Wood And Panel US

Apex Tool Group acquires Niagra Tools

Apex Tool Group has recently announced the acquisition of specialty cutting tool manufacturer Niagara Tools of St. Catharines, Ontario; effective July 31, 2014. Niagara Tools now becomes part of Apex’s Power and Professional Tools business unit; this precision tooling, cutting and grinding manufacturer serves the North American automotive and aerospace markets and employs 40 associates.

“Niagara Tools is a strong strategic complement to our Power Tools business,” said Steve Breitzka, President and CEO of Apex. “This acquisition allows Niagara to leverage our global MVI, aerospace and industrial relationships to expand its channels, and it offers Apex significant cross-selling opportunities within Niagara’s customer base.” Niagara’s owner, Paul Brodeur, will continue in a consulting role with Apex; Bill McMaster will continue to serve as Niagara Tools’ General Manager.

“Both our organizations have a strong culture of technological innovation, focus on the customer and creating solutions within our markets,” added Martin Kuerzinger, President of Apex’s Power and Professional Tools business unit. “Niagara Tools is a dynamic addition to our Power Tools global business portfolio, and we are excited about the growth potential that lies ahead.”

“We are extremely pleased to become part of Apex’s Power Tools business, and look forward to a strong relationship,” said Paul Brodeur, owner of Niagara Tools. “Their team and brands are a recognized leader in their industries, as is Niagara Tools, and together we have tremendous opportunities for growth.”

Interfor Reports Record Sales in Q2014

INTERFOR CORPORATION reported second quarter net earnings of $21.6 million or $0.32 per share and EBITDA(1) of $47.3 million, excluding the impact of one-time items including the restructuring and impairment charges related to the permanent closure of its Beaver-Forks operation announced today. Inclusive of these charges, net earnings in the quarter were $7.4 million or $0.11 per share.

Lumber production in the second quarter was a record 582 million board feet, up 18% from the prior quarter. This growth reflects the addition of the Perry and Preston sawmills in March 2014, and higher operating rates at the Company’s BC Interior and US Southeast operations.

Record lumber sales of 628 million board feet, including wholesale and agency volumes, were driven primarily by the increase in sales from the Company’s US Southeast operations and by the draw-down of lumber inventories from the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Interfor generated $45.7 million in cash from operations before working capital changes and $41.7 million after working capital changes. Capital spending amounted to $15.9 million during the quarter.

Graco Reports Record Sales and Earnings

Graco has reported record sales and earnings for the quarter and six months ended June 27, 2014.

Sales for the quarter increased 13 percent, including increases of 15 percent in the Americas, 12 percent in EMEA (8 percent at consistent translation rates) and 7 percent in Asia Pacific. Year-to-date sales increased 10 percent, including increases of 15 percent in the Americas and 10 percent in EMEA (6 percent at consistent translation rates). Sales were flat in Asia Pacific. Sales from operations acquired in the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 totaled $10 million for the quarter (contributing 4 percentage points of growth) and $17 million year-to-date (3 percentage points of growth).

Gross profit margin, expressed as a percentage of sales, was 55 percent for both the quarter and year-to-date, down less than one percentage point from the comparable periods last year. Changes in product mix and lower margins in acquired operations contributed to the decrease in both the quarter and year-to-date. Non-recurring inventory-related purchase accounting effects of $1 millionand lower margins in acquired operations accounted for nearly half of the year-to-date decrease.

Total operating expenses for the quarter were $7½ million (9 percent) higher than second quarter last year. Year-to-date operating expenses were $13 million (8 percent) higher than last year. Expenses of acquired operations and spending on regional and product growth initiatives accounted for more than half of the increase for both the quarter and year-to-date. As a percentage of sales, total operating expenses for the quarter were 28 percent, down 1 percentage point from the second quarter last year and year-to-date operating expenses were down by one-half percentage point.

Other expense (income) included dividends received from the Liquid Finishing businesses that are held separate from the Company’s other businesses. Such dividends totaled $11 million for the quarter and $15 million year-to-date, consistent with the comparable periods of last year.

The effective income tax rate of 28 percent for the quarter was 1 percentage point lower than the comparable period last year. The decrease resulted from higher foreign earnings that are taxed at lower rates than in the U.S., partially offset by the impact of the federal R&D credit not being renewed for 2014. The effective year-to-date income tax rate of 29 percent was 1 percentage point higher than last year. Last year’s rate included the favorable impact of the R&D credit that was renewed in 2013 retroactive to the beginning of 2012. The increase in the effective rate as a result of the expiration of the R&D credit for 2014 was partially offset by the impacts of higher foreign earnings taxed at lower rates than in the U.S. and additional benefit from U.S. business deductions.

Drytac Canada Appoints Mike Wildbore as Vice President of Sales

Drytac, an international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, has recently announced the appointment of Mike Wildbore as the new Vice President of Sales for Drytac Canada. Wildbore holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Graphic Communications Management from Ryerson University and has more than 14 years of experience in the graphic arts industry.

As Vice President of Sales, Wildbore will be tasked with leading the Canadian sales team and generating new business for Drytac’s expanded adhesive coating and converting operations in Toronto.

“Mike is well known and respected in the industry,” states Marc Oosterhuis, President of the Drytac Group. “His experience in a variety of closely related markets and his understanding of multiple sales channels will be a huge asset in helping Drytac become the leading company for custom/OEM adhesive-coated products in Canada.”

Interfor Launches Top-of-the line Reserve Pine Products

Interfor Corporation has entered the niche premium board market with the launch of its new top-of-the line Reserve Pine products, turning its Gilchrist Mill in Oregon into a world-class specialty mill.

“We have invested millions of dollars to equip our Gilchrist Mill with the most advanced finishing system in the world, putting it on the map as a leader in the one-inch premium board market,” Steven Hofer, Interfor Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, stated. “With Reserve Pine, we are building value for customers by providing a high-quality product with an impeccable finished look and feel.”

Reserve Pine boards are sourced from some of the best Pine stands in North America, and manufactured to Interfor’s exacting standards. Since 2004, the Company has invested more than $15 million to upgrade its Gilchrist Mill, including $5 million in the last year to install a Weinig H5000 high-speed moulder and precision planer heads. This state-of-the-art equipment provides the accuracy needed to deliver a superb finish quality on both the faces
and edges of Reserve Pine products.

Interfor is working with strategic partners to distribute Reserve Pine products across North America, including Boise Cascade, Forest Products Supply/FP Supply, Midwest Lumber, Neiman Reed Lumber, Parksite Inc., Universal Forest Products and Weyerhaeuser.

Stan Jensen, commodity product manager of Boise Cascade, says the early response to Reserve Pine is extremely positive. “Customers like the consistently machined smoothness, and find the eased edges make the boards nice to handle,” he said. “I expect this quality product line will grow in value as more people learn about it.”

FPAC Launches Aboroginal Business Award for Forest Industry

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) has recently announced that nominations are open for the 2014 Aboriginal Business Leadership Award. The $5,000 award recognizes and celebrates First Nations entrepreneurs for their success in a forest products business that exemplifies business leadership, exceptional environmental and safety performance and the delivery of high-quality products and services. The recipient must also demonstrate a strong, long-term commitment to the Aboriginal community, particularly in supporting Aboriginal employment.

“We are delighted to once again offer an award to recognize the leadership excellence of an Aboriginal business in the forest products sector,” said David Lindsay, President and CEO of FPAC. “Under Vision2020, we are aiming to refresh our workforce with an additional 60,000 recruits by the end of the decade, and this includes increasing Aboriginal engagement through employment, business development, and entrepreneurship within our sector.”

“We are in the business of showcasing the leadership and contributions of outstanding Aboriginal business in Canada each and every day,” says JP Gladu, the President and CEO of CCAB. ”The forest products industry continues to contribute to the health and vitality of our Aboriginal communities while the success of Aboriginal businesses in this sector demonstrates our enormous accomplishments and economic potential. The Aboriginal Business Leadership Award celebrates our continued business success and is an important step on the road to ongoing sustainable economic prosperity.”

There are now approximately 1,400 Aboriginal owned businesses in Canada, and about 17,000 Aboriginal people working in the sector, making the forest products industry the largest employer for First Nations workers.

This is the fifth time that the award will be handed out. The award nominees are judged against six criteria: business leadership, longevity in the sector, employment of Aboriginal peoples, safety and environmental performance, consistency of goods and services provided and commitment to the Aboriginal community.

Nominations are due August 31, 2014. The award will be handed out in the fall of 2014.

PEFC Reviews Significant Progress in 2013

Momentum has been gathering strength in the world of sustainable forest management, propelled by issues such as climate change, but so it has at PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, as the organization started a new five-year management cycle based on its 2013-17 strategy.

“We have leveraged this pervasive momentum to achieve ever-more impactful results. At the end of 2013, nearly 260 million hectares of forests were PEFC-certified and over 15,800 companies benefitted from PEFC Chain of Custody certification. This upward trend is set to accelerate as more of the seeds we have planted over the last 13 years come to fruition”, said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Secretary General, in the Annual Review.

