Bill Esler

As cabinetry, furniture, window and door giants close plants, what they are really doing is optimizing manufacturing capacity, and improving balance sheets. It's a responsible step on the road to recovery, not a cause for shock or shame.

Wood shops in schools around the U.S. are hitting a wall. Even as the U.S. rethinks how we've approached education and industrial policy, we're dismantling the workshops where we can teach manual skills.

For cabinetry makers, custom furniture, wood crafters, architectural millwork and home storage and closets shops using home equity for funding, yesterday's $26 billion mortgage relief deal will help on two fronts.

Custom made wood packaging conveys a sense of style, and scarcity, allowing marketers to charge more for goods. A router is part of the action.

Expect jobs and work to flow from retailing giants doing makeovers: J.C. Penney, McDonald's and Wendy's.

Over six dozen cabinetry and wood industry job openings, many in manufacturing and engineering, are advertised at Masco, American Woodmark and other cabinet and furniture firms, suggesting economic improvement.

Help for cabinetmakers and remodelers could flow from homeowner refinance proposals in the President's State of the Union address. Cabinet Makers Assn. study shows optimism for 2012, and success especially for CNC machine owners.

The supply of homes is slowly getting in balance, with many vacant homes are going to investors, and cities convert condos to low-cost rentals. Progress sparks hope among cabinetry, closets, flooring and millwork firms.