Surface & Panel Q2 2024

UNITING MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

Commercial Spaces –Yesterday & Today

The Evolution of CNC Machines

Sustainability in the Industry

UNITING MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

FEATURES

14 Twenty Years of Commercial Spaces

To celebrate 20 years of Surface & Panel Magazine, a look back at commercial and retail designs featured over the past two decades

18 Revolutionizing Commercial and Retail Spaces

Today’s commercial spaces adopt innovative materials and technologies to enhance aesthetics, functionality, and customer experiences

CNC Section

24 From Niche to Necessity

New technologies drive a surge in CNC popularity

28 Retrofitting with a Purpose

Many businesses are choosing to upgrade their outdated computerized parts on CNC and other machines

Sustainability Section

32 Formaldehyde in the News

A summary of the EPA's recent draft risk evaluation and its implications for users of wood panels

34 Beyond the Buzz

Sustainability efforts are no longer just the trend of the day — they have become a new standard in the industry

38 Not If, But When

Industry responds to EPA’s pending methylene chloride ruling

42 Predictions for Surfacing Innovation

Designers gear up for NeoCon

56 New Product Spotlight

Products that caught our attention at KBIS 2024

DEPARTMENTS

8 From the President

Patrick Adams talks about becoming one of “those parents”

10 From the Editor

Jennifer Williams talks about doing what you can with what you have

12 Beyond the Surface

Industry experts share what has been the most daunting challenge in creating today’s commercial spaces

22 S&P By Design

Industry innovations used in real projects around the world

44 Human Resources

Beyond resumes: 10 pro tips for recruiting

48 Sales & Marketing

The little things are big things

50 Distribution Matters

Safe is as safe does

52 Closet Convo with Eric Marshall

Closet industry veteran Eric Marshall takes us on a tour of his favorite closet innovations at KBIS

60 @TheShow

Reflections on KBIS 2024 and previewing the upcoming NeoCon

64 Ad Index

66 By the Numbers

A graphic look at sustainability in the industry

ON THE COVER: Special Flexboard panels from Kerfkore help make the new Music Education Complex at Texas A&M University-Kingsville an eye-catching showstopper. Photo by Cotton Global Disaster Solutions, courtesy of Kerfkore.

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Patrick Adams

PH: 714-486-2735 padams@526mediagroup.com

VICE PRESIDENT Shelly Adams

MANAGING EDITOR

Jennifer Williams

PH: 714-486-2735 jwilliams@526mediagroup.com

David Koenig, DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL Sara Graves, SENIOR EDITOR

GUEST COLUMNISTS

Keith Christman, Meghan Howell, James Olsen, Lisa Ritchie and Denise Williams

SALES

Nick Kosan

PH: 714-486-2735 nkosan@526mediagroup.com

Chuck Casey

PH: 714-486-2735 ccasey@526mediagroup.com

John Haugh

PH: 714-486-2735 jhaugh@526mediagroup.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Dara Fowler

DIGITAL SUPPORT

Alekxandr Olson aolson@526mediagroup.com

Josh Sokovich jsokovich@526mediagroup.com

CIRCULATION/SUPPORT

PH: 714-486-2735 info@526mediagroup.com

526 MEDIA GROUP 151 Kalmus Drive, Ste. J3 Costa Mesa, CA 92626

PH: 714-486-2735

Never Miss a Beat.

At Daubert, our belief in lasting bonds begins with our commitment to your success. Whether that means developing a custom formulation that'll keep your product together, or traveling cross-country to learn about your challenges in depth, you are our only focus. We've thrived since 1935, not because we're the biggest adhesives company (we're not), but because we make your success the focus of everything we do, and the results speak for themselves.

Daubond PUR is Lamination

“Those Parents”

As everyone knows, because of a variety of factors including my “past life” career travels, my wife and I had children later in life. I could not begin to count the many lessons, stories and realizations that this has provided us as we’ve entered the second half of our century.

One benefit is that while we were “waiting,” others were moving along with their family plans while we watched. We watched the pregnancies, the baby showers, the births, and the first few months adapting to parenthood. We went to countless baby birthday parties and celebrated first days at school. Through all of that, the thing we marveled at the most was the introduction to sports around the same time they were starting school, learning to ride a bike, and losing their first tooth.

This wasn’t the introduction to sports that I had as a kid. For me, it seemed normal to see some older kids throwing something called a football in the street in shorts in the summer, asking to play, and then getting my introduction to being blindside tackled on asphalt. After that, I understood the sport of football. Never once was there a discussion by my parents saying, “Wow, Patrick is really good at football! Even though he’s five, I think he has a shot of going pro someday! We should spend thousands of dollars and every free second to make sure he has his shot!”

And yet, all around us were people that we respected, who are friends, having this very conversation about their young children. Private lessons, coaches, trainers, camps and eventually club/travel teams were tried out for. Soon, unless we attended a game, we never saw our friends again! Six days a week, 12 months a year, they became “those parents.” They knew every venue and the perfect place to park. They had specific gear and support materials (food, coolers, first aid, back-up gear) for each event. Slowly, their personal wardrobes transformed into team parent apparel. And don’t even get me started on the antics that ensued if the ref made a bad call on their kid or the coach didn’t see their prodigy as they did!

My wife and I just sat back perplexed and in marvel at this absolute lunacy! “Do you know the odds of making it to the big leagues, even for Division 1 college players?” I asked her. We would laugh, make fun of all of the money, time and parents literally passing each other on a highway once multiple kids started their pursuit of fame and glory.

We would laugh, make fun of all of the money, time and parents literally passing each other on a highway once multiple kids started their pursuit of fame and glory.

So, as I prepare to go to Vegas next weekend, not for KIBS, not for ANME, not for SHOT Show, not for PCA, not for the World of Concrete. No, I’ve already been this year for all of those. This time, it’s for the SCVA Girls Volleyball National Qualifier. My family, along with around 5,000 of our “closest friends” will pack into the Mandalay Bay events center for three days of volleyball with my now 13-year-old daughter and her team. But, she is prepared!

This is her third year of competitive volleyball. She has escalated through some of the best club teams in Southern California. She also has a private playing coach and a private agility coach, and practices with her team three nights a week. As a supportive dad, I also practice with her during any free time we have when not at practices, training, lessons or tournaments (two weekends each month). On a recent business trip to Columbus, Oh., I took the family along and we saw the OSU women’s team play, which is now my daughter’s goal for her college experience. The season wraps up in mid-June, so my wife and I are excited for the break for a couple of months where the schedule will transition to summer camps, clinics, private instruction, and laying a strategy to try out for next year’s target club teams!

Yes, we have become “those parents.” I look in the mirror and often ask, “What have you become?” as I straighten my team hat, put on my team sweatshirt, and head out on another volleyball adventure in support of my “little” 13-year-old, 5’7” outside hitter.

Now, feel free to let me have it… I deserve it! As always, it is a great honor this great industry and each of you. I hope spring has adventure and happiness in store for you!

Patrick Adams, President | 526 Media Group, Inc.

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Doing What You Can With What You Have

Having recently returned from this year’s recordbreaking KBIS, I was struck by the scale and spectacle of what we can achieve when we pool our resources and ideas. Yet, amid the grand displays and cutting-edge innovations, a powerful reminder resonated with me: the most impactful changes often begin not from abundance but from making the most of what we already have

This principle of doing what you can with what you have is not just a guideline for those with limited resources; it's a universal approach that champions creativity and determination over sheer scale and capital. It teaches us that our contributions, no matter how small, are valuable and can set the stage for greater change.

Take, for example, a community garden project, which might seem worlds away from the high-tech polish of a trade show. It may have started with a single resident and a few seeds but has grown to become a community cornerstone that provides fresh produce and a green refuge in an urban neighborhood. This garden was cultivated with simple tools and a vision — a testament to starting where you are with what you have.

Similarly, in the realm of technology, innovations that now drive global industries were often born in humble settings. Think of the pioneers who worked from garages or college dorms, armed only with a great idea and a personal computer. Their initial setups were modest, but their visions were grand. These innovators didn’t wait for the perfect conditions; they created with what was at hand, demonstrating the profound impact of starting small.

My KBIS experience highlighted this beautifully. While I was not able to visit every single booth or see every new product at the show — even after walking more than 10 miles each day, I tried to prioritize and see and do as much as

It’s an approach that not only drives progress and innovation but also instills a sense of empowerment and resourcefulness in our daily lives.

possible. In other words, I did what I could. I find myself repeating this mantra when my kids’ activities overlap and I simply cannot be in two places at once or hit all the restaurant spirit nights during the school year.

Among the sprawling and flashy exhibits, I found it was the small, innovative solutions that resonated most — a reminder that you don’t need the biggest booth to have the biggest impact. It’s about leveraging what you possess: knowledge, skills, and a willingness to contribute.

In your own spheres of influence, whether personal or professional, consider how you can apply this principle. Perhaps it’s taking products seen at KBIS and the ideas behind them to creating improvements to your operational efficiency or sharing your insights with others who could not attend, turning your learnings into a resource for your whole community.

Each step we take, no matter how seemingly small, is a building block for larger change. By focusing on what we can do with the resources we currently have, we not only innovate but also foster a sustainable model of growth that benefits all.

So, as we reflect on our experiences and look to the future, let us embrace the opportunities that come from doing what we can with what we have. It’s an approach that not only drives progress and innovation but also instills a sense of empowerment and resourcefulness in our daily lives.

Here's to the big impacts of small beginnings and the endless possibilities they usher in.

Jennifer Williams, Managing Editor

SOME SEE WOOD...

WE SEE PURPOSE

With strong industry partnerships, a commitment to sustainability, and an eye for biophilic design, we aim to enhance your business and the health of the planet. As North America's leading distributor and importer of hardwood lumber, specialty softwoods, and panel products, we are proud to partner with you to build unique solutions for the market.

THE SURFACE

Beyond the Surface is a new feature for 2024 in which prominent members of the industry are asked one question and share their best answers. Check out below on how you can be a part of this feature in our next issue.

What has been the most daunting challenge in creating today’s commercial spaces?

“Commercial interior design projects present plenty of challenges. One of the biggest challenges right now is prioritizing sustainability. Clients are increasingly focused on cutting unnecessary costs while also embracing eco-friendly design practices. Designers are responsible for creating spaces that are economically and environmentally conscious. This means finding ways to reduce electricity waste through efficient lighting, and HVAC systems. It also involves specifying sustainable, environmentally friendly materials like locally sourced products, rapidly renewable resources and carbonneutral surfacing materials. The goal is delivering designs that check all the boxes for green building standards and your client's sustainability objectives, without compromising on style or functionality. It can be difficult balancing all those priorities but getting it right benefits both the client's bottom line and environmental impact.”

— Meghan Howell, North American Design and Creative Director at Formica Corporation www.formica.com

“One of the most daunting challenges in creating today's commercial spaces is striking the right balance between functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability. Designers and architects must consider not only the immediate needs of the occupants but also long-term environmental impacts and evolving trends in technology and work culture. Additionally, ensuring spaces are adaptable to future needs adds another layer of complexity.”