“Building on our momentum not only serves the world’s forests but equally the livelihoods of the millions in the communities that depend on them. Our bottom-up approach has always made PEFC the preferred option for small, family forest owners, and our collaborative ethos is fast making us the partner of choice for everyone engaged in sustainable forest management.”

The success of PEFC is also reflected by broad industry acceptance, in 2013 highlighted by the inclusion of PEFC certification into the recommendations of two highly influential industry documents: the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Guidelines and the World Business Councils for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Leadership Statement. In 2014, the finance sector followed suit, with the Banking Environment Initiative (BEI) also referencing PEFC in its Soft Commodity compact.

In light of Asia’s rapidly growing economy, in 2013 PEFC carried out an unprecedented amount of awareness raising, capacity building and training in this globally important region, and progressed on a number of important issues, including:

Accelerating forest certification

Improving support for, and advancing the development of, national forest certification systems
Delivering value to small forest owners
Strengthening market development

Advancing sustainable trade in Asia
Enabling business continuity and new opportunities as the European Timber Regulation (EUTR) took effect
Increasing awareness

Promoting PEFC certification to advance sustainable forest management
Strengthening support for certified forest owners, businesses, and consumers
“Our achievements would not have been possible without the support we are enjoying from our members, partners, and stakeholders, and we are grateful to count you as one of them,” emphasized Mr. Gunneberg.

MultiCam to Debut 8000 Series 5 Axis Router at IWF Atlanta

MultiCam has announced that it will be introducing its new 8000 Series Five-Axis Router at this year’s International Woodworking Fair (IWF), held August 20-23, 2014, in Atlanta, GA. The new 8000 Series with five-axis technology allows for the expansion of production capabilities and lower production time. MultiCam will exhibit its 8000 Series Five-Axis Router at booth #5547 during the IWF show.

The 8000 Series Five-Axis Router offers the most standard features in its class, such as a 12-position automatic tool changer, automatic tool calibration, one-piece stress relieved, steel frame, unique Ram-Z-Axis assembly and more. Its precision planetary gearboxes provide efficiency and a high-service life, while the 2,700 inch per minute rapid traverse reduces production time.

In addition, it features a high performance and easy-to-use OSAI five-axis control package for multitasking. Its touch screen interface is compatible with AlphaCam and other PC based CAD/CAM software.

The 8000 Series has the capacity to machine for a number of diverse applications including 3D carving, acrylic fabrication, thermoformed trimming, aluminum fabrication, aerospace parts, cabinetry, signs, musical instruments, and more.

Drytac Relocates its Canada office to Brampton

Drytac, an international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, has announced the relocation of its Canadian operation from Concord to Brampton, Ontario, effective June 23, 2014.

As one of a few companies with adhesive coating operations in Canada, Drytac produces a vast range of products for the graphic and industrial markets, including PVC and OPP laminating films and adhesives for labels, tags and fabric.

The relocation results in warehouse space that is now adjacent to Drytac’s manufacturing facility where two coating lines are operated. It also allows for the consolidation and expansion of Drytac’s converting operations, which include sheeting. Having both facilities in close proximity to each other will ensure a seamless transition from production to distribution.

Office space and meeting rooms with a state-of-the-art video conferencing system are also features of the new building. An application center designed to showcase the company’s self-adhesive window, wall and floor graphics solutions is expected to be completed later this year.

“Our move will allow us to serve our customers at the highest level possible,” states Richard Kelley, Drytac Chairman & CEO. “We will be able to effectively handle all business inquiries from a centralized location.”

While the address has changed, the existing phone and fax numbers for Drytac Canada will remain the same.

Masterwood Reports a Successful WoodEX

WoodEX 2014 which ran from June 5-7 was a roaring success for Masterwood. Masterwood along with its partner REM – Machine & Maintenance Solutions showcased the best of their machines to the public in a relaxed environment and gave them demonstrations of each of the flagship machines.

REM – Machine & Maintenance Solutions reported, “We had visitors from near and far. It was great to see our existing customers, in particular the ones from outside Gauteng as it gave us a great opportunity to introduce them to the rest of our enthusiastic team. The ability to meet new people who were interested in either upgrading their equipment or just simply starting in the industry was certainly exciting.”

On the other hand, as Masterwood reported, ” A successful mover at the show was Project TF100. This little CNC machine proved that you don’t have to spend packets of money to perform fast and accurate drilling and grooving. Marco Zuares (Masterwood Agent) and Technician Thinus Ferreira, kept everyone amazed at the versatility of the little TF100.”

It was further added, “I am proud to say that we had a fully operational stand, which was a rarity at the show. The noise of our machines working throughout the event certainly made us the center of attention.”

Microvellum Launches New 2014 Website

Microvellum, Inc., one of the leading cabinet design and manufacturing software providers, specializing in AutoCAD based CAD/CAM/CIM technologies, announced the launch of their new, redesigned website, www.microvellum.com, with improved navigation, better mobile device compatibility, and new online store for their new Fluid Designer product and add-ons.

“We are committed to meeting the changing needs of our customers and the launch of our new website helps reinforce our online presence, adaptability and flexibility. With visits to our website from mobile devices showing an increase of over 70% compared to last year’s numbers, getting this new site released was definitely a priority for us.” says David Fairbanks, Director of Operations for Microvellum, Inc.

“We’re also excited for the release of our new online store that will allow customers quick access to Fluid Designer products, add-ons and other assets…” continued Fairbanks.

The new responsive design features an easy-to-use, crisp and secure interface that has been developed to work with all major mobile devices including Apple’s iPhone and iPad, as well as Android, Blackberry, and Windows devices.

Homag Group acquires all voting rights in Stiles Machinery

The Homag Group acquired all voting rights in Stiles Machinery at the beginning of February, following talks between the companies that had been underway for the past year. Jürgen Köppel, the Homag Group board member who heads up the company’s Sales, Service and Marketing operations, was part of the board team that worked on the takeover of the USA’s largest machinery distributor. We talked to Jürgen Köppel about the strategy behind the acquisition, the “reindustrialization” of America and other moves the company has planned to build on the Homag Group’s position as a global market leader.

Mr. Köppel remarked, “The Homag Group’s strategy is to have its own sales and service organization presence in all relevant markets. As a first step in this direction, we either participate in minority shareholdings or set up our own sites. The American furniture market has been the world’s second largest furniture market for a considerable period of time, so it is a highly attractive market for our company. The Homag Group subsidiary Holzma had a 26.7% minority shareholding in Stiles. We knew that we had to engage with this market more effectively. After the acquisition, Stiles is now our largest sales and service organization worldwide, and it is located in the world’s second largest furniture production market.”

Laguna Tools Launches a new line of CNC Plasma Cutting Machines

Laguna's new CNC Plasma Cutter has been engineered to provide an extremely rigid platform capable of performing the most demanding jobs at a low initial investment cost. Designed for operational simplicity and incorporating features that ensure extremely accurate results, Laguna's CNC Plasma cutter is a "game-changer."

"One of our engineering goals in developing the Laguna Smartshop CNC frame structure was to develop a "scalable" design that could be used with a number of cutting platforms," said Torben Helshoj, President of Laguna Tools. "The new Laguna Plasma CNC is a great example of that concept in action." Starting from the ground up, Laguna's new CNC Plasma features a robust one-piece welded tubular steel frame that is heat treated and stress relieved. Precision-ground ball screws, helical racks and industrial linear guides ensure accuracy, repeatability and edge finish. Laguna's frame design is a significant improvement over the lightweight bolt-together designs typically found machines at this price level.

Operational simplicity and advanced machine controls are achieved through an industrial control provided by B&R Automation. High-end features such as automatic torch height control, break-away torch holder with sensor, and programmable pierce time delay, to name a few, are all standard features designed into the new machine.

New Lavido Pantry Pull-Out from Hafele Offers Unique Features for Ultimate Functionality

Hafele America Co is pleased to offer the Lavido Pantry Pull-Out as a stylish storage solution that offers superior functionality.

“The Lavido addresses the growing need to fully utilize small spaces in the kitchen, and ensures functionality and accessibility by anyone, regardless of their ability,” said Daniel Tripp, product manager for Häfele. “With the advanced technology in the system, minimal physical effort is required to fully utilize this product.”

As one gently pull on the handle, all of the shelves extend evenly, while the soft-open feature allows it to fully glide out on its own. Additionally, the soft-close feature prevents the shelves from slamming back into the pantry and ensures smooth operation.

The pantry trays have a non-slip surface to keep stored items from sliding while the shelves are moving. Once in its extended position, the Lavido provides full access to shelves from all three sides to increase functionality and flexibility.

“In addition to the smooth operation, the Lavido gives homeowners the option to create customized storage,” said Tripp. “Customers can choose between four to six shelves, which can easily be adjusted to accommodate stored items.”

