MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Huttig Appoints Chief Financial Officer
ST. LOUIS, MO, March 31, 2016 – Huttig Building Products, Inc. (“Huttig”) (NASDAQ: HBP) today announced the appointment of Oscar A. Martinez as the new Vice President – Chief Financial Officer.
Lynden Door Announces
Launch Of Newly Redesigned Website
Lynden Door Inc., long recognized as a market leader in the interior flush wood door industry, has announced the launch of the newly redesigned website, www.lyndendoor.com. With the theme “Open Your Future,” the new site offers a simplified way for visitors to maneuver through the complexities of door selection while providing design inspiration.
View more at Lynden Door
HOUSING INDUSTRY
Construction Industry Voices Concerns with Silica Rule
The Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) has concerns with the final rule on respirable crystalline silica released today by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It appears, upon initial review, that the 1,772-page final rule contains some of the same problematic provisions that the CISC previously identified and shared with the agency. CISC has been a highly engaged participant in the rulemaking process since OSHA put forth the proposed rule two and a half years ago.
Read more at NAHB
Pending Sales Strong
The Pending Home Sales Index increased 3.5% in February to the highest level in seven months, and has increased year-over-year for 18 consecutive months. The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), increased to 109.1 in February from a downwardly revised 105.4 in January, and was 0.7% above the same month a year ago.
Read more at NAHB Eye On Housing
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Consumer Confidence in March – Better Expectations
The Conference Board reported that in March the Consumer Confidence Index rebounded.
The Consumer Confidence Index rose to 96.2 in March, from 94.0 in February. The present situation index in March moderately decreased to 113.6, from 115.0 in February; the expectations index climbed to 84.7 in March, from 79.9 in February.
In March, consumers were more optimistic about the short-term outlook than in the previous month, mostly because job growth surged in February. The share of respondents expecting “more jobs” over the next six months increased to 12.9% in March, from 12.2% in February. In March, 15.0% of respondents reported that they expected “better” business conditions over the next six months, an increase from 14.5% in February. Also, the share of respondents expecting business conditions to worsen over the next six months dropped to 9.2% in March, from 11.6% in February.
Read more at NAHB Eye On Housing
What Further Steps Can We Take To Make Warehouse Employees Safer?
Most companies have taken the obvious steps to improve safety, but accidents still occur with alarming frequency. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, the transportation and warehousing industry suffered more than 95,000 industrial accidents and illnesses in 2014. That works out to 225 per 10,000 workers — one of the highest rates of any industry. Most estimates put the annual cost of workplace injuries at more than $50 billion, so it makes sense from a business as well as a moral point of view to make safety a priority. Here are some proven ways to increase safety.
Read more at Industrial Distribution
GOVERNMENT & LEGISLATIVE NEWS
URGENT Action Needed on Overtime Regs
NAW has been actively participating in business community efforts in opposition to the Department of Labor’s (DoL) proposed changes to the so-called “white collar exemption” to Federal overtime rules. your help is urgently needed on the legislative front. Send comments to OMB and/or your Members of Congress.
Be proactive and send your response today!
WMA WEBSITE TIP OF THE WEEK
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