From Jan. 1 to Nov. 18, when FDMC magazine went to press, visitors to the Woodworking Network website viewed news, features, best practices, and other informative posts to the tune of nearly 3.8 million times.
In 2025, there was no shortage of stories to create watercooler talk, many of which mirrored society at large including immigration raids, mergers, plant closures, tariffs. Some top stories were wood specific even if they were slightly off the beaten path, such as a world famous rock musician commissioning a table.
A glance at 2025’s top news
While the mainstream media covered stories of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents activities, readers from the wood products industry were captivated by a story of federal agents raiding the Wellmade flooring production plant in Cartersville, Georgia, as part of a major labor trafficking investigation. The operation, which included agents from ICE, the FBI, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, led to the arrest of the company’s owner and his nephew on charges of trafficking persons for labor servitude.
More than half a million readers digested the story about how agents raided the company, claiming that Wellmade used fraud and coercion to recruit dozens of immigrant workers, many from China, and forced them to work long hours for little pay in “terrible” and unsafe conditions. Workers were housed in cramped, company-owned residences, and their passports were confiscated to restrict their movement.
This wasn’t the only top-read story regarding a raid by federal agents that Woodworking Network readers followed. In February, ICE agents raided a New York state lumber mill and detained nine employees. The parent company of Tupper Lake Pine Mill, the Matra Group, said the employees were authorized to work in the U.S. Despite multiple calls, Woodworking Network was not able to find the status of these workers.
Trump’s tariffs and business news
Stories surrounding Trump’s tariffs were consistently highly read, but the roller coaster of tariff news kept many stories from the top of the overall readers’ list. One highly read story that showcased the tariffs’ effects looked at how a proud Canadian manufacturer determined it needed to close its plant and head south.
Holsag, Canada, a privately owned manufacturer in Lindsay, Ontario, planned to close its manufacturing operations in Lindsay by March 2026 and move manufacturing to Utah, where its parent company, MITY Inc., is headquartered. The reason for the shutdown was due to the rise of U.S. tariffs, according to reports.
Stories about companies shuttering their doors were widely read throughout the year. American Woodmark closing its long-time plant in Orange, Virginia, was one of those stories. The cabinetry manufacturer had previously been lauded as one that “played a critical role in delivering high-quality, affordable cabinets to customers across the country.”
American Woodmark was part of blockbuster merger news that broke in August. MasterBrand Inc. and American Woodmark entered into a definitive agreement whereby MasterBrand would combine with American Woodmark via an all-stock merger valued at $3.6 billion. The deal is supposed to be finalized in early 2026. Upon closing, American Woodmark will become a wholly owned subsidiary of MasterBrand.
Whether that merger is completed on schedule is uncertain, as follow-up stories by Woodworking Network reported that the Federal Trade Commission is closely looking at the merger and has asked, on two occasions for more time to analyze and consider the deal.
This deal might wind up being a top story in 2026.
Top stories by month |
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.