— David Carmona, Vice President of Sales, ALVIC

USA www. alvicusa.com

SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE WITH S&P!

Surface & Panel will ask industry experts one question for each issue, and will publish selected responses in each publication. The Q3 issue of Surface & Panel focuses on Commercial Spaces, so our question will be: What are you most looking forward to seeing at IWF? If you have a response, please email it to jwilliams@526mediagroup.com by June 30. Be sure to include “Beyond the Surface” in your email subject line. If selected, we will request a headshot, name and company title from you to feature in the magazine.

the new DS5m19 Doors — The Premier EuroCase door design library now includes a slim shaker option.

in Optimat, Roücke HD and the four newly added woodgrain finishes to a new textured melamine line: Roücke Moraine. DS5m19 doors are also available with a framed for glass option.

20 YEARS COMMERCIAL SPACESof

Ever-Evolving Commercial & Retail Spaces

THE PAST TWO DECADES have witnessed a profound transformation in commercial design, a field that has been continuously redefined by technological advances, changing consumer preferences, and evolving cultural contexts.

From 2000 to 2019, ecommerce grew from 0.9 percent of all retail sales to 10.6 percent, with sales jumping to 14.6 percent in 2020, where they have remained steady, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That seismic shift has altered the face of brick and mortar retailers and caused many to rethink their store design and functionality.

At the turn of the millennium, commercial design was largely dominated by a utilitarian approach that emphasized function over form. The aesthetic was clean and minimalistic, mirroring the technological optimism of the era. Online retail was in its infancy and brick and mortar stores reigned supreme — particularly big-box stores. Brands like Apple were pivotal in marrying functionality with sleek, sophisticated design, setting a precedent that would influence countless others. As the digital age progressed, so too did the tools, materials and methodologies designers employed. More sophisticated graphic design software and 3D modeling opened new avenues for creativity and experimentation. Materials trended

towards the Jetsons-type futuristic aesthetic, and advances in surfacing materials helped meet that need.

The mid-2000s marked a shift towards consumercentric design philosophies, with emotional branding, experiential retail, and user-focused product designs becoming paramount. Companies began to understand the importance of creating an emotional connection with their audience, leading to designs that were not only functional but also resonant on a personal level. This period also saw the rise of sustainable design practices as global awareness of environmental issues grew, prompting designers to reconsider materials, production processes, and the lifecycle of products. This attention to sustainability was not lost on manufacturers, who sought to demonstrate their ecofriendly materials to designers and architects.

In recent years, the COVID era rapidly escalated the rise in ecommerce and many consumers haven’t looked back. Retailers have had to adapt, with the trend more towards local, specialized retailers over the big-box behemoths, and individual storefronts over the shopping malls made popular in the 1980s. The integration of digital technology has further transformed today’s commercial design, with augmented

TOP LEFT: STEVENS INDUSTRIES BUILT AND INSTALLED A MAJORITY OF THE CASEWORK AND MILLWORK FOR THE BORGESS MEDICAL CENTER IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, INCLUDING THIS NURSES’ STATION FROM THE Q2 2006 ISSUE OF S&P

ABOVE CENTER: THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE NEWLY RENOVATED CRAYOLA EXPERIENCE IN EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA (THE BIRTHPLACE OF CRAYOLA CRAYONS) WAS GIVEN THREE OBJECTIVES: MAINTAIN THE BRAND, MAKE THE PRODUCT SHINE AND ENSURE THE STORE CAN STAND UP TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. FROM THE Q3 2014 ISSUE OF S&P

ABOVE RIGHT: PHOTOGRAPHER VITO PALMISANO CAPTURES THE DESIGN VERSATILITY OF MDF AND THE BEAUTY OF POWDER COATED SURFACING IN THIS ARTISTIC WORK SURFACE, MANUFACTURED BY WORKRITE ERGONOMICS. FROM THE SPRING 2003 ISSUE (FIRST ISSUE) OF S&P

LEFT: B+N'S ICONIC PANEL SERIES FEATURES LARGE-SCALE DESIGNS ROUTED INTO MDF PANELS AND THEN MEMBRANE-PRESSED WITH 3D LAMINATE FILMS, CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT IN ECCO SALON LOCATIONS. FROM THE Q4 2017 ISSUE OF S&P

BELOW: THE LOBBY, UPSTAIRS BAR AND DOWNSTAIRS BAR AT THE LIZ AND ERIC LEFKOFSKY ARTS AND EDUCATION CENTER AT CHICAGO’S RENOWN STEPPENWOLF THEATRE, DESIGNED BY FC STUDIO INC. FROM THE Q1 2022 ISSUE OF S&P

20 YEARSof

& COMMERCIAL SPACES

reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence no longer futuristic concepts but practical tools that enhance interactivity and engagement in design. The ongoing digital revolution challenges designers to rethink the user experience in an increasingly virtual world. And what was once a trend to watch has now become an ingrained part of design, with sustainable materials still catching the attention of designers and consumers alike.

Many brick and mortar retailers have had to quickly adapt to the ever-changing needs and wants of consumers, who are now adept in online shopping. But the in-person experience is not lost— even online shopping pioneer and giant Amazon has retail stores now across the country. As far as materials being used today and going into the future, the amazing realism now achieved through digital printing, along with the innovations in textured and adaptable surfaces (including anti-bacterial and anti-fingerprint coatings) ensure that the surface & panel industry will continue to be in demand.

OPPOSITE PAGE TOP: SERICA 3D FOILS FROM ALFATHERM NORTH AMERICA PRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF NEW WOOD GRAIN EMBOSSING COLORS AND DESIGNS MADE POSSIBLE BY EXCLUSIVE AND INNOVATIVE EIR (EMBOSSED-IN-REGISTER) TECHNOLOGY, WHICH ENHANCES THE WOOD EFFECT. FROM THE Q4 2017 ISSUE OF S&P

OPPOSITE PAGE LEFT: THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF POP-UP STORES MEANS THE PHYSICAL SPACE NEEDS TO BE DESIGNED TO BE HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE AND EASY TO CHANGE QUICKLY. AND RETAIL ISN’T THE ONLY INDUSTRY GETTING IN ON THE POP-UP SCENE — DINNER WITH A VIEW OPENED DOME-STYLE FINE DINING RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THIS ONE IN LIBERTY STATION, SAN DIEGO. FROM THE Q2 2020 ISSUE OF S&P OPPOSITE PAGE CENTER: FUELED BY A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, PRODUCT LINES FROM OFFICE INTERIORS GIANT HAWORTH, INC. ARE CONTINUALLY EVOLVING TO MEET WORKPLACE TRENDS. FROM THE Q3 2014 ISSUE OF S&P

TOP LEFT: OH-WOW’S EDGY RETAIL SPACES USE STRONG, STRAIGHT, DIMENSIONALLY STABLE MDF PANELS TO CREATE FIXTURES WORTHY OF THEIR ARTISAN BOOKS. FROM THE SUMMER 2010 ISSUE OF S&P

TOP RIGHT: AT ECCO SALON’S WAUNAKEE, WISCONSIN LOCATION, A LARGE CUSTOM DESK SHOWCASES WILSONART QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS IN SANGDA FALLS. THE FACE OF THE DESK FEATURES HPL IN CAFELLE WITH A FINE VELVET FINISH. FROM THE Q4 2017 ISSUE OF S&P.

ABOVE: ENGINEERED MATERIALS, LIKE THESE INNOVATIVE PANELS FROM ATI DECORATIVE LAMINATES AT A HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP, CAN MEET ENGINEERED NEARLY ANY DESIGN OBJECTIVE. FROM THE Q3 2014 ISSUE OF S&P

Revolutionizing Commercial and Retail Spaces

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS

The commercial and retail environments have always been at the forefront of adopting innovative materials and technologies to enhance aesthetics, functionality, and customer experiences.

In recent years, the retail industry has witnessed a significant transformation due to the rise of e-commerce that initially posed a challenge to brick-and-mortar stores, leading to a so-called "retail apocalypse." However, far from succumbing to this fate, physical retail spaces are experiencing a renaissance by integrating digital technologies that help meet their customers’ needs.

The use of new materials emerged as a game-changer, offering unparalleled flexibility, durability, and design possibilities. As innovations continue, these materials are transforming commercial and retail spaces with a focus on specialization. Engineered panels, including high-pressure laminates, composite materials, and architectural panels, have become staples in the design and construction of commercial spaces. Their appeal lies in their ability to closely mimic natural materials

like wood and stone, while offering superior durability and ease of maintenance. These specialized laminates allow a commercial space to exactly reflect a desired aesthetic.

Adaptive retail spaces continue to be popular, in which the layout and displays can be easily modified to suit different themes or product launches. A lot of this flexibility comes from specialty hardware, including hidden sliding door systems to customizable shelving, which plays a crucial role in maximizing the functionality and visual appeal of commercial spaces. Modular shelving systems and flexible display units enable retailers to quickly reconfigure spaces, offering a fresh experience to customers with each visit.

The continued integration of technology is setting the stage for the future of commercial design, with smart panels that can change appearance or display interactive content promising to create dynamic and engaging environments that can adapt to the evolving needs of businesses and customers alike. And it's clear that the boundary between physical and digital retail spaces will continue to blur.

OPPOSITE PAGE: LIGHT STAINLESS ALUMINUM FROM CHEMETAL IS USED ON THIS SET FOR THE NBA ON TNT, STUDIO J IN ATLANTA. PHOTO BY JACK MORTON

TOP LEFT: BRUSHED PEWTER ALUMINUM FROM CHEMETAL IS USED ON THE ESPN SPORTSCENTER SET. THESE SPECIALIZED MATERIALS FROM CHEMETAL ARE IDEAL FOR INLAYS, CUT-TO-SIZE, STRIPS, PANELS, AND ANY OTHER APPLICATION IN WHICH THE MODERN, LUXURIOUS, AND ENERGETIC LOOK OF REAL METAL IS DESIRED. “FOR A SET DESIGNER, THEY MIGHT OPT FOR A DARKER, LESS REFLECTIVE BRUSHED ALUMINUM SINCE THEY ARE MANAGING LIGHTING HOT SPOTS,” SAYS CHEMETAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT GEOFF SCHAEFER. VISIT WWW.CHEMETAL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION. PHOTO BY RAEFORD DWYER, COURTESY OF CHEMETAL