The Lavido needs a minimum inside cabinet depth of 19 11/16” to function, and each shelfcan hold up to 44 lbs.Pantry trays are made of melamine and steel, and come in three finishes; chrome/maple, chrome/gray and chrome/white. The pantry frame is made of steel with a silver finish.

Drytac Announces Custom Adhesive Coating Website

Drytac the international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products with locations throughout North America and Europe, has recently launched a new website to promote its custom adhesive coating services.

DrytacCoating.com provides detailed information on the adhesive coating, converting, slitting, and sheeting capabilities offered by Drytac as well as typical applications for which customized solutions can be developed. Furthermore, the website outlines coating specifications for hotmelt, emulsion and solvent-based pressure sensitive and heat reactive adhesive systems; substrates that can be utilized for custom coating purposes; and quality assurance and testing processes used throughout Drytac's facilities.

There's often a misconception that the volumes for custom coating a permanent or removable adhesive have to be huge, notes Marc Oosterhuis, President of the Drytac Group. "However, Drytac can provide bespoke coating runs from 5,000 to 500,000 feet for potential customers."

HOMAG Group sets new record in Holz Handwerk

As the biggest exhibitor at the fair, once again this year attendance at the Holz-Handwerk HOMAG Group has paid dividends for the HOMAG Group. With machine technology on show over an area of 1,700 square meters to suit any size and scale of woodworking shop, HOMAG City proved a real magnet to trade visitors at the show.

Machines were humming, chips were flying and visitors came in their droves: It was full steam ahead at the Holz-Handwerk in Nuremberg with a new visitor record and an unprecedented degree of interest by joiners and woodworking shops. The outcome for the HOMAG Group: notebooks bursting with promising new customer contacts and received orders exceeding all expectations.

Under the trade fair banner "Growing with the HOMAG Group", the company provided tangible proof of how joinery firms and woodworking shops can grow with the utmost simplicity using individual technology modules from the HOMAG Group: Whether furniture and window production, software solutions or energy-saving ecoPlus technology. There were 30 machines demonstrating in continuous operation live at the show, the aisles were buzzing with punters and the air was filled with the unmistakable hum of business being done.

'The Holz-Handwerk is buzzing and we are the one setting the trends. With visitor numbers at over 108,000, this year's fair has broken all previous records. We welcomed visitors from 46 countries to 'HOMAG City', and the value of new orders received was more than 10% up on the last show two years ago. The visitors were enthused by our innovations and our trade fair concept?, says Head of Central Marketing Alexander Prokisch.

Hettich gets a Red Dot Award for Sensys

Hettich gets yet another prize for the Sensys wide-angle hinge, now receiving the "Product Design 2014″ Red Dot Award. Like the Sensys profile door hinge, it has also won the iF Product Design Award 2014.

'The Sensys hinge has proven to be a real success story', Dr. Andreas Hettich says. "When we presented the Sensys hinge generation with integrated Silent System for the first time, it left the Red Dot Award's jury in no doubt and received the prize in the "Product Design 2008″ category. We are delighted that the Sensys wide angle-hinge and profile door hinge versions have also triumphed in prestigious design competitions, such as the Red Dot Award and the iF Product Design Award. At the same time, this acknowledgement also confirms we are setting benchmarks in the furniture industry with products of technical excellence."

Sensys wide-angle hinge
The Sensys wide-angle hinge gives furniture doors a wide opening angle and closes them evenly and gently. The invisibly integrated Silent System leaves no margin of doubt with its outstanding performance: exceptionally wide self-closing angle of 35 degree, ideal Silent System function over a temperature range of +5 degree C to +40 degree C, maximum access from a 165-degree opening angle. Zero protrusion permits the use of internal drawers without spacer profiles.

Chinese Casket Manufacturer Pushes Big Promotion

Millionaire Casket, a well known Chinese casket manufacturer has currently launched a big casket promotion in the United States. Importantly the products, which are being showcased, are offered at a discounted price of 30%.

A spokesman of the company revealed that the aim of this particular promotion is to help the casket distributors all over the globe and they are specifically focusing on the United State’s market. Leveraging the network of the firm, Millionaire Casket has established a strong reputation in the target markets of the United States. By launching this promotion, the particular casket manufacturers want to gain a considerable competitive edge as they are offering quality products at a low price, when compared to the United States based casket producers, belonging to the same market segment.

Each of the caskets made by Millionaire Casket comes with a special locking system which indicates that the casket will be hard to open once it’s locked. Along with solid wood caskets the company also offers cremation caskets, veneer caskets and even metal caskets.

According to the spokesperson of the firm “Our products have been popular worldwide for many years. Each of our staff keeps it in mind that only quality construction, quality interior, quality hardware and quality finish, can make high quality products. We are now launching the promotion to expand our customer service operations”.

The recent promotion is likely to enhance the brand reputation of this premier solid wood casket manufacturer and consequently it will impact their market penetration in the particular country. Millionaire Casket is a long established and well-known China casket manufacturer. The company has gained recognition by making every product with full concentrated and providing attention in the minute details, as demanded by the consumers. The company is also known for its pre-sale service and after-sale services, as part of their promotional effort.

My Cleaning Products Recommend Product to Kill

My Cleaning Products offered to help the pests' victims and recommended to them a product to kill termites right as the increasing termite problems reportedly caused by summer rains.

Problems on termites have been recently increasing, especially in Florida. And according to a report from wtsp.com posted on September 12, 2013, one pest-control exterminator suspected that it was the summer's rain fault. Wanting to help the residents and other victims kill termites right, My Cleaning Products then recommended an organic-based product.

The exterminator said in the report that the rain moistened the ground and made it easy for, specifically, subterranean termites to move from place to place, My Cleaning Products shared. Also, it added that the downpour soaked the woods, which supplied those insects more foods.

In the report, that pest exterminator was identified to be Jeff McChesney of a local pest-control company, detailed MCP. It relayed that he was in the said industry for more than 20 years already.

However, the news article suggested that other pest experts had a more specific view about rain causing the increase of termite problems, related MCP. As they said, the downpour more like raised the activities of the termites than their number, it elaborated.

Here is an excerpt from the article Rain Possible Cause of Termite Problem Increase by My Cleaning Products.

“Pest control companies said that they were receiving more calls about termites than ever before. And that is especially true in Florida. But could rain be one of the reasons behind the increase?
A termite exterminator in one local pest-control company believes that the downpours really got something to do with the growing termite problems. His name is Jeff McChesney. He's been in the pest-control business for 20 years but said that he had never seen more termites than today.”

My Cleaning Products said that termites could cause a huge damage even before they are discovered. Based on the report, it shared that it could be as high as $8000. Because of that, it said that one must take steps to discover them early. And the solution to that, it stated, is regular inspection.

However, termite treatment doesn't end there, it said. The inspection, it asserted, must be followed by termite elimination. And to make it inexpensive, effective and safe, it recommended a DIY pest-control with the use of Termite Bully. However, it stressed that personal termite elimination must only be implemented if one is sure that he could handle the work.

Source: PR Web

Minister Oliver Discusses Responsible Resource

Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, discussed important actions resulting from the Government’s work on engaging Canadians to increase jobs, energy security and environmental stewardship. Minister Oliver delivered his remarks at Google’s ThinkEnergy! Summit.

“Canada must diversify its energy markets, since virtually all of our oil and gas exports go to the United States, whose recent discoveries mean it will need Canadian resources less in the future,” said Minister Oliver. “Our plan for Responsible Resource Development involves meaningful engagement with Canadians across our country to enhance Canadian jobs, energy security and the environment.”

This critical dialogue supports 1.8 million Canadian jobs, almost a fifth of our country’s economy, $30 billion in revenue to governments to support critical social programs and over half of our exports. Experts have found that resource development has positive benefits across our country, including indirect jobs in manufacturing and other industries. However, we have been clear — no project can be approved unless it can be proven to be safe for the environment.

The Government’s actions to date include:

•    Introducing new fines — that have come into force — that will preventively address contraventions to environmental laws in the pipeline sector quickly so larger issues do not arise in the future, these fines can range from $25,000 to a maximum of $100,000 per day;
•    Increasing annual oil and gas pipeline inspections by 50 percent and doubling comprehensive audits of pipelines;
•    Creating a Tanker Safety Expert Panel that will review Canada’s current system and propose new ways to bring Canada’s tanker safety system to world-class status;
•    Legislative measures that would require a minimum financial capability of $1 billion for all major crude oil pipelines;
•    Legislative measures that would increase in absolute liability for companies operating in Canada's Atlantic and Arctic offshore to $1 billion; and
•    Appointing a Special Federal Representative who will report to the Prime Minister on key issues regarding Aboriginal participation in the development of the West Coast’s energy infrastructure.

Canada is the first country in the world with regulations banning the construction of new coal-fired power plants that use traditional technology. Canada also now requires all existing coal plants to shut down on a schedule that reflects their economic life — the first country in the world to do so.

