An out-of-control forest fire that destroyed Arauco's largest plywood plant in Nueva Aldea, Chile, was the most clicked news item on Woodworking Network ini 2012. Arauco, which was in the process of acquiring Uniboard's mega MDF mill in Moncure, NC, would make headlines again in June in announcing its intention to acquire Flakeboard's panel manufacturing business for $242.5 million.
News of five other acquisitions and sales also proved popular, including ITW's sale of Wilsonart to Clayton Dublier, Columbia Forest Products' purchase of Cabinotch, American Industrial Partners' buyout of Armstrong's cabinet division, Jeld-Wen's purchase of CraftMaster Manufacturing and the sale of Geppetto Kitchens to Building Industry Partners.
Four of Woodworking Network's Top 25 news postings in 2012 were China-related, including a pair of antidumping investigations - furniture and hardwood plywood - by the U.S. International Trade Commission and a pair of reports of Chinese firms planning to make or assemble furniture in the U.S.
In other international news, Gibson Guitar entered into a criminal enforcment deal with the U.S. Department of Justice ending its fight against Lacey Act violations for imported wood components and a Syrian and a veneer firm admitted smuggling 700 pallets of veneer into Syria.
Strong readership followed the saga of California's aborted attempt to legislate table saw safety, as well as for the issuance of a new table saw safety patent to Whirlwind Tool.
On the lighter side, reports about the discovery of an 18th century millwork shop, believed to be the earliest known dedicated wood shop in the U.S., the world's tallest wood building and a $70,000 bent wood bike, also clicked their way into the Top 25 news stories of the year.
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Forest Fire Destroys Arauco Plywood Plant By Rich Christianson | Updated: 01/04/2012 9:44:00 AM |
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Table Saw Safety Act Dies Quietly in California Senate By Rich Christianson | Updated: 09/14/2012 7:46:00 PM |
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New Table Saw Safety Patent Issued By Bill Esler | Updated: 04/03/2012 8:05:00 PM |
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Selected Furniture Moves Chinese Plant to Indiana By Karen M. Koeinig | Updated: 04/26/2012 2:34:00 PM |
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Veneer Firm Pleads Guilty in Syrian Smuggling By Bill Esler | Updated: 03/01/2012 10:16:00 PM |
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Ashley Furniture To Open Big Plant in North Carolina By Bill Esler | Updated: 04/20/2012 1:00:00 PM |
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ITW Sells Wilsonart for $1 Billion to Clayton Dubilier By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 11/01/2012 3:04:00 PM |
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MasterBrand Cabinets Closes Martinsville Plant: 335 Jobs Lost By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 08/06/2012 7:41:00 AM |
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Oldest U.S. Woodshop Discovered By Bill Esler | Updated: 12/13/2012 2:10:00 PM |
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Chinese Furniture Assembly Plant Coming to Virginia By Rich Christianson | Updated: 09/19/2012 2:41:00 PM |
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Update: China Wood Furniture Dumping, Biggest Ever By Bill Esler | Updated: 02/29/2012 11:29:00 AM |
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Cabinotch Acquired by Columbia Forest Products By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/04/2012 2:53:00 PM |
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Gibson Guitar Settles on Lacey Violation Charges By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 08/06/2012 11:46:00 AM |
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Wood Building Will Be World's Tallest By Bill Esler | Updated: 07/01/2012 3:59:00 PM |
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Armstrong to Sell Cabinet Business By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 09/27/2012 10:10:00 AM |
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IWF Challengers Award Winners Announced By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 08/22/2012 11:12:00 AM |
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Chinese Hardwood Plywood Antidumping Complaint Has Merit: ITC By Rich Christianson | Updated: 11/09/2012 3:10:00 PM |
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Top Kitchen & Bath Design Trends for 2012: NKBA Survey By Karen M. Koeiing | Updated: 02/17/2012 9:14:00 AM |
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Geppetto Kitchens Cabinets Acquired by Private Equity Firm By Bill Esler | Updated: 02/21/2012 12:39:00 PM |
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Fire at JELD-WEN Window and Door Plant By Michaelle Bradford | Updated: 05/10/2012 5:10:00 PM |
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JELD-WEN to Acquire CraftMaster Manufacturing By Rich Christianson | Updated: 06/18/2012 11:00:00 AM |
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Just Moulding: Why It Went Out of Business By Bill Esler | Updated: 12/29/2011 1:47:00 PM |
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Lumber Products Files for Bankruptcy By Michaelle Bradford | Updated: 04/17/2012 3:21:00 PM |
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Arauco to Acquire Flakeboard Panel Mills By Karen M. Koenig | Updated: 06/08/2012 3:31:00 PM |
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Thonet-Commissioned Wood Bike Priced at $70,000 By Rich Christianson | Updated: 10/09/2012 1:03:00 PM |
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