CENTER LEFT: ITALIAN LUXURY ACCESSORIES BRAND VALEXTRA CHOSE A STRIKING WALL TO DISPLAY ITS PRODUCTS WHEN IT OPENED ITS MIAMI LOCATION IN 2019. DESIGNED BY ARANDA\ LASCH, THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE AN ORIGINAL RETAIL SETTING INSPIRED BY THE COMPANY’S MILANESE ROOTS. THE EYE-CATCHING BACK WALL, CLAD IN TREEFROG’S DECORATIVE ALPI WOOD VENEER IN SOTTSASS GREY, DESIGNED BY THE LATE ETTORE SOTTSASS, A CELEBRATED ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER WHO PIONEERED THE MEMPHIS DESIGN MOVEMENT IN THE 1980S (THINK BOLD AND CLASHING COLORS). THIS DESIGN WAS REINTRODUCED IN MORE MUTED WOOD TONES BY TREEFROG’S ITALIAN SUPPLIER. AND AS PART OF ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY, TREEFROG RECENTLY MADE ALL OF ITS PREFINISHED VENEERS EVEN BETTER, SWITCHING TO A MORE FLEXIBLE AND GREENER COLOR-MATCHED WOOD BACKER THAT ELIMINATES THE BROWN LAMINATE BACKER AND CREATES CLEANER EDGES. VISIT WWW. TREEFROGVENEER.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION. PHOTO BY ROBIN HILL, COURTESY OF CHEMETAL BOTTOM LEFT: THIS TASTING ROOM FOR THE SPIRITS MAKER SCHWARZE UND SCHLICHTE IN OELDE, GERMANY, IS EQUIPPED WITH SEVEN-METER HIGH SHELVES TO NOT ONLY MAKE OPTIMUM USE OF THE ROOM HEIGHT, BUT TO BE CONVINCING IN TERMS OF DESIGN. DESIGNED BY THE TEAM OF RSA ARCHITEKTEN LIPPSTADT, THIS SPACE USES ST10 HAMILTON OAK FROM EGGER, IDEAL FOR LARGE SURFACES WITH ITS XL REPEAT, AND EGGER’S PERFECTSENSE PREMIUM LAMINATES MATT (FORMERLY TOPMATT LAMINATES) WITH ITS SUPER-MATTE, VELVETY-SMOOTH LACQUERED SURFACE FEATURING FINGERPRINT RESISTANCE. THESE ABRASION-, IMPACT- AND SCRATCHRESISTANT LAMINATES ARE IDEAL FOR USE ON HIGH-TRAFFIC VERTICAL SURFACES. THE BAR FRONT IS ONE OF CHEMETAL’S SUPER FUNCTIONAL, EASY-TO-USE BRUSHED METAL DESIGNS THAT ECHO THE POPULAR STAINLESS APPLIANCE LOOK. THE MATERIAL COMES IN SOLID ANODIZED ALUMINUM THAT BENDS EASILY AND CREATES CLEAN EDGES OR HPL ALUMINUM THAT’S MORE DENT-RESISTANT AND FORGIVING FOR PEOPLE USED TO FABRICATING WITH LAMINATE. VISIT WWW.EGGER.COM AND WWW.CHEMETAL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEMETAL

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

Innovations in processing and finishing have created specialized finished surfaces — many offering unparalleled durability and unique features including anti-fingerprint, impact resistance, or antimicrobial properties. These features can enhance the functionality of the space by making it more user-friendly and hygienic. And advances in digital scanning and printing allow for customization in colors, patterns and even textures on these surfaces.

The advancement of composite panels has enabled architects to push the boundaries of commercial design. Lightweight yet sturdy, these panels offer enhanced insulation properties and have been pivotal in the construction of energy-efficient buildings. And digital printing now allows for such large-format products, entire building facades can now be customized with a pattern — while maintaining durability.

“Imagine building facades that are not merely appealing but also weather-resistant, public spaces that maintain their beauty for years or interior walls with striking colors and finishes,” says Andrea Brotini, CROMATICA sales director with the Marcegaglia Group of Italy. “All this is reality, now.”

The COVID-19 Pandemic also affected the way we work, and workspaces have had to keep pace — many adopting the latest in surface innovations for the same reasons retail spaces are embracing them. From surfaces that offer antimicrobial finishes to touchless technologies and adaptable furniture designs, these trends are becoming more the norm.

ABOVE: THIS HOTEL LOBBY DESIGN FEATURES CALCUTTA MARBLE GREY FROM 3A COMPOSITES NEW MONARC COLLECTION, A RANGE OF NEW COMPOSITE WALL PANELS FOR INTERIOR SPACES ENGINEERED TO REDEFINE THE BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVITY AND FUNCTIONALITY IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET. VISIT HTTPS://3ACOMPOSITESUSA. COM/MONARC FOR MORE INFORMATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF 3A COMPOSITES

BELOW: TECHNOLOGY COMES TO TODAY'S COMMERCIAL SURFACES, WITH THE OPTION TO INCORPORATE WIRELESS CHARGING STATIONS INTO ANY NON-METAL SURFACE. FREEPOWER SAYS THEY'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND BARS FOR THEIR LATEST PRODUCT, A FAVORITE AT KBIS THIS YEAR. PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEPOWER

Today’s offices are moving away from the traditional cubicle-centric layouts to more open-plan designs devised to foster collaboration and creativity. Coworking spaces also emerged from this trend, catering to freelancers, startups, and mobile workers, emphasizing flexibility and community.

The use of surfaced panels and specialty hardware in commercial and retail spaces is more than a trend; it's a strategic approach to creating environments that are adaptable, sustainable, and forward-thinking. As we look to the future, the continued evolution of these materials and technologies promises to further enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of retail and commercial spaces, making them more responsive to the changing needs of businesses and consumers. S P

BY DESIGN S P

We at Surface & Panel are constantly amazed by the new products and their applications in our industry. S&P By Design is an opportunity to share some of those innovations used in real projects around the world.

MUSIC EDUCATION COMPLEX AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE

Texas A&M University-Kingsville approached Houston-based custom millwork designer Brochsteins to help bring the vision for their new Music Education Complex to life — replacing an aging facility that no longer could serve the growing program. This project nearly tripled the music program’s space from 32,000 square feet to 90,000 square feet, and included a stunning, 500-person performance hall to visually enhance and provide a tangible demonstration of the department’s

contribution to the larger campus. The fabricators at Brochsteins worked with Kerfkore products in previous projects and determined their Flexboard panels offered the optimum solution to provide both the flexibility and density required for the wraparound balcony with varying heights.

When comparing the Flexboard panels to other alternatives, like bending plywood, to achieve this panel system design,

Flexboard was found to be the most efficient solution, and delivered a cost savings for the overall project budget of 73 percent. For the design team, leveraging Kerfkore panels to complete the balcony wrapper portion of this project offered tremendous benefits. For one, these flexible panels eliminated both the costly materials and extra labor installation required, helping to keep the project under budget and within the preferred timeline. Additionally, Flexboard panels were able to easily meet the specified density requirements for the project by simply double layering the panels throughout. In the end, Kerfkore’s flexible panels were essential to ensuring a fluid aesthetic for the wrapping, despite the varying heights and wave-like flow. Unlike other, resource-intensive products that would require templating and vacuum-pressed lamination efforts, Flexboard panels were able to alleviate any unnecessary stress and pressure in order to complete the project.

Photos by Cotton Global Disaster Solutions, courtesy of Kerfkore

BE A PART OF S&P IN 2024!

Help celebrate 20 years of Surface & Panel by sharing your interesting and innovative projects to be featured in S&P By Design! Submit 1-3 images and a brief explanation of the project, including materials used, along with your company name and URL to jwilliams@526mediagroup.com. You will be contacted if your project is selected for publication in an upcoming issue.

Our Q3 issue will be looking ahead to this year’s IWF in Atlanta, but projects of all kinds are welcome! The deadline for submissions for the Q3 issue is June 30.

36 BELOW COCKTAIL BAR, PHOENIX, ARIZONA

An underground lounge where the combination of design, enticing refreshments, and matchless hospitality was a perfect place for installing the city’s tech phenomenon FreePower wireless charging system, which allows for a seamless, free-positioned charging area right in the bar top, thanks to a patented system that is installed underneath the surface. And while fabricators have found that materials like quartz offer the best clarity for seeing the charging halo light (which also features a remote control and color and fade options), it can work with any non-metal surface and you wouldn’t even know it’s there, says Jake Slatnick, FreePower CEO. “You can almost toss your phone and even if it slides to a stop, it'll still charge so it's large enough [at about 5 by 8 inches] to not have to worry—you have that convenience factor and that piece of mind that wherever your phone lands, it's gonna charge.”

The system can charge up to three phones at the same time, so there’s plenty of power to go around at the bar, says Slatnik, whose company recently took home not only the Best of KBIS award this year but also the People’s Pick in the DesignBites Award. “We're seeing a really a positive response from all kinds of industries—home builders want this in their homes, hotels want it in their common areas and nice rentals want it for their nightstands or their bathroom vanities, restaurants and bars are interested, and the list goes on.”

“This is surface power and it belongs in surfaces everywhere,” he adds. “It's exciting to see where it’s being used…some people are coming up to us with places that we had never even thought of.” Slatnik says he has plans to expand the charging area, perhaps making it to where an entire tabletop or countertop can act as a wireless charger. “That’s a little overkill, to be honest,” he says, “and it would take a bit more engineering and technology to do, but yeah, why not? That’s definitely a long-term dream.” Visit www.freepower.io for more information.

Photos courtesy of FreePower

C From Niche to Necessity

NEW TECHNOLOGIES DRIVE A SURGE IN CNC POPULARITY

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS

omputer Numerical Control (CNC) machines are revolutionizing the machining industry by offering unprecedented precision, efficiency, and automation.

As a result, the CNC machines market, valued at $66.74 billion in 2023, is expected to surge up to $154 billion by 2032, driven in large part by the increasing demand for automation and efficiency across various sectors. CNC machines are expected to offer continued advancements in machine precision, workflow streamlining, and project completion speeds.

The implementation of new CNC technologies is driven by several trends and innovations, including the integration of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology combined with traditional CNC machining. This allows for the creation of parts with complex geometries that were previously unattainable, offering new design possibilities, reducing material waste, and increasing production efficiency.

“Emerging machining advancements typically set the course for novel tooling concepts and designs,” says Karin Deutschler,

CEO of GDP Tooling. “As machining speeds escalate, the demand for tools capable of meeting heightened requirements intensifies. These tools must facilitate efficient chip evacuation, uphold surface finish standards, and whenever feasible, prolong tool life to manage costs effectively.”

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is the integration of intelligent digital technologies into manufacturing processes. Experts say these technologies are key in advancing the CNC industry by offering increased flexibility and enabling CNC machines to adjust in real-time to varying production demands and thereby enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

The technologies that make up Industry 4.0 include:

• Industrial IoT networks

• AI

• Big Data

• Robotics

LEFT: THE JET ELITE CNC WORKING CENTER FROM BUSELLATO OFFERS THE MAXIMUM OF TECHNOLOGY IN A MINIMUM OF SPACE, AND QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISES. WWW.CASADEIBUSELLATO.COM

REDESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP, UTILIZING AN INDUSTRY LEADING FANUC CONTROL & STATE-OF-THE-ART HSD SPINDLE. THE SMARTSHOP 2 ELITE GIVES YOU THE CONFIDENCE TO HANDLE THE HIGHEST PRODUCTION LOADS WITH EASE, WHILE GUARANTEEING ACCURACY & CUT QUALITY.

