The economic recovery will eventually pick up steam to the benefit of North American hardwood lumber producers and secondary wood products manufacturers, say editors of Hardwood Review …but probably not this summer. Most companies will have to maintain the “hunker down and ride it out” mentality a while longer.

U.S. cabinetry and CNC turning students will face-off against peers from around the world at WorldSkills 2011, to be held in London, England in October. At AWFS Fair in Las Vegas July 20-23, cabinetmaking trials for the 2013 WorldSkills event will be held live over three days.

WOONSOCKET, RI -- American Wood Pellet Company's plans to make product in a 112-year-old mill which once made Keds sneakers, were crushed when a massive fire gutted the building on Tuesday.

PORT ANGELES, WA -- Peninsula Plywood (PenPly), struggling to pay its bills, is getting a helping hand from the City of Port Angeles.

NASHVILLE -- Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP) (NYSE: LPX) announced total sales of $332 million for its first quarter ended March 2011, up 13% from the same period last year.

COOKSVILLE, WI -- Steve Ehle, a long-time woodworking trade publication editor and supporter of WoodLINKS USA, was recently named interim national director for WoodLINKS USA.

NASHVILLE, TN -- A combustible iron dust explosion, believed to be fueled by hydrogen gas that killed two workers and seriously injured a third May 27 at the Hoeganaes facility in Gallain, TN, is under investigation by the Chemical Safety Board (CSB).

MOORESVILLE, NC -- Weinig and Holz-Her held their first joint open house since Weinig purchased Holz-Her last year.

Wood veneers and finishes in its Vision line have been expanded by Kimball Office. The revamped surface materials platform was developed in partnership with Perkins+Will's Eva Maddox and Eileen Jones.

DANVILLE, VA -- Schoolfield Lumber & Lumber Inc. now belongs to American National Bank after a foreclosure auction failed to solicit any bids beginning at an asking price of $500,000.