To address emissions in the transportation sector, the government put in place regulations to reduce emissions from light- and heavy-duty vehicles. It committed to introducing new GHG regulations for the oil and gas sector. Once these regulations are in place, Canada will be one of a handful of oil exporters with national binding regulations on its oil and gas sector.

The Government of Canada will continue work with all stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments and Aboriginal groups, to balance economic, social and environmental considerations in the development of Canada’s energy resources.

NAHB Sponsored A Conference

On September 17, 2013, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) sponsored Building a Better Future: America’s Housing at a Crossroads, a series of in-depth discussions at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

This free event, hosted by CQ Roll Call, gathered members of Congress, their staff, industry and association leaders and other key stakeholders together to examine the future of the housing market.

Topics that will be covered include:
• Demographics: The Outlook for Housing Demand and Production
• Financing Housing: GSE Reform and Sensible Mortgage Lending
• Tax Reform: Potential Effects on Homeownership and the Economy

Keynote speakers include U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). Panel sessions feature industry experts from NAHB, Harvard University, the Center for Responsible Lending, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and more.

Canada's Minister Of Natural Resources Visits United States Secretary of Energy

The Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, met Dr. Ernest Moniz, United States Secretary of Energy, to discuss the Canada–U.S. energy relationship and opportunities for future cooperation. He reinforced Canada's position as the largest and most responsible energy supplier to America and Canada's interest in enhancing North American energy security, jobs and environmental protection.

“Canada and the United States share the largest, most secure and significant energy relationship in the world,” said Minister Oliver. “Enhancing our bilateral energy collaboration will strengthen economic opportunity, energy security and environmental responsibility.”

Secretary Moniz and Minister Oliver discussed ways in which the Department of Energy and Natural Resources Canada can enhance their level of collaboration on energy and environmental issues. Potential areas include maintaining safe and modern energy infrastructure, supporting efficient energy use, exerting joint global leadership on energy and environmental issues and developing unconventional oil and gas resources responsibly.

Minister Oliver indicated that Canada has taken aggressive action to build on its exemplary record of environmental stewardship. Measures taken to date include banning coal-fired plants using traditional technology and decreasing oil sands emissions by 26 percent per barrel from 1990 to 2011. In fact, 77 percent of Canada’s electricity mix is generated from non-emitting sources.

“Canada supports the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline because it is in the national interest of both our countries,” said Minister Oliver. “It would enhance energy security, create thousands of jobs and generate significant revenue for governments to support critical social programs. Approval would displace oil from Venezuela which has repeatedly threatened to cut off its supply to the United States and has the same or higher emissions as the oil sands, with less stringent regulations. The U.S. State Department also concluded that Keystone XL will not have a significant impact on global GHG emissions.”

“Our two nations’ shared commitment to democracy, free markets and the rule of law underpin why Canada and the United States have the world’s most successful commercial relationship, about $2 billion in trade every day,” added Minister Oliver. “Our government looks forward to working with the U.S. and Secretary Moniz to strengthen our energy relationship, realize shared economic benefits, advance energy security and improve environmental protection.”

Congress Members Proposed Revision Of EPA Rule

Last month, US House of Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Alan Nunnelee (R-MS) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the agency to revise the proposed formaldehyde rule to harmonize more closely with the existing California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations.

Rep. Matsui was the chief sponsor of the authorizing legislation in the House and remains highly vested in the outcome. Citing the severe impact on American manufacturing, the letter requests EPA follow CARB’s approach by exempting laminated products and finished goods from redundant testing. In EPA’s current proposed rule laminated and finished products would be subject to similar testing requirements as panel manufacturers. CPA’s Board recently voted to approve the position that certain laminated hardwood plywood products should not be subject to new regulation by EPA.

The CPA-convened Federal Wood Industries Coalition (FWIC) will be submitting a letter to EPA later this week that reinforces Rep Matsui’s position while addressing additional concerns with the rule.

Sawmills & Wood Production Market Research Report

The Sawmills and Wood Production industry has experienced rotten conditions during the past decade due to falling prices, a cooling Canadian housing market and, and the US housing market's collapse and slow recovery; demand for the industry's lumber is projected to remain relatively low during the next five years, although export markets in China will prove more lucrative, particularly because operators will need to find buyers for lumber affected by the ongoing pine beetle infestation in British Columbia.For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Sawmills & Wood Production industry to its growing industry report collection.

The Sawmills and Wood Production industry has experienced rotten conditions during the past decade due to falling prices, a cooling Canadian housing market and, from 2006 to 2011, the US housing market's collapse and slow recovery. The past five years have included severe drops in revenue and welcome rebounds, particularly thanks to record-high demand for lumber from China and the US single-family homebuilding market's resurgence in 2012 and 2013. Industry revenue is expected to have fallen at an annualized rate of 0.7% during the past five years, but this rate obscures the period's volatility: revenue fell 21.5% in 2009, but bounced back 14.3% in 2012. In 2013, industry revenue is expected to fall 2.0% to total $11.2 billion in response to rapid production from the previous year and anemic growth in Canadian housing markets.

“Suboptimal production volumes have lowered profit margins for the average industry company,” says IBISWorld industry analyst Matthew MacFarland. “Profit margins, measured by earnings before interest and taxes, have declined from 4.3% of revenue in 2008 to 2.4% in 2013.” As a result of shrinking margins, many companies have exited the industry, consolidated operations or reduced employment. Consequently, the number of companies operating in the industry is estimated to have decreased at an annualized rate of 5.6% to 1,154 over the five years to 2013.

The Sawmills and Wood Production industry has a relatively low level of concentration. The three largest companies in the industry are Canfor, West Fraser and Resolute Timber Products. Industry concentration has risen substantially during the past five years. As housing demand in the United States and Canada began to improve markedly in 2012, concentration rose rapidly as the industry's larger companies were better able to increase output to match demand.

“Demand for the industry's lumber is projected to remain relatively low during the next five years,” says MacFarland. “While the US housing market is projected to grow rapidly during the next five years, Canadian lumber will find difficulty capitalizing on the market as the Canadian dollar continues to appreciate.” Export markets in China will prove more lucrative, particularly because operators will need to find buyers for lumber affected by the ongoing pine beetle infestation in British Columbia. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Sawmills & Wood Production in Canada industry report page.

Source: PR Web

Apartment and Condominium Market Gains Momentum in Second Quarter

Production of apartments and condominiums gained momentum in the second quarter of 2013, according to the latest Multifamily Production Index (MPI), released today by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The index increased nine points to 61, which is the highest reading since its inception in 2003.

The MPI measures builder and developer sentiment about current conditions in the apartment and condominium market on a scale of 0 to 100. The index and all of its components are scaled so that any number over 50 indicates that more respondents report conditions are improving than report conditions are getting worse.

The MPI provides a composite measure of three key elements of the multifamily housing market: construction of low-rent units, market-rate rental units and “for-sale" units, or condominiums. In the second quarter of 2013, the MPI component tracking builder and developer perceptions of market-rate rental properties rose six points to 67, the 11th straight quarter above 50; for-sale units had a significant increase of 16 points to 58, which is the highest reading since the second quarter of 2005; and low-rent units increased five points to 60.

“Multifamily developer confidence is currently at an all-time high according to our survey results, and we expect to see that continue for the foreseeable future,” said W. Dean Henry, CEO of Legacy Partners Residential in Foster City, Calif., and chairman of NAHB’s Multifamily Leadership Board. “Much of the consumer demand that we are now seeing is coming from a large generation of young people who are able to find jobs and establish their own households as the economy continues to improve.”
The Multifamily Vacancy Index (MVI), which measures the multifamily housing industry's perception of vacancies, rose four points to 42. With the MVI, lower numbers indicate fewer vacancies. After peaking at 70 in the second quarter of 2009, the MVI improved consistently through 2010 and has been at a fairly moderate level since 2011.

Historically, the MPI and MVI have performed well as leading indicators of U.S. Census figures for multifamily starts and vacancy rates, providing information on likely movement in the Census figures one to three quarters in advance.

“The apartment and condo sector continues to expand production,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This increased level of activity is needed to meet current demand and to compensate for a serious lack of new units developed during the housing downturn.”

AWC/CWC Publish Environmental Product Declarations

Six total EPDs for North American wood products are now available.

The American Wood Council (AWC) and Canadian Wood Council (CWC) have announced the release of two new environmental product declarations (EPDs) for laminated veneer lumber and wood I-joists. Environmental Product Declaration logoThis latest announcement brings the available EPD total for North American wood products to six. The previous four (released in May) include softwood lumber, softwood plywood, oriented strand board, and glued laminated timber.

EPDs are standardized tools that provide information about the environmental footprint of the products they cover. The North American wood products industry has taken its EPDs one step further by obtaining third-party verification from UL Environment, a business unit of Underwriters Laboratories and an independent certifier of products and their sustainable attributes. The EPDs provide building teams with science-based information on environmental impacts and facilitate more informed building material choices.

