Cabinetmakers, Remodelers Share of $50B Sandy Aid Tops News
Home Builder Confidence Hits 6-Year High in December

TRENTON, NJ – Woodworkers can be as optimistic as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy, who thanked the House of Representatives for passing the Hurricane Sandy Relief Act.

“We are grateful to those members of Congress who today pulled together in a unified, bipartisan coalition to assist millions of their fellow Americans in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut at their greatest time of need," the Governors said jointly. The bill, which moves to the Senate, puts massive dollars into infrastructure rebuilds, and specifies money for repairing projects that were under construction when Hurricane Sandy hit, plus rebuilding homes.

Of the $50 billion, a ‘Community Development Fund’ of  $3.85 billion is "to remain available until September 30, 2017, for necessary expenses related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) due to Hurricane Sandy,” according to the language of the 32-page bill. Once passed by the Senate, the money should arrive in the area about the time Woodworking Network opens Cabinets & Closets Expo 2013 in Edison, NJ.

Also topping the wood industry reports this week were a think piece on CBS's 60 Minutes look at robots, a Denver pine beetle wood furniture crafter who won $100,000 for his business plan, and Walmart's pledge to buy more U.S.-made furniture and help manufacturers prepare to produce it.

Here are the week's top wood industry reports:

 

Are Robots Taking Over Woodworking Jobs?
By Karen Koenig | Updated: 01/14/2013 12:33:00 PM
Are robots in the wood manufacturing workplace helping or hurting job growth, and thus the overall economy?
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 Walmart stores

Walmart Pledges Furniture Insourcing to U.S.
Posted by Bill Esler | Updated: 01/15/2013 8:23:00 PM
Walmart will steer furniture and appliance suppliers to onshore manufacturing to the U.S., pledging to buy $50 billion more in U.S. sourced products, and plans a U.S. manufacturing summit this summer.
Read more

 Corbin Clay, Azure Furniture, Ketel 1

Pine Beetle Woodworker Wins Big in Ketel One Competition
By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/15/2013 1:00:00 PM
Cited for making beetle-kill pine furnishings trendy, and helping the wood industry, Azure Furniture owner Corbin Clay won Ketel One Vodka's Gentleman's Call competition. Clay will appear at Cabinets & Closets 2013.
Read more

 idX Corporation

idX Acquires Creative Cabinet Systems of Dayton
By Rich Christianson | Updated: 01/12/2013 5:09:00 PM
idX Corporation, a manufacturer of retail store fixtures, has purchased the assets of Create Cabinet Systems of Dayton, OH, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. Read more

 Rugby Architectural Building Products logo

Rugby Architectural Building Products Reaches 30 States
By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/10/2013 9:42:00 PM
Rugby Architectural Building Products is carrying Staron solid-surfaces to countertop manufacturers, cabinet shops, millwork houses and builders. Rugby has expanded funded by Leading Edge Capital. Read more

 Southern Finishing Co.

Moulding & Trim Demand on the Rebound
By Rich Christianson | Updated: 01/07/2013 11:29:00 AM
U.S. demand for moulding, trim and stair parts is expected to increase 11% per year, which would raise annual sales to $9 billion in 2016.
Read more

 

80 Maple, Pine Bowling Alley Lanes Reclaimed by Pioneer Millworks
By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/11/2013 2:08:00 PM
Pioneer Millworks reclaimed 80 hard maple and pine bowling lanes into lumber made into restaurant dining tables. Foul line markers and arrows that helped bowlers hit \pins were maintained for re-use in custom projects.
Read more

 

Wood Reclaiming Salvage Dawgs an HGTV Hit
By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/08/2013 5:50:00 PM
Architectural 'Salvage Dawgs,' saws and cuts its way to reality TV popularity as HGTV moves it into primetime Jan 10 at 8pm and 8:30pm. Read more

 Stolo Cabinets

At Stolo Cabinets, County Funds Lean Manufacturing Training
By Bill Esler | Updated: 01/05/2013 10:23:00 PM
Stolo Cabinets says it implemented lean training at its Brea, CA architectural millwork shop, under an assistance program from California Manufacturing Technology Consulting and the Orange County Workforce Investment Board. Read more

Tour World's Thinnest House in 1 Minute
By Rich Christianson | Updated: 01/09/2013 9:11:00 PM
What's described as the "world's thinnest house" has opened in Warsaw, Poland.
Read more

  

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