• Automation

• Analytics

• Additive manufacturing

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BELOW: AUTOMATE AND ELEVATE YOUR PRODUCTION PROCESS, CONFIDENTLY HANDLING EVEN THE MOST DEMANDING WORKLOADS WITH PRECISION AND SUPERIOR CUT QUALITY WITH THE SMARTSHOP 2 ELITE FROM LAGUNA TOOLS — METICULOUSLY CRAFTED FOR THE MODERN ARTISAN. ENGINEERED WITH A CUTTING-EDGE FANUC CONTROL SYSTEM AND A STATE-OF-THE-ART HSD SPINDLE, THIS MACHINE IS A GAME-CHANGER. WWW.LAGUNATOOLS.COM

BELOW: SHOPSABRE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF THEIR IS-A SERIES CNC ROUTER, A TESTAMENT TO AMERICAN ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AND THE LATEST INNOVATION IN CNC TECHNOLOGY. DESIGNED FOR UNPARALLELED PRECISION AND POWER, THE IS-A SERIES SETS A NEW INDUSTRY STANDARD, FEATURING ADVANCED SERVO MOTORS, AN HSD ITALIAN-BUILT SPINDLE, AND A DEDICATED M8 SERIES CONTROLLER FROM MITSUBISHI. ALL THIS OFFERS UNMATCHED ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY WHILE THE ROUTER’S ROBUST CONSTRUCTION ENSURES LONGEVITY, MAKING IT A VALUABLE INVESTMENT FOR PROFESSIONALS SEEKING TO ELEVATE THEIR MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES.

“Welcome to the era of Industry 4.0 — where the buzz is all about making our manufacturing processes smarter and more connected,” says Jeff Farr, National Sales Manager for JKL Machinery. “In woodworking, precision is everything, and diving into Industry 4.0 isn't just a trend — it's a must-have for staying on top of our game.”

“To ride the Industry 4.0 wave,” he adds, “our CNC machines need to tick some boxes:

• Interoperability — Our machines gotta talk to each other and to the digital systems, all in sync. Think of it like a smooth jam session where everyone's in tune. This is where protocols like OPC UA come in handy, ensuring seamless communication between different machines and systems.

• Real-time Data Analysis — We need to keep our eyes on the machines' pulses with real-time monitoring. It's like having a radar for spotting any hiccups before they turn into headaches. IoT sensors onboard our machines gather data in real-time, giving us insights into performance and productivity.

• Predictive Maintenance — Let's get proactive with maintenance! By using fancy algorithms and machine learning,

WWW.SHOPSABRE.COM

‹

we can predict when our machines might throw a tantrum and fix 'em up before they do.

• Remote Accessibility — Whether we're on the shop floor or chilling at home, we need to keep tabs on our machines. Remote control, anyone? It's like having a superpower to tweak things from wherever we are. Thanks to IoT connectivity, we can monitor and control machines remotely.

• Comprehensive Data Reporting — Let's crunch those numbers and get some juicy insights! Detailed reports help us understand how our machines are performing and where we can make improvements. It's like having a GPS to navigate our way to efficiency.”

Companies including Busellato and Vitap are leading the charge into Industry 4.0 with the help of Tpa's control software. TpaCAD is Tpa’s CAD/CAM programming system for Microsoft Windows environments. It can interface with 3- or 5-axis CNC machining centers. TpaCAD can

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KCD SOFTWARE CNC COMMANDER EXCELS WITH A USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN INTERFACE AND ROBUST MANUFACTURING ENGINE. GET YOUR CNC MACHINE UP AND RUNNING QUICKLY WITH KCD SOFTWARE’S FREE ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL SUPPORT INCLUDED. WWW. KCDSOFTWARE.COM

RIGHT: USHERING IN A NEW ERA IN CNC AUTOMATION IS THE VITAP K2 2.0 WITH FLOW SYSTEM. NOW, EVEN THE SMALLEST SHOP CAN AFFORD TO AUTOMATE. THE SYSTEM IS FULLY AUTOMATED WHICH ALLOWS FOR USER-FREE OPERATION. SIMPLY PROVIDE THE MACHINE WITH THE REQUIRED PARTS AND PROGRAM AND THE MACHINE WILL LOAD, PROCESS, AND UNLOAD AUTOMATICALLY. COMPACT, AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE. WWW.JKLMACHINERY.COM

Challenges to Growth

The CNC industry faces several challenges, including cybersecurity issues, a shortage of qualified operators, and an increased demand for the technology across different manufacturing sectors.

And as CNC operations become increasingly reliant on more advanced technologies, protecting these systems from cyber threats becomes most important. The additional dependence on more technical, digital platforms for operation means that workers, too, much become more tech-savvy, highlighting the need for more comprehensive training programs in the industry. And while the certification programs to train future operators are many, the right training needed for more advanced technologies may be more difficult to find.

“With the advent of automation, the quest for qualified operators has become even more daunting,” says GDP Tooling CEO Karin Deutschler. “Operating CNC equipment demands a heightened level of expertise, necessitating proficiency in basic computer skills, comprehension of programming concepts, proficiency in working with DXF files, and a grasp of tolerances and fundamental tooling concepts such as chiploads and feed speeds, among others.

TOP LEFT: TPACAD IS TPA’S CAD/CAM PROGRAMMING SYSTEM FOR MICROSOFT WINDOWS ENVIRONMENTS. IT CAN INTERFACE WITH 3- OR 5-AXIS CNC MACHINING CENTERS. TPACAD CAN BE USED TO WORK WITH SEVERAL TYPES OF MATERIALS, SUCH AS WOOD, MARBLE, METAL, GLASS, AND PLASTICS. THE STRONG SUIT OF TPACAD IS OFFERING IN A SINGLE ENVIRONMENT THE HIGH PERFORMANCE OF A GRAPHIC EDITOR AND THE EXCELLENT DEDICATED FUNCTIONS TYPICAL OF A CAD SOFTWARE. WWW.TPASPA.COM

BOTTOM LEFT: C ABINET PRO CNC ALLOWS FOR AUTOMATIC TOOL SELECTION FOR A DESIGNATED MACHINING OPERATION. THIS FEATURE WILL REPLACE THE TOOL WHEN NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO ADJUST TO MATERIAL THICKNESS CHANGES, WHICH MAKES YOUR MACHINING MORE ACCURATE AND EFFICIENT. THE AUTOMATIC TOOL SELECTION OPTIONS ARE VAST. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE CNC TOOL LIBRARY THE COMPANY CAN DESIGNATE THE TOOLS WHICH THEY WOULD WANT CABINET PRO TO AUTOMATICALLY INSERT INTO ANY GIVEN ROUTING OPERATIONS SUCH AS A DADO CUT OR A RABBET CUT. WWW.CABINETPRO.COM

be used to work with several types of materials, such as wood, marble, metal, glass, and plastics. The strong suit of TpaCAD is offering in a single environment the high performance of a graphic editor and the excellent dedicated functions typical of a CAD software.

Dr. Vito Dimichele, CEO of Vitap, says he embraces the implementation of new technologies. "We're not just embracing Industry 4.0; we're shaping Transition 5.0,” he says. “We're all about pushing the boundaries to create smarter manufacturing environments.

By embracing all things Industry 4.0 — from interoperability to predictive maintenance — companies will not just keep up with the times, but can set the pace, says Farr.

“With their commitment to innovation and technology,” he says, “the woodworking industry is in for one heck of a ride!” S P

Retrofitting with a Purpose

MANY BUSINESSES ARE CHOOSING TO UPGRADE

THEIR OUTDATED COMPUTERIZED PARTS ON CNC AND OTHER MACHINES

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF MACHMOTION

The computer system on one of Eddie San Juan’s CNC routers started glitching in the early days following the worst of the pandemic, so the high-end door fabricator knew he had to find a solution. He started by working with the machine manufacturer — even sending in the computerized control panel for repair. But the lead time was long and San Juan was worried about the prolonged downtime for a third of his business.

So he did some research online and found MachMotion, a company that offers solutions for aging computerized parts and panels for a variety of equipment, including CNC machines and routers.

“What we had were machines that are extremely well taken care of, but their electrical systems were just aging,” says San Juan, who owns E.F. San Juan, Inc. in Youngstown, Florida. “One in particular was really acting up … it got to the point that the computer

systems were failing very quickly, and we had to come up with a solution or potentially be stuck with an inoperable router. So, I found MachMotion and started the process to replace just the computerized control system.”

He says it was a great experience and he will replace the same system on a second machine this summer. “[MachMotion] came in and worked with us to figure out what exactly we needed, then they went back and built it to our specifications. They came back and did the switchover — we were only down about a week.”

And that can really make a difference for smaller manufacturers and companies, says Chad Hodge, director of marketing at MachMotion. “Typically they'll come in with a problem they’ve likely tried to correct themselves — maybe with what we call ‘band aids and bubble gum,’” he says. “They're buying parts off eBay and have somebody come in to patch it up — maybe it's their maintenance

"... they'll come in with a problem they’ve likely tried to correct themselves — maybe with what we call ‘band aids and bubble gum,’” he says. “They're buying parts off eBay and have somebody come in to patch it up ..."

— CHAD HODGE, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AT MACHMOTION

team and they're soldering a wire together or whatnot and they're really tired of it … they have a job to get done and need to meet a client deadline and their machine is down for four hours. Now that may be fine one time, but when it happens 10 times … not so good.”

That’s about how it happened for San Juan, who says he found MachMotion after searching for another solution online. “Our total cost was about 25 percent of what we would’ve spent on a new machine,” he says. “Not to mention the extended downtime from having to swap out the entire machine and the waste and all that.” You basically get a brand new machine with the upgrade/retrofit, he adds, and that includes outstanding customer service.

“When you go with MachMotion, you gain a partner with expertise to help you get a new machine experience without actually having to buy a new machine,”

With a ShopBot CNC, you can increase production throughput while minimizing material handling. For example, you can drill shelf pin holes, cut rabbets and dados, and profile-cut the completed panel. The operator only needs to handle the full sheet once to load the machine, and then remove the perfectly cut parts that are ready for assembly.

Thanks to the affordability of ShopBot’s professional grade CNC machines, the technology of manufacturing cabinet boxes, doors, drawer fronts, shelves, and even countertops, is now well within the reach of smaller shops, not just large cabinet manufacturing facilities.

See our full line of CNCs at ShopBotTools.com

Then give us a call at 888-680-4466

We’ll find the CNC machine that works best for your needs.

Panel

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

says Hodge. “And what I mean by that one is you're supported. We offer lifetime customer support for every customer — it’s not a warranty but it's helping them work through the issues and things like that and we can do that because we're using modern technologies. We can remote into the machine with U.S.-based remote support, we can see if you had something fail at 5:56 p.m. and we can go in and look at it and help you solve it right away.”

“Once we come out and access just what you need, we get to work building it for you,” he continues. “It then takes roughly 6-8 weeks to build everything, depending on the parts needed, etc., and then we come out and make the transition and make sure the customer can fully operate the machine before we leave. And we try to do this with the least possible disruption to their business.”

