Veneer Smuggler, Masco Loss, Auctions Top Stories

By Bill Esler

February 15, 2012 | 3:04 pm CST

Rich Christianson's think piece on restoring manufacturing to the U.S. as a centerprice of industrial policy was among most viewed stories this week. This shows what's on the collective minds of the woodworking industries. Likewise, the accompanying story on the battle to save a high school woodshop curriculum is part of the work we need to do to reset our direction.

The restructuring and rationalization of the cabinetry, door and window manufacturing - with big firms reducing overhead by consolidating plants - is not so different than what happened in the auto industry.

Reducing capacity to increase utilization rates, and capitalizing on the speed and efficiency of automated machinery is how profitability will return. And it is the reason U.S. workers are among the most productive, even with our higher wage levels. These and more stories were among the most viewed this week:

	Veneer Firm Accused of Smuggling to Syria By Karen Koenig \| Updated: 02/15/2012 11:35:00 AM News reports say International Veneer Co. will plead guilty March 1 in U.S. District Court to charges that the South Hill, VA-based company smuggled $2.6 million of veneer to Syria over a four-year period. Read more
	MasterBrand Auctions Capital Cabinets, North Las Vegas By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/09/2012 5:00:00 PM MasterBrand Cabinets sells equipment at Capital Cabinets, acquired in 2003, modernized to state-of-the-art production in 2006. Slides show some sales items. Read more
	Custom Woodworker Fights to Save High School Woodshop By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/12/2012 11:02:00 AM The owner of a Columbia, SC custom cabinet shop makes a final appeal to the Richland Northeast High School Board of Education to restore the cabinet program. Read more
	Church Furniture Maker Sponsors Nun Run By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/10/2012 9:16:00 AM The Wood & Iron Factory, a manufacturer and exporter of high-end custom design pews and chancel furniture in San Diego, California, sponsors Nun Run, a fundraiser for a local religious order. Read more
	Masco Loses $575 Million in Write-downs By Karen Koenig \| Updated: 02/15/2012 10:31:00 AM Masco Corp. reported 2011 annual net sales of $7.5 billion, “relatively flat” compared to 2010 figures. North American sales slipped 3 percent while international sales grew 8 percent. Read more
	Obama Says Manufacturing Matters; Does He Mean It? By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/06/2012 1:35:00 PM In his State of the Union address, Obama said manufacturing matters, and revitalizing America’s ability to make things is a cornerstone of his plans for the nation’s economic recovery and jobs creation. Read more
	Eastman Launches Perennial Wood Business By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/15/2012 6:01:00 AM Southern Pine lumber is acetylation modified with heat, pressure and organic compounds for endurance using Eastman's proprietary process. Furniture, flooring and decking from the wood is compared to teak. Read more
	Pergo Completes Corporate Turnaround Program By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/12/2012 7:19:00 PM Pergo North America, a manufacturer of laminate flooring, said it "successfully emerged from a corporate turnaround program that involved making significant capital and structural investments." Read more
	Closet Cabinetry Made From CornBoard By Michaelle Bradford \| Updated: 02/08/2012 11:20:00 AM Universal Display & Fixtures Company, manufacturer of in-store retail merchandising displays, launched a new organizational system made from CornBoard, a wood panel replacement made from corn. Read more
	Miter Cuts on Crown Moulding Made Easy By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/07/2012 9:41:00 AM TigerStop launched Crown+MiterPro, which simplifies angle cutting, for SawGear at the International Builders Show. Read more

Also bubbling up in page views this week:

Weather Shield Selling Window Plant; Consolidates Two
By Bill Esler | Updated: 02/11/2012 3:50:00 PM
Weather Shield is offering its 217,000 square foot window and door manufacturing facility in Nibley, Utah for $4.7 million. An equipment auction closed this week. It is also closing a Mosinee, WI plant. Read more

T.h. Snyder Millwork Gets $450K Funding
By Bill Esler | Updated: 02/10/2012 12:17:00 PM
Architectural millwork firm T.h. Snyder will receive $450,000 in tax increment finance funding from the City of Danville, Illinois to relocate to a new building near the town's center.
Read more

	Veneer Firm Accused of Smuggling to Syria By Karen Koenig \| Updated: 02/15/2012 11:35:00 AM News reports say International Veneer Co. will plead guilty March 1 in U.S. District Court to charges that the South Hill, VA-based company smuggled $2.6 million of veneer to Syria over a four-year period. Read more
	MasterBrand Auctions Capital Cabinets, North Las Vegas By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/09/2012 5:00:00 PM MasterBrand Cabinets sells equipment at Capital Cabinets, acquired in 2003, modernized to state-of-the-art production in 2006. Slides show some sales items. Read more
	Custom Woodworker Fights to Save High School Woodshop By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/12/2012 11:02:00 AM The owner of a Columbia, SC custom cabinet shop makes a final appeal to the Richland Northeast High School Board of Education to restore the cabinet program. Read more
	Church Furniture Maker Sponsors Nun Run By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/10/2012 9:16:00 AM The Wood & Iron Factory, a manufacturer and exporter of high-end custom design pews and chancel furniture in San Diego, California, sponsors Nun Run, a fundraiser for a local religious order. Read more
	Masco Loses $575 Million in Write-downs By Karen Koenig \| Updated: 02/15/2012 10:31:00 AM Masco Corp. reported 2011 annual net sales of $7.5 billion, “relatively flat” compared to 2010 figures. North American sales slipped 3 percent while international sales grew 8 percent. Read more
	Obama Says Manufacturing Matters; Does He Mean It? By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/06/2012 1:35:00 PM In his State of the Union address, Obama said manufacturing matters, and revitalizing America’s ability to make things is a cornerstone of his plans for the nation’s economic recovery and jobs creation. Read more
	Eastman Launches Perennial Wood Business By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/15/2012 6:01:00 AM Southern Pine lumber is acetylation modified with heat, pressure and organic compounds for endurance using Eastman's proprietary process. Furniture, flooring and decking from the wood is compared to teak. Read more
	Pergo Completes Corporate Turnaround Program By Rich Christianson \| Updated: 02/12/2012 7:19:00 PM Pergo North America, a manufacturer of laminate flooring, said it "successfully emerged from a corporate turnaround program that involved making significant capital and structural investments." Read more
	Closet Cabinetry Made From CornBoard By Michaelle Bradford \| Updated: 02/08/2012 11:20:00 AM Universal Display & Fixtures Company, manufacturer of in-store retail merchandising displays, launched a new organizational system made from CornBoard, a wood panel replacement made from corn. Read more
	Miter Cuts on Crown Moulding Made Easy By Bill Esler \| Updated: 02/07/2012 9:41:00 AM TigerStop launched Crown+MiterPro, which simplifies angle cutting, for SawGear at the International Builders Show. Read more

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