Excerpts from the report Introduction: This study was designed to analyze the factors influencing the changing competitive relationship among flour mills in the Pacific Slope States. Manifestations of these changing relationships are noted in a more rapid closing of flour mills, a lower utilization of capacity, and a loss of markets for the Pacific Northwest mills (Oregon, Washington, and North Idaho) when they are contrasted with the intermountain (South Idaho and Utah) and California area millers. Information on other States in the western part of the country and on key terminal markets also is analyzed. Similarly, the analysis concentrates on the period 1946-56 because the major problems and changes became effective during this period, but attention has been given also to longer term developments. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the relative influence of the various supply, demand, and internal company and plant factors which could have caused changes in the competitive relationships among flour mills in this area of the country
