Custom cabinetry trends

American Wood Council President Robert Glowinski issued the following statement regarding House Energy and Commerce Committee approval of H.R. 2250 – the Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Relief Act.
“I applaud the Committee’s action to protect jobs in the wood products industry by voting in favor of H.R. 2250. Under Chairman Upton’s leadership, the Committee demonstrated the decisiveness Americans need to see from Congress at a time when the economy continues to struggle.
“Without legislation to provide EPA with the time they need to rewrite the current Boiler MACT rules, tens of thousands of jobs could be in jeopardy in our industry. The EPA Regulatory Relief Act provides that time along with the regulatory certainty that companies need to plan for future business investments. We now call on the full House to pass this measure in a bipartisan fashion as soon as possible.”

The Cabinet Makers Association planned a number of upcoming CMA Certification roll out events for woodworkers.
A full-day certification regional event will be held in the San Francisco area at Western Dovetail on Oct. 21. A second event will be held at WMS-Toronto from Oct. 27-29.
Another CMA Certification event will take place at the CabinetmakerFDM E-vent on Nov. 17, as well as at Chicago’s Hafele showroom on Nov. 18.
Each of these events will feature a Q&A Session about CMA’s Professional Certification Program. For more information or to register for an event, visit CMA’s website.

Camfil Farr Air Pollution Control launched a Web 2.0 site incorporating interactive chat features, a video library and social media. Customers in the U.S. and Canada may view the updated website at www.farrapc.com, while international customers may view the website at www.camfilfarrapc.com.
The video center features videos on dust collection topics such as equipment, applications and company capabilities, and is accessible from every page of the website. A live chat feature provides around-the-clock support about products, sales and technical information from company chat operators stationed in North America, Europe and Asia. Viewers can also link to social media using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and industrial dust collection blog icons in the menu of every page.

In September, Vecoplan LLC, a shredding and recycling equipment provider, and High Point Bank Insurance co-sponsored the third annual “Shredding for Kids” fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, N.C.

Vecoplan was one of the sponsors for the “Shredding for Kids” Boys and Girls Clubs fundraiser in High Point, N.C.

In addition to donating two of their VST-42e shred trucks for the day, Vecoplan provided personnel to operate the trucks and help with logistics for the event. The event raised funds by providing secure document destruction to individuals and small businesses for .50 cents a pound with a $5 minimum. The event raised a total of $4,500 and shredded nearly 9,000 pounds of documents.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association is calling for entries to the 2012 NKBA Design Competition.
This annual competition is open to all NKBA members, and honors designers from the U.S. and Canada who show an outstanding level of skill and artistic insight in designing residential kitchen and bath spaces. Specialty awards will be presented in the categories of Universal Design, Best Kitchen and Bath, Before & After Kitchen and Bath, Budget-Friendly Kitchen and Bath, Green Design in Kitchen or Bath. First, second and third place awards will also be given in the categories of Small Kitchen, Medium Kitchen, Large Kitchen, Powder Room, Small Bathroom, and Large Bathroom. These finalists will be featured on HGTVRemodels.com to be voted on by consumers to award the People’s Pick in Kitchen and Bath. A panel of NKBA-certified experts will judge the entries and announce results at KBIS 2012 in Chicago. Winners will be given an award, cash prize and be invited to a lunch event with design community members. 
For more information, visit NKBA.org/Competition. 

John Ratzenberger is bringing attention to the lack to skilled manufacturing workers in the woodworking industry by urging Americans to sign the 10 by 20 Pledge for America: To Train 10 Million Skilled Workers by 2020.
The pledge aims to train 10 million skilled workers because this is the amount by which the manufacturing sector will fall short in 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ratzenberger urges Americans to sign the pledge and encourage young people to consider options for careers in the skilled trades. Ratzenberger also wants companies to reach out to schools and community organizations to show young people the benefits of manufacturing jobs and opportunities for skills training.
Ratzenberg calls for retired Americans to volunteer time to mentor young adults and aid in career transitions so that valuable skills are passed down. Ratzenberger’s campaign also aims to promote training manufacturing workers by featuring positive stories about skills training, and wants the public to send information to Center for America about model programs and success stories to post online. 
Through this national media campaign, Ratzenberger hopes to gain support of the American public and begin a dialog about the importance of skilled manufacturing workers. For more information or to sign the 10 by 20 Pledge for America, visit www.centerforamerica.org.

