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 4.1 million times. 

While the stories have changed from last year to this, the reality is that this year, like last, was a somewhat challenging, sometimes tragic year.

Major companies folded and massive layoffs occurred. A well-known, well-respected, bright-light industry executive died and several men were killed on the job in industrial accidents. Fire destroyed plants and companies built new facilities. Men and women were indicted in court, some convicted, some already sentenced. 

In February, for instance, a Florida couple received a 57-month sentence  for a plywood duty evasion scheme. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Noel Quintana and his wife Kelsey Hernandez Quintana engaged in a sophisticated scheme to evade antidumping and countervailing duties of up to 200 percent owed on hardwood plywood products made in China.

One of the most tragic stories in 2024 was in spring, when James Scarlett, owner of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Scarlett Inc., died in an April 12 crash of a plane he was piloting as he was returning from the Wood Industry Conference in Florida.  Scarlett was described as a man who was “more than just a businessman; he was a pillar in the community. His passion for helping others and his boundless energy were truly inspiring. Many will miss him dearly.” 

In 2018, he was honored in the Woodworking Network Wood Industry 40 Under 40 program that recognizes wood industry leaders who “demonstrate excellence in the categories of: productivity, social good, ingenuity, peer inspiration, product development, organizational leadership, or another facet of the wood industry.” 

Stories about companies shuttering their doors were widely read throughout the year. Leggett & Platt, for instance, began implementing a restructuring plan that will see the closure of manufacturing and distribution facilities in its Bedding Products segment and to a lesser extent, in its Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products segment.

The plan calls for the consolidation of manufacturing and distribution and reduce the number of its plants from 50 to 30 to 35 to “better align capacity with regional demand and drive operating efficiencies.” 

At least one reported plant closure turned out to be a positive story in the long run.  In May, the iconic Haas Cabinets announced, after eight decades in business, that it was going to close permanently. In early June, however, just weeks after the initial announcement, the historic company was saved. 

Cotton Bay Corp, a diversified holding company that made inroads into the cabinet industry with the recent purchase of the Valen Group and Candlelight Cabinetry, acquired Haas Cabinet Co. Inc., which the company says marks “Cotton Bay Corp’s continued commitment to growth and expansion in the wood and building products industry.”

Top stories of 2024

• Florida couple gets 57-month sentence for plywood duty evasion scheme
• Closet plant shuttered, assets to be auctioned  
• Industry leader James Scarlett dies in plane crash  
• Kim Kardashian sued for allegedly claiming her tables were authentic Donald Judds  
• SawStop to release patented technology to public  
• Contractor group criticizes OSHA’s new ‘worker walkaround’ rule 
• Mass timber manufacturer plans CLT plant in Oregon 
• Washaba man cuts down tree for $10K profit 
• Timber shortages cause Canfor mill closure  
• Sawmill cited for ‘willfully exposing workers to hazards’ after death of 24-year-old  

Top stories of 2024 by month

• January: Leggett & Platt to close 15 or more facilities in restructuring plan
• February: Florida couple gets 57-month sentence for plywood duty evasion scheme
• March: Kim Kardashian sued for allegedly claiming her tables were authentic Donald Judds 
• April: Closet plant shuttered, assets to be auctioned 
• May: Timber shortages cause Canfor mill closure
• June: Historic Haas Cabinets saved from closure
• July: Sawmill cited for ‘willfully exposing workers to hazards’ after death of 24-year-old
• August:  Knoxville hardwood supplier closing its doors
• September:  Fire destroys family-owned sawmill in Utah
• October:  Months after acquisition, Besse Forest Products closing six mills
• November: Washington lumber company faces $126,000 in fines