“These machines are iron — they're meant to last a lifetime,” says Hodge. “But they do have wearable parts. If you're keeping your machine updated, you know there are things that are going to need to be updated or replaced: the wiring inside the machine, the relays, everything inside the cabinet or panel and the control itself — those aren't meant to last 20 years, right? The best comparison I can give you to that is you would not carry the same phone for 20 years in your pocket or keep the same laptop for 20 years … it would be a waste of technology as it relates to security and things like

"There’s always little quirks here and there that come up when you're using the CNC that you gotta tweak. This way, we can kind of stress test it to make sure that everything is in good shape and ready to go."

— EDDIE SAN JUAN

that. So the iron on these machines are meant to last a lifetime, but what we do is come in and basically replace all the electrical components, the wiring, everything in the cabinet or replace the cabinet. And we can do the switchover and get you back in operation within a week most of the time.”

MachMotion has worked on many different machines and brands, including machines you may never have heard of, says Hodge. “We do the majority of our business with CNCs and routers,” he says. “But in every job we do, we take a few pictures of the machine, including of the serial plate, then we custombuild the solution for every customer. We are not just sending out a replacement part based on your model number… there might be different size motors or a number of variations, so we actually

customize it, ship it to you and come out — usually the following week — to make the switch.”

San Juan says he opted for MachMotion to come out for an extra week when they upgrade their second machine in June, just to run through various programs and settings. “There’s always little quirks here and there that come up when you're using the CNC that you gotta tweak. This way, we can kind of stress test it to make sure that everything is in good shape and ready to go.” And he says he has been more than impressed with their customer service. “We are in Florida and get started about 5:30 in the morning,” he explains. “I texted our guy when we had an issue and he got back with us by 5:45 — and it was even earlier for him. I was pretty impressed.” S P

FORMALDEHYDE IS IN THE NEWS: Wood Panels Appear to Be Ahead

A SUMMARY OF THE EPA'S RECENT DRAFT RISK EVALUATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR USERS OF WOOD PANELS

BY KEITH CHRISTMAN

What is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas that is used as a precursor for many industrial chemicals and products, such as adhesive, resins, plastics, paints, and textiles. Formaldehyde can also be released from natural sources. Living things — plants, animals, and people — produce and release formaldehyde just through natural life (biogenic) processes. In addition, forest fires, or human activities, such as smoking, cooking, or burning fuels also release formaldehyde.

Why is Formaldehyde in the News?

In March 2024, the EPA issued a draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which regulates the manufacture, use, and disposal of chemicals

in the U.S. The draft risk evaluation “preliminarily finds that formaldehyde presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health.” EPA found that workers who are in workplaces where formaldehyde is used are at the most risk from formaldehyde exposure. EPA made these conclusions assuming that workers don’t use protective equipment, though EPA acknowledged that many employers do take measures to protect the safety of their workers. According to the American Chemistry Council, “EPA’s suggested workplace limits are unworkable and ignore practices that are already in place to protect workers … The suggested risk thresholds are 30 times below the recently updated European Union occupational limits of 300 parts per billion, lower than levels that can be detected, and below levels measured in ambient urban air and U.S. residences.”

EPA also found that people who frequently use certain consumer

products that contain formaldehyde are at risk. These products included car waxes, some crafting supplies, and fabrics or leather goods treated with formaldehyde. However, a person’s risk from these products depends on how long and how frequently the products are used, and in many cases, exposures from these products are at the same or lower levels than exposures from other sources of formaldehyde in the home such as candles or cooking.

TSCA Title VI “Laminated Product Producer Exemption” Expires

Formaldehyde is also in the news because the composite wood products regulatory landscape changed in March as well. The EPA’s TSCA Title VI regulation has regulated formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products in the U.S. since 2018. Over that time, entities that applied a wood or woody grass veneer to a regulated platform like veneer core, particleboard, or medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels specifically in support of producing finished goods (e.g. furniture, cabinetry, engineered wood flooring) were considered “laminated product producers” and were exempt from the certification and testing requirements that apply to hardwood plywood panel manufacturers. As of March 22nd, 2024, this is no longer the case: laminated product producers which use an adhesive other than a “no added formaldehyde” (NAF) or phenol formaldehyde (PF) adhesive to adhere those veneers must now be third-party certified like a hardwood plywood producer. This could impact thousands of finished goods manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad, many of which may be unaware of this important implementation date. For guidance on determining whether or not you are now considered a laminated product producer or hardwood plywood producer, contact DHA technical director Josh Hosen at jhosen@decorativehardwoods.org to discuss your production process.

How is the Wood Panel Industry Ahead?

Composite wood products, including hardwood plywood, medium density fiberboard, particleboard and engineered wood flooring, are potential sources of formaldehyde exposure in residential and commercial buildings. These products are made from wood fibers or veneers that are bonded together with resin, which may contain formaldehyde as an ingredient. As mentioned earlier, the EPA already regulates the formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products under TSCA Title VI, which sets emission standards and test requirements for these products.

The TSCA Title VI regulation also requires that composite wood products sold in the U.S. are certified by third-party certifiers and labeled as compliant

with the emission standards. Wood panel producers have taken many steps to reduce formaldehyde concerns since 2018 including, in many cases, switching to “no added formaldehyde” and “ultra-low emitting formaldehyde” adhesives.

According to the EPA's draft risk evaluation, the composite wood products sector may be ahead in reducing formaldehyde exposure and risk for consumers. The agency stated that "in this preliminary determination, EPA is finding the conditions of use related to exposure in residences from wood articles does not contribute to the unreasonable risk of formaldehyde." At this point it’s unclear what if any workplace changes might be required to address worker exposure in wood panel manufacturing.

What are the Next Steps?

The EPA's draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde is open for public comment until May 14. The agency will review comments and other input and then finalize the risk evaluation reportedly by the end of 2024. After it’s finalized, EPA will propose risk management rules that may include restrictions or bans on the manufacture, use, or disposal of formaldehyde and formaldehydecontaining products, as well as requirements for exposure monitoring, labeling, or reporting. S P

KEITH CHRISTMAN

is President of the Decorative Hardwoods Association, formerly known as Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association. He is a new contributor for Surface & Panel and welcomes your thoughts and questions at kchristman@ decorativehardwoods. org. Visit the DHA at www.

Beyond the Buzz

SUSTAINABILITY

EFFORTS ARE NO LONGER JUST THE TREND OF THE DAY — THEY HAVE BECOME A NEW STANDARD IN THE SURFACE & PANEL INDUSTRY

As environmental awareness expanded over the past 20 years, companies across the globe have increasingly pivoted towards more eco-friendly practices, integrating more green materials and energy-efficient processes into their core operations.

And while some materials, including wood and fiberboard, have always been a consistently sustainable resource, experts say the industry needs to do a better job of telling its story. “The idea that there is no more sustainable material on the planet or in the galaxy than wood as a construction material is completely lost, because we have done a terrible, terrible job of communicating that,” says Kenn Busch, founder of MaterialIntelligence.com and ClimatePositiveNOW.org. He also creates Certified Education Unit content for architects and designers and speaks about materials and sustainability to design students and at industry and design events in North America, Europe, Asia and South America.

“Recently, I was working out some messaging with the kitchen cabinet industry and we came up with this idea of what if we said, ‘Look, you can build your next kitchen out of 600 pounds of naturally captured carbon how cool will that be?’ But the thing is, you're already doing that,” says Busch. The average North American kitchen is storing about 600 pounds of carbon in its wood cabinets. And wood naturally captures carbon in the air and stores it within—to the point that 50 percent of

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS

dried wood is captured carbon that’s been pulled out of the atmosphere with little or no involvement by humans…it’s just a natural air scrubbing machine.”

“That’s just what nature designed wood to do,” he continues. “It’s a crazy great story that is so powerful but when you just lay it out in cocktail conversation with an architect or designer even some consumers, they're like ‘that just sounds like greenwashing’ or ‘that sounds too good to be true.’ But it is true, and most of us learned that in science class years ago: wood captures CO2 from the atmosphere and releases oxygen.

Evolution of Eco Expectations

Kelsey Spitz-Dietrich, chief commercial officer for the UCS Forest Group of Companies, which includes Sierra Forest Products and Upper Canada Forest Products, says they have a good communication strategy to help their customers understand the language and to navigate the opportunities to be more sustainable.

“It starts with a mindset,” she says. “The domestic lumber industry is inherently aware of sustainability and their impact on the environment. Basically, you do well by doing good. If you don’t take care of your forest, you cannot take care of your business, your people, or your community … it’s a pretty clear feedback loop.”

And while UCS has been involved in sustainable practices from the beginning, they continue to evolve. “The founder of the

Common Materials Framework Unites Leading Sustainability Organizations

For the first time, leading organizations committed to sustainable building practices have agreed to align their efforts to advance materials sustainability, transparency, and optimization in the construction and design industries.

The Common Materials Framework establishes a common language for holistic material sustainability in the building industry. Organizations including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and mindful Materials (mM) agreed to the collaboration at the 2023 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo last year.

Leaders from the five organizations presented “Building Alignment: The Role of Project Certifications to Drive Impact” to emphasize the importance of their joined efforts to utilize a common language in this area.

company started with a sustainability mindset, so that mindset was inherent to the company’s mission,” says Spitz-Dietrich. “It has evolved over the years — from the start, we paid attention to vendor selection and with whom we partner. And then we were one of the first distributors to become FSC Chain of Custody Certified.”

Supply chains have become increasingly more complicated with more complex certification processes, she adds, “but we try to ensure that there’s a clear chain of transparency from product to consumer. We align with and learn from leading environmental organizations so that we can continue to do better. We do know some companies in our supply chain who won’t get certified, because they’re actually doing better than the certification standard and, in their minds, they can’t afford to go through the process ‘just for’ the sticker. But it’s important to avoid greenwashing and there are some certifications that verify compliance with audits that are very much worth the effort to prove authenticity.”

In the early days, UCS partnered with companies and organizations to bring green energy into our operations, and now the company is targeting to be carbon neutral in 2026, says SpitzDietrich. “And that’s something we’ve been working towards and are very excited to see come about. But it’s only one piece of the puzzle. We are trying to pay more attention to other resources, including our impact on water, air and ecosystems. There’s so much more we can do.”

Durability is also important to sustainable practices, she says,

“Materials have remained one of the toughest sustainability puzzles to solve. Partly, that’s because their impacts are so diverse and global — and because so many entities impact material choices from design to installation,” says Alex Muller, VP of Strategy at mindful MATERIALS. “But it’s also been a confusing world to wrap your arms around. Every organization defines product sustainability differently and asks for different pathways or labels to meet the same objectives — safe, sustainable, and socially just materials. So it’s not surprising we’ve made less progress than we’d want. That’s all about to change thanks to the Common Materials Framework — and the commitment from these organizations to find meaningful alignment on holistically sustainable materials.”

The Common Materials Framework, introduced in 2021, translates complicated language, data and standards across the industry into consistent impact categories: Human Health, Climate Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health + Equity, and Circularity. Once digitized, the CMF will act as a smart filter, allowing practitioners to search for sustainable products at any depth. mindful MATERIALS’ intention is that the CMF will work seamlessly across all leading building and material databases and technology platforms, ensuring a consistent foundation of information wherever material decisions are made.

