Ashley Furniture has completed the first phase of renovations on a new technology center located in its hometown of Arcadia, Wisconsin. Set for completion in spring 2017, the 82,000-square-foot Chapel Hill Advanced Technology Center will house more than 200 office professionals, including members of Ashley’s design and information technology teams.

Leitz Tooling has announced the passing of its long-standing chairman of the company's management board and former CEO Dr. Dieter Brucklacher. Brucklacher passed away on September 27 after a short illness. He was 77.

Good organization has been key to Bob Lewis’ success. As president and CEO of Closet & Storage Concepts and More Space Place, he has guided the multi-million dollar operation to a leadership position in the home organization industry.

Have fun, make money and build business. It’s been a winning mantra for Rick Thaler, president of OGB Architectural Millwork, as he brings the New Mexico-based firm to new levels of success.

Providing jobs to give the homeless a “hand up, not a handout,” has been a driving force behind the success and renown of Lamon Luther, a custom woodworking firm founded by Brian Preston.

Pioneer Millworks outfitted the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo Networking Lounge check-in area and Passport to Prizes drop-off location with two repurposed shipping containers fitted with reclaimed wood flooring and paneling.

Office furniture maker HNI, located in Muscatine, Iowa, announced it was closing manufacturing operations at Paoli Inc., its contract furniture division located in Orleans, Indiana.

Pushback rises on burning wood fiber to fuel electric power plants. Scientists and environmentalists question whether wood fuel is green, while the U.S. Senate leans toward labeling wood-fired power plants as carbon neutral. Panel manufacturers have complained this will raise the cost of raw materials for wood products companies.

According to Smith Leonard, new orders were 5 percent lower in July 2016 than July 2015. The decline in July brought the year-to-date results to basically flat with the first 7 months of 2015.

Organized Living, a home storage systems manufacturer, launched a new branded web site with interactive features and a mobile-friendly design.