic-
ers and management, thus assuring
the benefit of their experience in the
business, but under control of the
Exchange Supply Co.
From modest start a little more
than three years ago the Exchange
Supply Co. already is becoming a big
factor in the business of Florida.
This transaction alone will place it in
the forefront of South Florida bust
ness enterprise. while its fertilizer
factory and other departments are
also reported to be showing remark
able growth. The Exchange Supply
Co. is owned by the various local as
sociations of the Florida Citrus Ex-
change, and its transactions are con-
fined to members of that organiza-
ton. It's announced purpose is "to
make the citrus growers, who neces-
sarily are wholesale sellers, wholesale
buyers as we'll" The company how
ever, avoids any disturbance of the
retail markets by making all sales to
its members at prevailing prices. All
above the remarkably low costs of
its operation however, later is re-
turned to the purchasers in the form
of refunds which are made in proper
tion to the amount of purchases and
the profit realized thereon.
In its first year the company did
business in excess of 100000. It's
second years business exceeded $780,
900 while that for the third year,
which closed April 80, 1920, was in
excess of s1.600,000. The current
years business, it is estimated, will
approximate three million dollars.
even without the additional volume to
be gained through the purchase of the
Warnell properties. The directors of
the Exchange Supply Co. are: ]. Fl.
Ross, president, Winter Haven; D. C.
GilIett, vice president, Tampa; C. E.
Stewart Jr.. secretary and treasurer,
Tampa; P C. Peters, Winter Garden;
A. F. Wyman, Manatee; w. D. Birch
field, St. Petersburg; j. w. Sample,
Haines City; c. II. Walker, Barlow;
A. G. Hamlin, DeLand. W. F. Miller
of Tampa has managed the company
since its inception.