Each month in FDMC Magazine, we feature the 'Notable Nine Online,' nine stories that were the most viewed and engaged with from WoodworkingNetwork.com over the past month. The following stories were chosen by our readers by what they were most interested in from July 14 to August 12.

#1 MasterBrand and American Woodmark to merge in $3.6B all-stock merger (Posted August 6) 
MasterBrand Inc. and American Woodmark Corp. have entered into a definitive agreement whereby MasterBrand will combine with American Woodmark via an all-stock merger valued at $3.6 billion.

#2 Office furniture demand to drive market to $23.2B by 2031 (Posted July 28, 2025)
The US office furniture market is experiencing robust growth, with projections estimating the market will reach $23.2 billion by the end of 2031, up from $15.3 billion in 2024.

#3 Pella Corporation acquires Weather Shield (Posted July 31, 2025)
Pella Corporation has acquired Weather Shield, a manufacturer of architectural wood and aluminum window and door solutions based in Medford, Wisconsin. Details were not released.
 

#4 Steves & Sons completes Utah expansion, announces new appointments  (Posted July 16, 2025)
Steves & Sons, the oldest millwork manufacturing company in the United States under the same family ownership and management, completed a 100,000-square-foot expansion at its Utah facility that employs 135 people and features a new state-of-the-art robotic prime line.
 

#5 Government officials show support for domestic cabinet manufacturers and increased tariffs  (Posted July 17, 2025)
The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance (AKCA) hosted a panel discussion with U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, Congressman Joe Wilson, and CEOs regarding what it called a "flood" of cabinet imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam that it said was "threatening a more than $12 billion industry."

#6 Steves & Sons launching autonomous trucking pilot program  (Posted July 23, 2025)
Steves & Sons Inc., which has invested in cutting-edge technology to enhance efficiency and product quality, is bringing that investment-in-technology philosophy to its trucking needs. It has entered into a strategic partnership to start a pilot autonomous trucking program.

#7 HNI Corporation acquiring Steelcase in $2.2 billion deal (Posted August 4, 2025)
 Two iconic and long-time competitors in the contract furniture space are joining forces in a major acquisition. HNI Corp. and Steelcase Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement under which HNI will acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction, with a total value of approximately $2.2 billion to Steelcase common shareholders.
 

#8 DOJ files complaint against furniture retailer alleging it underpaid customs duties (Posted July 21, 2025)
The United States has filed a complaint against Global Office Furniture, LLC (GOF) and its owner, Malcom E. Smith, alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly underpaying customs duties owed on imported office chairs.  

#9 Wood dust potential cause of pellet plant explosion that killed father and two daughters (Posted July 31, 2025)
Wood dust was determined to be the likely cause of a July 29 explosion at a pellet plant in Fremont, Nebraska. The July 29 blast killed three people, including a male employee and his two daughters, both under the age of 12.