Based on international standards (ISO 14025 and ISO 21930), EPDs have worldwide applicability and include information about product environmental impacts such as use of resources, global warming potential, emissions to air, soil and water, and waste generation. The ISO standards for development of EPDs require periodic refreshment of the underlying industry data used in their development. CORRIM researchers are in the process of contacting mill staff in order to obtain current data to validate the EPDs.

Webchance 2013 Held Successfully

Webchance 2013 gets off to a successful start 2,000 trade visitors explore range of multi-channel solutions for the retail sector.

Held from August 24-25, 2013, the new Webchance trade fair in Frankfurt gave retailers valuable tips on effective online advertising and sales. The event was held parallel to international consumer goods fair Tendence and its presentation forum – featuring over 20 presentations – was attended by an estimated 2,000 trade visitors. Many of the visitors also took the opportunity to interact with the 27 exhibitors from the online sector and to consult the advice forum for information on online and legal issues.

Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt:

“The high level of visitor involvement at the event is a clear sign that the concept is a winning one. Many stationary retailers have used Webchance to find out about the potential of the internet as an additional sales channel and as a tool for cultivating customer loyalty. This means that we were able to offer the trade visitors real added value for their business.”

For their part, exhibitors were also very satisfied with Webchance’s debut event. To quote Steffen Griesel, Managing Director of e-commerce fullservice provider plentymarkets: “The fact that Webchance is held at the same time as Tendence convinced us to get on board – after all, the retail sector is a very interesting target group for us. As online retail sales are growing while those of stationary retailers are stagnating or even falling, we see enormous potential for new customers here. Most of the visitors to our stand were retailers who had no first-hand experience of online sales. This initial contact allowed us to give them insight into the world of online opportunities. In the follow-up stage, we will see whether these contacts translate into new customers.”

Stefan Zessel, Partner Relations Team Leader at shopware AG, commented: “It’s a pity that Webchance was not held on the Monday and Tuesday as well, as we were very taken with the underlying concept of the event. During the trade fair, we were approached by many visitors who were very interested in our online shop software. At Tendence, there is plenty of as yet untapped potential, for instance in gift retailing.”

Ricky Arora, Senior Marketing Advisor at RegioHelden GmbH, an agency for measurable internet advertising, was equally positive in his outlook: “Online shopping is taking on increasingly detailed forms – for example ‘google-shopping’ – which in turn leads retailers to
seek professional advice for their online activities. Because of this, the Webchance trade fair concept is in keeping with current trends and is sure to be a great success. The trade fair was a resounding success for us. We secured new customers and have already
finalised several new contracts – and so are planning to exhibit again next year.”

The speakers were also positive about the new trade fair – not least online marketing expert and author Dr. Torsten Schwarz:

“Webchance has provided a great service to the many stationary retailers who came to Frankfurt to attend Tendence, offering them a tailor-made forum for information, advice and interaction. And this is all thanks to the unique pairing of Webchance with a major trade fair like Tendence. When I recall the many questions put by participants to the high-calibre speakers, I have no doubt that there is a very real need for Webchance. Many of the retailers in attendance were given very specific answers to their questions about their online and ecommerce activities.

Happily, the many valuable pointers and authentic experiences that were related by the speakers helped them to overcome these reservations. I am already looking forward to the next Webchance.”

2014 NAHBGreen Awards Registration Begins

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is now accepting submissions for its 2014 NAHBGreen Awards. Each year, NAHB recognizes individuals, companies and organizations for excellence in residential green design and construction practices and for green building program and advocacy efforts.

The awards will be presented on Feb. 5 during an event held in conjunction with the 2014 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

“In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in green building, and the industry has responded by designing and constructing high-performance homes that reflect not only green and energy efficient principles, but also innovative design,” said NAHB Chairman Rick Judson, a home builder from Charlotte, N.C. “Each year, NAHB recognizes the very best work in this sector in its NAHBGreen Awards.”

In an effort to create a more streamlined submission process and to make it easier and quicker for applicants to apply, the applications for all Project of the Year categories have been revised this year and can be submitted online. The awards are open to both NAHB members and non-NAHB members. To be eligible for the Green Project of the Year categories, projects must have been started no earlier than January 2010 and substantially completed by December 2013.

Categories include: Project of the Year—Single Family, Project of the Year—Multifamily, Project of the Year—Remodel, Project of the Year—Green Site Development, and Advocate of the Year.

All homes and developments must be scored to either the 2008 or 2012 ICC-700 National Green Building Standard®, to ensure fair comparisons for judging purposes. This can be done by downloading the scoring spreadsheets at homeinnovation.com/greenscoring.

All entries must be received by Oct. 15, 2013. Application fees are $250 for Project of the Year categories and $150 for the Advocate of the Year award.

Higher Mortgage Rates Prompt Pause in New-Home Sales in July

Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 13.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 394,000 units in July as higher mortgage rates prompted a temporary pause in buying activity, according to newly released data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“The drop-off in sales in July is in part a reflection of buyers’ reaction to the recent uptick in mortgage rates as people reassess their budgets to determine how much house they can afford,” said Rick Judson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Charlotte, N.C. “Consumers just need a little time to adjust to the new parameters of the market.”

“New-home sales figures refer to newly signed contracts to purchase a home, rather than a completed sale, and it’s likely that the higher rates caused some buyers to delay putting pen to paper,”

explained NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “However, there is still a great deal of pent-up demand for homes in markets nationwide, and builders continue to report improving consumer interest. This suggests that what we’re seeing is a temporary pause, and that buyers will return to the market once they are confident that the higher mortgage rates are here to stay.”

Every region recorded lower new-home sales in July, with declines of 5.7 percent, 12.9 percent, 13.4 percent and 16.1 percent reported for the Northeast, Midwest, South and West, respectively. Meanwhile, the inventory of new homes for sale edged up to 171,000 units in July, which is a 5.2 month supply at the current sales pace.

Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2013 Results

Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Results for the second quarter of 2013 include:

• Revenues of $1.3 billion, flat with the second quarter of 2012.
• Operating income of $49 million compared to operating income of $92 million for the prior year period. Second
quarter 2013 operating income reflected lower gross profit, which includes idling expense related to planned plant
maintenance. The decrease in operating income was partially offset by lower business realignment costs and the
positive impact of savings from the shared services agreement with Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (“MPM”).
• Net loss of $(28) million versus net income of $28 million in the prior year period. Second quarter 2013 results reflect the same factors impacting operating income.
• Segment EBITDA totaled $118 million compared to $145 million during the prior year period.

“While our overall results trailed the prior year, we were pleased to post record Segment EBITDA within our Forest Products Resins segment, which was partially offset by our epoxy business,” said Craig O. Morrison, Chairman, President and CEO.

“Our forest products results reflected continued strength in North American housing and our past restructuring initiatives, particularly in Europe, as well as our strong performance in Latin America and the Asia Pacific region. We also experienced Segment EBITDA gains in our phenolic specialty resins business during the second quarter of 2013 versus the prior year, which was offset by softer results in our specialty and base epoxy resins and Versatic derivatives businesses."

“Looking ahead, we continue to expect that our overall volumes will be moderately higher in 2013 compared to 2012,” Morrison said. “We believe we are well positioned for long term growth due to our strategic investments in high-growth markets and our new product development initiatives, such as our OilPlus™ proppant technology. Based on our successful refinancing activity in early 2013, we also continue to benefit from our long-dated debt maturity profile and significant liquidity.”

Furniture Fastest-Growing Manufacturing Industry in USA

Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector expanded again in June, after a brief decline in May, according to the Institute of Supply Management. The fastest growing industry sector was furniture and related products. Wood product manufacturers also reported growth. Unemployment in the US remained unchanged at 7.6% in June, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Consumer confidence in the US economy gained significantly in June, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index. Growth in wealth (higher home values and stocks) supported the positive economic outlook, even though jobs and wages have not improved.
Upper income households in particular were more confident in their economic outlook. Lower income households reported declining or stable incomes. Confidence in the housing market also improved. Consumers thought that conditions are favourable for both buying and selling homes.

Builder confidence in newly built single-family homes improved significantly in June. The National Association of Home Builders reports an 8 point increase in the Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The index is over 50 for the first time since 2006.

Builders’ confidence is supported by the prospect of over 1 million housing starts this year, a 29% increase from 2012. The supply of homes on the market remains tight, and demand from buyers is expected to fuel new home construction.

US housing starts rose by 6.8% in May to reach 914,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. The increase was primarily in multi-family housing. Single-family starts remained almost unchanged from the previous month. The US South saw the strongest increase in housing starts (+17.8%). Starts in the West grew by 5.7%, while they declined in the Northeast (-9.0%) and in the Midwest (-13.7%).

Source: ITTO

Weinig Successful at Las Vegas Fair

The biggest woodworking fair for the North American market, held in Las Vegas in late July, went very well for WEINIG. In a generally optimistic atmosphere, the WEINIG stand met with great public interest. The number of new orders was much higher than expected. “We are very pleased,” commented Jason Howell, President of WEINIG USA and Holz-Her U.S., on the outcome of the fair. With more than 500 exhibitors and a substantial increase in visitors, Las Vegas was a successful event. This shows that the slight signs of recovery on the North American timber market are ongoing.

