Year 2015 Archives - Page 4 of 18 - World Millwork Alliance

Three Major M&A Drivers Moving Forward

There are a variety of important factors driving M&A activity at any given time. However, the effect that some of these factors have is not always what would be anticipated. Global M&A activity continued at a record-setting pace throughout 2015, surpassing the previous record set in 2007, and nowhere is it more evident that we are in a fertile time for M&A than in the LBM segment. In the current market, the largest companies in the industry are combining or being acquired. Regional businesses, attractive single yards, and specialized dealers all are being sought by buyers.

Eye on the Economy: Interest Rate Hike in December?

The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy committee did not increase short-term interest rates at the conclusion of its October meeting, but most analysts expect an increase in the coming months. However, recent macroeconomic data have been mixed, which may delay until next year the expected rate boost, which would be the first since 2006.

Laminate Flooring Maker Accused of Selling Flooring with High Levels of Formaldehyde

Rachel Abrams of The New York Times reports that the hedge fund manager who publicly accused Lumber Liquidators of selling wood with dangerous levels of formaldehyde is laying the same claims against Ark Floors, a California importer of Chinese wood products that are sold all over the United States. Test results from five types of Ark laminate indicate levels of formaldehyde “well above” the emission standards set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), according to Josh Hosen, senior manager of certification programs at HPVA Laboratories, which is a testing company in Reston, VA hired by the hedge fund manager to run the same tests on Ark’s products that the lab had done on Lumber Liquidators’ products. The EPA is in the process of adopting and finalizing formaldehyde emission standards based on those set by California, which is the only state in the country with such regulations. In the meantime, the lack of oversight has health advocates concerned about what consumers can safely buy for their homes. Read More in The New York Times >

2021-05-18T18:29:05-04:00November 10, 2015|Codes & Standards News, Year 2015|

EPA Issues Fines for Violations of the Lead Paint Rule

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined 75 companies for violating the Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulation within the last 12 months, which is 14 more than last year. Penalties varied depending on the seriousness of the violation: 10 companies were fined between $10,000 and $20,000; 6 were fined between $20,000 and $50,000; and 2 were ordered to pay fines exceeding $50,000. Read More at NAHBNow >

2021-05-18T18:29:05-04:00November 10, 2015|Codes & Standards News, Year 2015|

Study Demonstrates that Green Building Improves Cognitive Function

A study entitled, The Impact of Green Buildings on Cognitive Function, conducted by Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Syracuse University reveals that “cognitive function scores were better in green building conditions compared to the Conventional building conditions across nine functional domains, including crisis response, strategy, and focused activity level.” The findings showed that on average cognitive scores were 61% higher in a green building environment and 101% higher in an enhanced green building environment. Read More at The Center for Health and The Global Environment >

2021-05-18T19:04:24-04:00November 10, 2015|Green Building News, Industry News, Year 2015|

WMA News Brief – November 10, 2015

ATTENTION WMA MEMBERS

WMA Distributor Members
Annual Dues Re-Certification Forms Now Due

All distributor home offices were sent an annual dues re-certification to complete and return to WMA before October 31, 2015. If your company still needs to return it’s re-certification form or needs a re-certification form, contact Caterina Byrd at cbyrd@worldmillworkalliance.com

WMA Welcomes New Member COMBILIFT

Combilift is a specialist forklift & straddle carrier manufacturer producing a wide range of customized handling solutions, all of which are designed for the safe, space saving and very productive handling of the long and bulky loads.
4-way Combilifts work as counterbalance, sideloader, and narrow-aisle forklifts.
The Combitlift Multidirectional capabilities and its ability to handle both long and short loads offer a host of possible applications for potential users.

Visit www.combilift.com for more information.

WMA Welcomes New Member CROWNDUIT

Crownduit is a revolutionary miterless removable crown molding component system that eliminates the need for nails, glue, or putty. With overlapping components and the ability for the MDF faceplate to be painted off-site, Crownduit is installed blemish free with minimal mess. Crownduit’s track system enables your to route, conceal, and protect fiber optic, home theater, audio, video, and security hard-wire cabling/wireless access points, achieving full home automation while leaving your walls intact.

Visit www.crownduit.com for more information.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Housing Markets Continue to Recover at Modest Pace

Markets in 79 of the approximately 360 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity in the third quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI) released today. This represents […]

2021-05-18T19:04:24-04:00November 10, 2015|WMA News Briefs, Year 2015|

Builders Need New Offerings for Hybrid Households of an Aging Baby Boom

The question for home builders, particularly as regards trying to “size” market potential and demand for new homes for members of the 74.9 million Baby Boom cohort streaming into the early and stages of retirement, is who will need to continue to work, even as they opt to live in the “best house ever” in their adult lives.

Remodelers Like Videos but Trail in Tech Use–Survey

Remodelers are far more likely than home builders and architects to look at online videos when researching construction techniques and new products, but their general use of newer technology lags behind the others, results from a newly released survey find.

Congress Wants to Ease the Merger and Acquisition Process

On September 30, the House Judiciary Committee approved the Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act, which seeks to streamline the rules governing how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) review proposed mergers and acquisitions.

New Home Sales Drop 11.5 Percent in September

Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 11.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000 units in September, according to newly released data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Despite this monthly drop, our members continue to tell us that housing is moving in the right direction,” said Tom Woods, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo. “Consumers may have simply been reacting to soft job numbers.”

Three Major M&A Drivers Moving Forward

Eye on the Economy: Interest Rate Hike in December?

Laminate Flooring Maker Accused of Selling Flooring with High Levels of Formaldehyde

EPA Issues Fines for Violations of the Lead Paint Rule

Study Demonstrates that Green Building Improves Cognitive Function

WMA News Brief – November 10, 2015

ATTENTION WMA MEMBERS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Builders Need New Offerings for Hybrid Households of an Aging Baby Boom

Remodelers Like Videos but Trail in Tech Use–Survey

Congress Wants to Ease the Merger and Acquisition Process

New Home Sales Drop 11.5 Percent in September

This Is A Custom Widget

This Is A Custom Widget

WMA MILLWORK CAREER DAY

WMA 54 th ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADESHOW
MEMPHIS, TN

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 • 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
MEMPHIS COOK CONVENTION CENTER

VETERANS AND STUDENTS WELCOME!