NEWS

Brian Carson, former president of Mohawk Industries' North American flooring division, has been appointed president and CEO of AHF Products in Lancaster, PA, the company that was created after the sale of Armstrong Flooring's wood floors business.

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Designers are calling for a renaissance in the use of plywood - renewable, sustainable, and beautiful as used in cars, airplanes, mass transit, and more. The latest news in high-tech: more designs that incorporate carbon-friendly wood, supporting and advancing the wood products industry and sustainable forestry.

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Between 2005 and 2015, U.S. forests grew nearly 1.3 million acres a year, the equivalent of 2,740 football fields per day. There are 20% more trees in the U.S. today than there were on the first Earth Day celebration in 1970. China is determined to expand its forests as well, planting nearly 84 million acres of forests since 2012, bringing national forest coverage to more than 21%.

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OSHA released its final electronic recordkeeping rule with the provision that companies with more than 250 employees do not have to file details about workplace injuries or illnesses electronically, as this would compromise employee and employer privacy. Details of injuries and illnesses still must be provided to OSHA. In response, the Public Citizen Health Research Group sued OSHA.

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China's investments in fixed assets in the wood products industry rose 17% in 2018. Profits dipped 1.5% but exports grew by 3.8%. Vietnam's wood products exports grew too, up 15.9% to $9.3 billion. 95% of those exports were shipped to the U.S.

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RTA Chinese Made Kitchen Cabinet Imports (PDF)