MultiCam Concluded Performance Development Plan Pilot Program

MultiCam, Inc., a Dallas-based manufacturer of computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting solutions, recently concluded their six month performance development plan (PDP) pilot program that included utilizing the ShadowmatchUSA solution.

The Shadowmatch Behavioral Benchmarking System arms leaders with deep insights into each employee’s behaviors, habits, skills and deficits. This enables managers to develop individuals with far greater precision and success while also empowering every aspect of workforce development.

“To test and refine the process before a management-wide roll-out, we began with a pilot group from different areas of the organization. We integrated ShadowmatchUSA into the initiative because of its breath of programs,” said Kris Hanchette, president, MultiCam. “Ultimately, we selected Shadowmatch’s team development and PDP features and are extremely happy with the outcomes.”

In addition to the professional assessments, separate group meetings were held with Mentee and Mentor groups. In the monthly meetings, roles, responsibilities, timeline and desired outcomes were discussed.

Shadowmatch suggests behaviors for development for individuals based on team benchmarks. In each case, MultiCam gave two suggestions to the Mentees’ manager (not Mentor) and allowed the manager to make the final decision.

The outcomes speak for themselves:
•        Participants said this program increased their job satisfaction and demonstrated the company’s desire to help individuals succeed.
•        Each team member developed new ways of looking at things, or new behaviors based on development plan.
•        One specific example is a manager who was extremely low on Propensity to Change and that became the Habit addressed in his development plan. After several months working with a mentor, a major restructure was needed for his department. Prior to going through this process, this manager might have chosen to leave the organization rather than participate in the departmental change. The change was made with no departmental fall-out. This process allowed the organization to keep a valued member of the team.

Victorian Woman of the Year Says Forestry Needs a Makeover

Michelle Freeman, this year's Victorian Woman of the year says forestry needs to work harder to drop the stereotype of an old lumberjack holding an axe. She is using her $10,000 prize to hold workshops across Australia with the aim of rebranding forestry to make it vibrant and exciting.

Her personal encounters with the frustrating queries about her profession makes her go satirical. She attempts to break through with the pre-conceived notion of the common people about forestry. She wants to elaborate that forestry is not only about logging, or being a hard core greenie tree-hugger and definitely not about arranging flowers.

"So these ideas about what a forester is are really just so different and it sort of proves to me that we haven't very done well at communicating about what a forester is", this is what makes her belief stronger that the countenance of forestry needs a drastic change.

It was a love of camping and being among nature that first drew her to a career managing public forests.

"Our forests are so beautiful and have so many different values: conservation, recreation and the renewal resource of timber production," she said. "In my career I want to do all I can to ensure we manage the forests sustainably, so they can provide all these values."

Exhibitor Prepare For WMS 2013

The Woodworking Machinery and Supply Expo (WMS), billed as Canada's largest woodworking event, is in the works. The dates will be October 24-26, 2013, and the venue will be the International Centre in Toronto.

WMS will feature Canada’s largest exhibition of woodworking machinery, software, hardware, components and other products. More than 5,000 woodworking professionals, including those involved in the manufacture of furniture, cabinet and millwork are expected to attend the show.

A WMMA pavilion will once again be offered. WMMA will host a booth that allows visitors to learn about the association and its members. At the same time, visitors can visit the exhibits of member companies, resulting in more exposure for American-made products and machinery. WMS will have 10 x 10 booths available to WMMA members, for a discounted rate of $2,700 (Canadian), plus tax and any applicable fees (equipment rental, area cleaning, etc.) Exhibitors will benefit from advance publicity as well as showtime exposure to all attendees.

The 2013 edition of WMS also will include a conference program focusing on business and technical topics for wood products managers and owners, plus special demonstrations on the expo floor.

NAHB Reports Rebound In The Second Quarter

Confidence in the remodeling market rebounded in the second quarter of 2013 with the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) rising six points to 55, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The rise in existing home sales and increased demand for remodeling projects contributed to the positive report.

An RMI above 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is higher (compared to the prior quarter) than report it is lower. The overall RMI averages ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future remodeling activity.

“Remodelers are feeling optimistic about the home improvement market during what has turned out to be an uneven recovery,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw, GMR, GMB, CGP, a remodeler from Houston. “The RMI future market results are especially promising. Not only do remodelers have projects booked for the next few months, but they also have more work coming in the door.”

The future market indicators component of the RMI increased to 56 from the previous quarter level of 48. Current market conditions rose from 50 in the previous quarter to 54. All of the indicators of future activity (i.e. calls for bids, work committed for three months, backlog, and appointments) were over 50 for the first time in eight years.

“Remodelers’ positive sentiment is directly related to increased demand for their services. Rising home prices are making remodeling jobs possible for more homeowners while existing home sales provide additional momentum as home owners prepare their homes for market,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

NAHB Proposes To Make Changes In PATH Act

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) informed Congress of its work with lawmakers to make changes to the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners (PATH) Act legislative proposal to ensure that it provides the federal support necessary to maintain a strong and liquid housing finance system.

Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, NAHB CEO Jerry Howard urged the committee to modify the PATH Act to make sure that the federal government continues to provide a backstop for a reliable and adequate flow of affordable housing credit in all economic and financial conditions.

“NAHB believes federal support is particularly important to ensure that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages, the bedrock of the nation’s housing finance system since the 1930s, remain available at reasonable interest rates and terms,” said Howard. “As currently drafted, the PATH Act does not provide the federal support necessary to ensure a strong and liquid housing finance system, and we urge the committee to make the necessary changes.”

There are some positive elements in the PATH Act, and NAHB agrees that private capital must be the dominant source of mortgage credit, Howard said. However, ensuring the safety and stability of the housing finance system cannot be left entirely to the private sector.

NAHB has recommended to the committee that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be gradually phased into a private sector oriented system, where the federal government’s role is explicit but its exposure is limited. Federal support would be limited to catastrophic situations where carefully calibrated levels of private capital and insurance reserves would be depleted before any public funds were employed to shore up the mortgage market.

NAHB also urged House lawmakers to modify the sections of the bill outlining changes to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

“The PATH Act would drastically diminish FHA’s vital liquidity mission,” said Howard. “By simultaneously leaving all federal support for housing to FHA, and then by greatly reducing the overall scope and reach of FHA’s programs, the PATH Act would greatly limit homeownership and rental housing opportunities for many financially responsible and qualified Americans.”

Because there is currently a great deal of uncertainty among consumers and home builders due to the unresolved debate on reforming the housing finance system and the government sponsored enterprises, Howard urged the committee to move forward in a careful, prudent manner to provide needed assurance for the industry and consumers.

AWFS-Just a few hours to go!

All set for AWFS? Its now only a few hours to go for AWFS, the most happening woodworking and furnishing supply trade fair in North America. Industrialists throughout the world have already flocked in Vegas to witness the show which officially begins tomorrow, July 24.

Every two years, thousands of serious woodworking professionals gather at AWFS®Fair to keep their businesses productive, competitive and on the cutting edge. Gain unparalleled access to the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, lumber, construction materials and other suppliers to the furniture, cabinet manufacturers and custom woodworkers.

Hope to see you all tomorrow. We will be at our booth #6429. Come and grab your own copy of our magazine.

Don't forget to scan the CD cover, you might win some exciting prizes!

Resolute Coordinates With Lac-Megantic Community

Resolute Forest Products Inc. has offered the municipality of Lac-Mégantic a significant volume of lumber to help rebuild the downtown core that was devastated by the recent train derailment and explosion.

In a letter to Lac-Mégantic Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche, Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Resolute Forest Products, announced the donation to the community for the reconstruction of public and community buildings.

"Despite the days that have passed since this terrible tragedy, we still have difficulty finding the right words and gestures to express our compassion and support for the people of Lac-Mégantic," stated Richard Garneau. "As a large company in Quebec, we believe we have an important role to play in assisting the community during this difficult time. The people of Lac-Mégantic are in our thoughts."

Headquartered in Montréal, Resolute Forest Products has over 5,000 employees in Québec and more than 8,000 in North America. The Company plays an active role when it comes to supporting community needs. When other disasters occurred - such as hurricanes and tornados in Alabama or forest fires in Arizona - Resolute donated lumber to help rebuild municipal and community buildings in affected cities and towns.

Resolute Forest Products has offered the municipality of Lac-Mégantic lumber valued at C$50,000. The Company will work with its partners and the municipality to identify specific projects.

Furniture Concepts Follows Australian Forestry Standards

Furniture Concepts is a Queensland woodworking manufacturer that has one of the deepest environmental commitments in the field among companies of the same size. With around 50 employees – a number that has not decreased even after the floods in 2011 – the organization has most of the green certificates available in the market: ISO9014, Australian Forestry Standard, ecoBiz partner, FSC / AFS Chain of custody and recently membership of the Green Building Council of Australia.