Hilco Industrial LLC is holding an equipment liquidation sale at Masco Cabinetry’s manufacturing facility. 
Some of the equipment for sale includes spray booth lines, flat line finishing systems, automated panel saws, sanding lines and tables, and other woodworking and assembly equipment.
An open house preview will be held on Sept. 26 and 27, at the company’s cabinet manufacturing operations at 1002 Prosperity Road, West Jordan, Utah. For more information or an inspection appointment, call George Laidlaw at 616.732.1800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              616.732.1800      end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 14, or email glaidlaw@hilcoind.com.

NeoCon East a commercial furnishings exposition will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center on Nov. 2-3, with a focus on products for Federal design. Nearly 7,000 architecture and design professionals will have the opportunity to view new products relating to building, furniture, seating, flooring, casegoods, sustainable products and more.
NeoCon East will offer continuing education programs in its series of more than 30 seminars on 12 specialty tracks: Office Design, Facilities Management, Facilities Construction/Renovation, Green Design, Government Interiors and Services, Healthcare & Senior Housing, Health, Safety & Welfare, Hospitality, Institutional, Lighting, Professional Development and Residential.
Commercial interior products that received the Best of NeoCon distinction at NeoCon 2011 in Chicago will also be showcased at NeoCon East.
To register for free admission to NeoCon East, visit www.neoconeast.com.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Bostik Inc. for 50 alleged violations of workplace safety standards following a March 13 explosion at the company’s Middleton, Mass., plant. The adhesives manufacturer faces a total of $917,000 in proposed fines.
OSHA’s inspection identified several serious deficiencies in the company’s process safety management program. The incident involved the chemical acetone, used in a PSM-covered process known as direct solvation. On the day of the explosion, a valve on a transfer line was left open inadvertently, resulting in the release of flammable acetone vapors that exploded after being ignited by an unknown source, OSHA says.
“In this case, Bostik knew from prior third party and internal compliance audits conducted at the plant that aspects of its PSM program were incomplete or inadequate, and misclassified electrical equipment was in use. The company did not take adequate steps to address those conditions,” said Jeffrey A. Erskine, OSHA’s area director for northeastern Massachusetts. “Luckily, the explosion happened when there were few workers in the plant. Otherwise, this incident could have resulted in a catastrophic loss of life.”
As a result, OSHA issued nine willful citations to Bostik, with $630,000 in proposed fines for a range of violations, including failure to ensure a forklift and electrical equipment were approved for use in Class 1 hazardous locations where flammable gases are present. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health, according to OSHA.
Bostik was also issued 41 serious citations, with $287,000 in fines, for a range of other conditions, including an incomplete and deficient emergency response plan, inadequate training for employees required to fight fires, obstructed exit access and electrical hazards, and additional PSM deficiencies. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known, according to OSHA.
Bostik has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

In preparation for the International Countertop Expo in Las Vegas, the International Surface Fabricators Association will host IFSA week from Monday, Oct. 17 through Wednesday, Oct. 19.
During IFSA week, participants can take classes on granite and quartz fabrication or Level I solid surface fabrication, both earning ISFA certification. The three-day solid surface fabrication course combines hands-on fabrication training with concepts including thermoforming, coved splashes inlays and repair techniques. The quartz fabrication course will cover stone countertop fabrication, including safety, material handling, fabrication, cut-outs, polishing and installation.
For more information, please visit www.isfanow.org.