The residential furniture industry continues to display slow, but steady signs of improvement, with the year-to-date figures from Smith Leonard’s Furniture Insights showing a 1% gain in new orders over the first 8 months of 2015, and shipments holding about even. We also continue to see a number of manufacturers expanding and/or reshoring, particularly on the upholstered side, due in part to a desire for fast delivery and customization.

Infographic: The secondary wood products manufacturing industry includes custom wood interiors firms and, often larger scale, production wood manufacturing companies, both servicing the commercial as well as residential markets. Despite constant competition from low-cost imports, woodworking continues to rank among the top 20 industries in North America.

Recent controversy over the U.S. presidential election aside, consumer spending is not expected to diminish over the next few years, a fact which bodes well for the retail environments sector.

Window and door demand, overall, is projected to grow over the next few years, particularly in the U.S. residential arena. According to research analyst The Freedonia Group, this segment is projected to rise 6.0% per year through 2020 to $25.6 billion, with continued growth in new housing and remodeling boosting demand.

Office furniture giant Knoll Inc. has expanded its high-end contract furniture offerings with the acquisition of DatesWeiser Furniture Corp. Terms of the deal, announced Dec. 1, were not disclosed.

Kitchen and bath cabinetry giant American Woodmark Corp. said it will invest $30 million to build a new headquarters in Winchester, Virginia, consolidating operations from four locations. American Woodmark also plans a $50 million stock repurchase.

Door manufacturer Masonite (NYSE: DOOR) net sales increased increased 3 percent to $489.6 million. Excluding foreign exchange, net sales would have increased 5 percent. The company plans to close a manufacturing plant in Algoma, Wisconsin.

I was contacted by IWF about being part of a small group, the “GoPro Guys,” that would walk around the show floor and do video interviews with any company or product that sparked our interest. Of course I would!

Residential furniture orders posted double-digits gains in September, moving up 14 percent compared to the year prior, and 19 percent higher than August orders, according to the latest Furniture Insights survey of residential furniture manufacturers and distributors from Smith Leonard. This is the second straight month that's seen growth in the industry.

Rick Thaler, president of OGB Architectural Millwork, will share insights from operating a business that provides both residential cabinetry, and architectural millwork and interiors. His presentation is part of the Cabinet Track on April 11, at the Cabinets & Closets 2017 event in Schaumburg, Illinois.