But the company has done it and it has definitely brought benefits for the business. Besides the savings that the Bargstedt and the dust compacter have represented for the organization – around AUD$30,000 per year – it is this green path that has enabled Furniture Concepts to participate in FSC / AFS Chain of custody joinery projects, such as Isis Brisbane.

“The first thing we have to consider is that to be green is not a trend anymore. It will stay for good and the sooner SME’s start to work on it, the better”, Franz Braun, managing director at Furniture Concepts affirms.
“It is challenging though. Right now, green is hot, but we think within the next few years, it will be the minimum condition to operate by. So businesses like ours have to keep working on other differentiators, reducing time frames and giving the best possible customer service”, Franz adds.

According to him, the green key to success is equilibrium. “It is like juggling hats. A lot of companies are managed by people who are either traditional business men, who don’t see profit in the environment, or extreme environmentalists, who might not have good business acumen. We have kept a bit of both, so that would be one of my strongest advices for any company that wants to start”, Franz says.

Source: Microvellum

Latest Veneer Sheets And Veneer Edging

Outwater [Outwater Plastics Industries, Inc. + Architectural Products by Outwater, LLC] introduced Real Wood Veneer Sheets and Real Wood Veneer Edging, which are offered to complement its huge array of available trims and surfacing products.

Outwater’s Real Wood Veneer Sheets comprise book matched, sanded and tenderized 1/42-in. thick genuine wood veneers permanently bonded under heat and pressure to a paper backing, which acts both to affix the veneer to the surface to which it has been adhered and as a two-sided barrier, which not only prevents adhesives from permeating the veneer’s surface, but also to thwart finishing materials from affecting the adhesive’s bonding agent.

Available in nearly thirty different wood species in several types of veneer cuts, which impart various visual effects and characteristics, Outwater’s Real Wood Veneer Sheets are offered both with and without peel & stick adhesive backing in 2-ft. x 8-ft. and 4-ft. x 8-ft. sheets.

In conjunction with its Real Wood Sheets, Outwater also offers Real Wood Veneer Edging, manufactured in both finger-jointed and butt-jointed 250-ft., 500-ft. and 1,000-ft. fine sanded, stainable continuous rolls. Outwater’s Real Wood Veneer Edging is produced in 7/8-in. fleece backed, 13/16-in. preglued and ½-in. to 1-1/2-in. peel & stick adhesive backed varieties in an assortment of wood species.

Source: PR Web

NAHB Reports Improved Market Index

A total of 255 metropolitan areas across 49 states and the District of Columbia qualified to be listed on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) for July. This is down slightly from the 263 metros that made the list in June, but is more than triple the number of metros that were on it in July of 2012.

The IMI identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. Six new markets were added to the list and 14 were dropped from it in July. Newcomers include the geographically diverse metros of Cumberland, Md.; Saginaw, Mich.; Farmington and Las Cruces, N.M.; Kingston, N.Y.; and Olympia, Wash.

“This is the sixth straight month in which at least 70 percent of all U.S. metros have qualified for the Improving Markets Index,” observed NAHB Chairman Rick Judson. “The relative stability of the IMI is representative of the broad recovery underway, which is much more extensive than what we were looking at one year ago.”

“Despite slight ups and downs in recent IMI levels, an overwhelming majority of U.S. metros -- including those located in almost every state -- remain solidly on the path to recovery even as the pace of their improvement is slowed by ongoing challenges related to the availability of credit, labor, lots and certain building materials,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “Based on recent trends in home prices, housing permits and employment, the outlook for a continued housing expansion remains very positive for the remainder of 2013.”

The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest available data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metro area must see improvement in all three measures for at least six consecutive months following those measures’ respective troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

Woodcraft Introduces �Get the Edge Sweepstakes� Winners

“Get the Edge Sweepstakes” prizes went to a Kansas woodcarver (Grand Prize) and a Virginia woodturner who is interested in learning carving.

Robert Tipton of Olathe, Kansas, is anticipating a major upgrade in his carving experience with nearly $2,000 worth of tools and accessories – the Grand Prize in the “Get the Edge Sweepstakes” sponsored by Woodcraft, Sjöbergs, Tormek, pfeil, Norton, and “Woodcraft Magazine.”

Tipton’s name was drawn June 7 from 18,682 entries in the sweepstakes between April 1 and May 30. His Grand Prize includes a Tormek T-3 Water-Cooled Sharpening System with accessories ($500 retail value), a Sjöbergs Husbocken Carving School Bench ($999 retail value), and a 10-piece Woodworkers Class Set of Swiss made pfeil carving tools ($339 retail value). Total retail prize value is approximately $1,838.

Carey Wheeler of Fairfax, Virginia, won the second place prize – a set of four Norton Combination Waterstones, retail value approximately $253. The set includes 1000/8000-grit, 4000/8000-grit, 1000/4000-grit and 220/1000-grit waterstones.

Although the two winners entered online, they learned about the sweepstakes through their local Woodcraft stores where they are regular customers – Tipton at Woodcraft in Lenexa, Kansas, and Wheeler at Woodcraft in Springfield, Virginia.

“I get the Woodcraft newsletter and saw the sweepstakes,” Tipton said. “I had only recently gotten into woodcarving in a semi-serious way, so the prize packages looked precisely like something I could use to continue to develop my hobby. I hopped online and entered that night.”

“The right tools make the difference when sharpening, so I am eager to work with the Tormek, and the pfeil carving tools, added to the seven I already own, will give me the ability to tackle different kinds of projects,” Tipton said. “As for the bench – it will add (literally) a whole new dimension to my carving. You’ll laugh when I tell you that my preferred method for carving is sitting on the floor, atop a canvas drop cloth (to catch the shavings) with my tools spread out around me. Who knows what I’ll be able to accomplish if I can carve for more than 30 minutes at a time without a backache.”

As a young boy, Tipton carved faces into cutoff pieces of the family Christmas tree trunk, using X-Acto blades, but it was a December 2012 visit to his grandfather, Richard Tipton, that sparked a serious interest in carving. Between those two events his only “wood” projects were home improvements and an elaborate Bridge Award (a Golden Gate bridge replica) he created with a friend’s help as part of his job as manager of Cloud Solutions at Perceptive Software.

Source: PR Web

Frank Dottori Re-Starts Business In Ontario

Frank Dottori is reopening the White River, Ontario sawmill that was formerly owned by Domtar.

The sawmill will reopen as White River Forest Products and it will manufacture stud and random-length lumber.
White River Forest Products is a 3-way partnership between:

•    private investors (53%, Frank Dottori holds 49.8% of the private investors’ share)
•    Pic Mobert First Nation (23.5%)
•    Township of White River (23.5%)

Frank Dottori is a founder of Tembec Inc. He currently is chairman of CRIBE (Centre for Research and Innovation of the Bio-Economy) and AV Terrace Bay.

Source: Northern Ontario Business

�Hard Surface Flooring To 2017� Is The New Market

According to the ReportsnReports.com store “Hard Surface Flooring to 2017” is the new market. US demand for hard surface flooring is forecast to rise 5.0 percent per year to 9.3 billion square feet in 2017, valued at $13.8 billion. Advances will be primarily driven by a rebound in building construction expenditures, but will also be spurred by increasing consumer interest in alternatives to traditional carpets and rugs. While often more costly initially, hard surface flooring offers performance advantages, such as a longer lifespan and less maintenance than carpeting. In terms of aesthetics, many consumers find such flooring types as hardwood, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and porcelain and stone tiles more attractive than carpet.

Among all hard surface flooring types, vinyl flooring and decorative tile are expected to register the strongest gains through 2017. Vinyl flooring demand will be spurred by heightened usage of LVT. Consumers will increasingly opt for LVT because it offers the durability and performance properties of traditional vinyl flooring products, but features a high-gloss appearance and can be made to look like more costly material such as wood or natural stone.
Tile demand will be boosted by consumer desire for durable, low-maintenance flooring. Low-cost ceramic tile will continue to account for the largest share of demand, but natural stone and porcelain tile are expected to see the fastest growth of all tile types. Homeowners will select natural stone tile because of its favorable aesthetics, while nonresidential consumers will install porcelain tiles because of their durability, slip resistance, low cost, and ability to look like more costly stone or wood.

Imports will account for more than one half of hard surface flooring demand in 2017. Decorative tile and vinyl flooring made in such low-cost nations as China account for the largest share of imports, as well as stone tile quarried from such countries as Brazil and Turkey. However, shipments of hard surface flooring will see gains as manufacturers take advantage of low natural gas prices to expand US-based production sites and relocate manufacturing facilities to the US.

The nonresidential market is forecast to see the most rapid gains in hard surface flooring demand through 2017. The office and commercial segment will post the strongest growth during this time, fueled by double-digit advances in construction spending and rising interest in hard surface flooring as a low-maintenance alternative to carpeting. Demand for vinyl flooring and decorative tile will advance at the fastest pace due to desirable performance properties such as resistance to slips and biological contamination, especially in institutional structures.