“It’s not overstating anything to say these are some of the most influential groups in the built environment where sustainability is concerned,” says Annie Bevan, mindful MATERIALS CEO. “The announcement at Greenbuild represents years of collaboration and months of direct conversation. To have everyone up on the stage together, speaking in the same language and with the same urgency about aligning like ‘no more talk, this is it’ — I mean, wow, that was powerful and something I have been hoping to see my entire career.”

Visit www.mindfulmaterials.com/the-common-framework for more information.

"Basically, you do well by doing good. If you don’t take care of your forests, you cannot take care of your people and your community … it’s a pretty clear feedback loop."

— EKELSEY SPITZ-DIETRICH, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, UCS FOREST GROUP OF COMPANIES

by not having to replace a product every few years. “I’ve been waiting for durability to become relevant,” she laughs. “Now there is a new design trend of ‘quiet luxury’ in 2024, that actually translates to durability. And we have products with a 50-year warranty. Spend a little more now, but you will have something that lasts, reducing waste and costs over time.”

In fact, keeping an eye on the future is a key corporate value for UCS. “We are focused on the opportunity of intergenerational value building and long-term ecosystemic sustainability — what our world is going to be like for the next generation and their kids and their great grandchildren. That’s important to us.”

The Business Side of Sustainability

And while this shift towards more sustainable products and processes is a positive thing overall, companies have also discovered it can be good for their bottom line.

Wilsonart has a robust sustainability program, says John Bank, the company’s director of commercial marketing. “It’s become more and more important over time and it just makes sense from a business standpoint,” he says. “Particularly when using recycled materials to make certain products — we are reusing or repurposing materials that were once considered a waste product, but now, we are using it to make new, marketable materials. That just seems like a win-win, because the excess materials that used to be trash and we had to figure out how to get rid of it, now we are actually using that ‘throwaway’ material to make different products.”

Bank says that companies also try to keep up with the rules, regulations and certifications for sustainable products and practices. “Becoming more and more important these days is your EPD, or your Environmental Product Declaration, because it addresses a lot of the greenhouse gases, carbon and more, so it really gives great insight to specifiers in terms of content of that product so they can make informed decisions based upon that.”

Formaldehyde has been a big issue for the panel industry [see page 32], but Bank says it’s important to know the facts. “Maybe one of these days, our R&D and our tech guys in all their brilliance will come up with a way to eliminate the trace amounts of formaldehyde that are found in HPLs. And we have read articles that say to stay away from high pressure laminate because it contains formaldehyde — but so does an apple, and it's kind of on that level. So while it gets a bad rap, it’s really more of an education situation. Some people are open to that discussion and others just hear the word and they shut down, so that’s been part of our challenge … to make sure that you know we provide accurate and clear information.” S P

Sustainability Certifications

According to Kenn Busch with Climate Positive Now, there are currently more than 600 possible certifications for sustainability in the building and industry.

“It has almost gotten to the point that it’s just white noise, there are so many,” he says. “But several of them are more important to the industry — the trick is figuring out which are which.”

Below is a list of some prominent sustainability certifications along with explanations of what these certifications signify:

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council): This certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. The certification tracks the wood from forests through the supply chain.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): Covers key values such as protection of biodiversity, species at risk and wildlife habitat; sustainable harvest levels; protection of water quality; and prompt regeneration.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design):

This globally recognized certification assesses the environmental performance of a building and encourages market transformation towards sustainable design. It covers aspects like energy efficiency, water usage, air quality, and the choice of building materials.

ISO 14001: An international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It provides a framework that an organization can follow, rather than environmental performance requirements.

Declare Labels from ILFI: Manufacturers voluntarily disclose product information on easy-to-read Declare labels, which report all product ingredients and use a simple color code system to flag chemicals of concern. Further information is provided on the product’s final assembly locations, life expectancy, end-oflife options, and overall compliance with relevant environmental requirements. All active Declare labels are accessible on a free and searchable database, used by designers, builders, and homeowners to specify products they know they can trust and that meet the requirements of leading green building standards.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs): These documents provide professionals with important information on environmental and health aspects, and are also available to interested end users.

Green Seal: A certification that uses science-based programs to empower consumers, purchasers, and companies to create a more sustainable world. It signifies that a product meets rigorous, science-based environmental leadership standards.

Blue Angel: German certification for products and services that have a reduced environmental impact. It mainly applies to products like coatings and finishes that are less harmful to the environment.

Cradle to Cradle Certified: This certification assesses product safety for human and environmental health, design for future life cycles, and sustainable manufacturing processes. Products are rated at five different levels (Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum).

Zero Energy Certification from ILFI A standard: Developed by the International Living Future Institute that recognizes the highest levels of energy performance that built projects can achieve. To receive this certification, 100 percent of a building’s energy needs on a net annual basis must be supplied by on-site renewable energy. No combustion is allowed.

Rainforest Alliance Certified: This certification focuses on biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods. It assures consumers that the products are sourced from farms or forests that meet rigorous environmental and social standards.

CARB Compliance (California Air Resources Board): This certification ensures that composite wood products sold or used in California meet strict formaldehyde emission standards. It is crucial for manufacturers of products like MDF and plywood.

GREENGUARD Certification: The products that achieve GREENGUARD Certification meet rigorous low chemical emissions standards, contributing to the creation of healthier interiors by reducing indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure.

Eco-Certified Composite (ECC) Standard: This certification is awarded to manufacturers who meet criteria for air quality, resource management, and environmental stewardship. It is specifically relevant to panel products like particleboard and MDF.

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification): This certification ensures that products are produced with respect to the highest ecological, social, and ethical standards. It is important for companies sourcing wood-based products like MDF.

Green Star: Launched by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Internationally recognized Green Star seal assesses the sustainable attributes of a project through several impact categories: management; quality of the indoor environment; energy; site; water; materials; use of energy; and emissions.

Not If, But When:

INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO EPA’S PENDING METHYLENE CHLORIDE RULING

BY SARA GRAVES

At the time of this writing, with only a few weeks before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes its final risk management ruling on the use of methylene chloride (MC), the companies in the surfaced panel industry that sell MC or use it to create their products are reacting differently to news of this pending action.

Before it became clear when the EPA was going to make a final ruling on MC, Chemical Concepts, adhesive specialists for the past 60 years, sent out a letter to its suppliers. It said that without a clear-cut timeline for when the ruling might be finalized, and given the uncertainty and potential for supply disruptions, it is recommended that these suppliers “consider stocking up on a 6-12-month supply to avoid potential shutdowns and allow time to transition to suitable alternatives.”

“Our word to our customers was ‘be prepared,’” says Andrew Morris, VP, Chemical Concepts. “Have some safety stock because we want our customers to make decisions from a position of strength instead of from a position of weakness where they’ve got enough supply, where they’ve got runway in front of them to make changes and make decisions instead of being backed into a corner.”

As a result of that first communication, Chemical Concepts received a slew of big orders, as the letter had recommended.

“We’re very confident that we can help people find viable substitutes, but, that being said, sometimes it’s an iterative process — we will use the best knowledge and experience we have to make our best recommendation the first time, but there might be some trial and error involved there,” says Morris. “MC is a pretty fast-flashing solvent where it may be replaced by solvents that are slower, so it might require some process changes to make it work exactly the same.”

Mark Jones, retired industrial chemist, adds, “You have manufacturers of the adhesives that are trying to come up with as close to a drop-in replacement as they can. There may be some smart chemists out there figuring out how to do a drop-in replacement so that nobody has to change their production lines on the panels.”

Morris adds, “The manufacturers of methylene chloride products are not a monolith — they’re acting individually. That makes it a little bit tricky. We’ve got responses from some people saying, ‘Well, show me the documentation on this. I don’t see anything that EPA has provided a specific date.’”

“Other companies are saying: ‘Well, this is coming around. It’s

the Chemicals Affected by EPA’s Ban

Source: Chemical Concepts (chemical-concepts.com)

Affected products discontinued as of April 1

• Sta’-Put C1535 Foam Bonding Non-Flammable Spray Grade

• Sta’-Put S120 Non-Flammable Contact Adhesive

• Sta’-Put S170/S171 Non-Flammable Contact Adhesive

• SPH OTC Compliant Non-Flammable Spray Grade

• SPHS OTC Compliant Non-Flammable Canister

• Sta’-Put S200 Spray Adhesive

• Chem-Set 205M Red Non-Flammable Contact Adhesive

• Chem-Set 315M-Non Flammable

Product types that might contain MC

• Non-flammable contact cement

• Solvent welding adhesives

• Solvent-based adhesives

• Two-component polyurethane cements

Products unlikely to be affected:

• Epoxies

• MMA adhesives

• Tapes

• Silicone

• Urethane sealants

• MS polymer

• Cyanoacrylates

• UV Curable Adhesives

not a matter of if but when, so we’re going to be proactive, and rip the Band-Aid off now and make the changes that we have to make now so that we’re prepared.’”

A third group of suppliers is opting to wait until the government forces them to stop producing or selling MC.

One solvent distributor, for instance, which sells MC in fivegallon pails and drums, said they were okay with continuing to sell MC because the government may delay further action. Morris says their attitude seemed to be: “It’s taken the government this long to act and maybe the government will punt again and push the goalpost further back.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some companies, such as Wilsonart, have never used MC in the manufacture of their adhesive products.

“We have multiple adhesive options a fabricator can use to comply with any health or safety regulations they face,” said

Some companies are saying: ‘Well, this is coming around. It’s not a matter of if but when, so we’re going to be proactive, and rip the Band-Aid off now and make the changes that we have to make now so that we’re prepared.’

Wilsonart Director of Adhesives Kevin Kaulfus. “These options include a line of patented, methylene-chloride free, non-flammable, solvent-based contact adhesive launched in 2018 in anticipation of this proposed ban.”

“There’s a pretty wide range of preparedness and responses and attitudes going on,” Morris says.

As a follow up to its first letter to its suppliers, Chemical Concepts sent out a second email with more clarification on which products would be affected, starting as early as April 1 (see sidebar on page 39).

“I’m sure this list is going to continue to grow as we get feedback from customers and continue doing our own research in terms of which products are on the market that contain MC,” Morris says.

Ultimately, Morris advises for any customer who has a product that could be affected by the MC action, “give yourself some time. There are some restrictions coming. But it looks like they’re phasing this in where they’re going to be restricting manufacturing first and then sale and then use in that order. If you’ve bought a certain amount of MC-based products, you probably have a decent amount of time to use them.” S P

Understanding the EPA’s Ruling on Methylene Chloride

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to finalize the risk management rule for methylene chloride in the coming weeks. Because the final rule is currently with the Office of Management and Budget under interagency review, EPA cannot comment on the draft final rule at this time. However, here is what they could share with our readers:

According to EPA’s Jeff Landis, Office of Media Relations, the proposed risk management rule for methylene chloride, if finalized as proposed, would rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of methylene chloride (a halogenated organic solvent widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives, and sealants in the United States) for all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses, most of which would be fully implemented in 15 months.

