Woodworking machinery firm General International says it continues an ongoing expansion to provide coast to coast sales representation.

COLOGNE, GERMANY - Interzum, the wood interiors and furnishing materials show that, saw a total of 52,400 trade visitors (46,345 visitors in 2009) during its May 25-28 run in Cologne. Some 17,900 visitors were from Germany, 34,500 came from 147 countries around the globe (approximately 66 percent).

Century Furniture Industries filed a lawsuit May 16 over what the company calls trademark infringement by CB2, a subsidiary of Euromarket Designs and sister unit of Crate and Barrel that first opened in Chicago in 2000.

HANNOVER, GERMANY -- Biesse, Homag, SCM and Weinig -- arguably the world's largest woodworking machinery makers -- present innovations geared to facilitate a more energy efficient and flexible factory.

Wood machinery firm Ex-Factory, Inc. announced a wood pellet equipment joint venture with a unit of energy giant PGI Energy, Inc. (Pink Sheets:PGIE). The two will develop and sell equipment for generating energy from wood pellets.

Furniture giant Leggett & Platt pledged $1 million toward tornado relief for Joplin, MO tornado victims, as wood products industry joins relief efforts and battles flooding and storms.

HANNOVER, GERMANY -- Ligna, the world's largest woodworking fair with 1,766 exhibitors, reported 14% attendance growth on the opening day compared to the 2009 event.

HANNOVER, GERMANY -- CMS Industries, a division of SCM Group SpA, has purchased Balestrini Srl, a manufacturer of solid wood processing machinery.

Finishing materials manufacturer Sherwin-Williams Co. unveiled the new logotype for its Becker Acroma brand at the 2011 Ligna show.

Louisiana contractor-turned-artist Thomas Dutel has found a way to turn the loss and destruction of Katrina into something beautiful, utilitarian and green. Dutel recently won Best Traditional Design for his entry in the Green Project's Salvations 2011 competition held in April.