Brinco Report

Brinco Limited reports a net loss for the three months
ended March 31, 1983 of $2.2 million compared with a
net loss of $2.4 million for the similar period last year.
The loss per share for the first three months of 1983 was
19 cents compared with a loss of 20 cents per share in
the previous year.

Revenue for the first quarter of 1983 was $21.9 million
down slightly from $22.8 million for the first quarter of
1982. Expenses were $24.7 million, down from $25.4
million for the similar period last year.

Asbestos and coal sales were approximately the same

for the first quarter of 1983 as for the first three months
of 1982 but weak market conditions continued.

Forest fire

_ under control

is,

The “Win” forest fire, which started on May 15,
has burned 320 hectares, to within 1% miles of
Telegraph Creek. A forestry spokesman says
they have constructed a fire guard around the

fire and it is under control.

The cause of the fire is being investigated and it
is believed it was started from brush piles being
burned on private property. Seventy-five men,
four crawler tractors and four skidders and-one
helicopter are being used to control this fire and

to date over $81,000 has been spent.

= Snowfall in the area covered by the Forestry

Department in Dease Lake was very low this

past winter. Fire hazard is rated from 1 to 5
and the present fire rating in this area is from
4 to 5so PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

Restaurant destroyed

On Monday, May 2, 1983, at 4:00 a.m. fire completely
destroyed the Mile 515 Restaurant in Dease Lake. It is
believed the fire was caused by electrical problems. Dam-
age was estimated at over $200,000 and the owner was
Richard Brown.

Dease Lake does not have a volunteer fire department so
when: a fire occurs, the Highway Dept., Forestry, RCMP
and all individuals use whatever equipment and materials
are available.

Crown land planning
in Cassiar

Randy Diehl, a planner with the Ministry of Lands,
Parks and Housing, advised that the Cassiar Crown Land
Plan is nearing the final stages of completion. The purpose
of the plan is to resolve the continuing trend of unauth-
orized development on crown land by identifying socially
and environmental acceptable sites for rural-residential,
commercial and recreational development.

The plan was first initiated last June following a public
meeting with the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing.

Since that time, an advisory planning committee
consisting of elected residents, has been established to
advise ministry officials of local needs and preferences
related to crown land development. The advisory planning
committee (APC) will remain in effect following the curr-
ent planning process to provide ongoing public input to
ministry decision makers regarding the management of
crown land in the Cassiar area.

The thrust of the planning process has been to
incorporate public preferences, to the fullest extent
possible, in the final plan. In the past year, meetings have
been held between ministry officials and APC represent-
atives and between the APC and the general public.

A final public meeting will be conducted by ministry
staff on June 10 or 11 (time to be announced). At that
time, officials will present the plan for general discussion
and public input. Information gathered from the meeting

Continued on Page 14

Cassiar Courier
the Voice of Cassia Coumury

JUNE 1983

10 cents

A Cassiar First

The ‘Grand March” performed during the first RCMP Northern Prince Rupert Subdivision Regimental Ball

held in Cassiar.

Asbestos markets — where

we stand today

The selling of asbestos does not just involve the
glamour of foreign travel and the luxury of food and
drink offered in many foreign lands, but it is rather the
function of observing and reporting on the economic
conditions that exist in the various market areas, and
with this, gaining insight into the various problems that
may affect asbestos consumption. It is important and
necessary to visit all customers in: the various market
areas to acquaint ourselves with and to respond to
problems or complaints’ with Cassiar fibre quality,
packaging, bag weights, contamination, the performance
of Cassiar fibre in the finished product and any other
areas of concern. It is important to identify the par-
ticular-needs of any customer and to work with them
on product development and improvements which will

. provide new market outlets and continuing growth in

the use of our product.

Many markets can have other types of problems apart
from those particular to the type, quantity and price of
their asbestos requirements. Problems such as foreign
exchange controls which affect the ability to pay,
import regulations, and health and safety regulations in
the use of asbestos are some, to name a few.

With regard to asbestos and health, the industry is
making a major effort to promote the use of asbestos
by promoting the safe use of asbestos and elaborate on
the benefits that asbestos and asbestos products can
provide society. Asbestos producers subscribe to a
“Code of Good Practice’, a guideline on the safe use of
asbestos. This “Code” sets out standards on the safe use
of asbestos which, when employed, meet the inter-
national standards on health and safety regulations
as prescribed for asbestos. Following such guidelines
help to ensure the continued use of asbestos, and as
producers, we have the responsibility to provide the raw
material in a safe manner, which is why we place so much
importance on our packaging and transportation.

by John Oughtred

Mr. H. R. Snyder and | attended the A.I.A. Fourth
Annual
of May. This conference was convened to discuss and
update all participants on the asbestos situation world-
wide and presentations were given on such things as
dust control at working sites, medical surveillance of
workers and product development and substitution.
The conference was attended by 185 delegates from
35 different countries. Ninety-five percent of world
asbestos. production was represented which included
delegates from the U.S.S.R., South Africa and Zim-
babwe.

Since January this year, sales trips have been made
to Japan, southeast Asia, Australia, Europe and the
U.S.A wherein be our major markets. Constant exposure
to these market areas provides the necessary. insight
into the changing market conditions so vital to our
marketing programme.

The following attempts to describe the present market
situation and how it relates to Cassiar.

In line with the current worldwide economic re-
cession, asbestos markets are suffering from a decreased
demand as is prevalent in most other commodities.

Approximately 90 percent of all asbestos production is _

consumed by the construction and automotive indus-
tries, both of which are trend indicators in» most eco-
nomies and both of which are presently experiencing

severely depressed levels of activity.

Current estimates indicate that worldwide asbestos
consumption has decreased to about 50 percent of
Capacity. consumption levels and the decline to this level
has been in effect since early 1981. Asbestos production,
as a result, has had to react by decreasing levels of out-
put in order to meet market demands. It is estimated

that worldwide asbestos production is currently oper-
Continued on Page 10

2

Biennial Conference held in Paris the first week’

ere

es

—— Si

—— ——

-

See