Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-28
MiIIwork Firms Unable
To Fill Orders Due 10
Shortage Of Material
(Second OF q Series.j
BY ROBERT j. LEWIS.

(Second OF a Series.j
BY ROBERT ]. LEWIS.
Dear Sir:
1--WE regret it is not possible for
us to fill orders for fir doors at this
time.
Yours very truly.
BLANK MFG. CO."
That's the kind of letter Wash
ington area millwork dealers are
receiving these days.
Without doors, window frames,
window sashes and other millwork
you can't build houses. Thus mill
work is involved in another of the
serious bottlenecks that have helped
prevent more building.
Cut to 40 Hours.
Shortages of lumber, which
have logged the millwork industry
throughout the country are also
hampering the District areas 10
millwork firms. All have cut down
to 40-hour week, and the lumber
shortage threatens an even shorter
work week, owners explain.
Our lumber inventory ito fill
orders on hand Is at the lowest it's
ever BEEN" said an Official of a
District area plant employing As
persons. I'VE, stopped taking orders
several weeks ago and are finishing
up contracts now on hand. Right
now, we can't take any new orders.
Some of our orders are six months
old"
Another local millwork firm
formerly needed more than a day
to take its lumber inventory. Its
supply dropped so low that an in
ventory was taken recently in an
hour and a half.
Delay Projects.
In millwork supplies there are
shortages within the shortage. Fol
example, builder may be able tt
scrape together most items and be
stymied because a few are not avail.
able. Or the product may be avail.
able, but not in the right size.
Such conditions contribute to lag.
ging home production, suppliers ex.
plain, and can be serious for individ-
ual builders. One project of A
houses is being delayed here, a sup
plier said, because the builder is un-
able to obtain window sashes.
Most Washington builders these
days are unable to place one order
for their requirements, but must
shop around, picking up few pieces
here and there.
The average moderate priced
home requires about $500 worth OF
millwork, suppliers say. Approx
mate needs are IS window frames
and sashes, 3 outside doors and door
frames, IA inside doors and door
jams, casing for doors and windows,
molding, stair work, closet shelving,
cabinets and similar items.
Mills Close Down.
Millwork is of two general cate
gories-"stock" and special"
Stock is mass-produced at COM
paratively low cost. It includes win
dow sashes and frames, doors, mold
ing, treads and risers for stairs and
stair rails.
Main sources are West Coast and
Midwest mills. A large mill in nor
NAL times may produce as many as
10000 doors a day.
According to local millwork deal
ers, several Of the largest assembly,
line mills closed down December
due to labor troubles and scarcity
of materials"
Many big stock mills tell local sup
pliers. production is squeezed be-
tween high. higher materials costs and
One wrote:
IF we don't get some price relief
we're not going to be able to manu.
facture," and added: THE price in
crease required is so large we think
our position is hopeless. We are Just
about ready to throw up the sponge. /"
1000 Employed Here.
Special millwork is custom made
according to architects details. Lo-
cal mills produce special millwork
only, though they also serve as deal
ers in stock millwork.
Bulk of local production, mill on
Gals say, is in such items as STAIR
ways, cabinet work, porch columns
and the like.
approximately 1000 persons are
employed in this District area in
dustry. OF work in actual progress,
mill officials estimated about so per
cent is on orders from home builders.
The remainder is going to industrial,
commercial and Government Gus
toners.
Home builders, however, will soon
get about rs per cent of production.
Present local output was estimated
at Is per cent of normal, with the
prospect that it will drop in the next
two months owing to the lumber
shortage. ss-.:se----s:-sas..,4ssss
Tomorrow: Brick.)