ORLANDO, FL – More than 100,000 housing professionals are expected to travel to Orlando for the 2007 International Builders’ Show (IBS). Hosted by the National Association of Home Builders, the housing industry's largest annual light construction tradeshow and exhibition will be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Feb. 7-10.

Grand Rapids, MI – According to Michigan Live, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn.’s new survey data and updated industry outlook show continued strength in the office furniture industry into 2007. The BIFMA quarterly outlook indicates solid shipment growth for 2006, however, it is at a slower rate than previously projected. The updated forecast for 2007 represents an incremental upgrade from three months earlier.

RESTON, VA – According to participating members in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assn.’s monthly Trend of Business Survey, cabinet sales for October 2006 increased 0.8% over October 2005.

RESTON, VA -- Canyon Creek Cabinet Co. of Monroe, WA, and HomeCrest Cabinetry of Goshen, IN, a division of MasterBrand Cabinets Inc., are the first two cabinet manufacturers to meet the certification requirements of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assn.'s new Environmental Stewardship Program and the first to be ESP licensed.

  SCHAUMBURG, IL -- Discounted early-bird registration for the Third Annual Closets and Home Organization Conference & Expo™, March 21-23, in Schaumburg, IL, is available at www.closets-expo.com.

  CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA -- Eric Abetz, federal forestry minister, said the Australian government will resist an attempt by the Forest Stewardship Council to strip Australian timber of its “A” rating among some European customers. According to ABC Rural, Abetz said reclassifying would hurt exports. He suggested that he might call for an inquiry to investigate the disparity between classification systems used to grade old-growth logging in Indonesia, PNG and Australia.

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL -- Entries for the inaugural Top Shelf Design Awards competition, sponsored by CLOSETS magazine, are due Dec. 15. The awards program is open to professional closet and garage designers who are employed full time by a company that manufactures, deals or distributes closet or garage systems. Entries will be judged in nine categories based on a combination of the size of the installation space and the types of materials used in it, including solid wood, melamine and wire products.

NEW YORK – The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn. said United States furniture orders rose 7%, to $950 million, in October compared to October 2005, according to Reuters

  CORVALLIS, OR -- Wood science researchers in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University have developed new wood-plastic composites that they say are stronger and less expensive than any similar products now available.

  DALLAS -- Louis and Company has thrown its support behind the 7th Annual Texas Woodworking Show & Cabinet Conference. The Brea, CA-based distributor of hardware, decorative laminates and other products, is the major sponsor of the three-day event scheduled for March 7-9, 2007, at Market Hall of the Dallas Market Center and the adjacent Renaissance Hotel.