Unique Store Fixtures is savoring the sweet taste of victory for its work on KitKat Chocolatory’s first permanent North American retail store.

The Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) has appointed Todd Dittman executive director. He will succeed Klein Merriman, who will retire in August.

A.R.E. (Association for Retail Environments) has appointed Todd Dittman executive director, succeeding Klein Merriman, who will retire in August.

View a digital edition of Wood & Wood Products' February 2013 issue featuring Ro-Bois-Tic, North America's first lights-out woodworking factory, State of the Industry Reports on cabinets, residential furniture, office furniture, architectural woodwork, store fixtures, components and panels, plus a roundup of cutting tools.

Sales for 2013 are expected to match or beat 2012 figures. That is the consensus of a majority of representatives from the major woodworking markets.

Research by the Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) has business continuing to show improvement for the third straight year. Following an estimated 10 percent growth in 2011, projections call for an additional 10 percent growth in 2012, although not all industry segments will achieve that same level, said Klein Merriman, executive director.

Two recent surveys conducted by the Assn. for Retail Environments find that much of retail's expansion and growth will take place beyond North America and 67 percent of respondents depend on North American vendors to source fixtures, displays and other products for international projects.

Additional comments from Klein Merriman, executive director of the Association of Retail Environments, in response to questions posed on the state of the retail environments/store fixture industry.