The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) – a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings – decreased to 72.3 in April. Year over year, pending transactions were down 7.4%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.

The Sustainable Furnishings Council and the National Wildlife Federation have begun their assessment of over 100 North American furniture retailers on their wood sourcing policies. The scorecard will be released in November, which gauges the year-over-year progress of furniture retailers and their sustainability practices.

Akhurst Machinery Group, a distinguished leader in the North American machinery industry, is excited to announce a significant milestone in their longstanding strategic partnership with Marinus Machinebouw, as they are selected as the exclusive distributor of Marinus for North America.

NewCNC will conduct demonstrations of a complete nesting cell for production of cabinet parts, doors, and CNC carvings at Wood Pro Expo Lancaster, Oct. 24-25.

Representatives of AFS Dust Collection Systems will come prepared to discuss the company's full-service capabilities at Wood Pro Expo Lancaster, Oct. 24-25 at Spooky Nook Sports.

The Editors of GQ 64 have named "64 undeniable design upgrades, from sleeker glassware to wavier armchairs," as winners of its 2024 Home Awards competition.According to GQ, there has been a "wave of new DTC brands democratizing the art of good design, and a glut of smaller makers that are injecting fun and play into traditional types of furniture and décor."Winners were selected from the following categories:

Mercer International Inc., a global forest products company, released its 2023 Sustainability Report. The report, titled “Fit for Future: Transition and Transformation” sets out Mercer’s progress toward its 2030 environmental goals and other sustainability commitments, practices and accomplishments for 2023.

After four years in development, Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, a Japanese logging and processing company, have completed LignoSat, the world's first wooden artificial satellite.

MEDINA, Minn. — Minnesota-based and family-owned Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, one of the nation's premier retailers of woodworking tools and supplies, has announced the appointment of Andy Barnes as the company's new CEO. Barnes brings decades of experience in finance, operations, and customer experience with national and regional retailers like Farm & Home Supply Co. and Best Buy Co.

This year marks the ninth annual awarding of the 40 Under 40, which celebrates the next generation of industry professionals who are making an impact on wood products manufacturing in North America.