For the manufacturing, processing, industrial and commercial uses that EPA did not propose to prohibit, which include some critical federal uses, EPA proposed a workplace chemical protection program with strict exposure limits to better protect workers. In the proposed rule, owners or operators would have six months to begin compliance activities, such as air monitoring, and one year to be fully compliant with the workplace chemical protection program, including an exposure control plan.

EPA received comments on many elements of the proposed rule, including implementation timeframes, and will consider those comments as it develops the final rule, which could include different timeframes from those proposed.

For most uses of methylene chloride that EPA is proposing to prohibit, EPA’s analysis found that alternative products with similar costs and efficacy to methylene chloride products are generally available. As the proposed rule was published almost a year ago, many entities may have begun exploring these alternatives.

EPA’s workplace chemical protection program would require an exposure control plan, which complements OSHA’s existing requirements. Companies will use this familiar framework to implement a lower workplace exposure limit to be compliant with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has received data from various industries that indicate some facilities may already be meeting the lower proposed methylene chloride inhalation exposure limit.

When the EPA releases the final rule, it plans to publish a compliance guide and provide other outreach to help businesses comply with the rule.

For more information, companies can reach out to EPA’s staff. Contacts are available on EPA’s website: www.epa.gov/assessingand-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-managementmethylene-chloride.

Get Inspired

At Blum, we believe inspiration is the culmination of small details that lead to big ideas. In 2024, we are launching a series of new products that will allow you to explore new possibilities. Whether you’re a trendsetter or a forward-thinker, our new product lineup is designed to help bring your bold visions to life.

Gearing up for NeoCon: Predictions for Surfacing Innovation

BY MEGHAN HOWELL PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORMICA

AAs a designer, I get excited by the NeoCon buzz each year. Brands from the commercial interiors industry prepare to showcase their latest technologies and designs, providing inspiration, especially when it comes to surfacing materials. For my team and me, seeing these new introductions encourages us to keep pushing boundaries on how surfacing enhances commercial environments.

This year, I expect the overarching design trend at the show will be quiet luxury with cost-conscious materials. As people crave comforting, home-like vibes in commercial spaces more than ever, they want a taste of richness, yet businesses remain budget-minded. Within this broader trend, there are a few specific themes I'll be watching closely at NeoCon.

Sensory-Inspired Surfacing

Coming out of a period of stainless steel, white and gray, spaces are becoming warmer and more inviting to the senses. Commercial spaces are increasingly more focused on being multi-sensory and stimulating beyond just sight. I predict we’ll see more emphasis on materials and finishes that invite touch, sight, sound and even scent.

Expect to see textural innovations at the show this year

— ultra-soft matte; deep-veined marbles; organic, raw woodgrains; and soft sound-absorbing acoustic finishes. These varied tactile elements add amazing depth to spaces. Materials that create multisensory spaces stimulate connections with commercial interiors that enhance experiences and well-being. I’m so energized by the possibilities of designing for the senses!

Embellishing Spaces with Metal

I’m fascinated by the resurgence of metal, metallics and metal accents in commercial interior design materials. After years of sleek minimalism dominating design, we’re starting to see a bolder embrace of metallic elements ranging from small highlights to opulence.

The newest trends are all about embracing the unique beauty of different metals and combining them in unexpected ways. This could be blending a polished chrome with a patinaed bronze or combining a decorative graphite with a brass accent. Expect to see metals in different finishes, textures and colors, and throughout unexpected materials in June at NeoCon.

Sustainability Is Not a Trend

Many have considered sustainability a “mega-trend” for many years, but it’s no longer a trend, it’s a “must-have” for commercial interiors, the building community and material manufacturers. Attendees and

exhibitors alike are looking to minimize the footprint of their materials and projects.

We continue to see new aspects of sustainability explored within the surfacing industry. Whether it’s sustainable sourcing of the materials used in products, more efficient use of energy and resources, or advances in reusing discarded material in surfacing products, all of these efforts have an important impact and I hope to see companies showcasing meaningful sustainability efforts at NeoCon this year.

Innovation in surfacing has been captivating to watch over the past several years. This continual drive for improvement perhaps explains why so many surfacing companies have been in business for so long. As commercial spaces face new challenges and evolving design demands, I'm excited to see how this industry brings new solutions forward, both at NeoCon and beyond. S P

is the North American Design and Creative Director at

PolyBak™ is a kraft linerboard that has been impregnated with our proprietary polyurethane resin. It is used in a variety of applications, including as a balancing backer, overlay, crossband, profile wrap, and many more!

www.polybak.com/formaldehydefree

MEGHAN HOWELL

Formica Corporation

BY LISA RITCHIE

F Beyond Resumes: 10 Pro Tips for Recruiting

inding the right talent is a labor-intensive process despite the abundance of electronic job boards, social media platforms, and behavioral assessment tools available. Our mission is to provide businesses with consulting support and people skills to overcome recruitment challenges and drive long-term success.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for recruiting, there are tangible steps that can significantly enhance your recruiting efforts. Here are 10 tips to improve your recruiting:

1 | Define the Position Clearly: Before posting a job, ensure a thorough understanding of the role’s responsibilities and required skills. Compile these into Key Accountabilities, prioritizing them based on importance and time commitment. Job benchmarking takes the guesswork out of finding someone who’s the right fit for your organization by providing an in-depth analysis of what the position requires to ensure the highest probability of candidate success.

2 | Research Job Board Options: Explore various job boards to find the most effective platform for your posting. While popular options like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com exist, consider more targeted alternatives. Seek advice from industry colleagues,

explore industry-specific LinkedIn groups, or use platforms like Indeed. com and ZipRecruiter.com strategically. When posting a position, keep the job description short and easy to read. Ensure your applications are mobile friendly since many candidates will complete them on their phones.

3 | Outsource Legwork: Whether enlisting the help of a colleague, intern, or consultant, leveraging others and their unique skills can help streamline your tasks. The labor market continues to be tight so simply posting a position online won’t get the desired results. Utilizing active sourcing approaches, networking, and getting current employees involved in sharing the job is important.

4 | Structure Your Screening: View every interaction with a candidate as part of the screening process. Assess responsiveness and communication skills, as these can be indicative of a candidate’s professionalism. If a candidate’s performance is underwhelming at any stage, consider it in the overall evaluation.

5 | Implement Behavioral Testing: Embrace behavioral testing as a crucial element in the recruitment process. Allocate one-third of the

hiring decision to behavioral testing, emphasizing comprehensive assessments that align with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission standards.

6 | Use Behavioral Interview Questions: During face-to-face interviews, focus on behavioral questions to understand a candidate’s past performance. Questions like “tell me about a time when...” or “give me an example of how you...” provide insights into a candidate’s actions in previous roles.

7 | Employ Panel Interviews: Opt for group interviews involving at least two interviewers. This approach allows for collective observation, discussion, and comparison of candidate responses. It promotes a more comprehensive evaluation compared to individual one-on-one interviews.

8 | Plan Questions in Advance: When conducting group interviews, plan questions in advance and assign specific areas to different interviewers. Maintain consistency by asking the same behavioral questions to each candidate for fair comparisons.

9 | Avoid Bias: Guard against biases, both positive and negative, that may influence candidate evaluation. Stick to the job description and assess candidates solely based on the outlined requirements, avoiding personal preferences that may cloud judgment.

10 | Don’t Settle – Stay Excited: If unimpressed with the candidate pool, resist the urge to settle for the best among unqualified candidates. It’s crucial to remain excited about potential hires. If necessary, restart the search to secure the right fit, saving time and resources in the long run.

Remember, the hiring process is not just about filling a position, it’s about finding the right person who can contribute to the growth and success of your organization. So, stay focused and determined in your search, and don’t settle for anything less than the best fit. S P

FOR HR Question

Q. I’m finding candidates but not the right ones. What should I do?

A. Experience. Compensation. Location. These are the three factors that most strongly affect the success of a recruiting project. If the position requires industry experience, specific licensing or technical skills, and your budget is very tight, this can definitely impact the quantity and quality of the candidates you see. Likewise, consider the location and the size of the candidate pool.

We find that the market tells us very quickly if one of these three factors is “off.” That means, one or all may need to be adjusted. Are you able to pay more for the experience level? Do you need to look at folks with lesser experience who will fit into your compensation structure? Can the position be done remotely? As the labor market continues to tighten, it’s important to be flexible and creative. Good candidates with the right attributes and attitudes are out there ... go get them!

LISA RITCHIE is VP of recruiting & talent selection for The Workplace Advisors, Inc. Reach her at (877) 660-6400 or via www.theworkplaceadvisors.com.

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Hi, how are you today?

The Little Things are Big Things

BY JAMES OLSEN

Sales is competitive. Every account worth calling has 20 salespeople calling them. Every account we want to sell is already buying from several vendors. They already have a favorite vendor and in many cases have been buying from them for years. They have high-trust relationships in place. So how are we going to get into their rotation of suppliers?

From the first moment we talk with a potential client, they are judging the heck out of us. It’s human nature; it’s called intuition and even though we have lot of machines and apps doing work for us, we still use our intuition in business and in life. Here are some little things we can do that will help set us apart from the crowd. While they won’t magically make us the number one supplier (right off the bat) they will get us in the rotation.

Our Greeting

Most sellers greet the receptionist with a minimum of professional politeness. They call them “Gate Keepers” and, while not rude, are perfunctory in their greeting. Everyone at the account has a vote. There may only be one buyer but there are many influencers, so the Master Seller is warm, friendly, and professional with everyone at the account.

Our greeting should be calm, not rushed. We leave spaces between the words and sentences. They have never heard our voice before, so we enunciate clearly. We give our first AND last name the name of our company and where we are calling from. This will make us stand out because most sellers talk too fast, have no warmth in their voice and don’t say who they are with. My students ask me, “Why do I have to tell them where I am calling from?” Because they want to know even if they don’t know they want to know, thus we are scratching an itch they didn’t even know they had — which feels good.

Other students say, “I don’t want to sound like a cheesy salesperson.” I agree, this is why we need to be as natural as possible. We are not talking about an exaggerated warmth, just a casual, comfortable approach.

First Call Qualification

Most sellers are nervous and unorganized on their first call with customers. The purpose of the first call is to qualify the customer and the products they use. We do this item by item. Species, grade, lengths, mill preference and volume, by item. Many sellers jump from one item to the next without thoroughly qualifying the first item.

In addition, the Master Seller does not try to sell on the first call.

From the first moment we talk with a potential client, they are judging the heck out of us. It’s human nature; it’s called intuition ...

There are exceptions, but in general if the customer says, “What’s your price on X?,” the Master Seller says, “Judy, I’d love to sell you something today, but that’s really not the purpose of the call. Let me ask you a couple more questions about you and your business needs. After that if you would like me to give you a professional quote I will.”

