ROANOKE, VA – Architectural Wood has exited the closets business after selling its Closet & Storage Concepts franchise. Bruce Cody, owner and president of Architectural Wood, said transfer of the franchise to James Hurd took effect on Feb. 20. Cody added that the Closet & Storage showroom will continue to be housed at the Architectural Wood office and that his company "will continue to produce high-quality architectural woodwork, for which we are known."

MARKHAM, ON – Flakeboard has announced plans to install new melamine presses in its Simsboro, LA; Albany, OR; and Bennettsville, SC; plants. The company purchased three presses from Siempelkamp to add decorative finishing capabilities to the raw board sites. The presses are capable of running 200 cycles per hour and will add to the five currently in Canada.

COMMERCE, CA -- The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS), a national trade association representing companies that supply the home and commercial furnishings industry, announced Mar. 27 the resignation of Board of Directors member Mary Ann Lamascus, vice president of Atlas Spring Mfg.

HONG KONG -- DeCoro, an international leather upholstered furniture producer, announced Mar. 26 that it will open a new factory in Huizhou, China, this summer to produce finished wood components such as legs and trim, according to Home Furnishings Business. The 700,000-square-foot facility will replace the company’s current 250,000-square-foot factory.

PITTSBURG, CA -- Bishop-Wisecarver Corp,, manufacturer of the DualVee guide wheel, has appointed Ringball Corp. as the Canadian Master Distributor for its full line of linear motion products. The exclusive agreement also includes Ringball distribution of HepcoMotion product lines. Bishop-Wisecarver says that Ringball's five branches and network of authorized distributors will help provide local inventory, lower shipping costs, faster shipping times and invoicing in Canadian currency.

PITTSBURG, KS -- Pittsburg State University (PSU) announced that the Michael Weinig Group of Moorseville, NC, has installed a Raimann ProfiRip KM 310M optimizing rip saw, valued at more than $116,000, at PSU.

HONG KONG -- Decca Holdings Limited announced that it has agreed in principle with Classic Gallery Inc., and Charles Greene on the acquisition of substantially all the assets of Classic Gallery Inc., a manufacturer of upholstery based in High Point, NC. The parties expect to sign a binding agreement before April 5, 2007, and would expect to close the transaction in early May of this year.

ALPHARETTA, GA -- Hettich is now manufacturing the Full Access Quadro (FAQ) ball bearing slide at the Hettich America manufacturing facility in Baldwin, GA. In addition to FAQ, other Hettich product lines manufactured at the Baldwin plant include Grant door hardware, ball bearings and drawer slides and Optimat face frame hinges. Hettich moved its North American manufacturing to Baldwin 11 years ago.