In the residential market, the new housing segment will see the strongest advances as housing completions rise from their low 2012 base. The improvement and repair segment will continue to account for the larger share of demand as home- owners replace older or worn carpeting with more durable and aesthetically pleasing hard surface flooring. Rebounding motor vehicle and recreational boat and vehicle shipments will promote hard surface flooring demand in the transportation market.

Source: PR Web

Frank Dottori Partners With White River And The Pic Mobert First Nation

Frank Dottori, chairman and CEO of White River Forest Products Ltd., has partnered with the communities of White River and the Pic Mobert First Nation. As a result of this partnership forest operations and sawmill at White River, Ontario will re-open by this fall.

White River Forest Products Ltd was formed in 2009 as a joint initiative of the Township of White River and the Pic Mobert First Nation in response to the closure of the mill and woodlands operations formerly owned and operated by Domtar.

The new company purchased the assets from Domtar in 2009 and was successful in securing a sustainable forest license in the following year.

“Our goal was to protect the mill from a wrecking ball and preserve the wood allocation needed to reopen the mill once the right investment partner was found and wood markets recovered – and we did just that,” said White River Township Mayor Angelo Bazzoni.

"This initiative provided my Community with a unique opportunity to both support the revitalization of the local and regional economy, and to ensure that the economic and employment needs and goals of our Band members for the forest products industry could be realized,” said Pic Mobert Chief Johanna Desmoulin. “We look forward to our Band members and their families benefitting from the work that will be created by these operations that are located within our traditional territory.”

The community and company leaders acknowledged the inspiration and contributions of the Company’s founding President, Jeffrey Butler, who passed away suddenly in 2012.

“Jeff’s tireless efforts laid the groundwork for the wonderful developments that are now occurring,” said Mayor Bazzoni.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Minister David Orazietti was on hand for the announcement and said: “Our government is committed to supporting the re-opening of the sawmill in White River and to helping to re-establish these jobs in the community. Economic opportunities in the forestry sector are vital to Northerners and I commend Pic Mobert First Nation, the town of White River and their private shareholder partners on developing this cooperative relationship which we are hopeful will lead to renewed prosperity in both of these communities.”

“Our government is encouraged at the prospect of the re-opening of the sawmill in White River and the re-establishment of these jobs in the community. Economic opportunities in the forestry sector are vital to Northerners and I commend Pic Mobert First Nation, the town of White River and their private shareholder partners on developing this cooperative relationship which we are hopeful will lead to renewed prosperity in both of these communities.”

Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle commented: “As a passionate northerner I am absolutely thrilled to see the White River Sawmill back in operation and I commend this great partnership between the community of White River and the Pic Mobert First Nation. The re-opening of this mill will certainly increase prosperity throughout the region and I’m very pleased to see so many employment opportunities coming back to this site."

Dan Friyia, general manager of the Superior East Community Development Corporation, was on hand to announce a loan to White River Forest Products Ltd.

“After witnessing a significant decline in our region’s forest products industry for the last several years, we are delighted to see the vision of the communities and their private partners come to fruition – we are proud to be able to support their efforts,” said Friyia.

Work on reopening the mill commenced recently and a single shift will operation will commence in the fall of 2013; a second shift could follow as early as the spring of 2014.

White River Forest Products Ltd is a privately held corporation founded and co-owned by the communities of White River and the Pic Mobert First Nation and two private shareholders (companies owned by Frank Dottori and David Butler, respectively).

Scm Group Exhibits at AWFS 2013

On over 6000 sq.ft. exhibit space Scm Group will present the latest technology in woodworking equipment available. One can find the right solution available as needed – from high-end classical equipment to the most technologically advance solution available for panel processing, solid wood and plastic manufacturing.

Here following you find important information about the four day event and the educational seminars available:

EXHIBIT HALL HOURS
Tuesday, July 23…………………………....... Dealer Day

Wednesday, July 24…………………………..9:00am – 5:00pm

Thursday, July 25……………………………..9:00am – 5:00pm
5:00pm – 7:00pm Hospitality Event at Scm Group booth #8743

Friday, July 26…………………………............9:00am – 5:00pm

Saturday, July 27……………………………...9:00am – 3:00pm

MACHINE DISPLAYED
SCM Olimpic K 230, SCM Olimpic K 400 (E), SCM Olimpic K 600R (ERT), SCM Olimpic S 1000R (FRT), SCM PRATIX S15, SCM PRATIX N12 (Full Nesting Cell), SCM Sandya S600 RCS 135 (VN), SCM Sandya S300 RCS 110, SCM SI400-NOVA, SCM TF130 CLASS, SCM S520 NOVA (Spiral), SCM F410 NOVA, MiniMax ME25, MiniMax SC4 ELITE, MiniMax ADVANCE 21, MiniMax S 400P, MiniMax ECO 300 D (portable dust collector), MORBIDELLI UNIFLEX HP, STEFANI SOLUTION HD, ROUTECH ACCORD 30 FX, OMAL HBD 2500.

Companies Contribute over $4,000 to Successful SkillsUSA California Woodworking Contests

AWFS members, exhibitors and others provide support for aspiring cabinetmakers Blum, Bosch,
Laguna Tools, Royal Plywood and other generous companies showed their support for industry
education activities by contributing over $4,000 in tools, supplies, gifts and prizes to the 2013 SkillsUSA
California Region 3 (Los Angeles) woodworking contests and the State Cabinetmaking Championships, held February 2 and April 6, respectively.

SkillsUSA is one of the largest national career & technical student organizations in the nation. It promotes
job readiness with skills and leadership training and supports students entering skilled trades. SkillsUSA students compete in skill contests for their field of study to display their proficiency and earn recognition and prizes. Competition begins at the regional level and then advances to state, national and ultimately international championships.

At the 2013 SkillsUSA California Region 3 contests, six high school Cabinetmaking students from Los
Angeles and Orange counties spent a Saturday morning at Los Angeles Trade and Technical College building cabinet components, while twelve Introductory Woodworking students built magazine holders. Royal Plywood donated all of the material, Rockler donated screws, biscuits and safety glasses and Blum contributed tape measures and pencils to give to the students.

In April, a total of fifteen Cabinetmaking students from seven different schools advanced from Regional
events across the state to compete at the State Championships in San Diego. Competitors were allenged
to build a two- foot tall cabinet utilizing Blum hinges for the face-frame door and KVdrawer slides for the
drawer.

A Blum hinge press, Bosch routers, Kreg pocket hole jigs were also employed. Students also had to apply edge banding and moulding; they had eight hours to finish the project. Gary Riley of Blum, Inc, Mark Fuller of San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association and former woodworking instructor Joshua Torbick
Served as judges using criteria such as accuracy of measurements and use of tools and machinery. The finished cabinets were then donated to San Diego Habitat for Humanity.

“SkillsUSA works because it empowers students,” says Saúl Martín, who served as Coordinator for the
Regional and State Cabinetmaking Contests. “They see that what they are doing matters, that industry and others value their skills and that they will have a future career utilizing these skills.”

The top medalists at the State Championships received a Bosch palm router combo kit and a $200 Laguna Tools gift certificate for their school. All State competitors received a Blum “goodie bag” with
a Blum Pozi screwdriver, a tape measure, a current copy of Woodworker West magazine and other useful items.

The students who earn the highest honors in the state competition –Gold Medals –are then invited to Kansas City in June for the high-energy National Leadership & Skills Championships, where they will pit their skills against students from all other states. Top-scoring national competitors will compete at the WorldSkills Cabinetmaking Qualifying Trial at the AWFS Fair, July 24-27, 2013 in Las Vegas, NV and the winner of that event will go to WorldSkills 2015 in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

AWFS recognizes the 2013 participating SkillsUSA California Cabinetmaking sponsors:

•Amerock
•Blum, Inc.
•Bosch Power Tools & Accessories
•ESI (Edgebanding Services Inc)
•Laguna Tools
•Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
•Royal Plywood
•Woodworker West Magazine
•Wurth Louis and Company

AWFS contacted the sponsors and organized the donations on behalf of SkillsUSA California. The student competitors and their advisors also received a complimentary copy of fresh wood, the AWFS publication that showcases the Fresh Wood student woodworking competition.

Little change in Canadian housing market

Canada’s housing starts remained stable in March. The Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation forecasts lower housing starts in 2013 compared to the previous year.

The exception is British Columbia where home construction will rise moderately. A slower housing market is expected to slightly reduce economic growth in Canada this year.

Spending on non-residential building construction in the US declined by 1.9% in March compared to the previous month (at a seasonally adjusted rate). Private construction decreased by 1.5% in March, while public construction fell by 3% due to reduced government spending.

Architecture firms with a commercial/industrial specialization reported better business conditions in March, according to the Architecture Billings Index. However, business in the non-residential sector continues to lag residential construction.

Source: ITTO