Qualifying Inquiry

The Master Seller doesn’t flip prices. When the customer asks for a price, the Master Seller slows the process down and gets all the specifics needed — (1) volume, (2) ship time, (3) lengths, (4) species, (5) price range, and (6) when the order will be placed — before giving a price.

Ending the Call

Many sellers don’t overstay their welcome. Master Sellers are on a mission. They present value on several items, stopping on each to ask for the order, then set an appointment for the next call and get off the phone or out of the customer’s office. Small talk is important, and we

gauge how little or how much we do based on our customer’s demeanor, but we do not overdo it.

Asking for the Order

Eighty percent of sellers don’t ask for the order. The Master Seller asks for the order in a relaxed, positively assumptive way. What I mean by positively assumptive is that their tone is a relaxed “I know you are going to say yes” tone. Many sellers are overly timid; they sound like they know the customer is going to say no while others are too aggressive.

These “little” things set us apart from the crowd and get us in the buyer’s rotation of suppliers much sooner. S P

JAMES OLSEN is principal of Reality Sales Training, Portland, Oregon. Call him at (503) 544-3572 or email james@ realitysalestraining.com.

Safe Is As Safe Does

BY DENISE WILLIAMS

If her years as a safety professional have taught Camille Oakes anything, it’s that too many company officials walk around with a false sense of security about how wellprotected their warehouse staff, fleet drivers and other workers are. She recites a couple of the common mindsets that make her cringe:

“We’ve been ‘x’ million man-hours safe!”

“We’re “x” years without an injury!”

Importantly, Oakes counters, “the absence of injury does not equal the presence of safety.” If a business doesn’t have an official safety program and culture in place, she qualifies, such claims aren’t necessarily a testament to safety — more likely, they’re a product of luck.

There are potential dangers inherent to distribution environments and if employees don’t know what they are and how to prevent them, Oakes warns that “eventually someone will be hurt.” The fallout will be rattling from a moral standpoint, she adds — especially if the company is a smaller, mom-and-pop operation or an otherwise tight-knit group of employees who have known and worked with one another for a long time. It’ll also be devastating from a financial perspective, she continues, as the costs from a workplace injury escalate — a rotator cuff sprain can worsen to a tear, for example, and ultimately stick the company with a surgery bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars. And that doesn’t even include any fines that could be incurred from federal regulators, depending on the circumstances.

Why Risk It?

Considering the great financial and emotional burden of workplace injuries and deaths, why, then, do some distributors continue to gamble on safety?

There are a few reasons, according to Oakes, including exemptions for certain smaller businesses and the expense

associated with safety programs. But some of the rationale circles back to that misplaced sense of security. “A lot of people think because you’re not doing construction or manufacturing, how could somebody get hurt?” she explains.

But distribution is a hotbed of potential threats, the safety consultant reports, pulling from her own research. She recalls a hazard analysis she performed as a graduate student. The assignment — to identify all the ways a person could die from one specific process — was carried out at a 1-million-square-foot distribution center. Oakes, expecting to find one or two problems, was surprised when the number hit the double digits. In general, she says, distribution warehouse accidents can be categorized into four main buckets.

Most common, most expensive (and often repetitive) injuries in distribution warehousing:

• Musculoskeletal mayhem

– Sprains and strains caused by bending, lifting, pushing and pulling in order to physically move product

– Accounts for an estimated 80% of incidents in the warehouse setting

• Forklift fiascos

– Both run-overs and tip-overs

• Loading dock disasters

– Tractor-trailer drive-aways, resulting in falls as workers are climbing in and out of forklifts that are moving merchandise to or from a truck

– Trailer back-ups, resulting in workers being crushed against the building

– Risk for not only the distributor’s own staff but also customers, drivers, loaders, even temporary workers

• Hazardous heights

– Falls from pallets hoisted high up in the air without proper safety equipment or precautions

Distributors that own and operate trucking fleets have an additional set of safety considerations, Oakes notes. Most of those rules revolve around the drivers themselves — dictating that they stay within their hours of service and are not driving tired, for example — and keeping the trucks in good operating condition. Distribution firms also must think of safety implications in terms of what kind of product they’re transporting. Delivering carpet pad may be simple enough, but there’s an extra level of precaution required if, for instance, the truckload includes adhesives — flammable material that could cause a fire or other damage in the event of a spill.

Why You Shouldn’t Risk It

There historically are three primary reasons for safety: legal, financial and moral — or, as Oakes frames it, “it’s the right thing to do, it’s going to cost us money if we don’t and we’re going to get in trouble from the government if we don’t.”

Even small companies that may be exempt from certain safety rules have an incentive to step up their safety, she contends. They may not be slapped with a fine for violations, she explains, but they could very well end up in court facing a civil lawsuit.

Meanwhile, companies of any size should recognize how poor stewardship around safety can affect competitiveness in two critical ways. Particularly as generational transitions take place within businesses, Oakes observes growing recognition that workers entering the labor force care deeply about a potential employer’s ESG (environmental, social and governance) impact and other key aspects of operation, like safety. So do customers, she notes, cautioning that companies can lose a contract if they don’t have a safety component the customer wants … but a competitor does.

Business logic aside, nobody wants to see workers risking life and limb to do their jobs. “If people don’t know about hazards, they’re much more likely to be hurt by them,” Oakes reasons. “What a safety program does is, it makes you aware of these hazards, which gives you the ownership and the ability to protect yourself.”

Stepping Up Safety

Oakes identifies key aspects to inform best practices:

1 | Top leadership commitment. “The people who talk about safety should be your top leaders — CEO, distribution center manager, etc. — and that person should be talking about safety

as well as ‘walking the walk,’” she maintains. If a corporate official visits the warehouse and fails to don the same gear — vest, steeltoed boot and hardhat – as the workers, for example, that is not top leadership commitment.

2 | High-level associate engagement. “Employees must be involved in writing the safety rules,” Oakes urges. She points to other ways workers can contribute to the process, from playing a role in incident or near-miss investigations, to writing SOPs describing how to perform specific jobs both productively and safely, to participating in training development.

3 | Regular inspections and audits. “There are a lot of recurring safety activities that need to be done on a daily, weekly, monthly basis — not just an annual inspection from an outside person,” Oakes reminds. It’s paramount, she emphasizes, to move around the workplace with a “safety eye” on everything from fire extinguishers and exit doors to eyewash stations.

4 | Value recognition. Oakes says large and small companies alike will raise cost as a barrier to implementation, especially if they haven’t had an incident in a while, or ever. “Why do I have to spend money to prevent injuries, if we don’t have any?” is a common mentality, she points out, “until you do have one.”

5 | Expert guidance. Companies shouldn’t try to figure out the safety puzzle on their own, Oakes advises. She points to the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the National Safety Council (NSC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), all of which offer resources to help jumpstart a safety program. Individual safety professionals are a great asset as well, she adds.

“It may seem like the antithesis of production — like safety is there to stop the work — but when safety is done correctly, where we’re using people’s input and we’re doing it in the right way, it doesn’t stop productivity,” Oakes concludes, refuting “the sky is falling” connotations. “We don’t have to bubble-wrap everybody and all of that. Safety can be a tool to build your employee morale and your retention, and it can be this team uniter that can improve your operations in all of the other ways, too.” S P

DENISE WILLIAMS is the Editorial Senior Manager at the North American Building Material Distribution Association. Visit www.nbmda.org for more information.

Closet Convo with Eric Marshall

S&P STAFF REPORTS

S&P took a tour of standout closet features and products at KBIS, curated by closet guru Eric Marshall. Now, we share those finds with you. Eric Marshall knows how to command a room — even if that room is a massive trade show spread out over nearly a million square feet in Las Vegas. As a 45-year veteran of the closet industry and original member of the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals (ACSP), Marshall has seen firsthand a lot of changes in the industry and has an uncanny ability to spot trends. At KBIS 2024, he escorted a select few closet designers, manufacturers, installers and a couple of editors around to share some products that caught his eye.

The tour met at the Grass USA booth, where Marshall and Grass Vice President of Sales Jeff Brown demonstrated a variety of options, including Grass’ game-changing movement system Nova Pro Scala. This modern and versatile drawer system features sleek lines, premium metallic finishes, and customizable panels and is available in many standard heights and lengths for use in a variety of residential and commercial applications. Add-on features

such as divider systems, color-coordinated inset front panels, and handless opening systems complement the premium aesthetic and performance of the system. “This is the smoothest drawer slide you’re going to find,” says Marshall, who also shared the new Vionara drawer system, which is not yet available in the U.S. Visit www.grassusa.com for more information.

Next door at the DTC booth, Marshall pointed out the MAGICPRO double-wall drawer system with its customizable drawer height, trays and push-to-open and soft-close options, with accessories available to customize closets and maximize space. Visit www. en.dtcdtc.com for more information.

At Häfele, Marshall was impressed with the company’s exclusive TAG Hardware — particularly the faux leather knobs and handles. He also pointed out the strip LED lighting being shown that can be used both as a surface mount and in recessed channels inside cabinets and drawers or underneath shelves. Visit www. hafele.com for more information.

On to Richelieu, where Marshall introduced the group to Rickie DeMarco, national closet manager for Richelieu Hardware

HÄFELE BOOTH

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GRASS BOOTH EHLEBRACHT GROUP

and past president of the Association of Closet & Storage Professionals (ACSP). DeMarco shared the company’s wide variety of closet accessories, from sliding baskets to closet rods that come in different finishes. Marshall also pointed out the metal drawers and lighting strips available with dimmers and remote controls, along with various options and extras for residential closets today. Visit www.richelieu.com for more information.

Marshall demonstrated how to use a quick-locking, hidden hardware shelf system at Italianna ferramenta, a company known for its accessories and fittings for the furniture industry. Visit www.italianaferramenta.it for more information.

At the Sugatsune booth, the group enjoyed a live demonstration of Shaper Tools’ Shaper Origin Handheld CNC Machine, “in the form factor of a plunge router” that is easily programmed and operated. Visit www.sugatsune.com and www.shapertools.com for more information.

On to the Kesseböhmer booth, where Marshall shared Arena Style, a recent offering for the North American market. This glass front sliding tray can be customized to hold various accessories — and the company also has a system that can even be configured to serve as a shoe shelf. Visit www.kesseboehmer.com for more information.

Elektra’s Furniture Lighting System was the focus at the Ehlebracht Group booth, where Marshall marveled at the wireless lighted shelving system. The shelf snaps into place and light up when the contacts on each end connect with the side strip. “You just route it out and lay in the strip,” said Marshall. “Amazing!” Visit www.ehlebracht-ag.com for more information.

The last stop was at the Sauder Closets booth, where Marshall pointed out the various systems available at different price points, including the MasterTrac custom closet system. This system offers different panel depths, heights and installation methods, along with accessories including rods, drawers, shelves, doors, baskets, valet rods, and more. Visit www.sauder-closets.com for more information. S P

Versatile: Whether you work with plastic sheets, custom cabinets, furniture, MDF doors/drawer fronts, or non-ferrous metals, the Model 43 can handle it all.

High-quality: Made from fully stress-relieved structured steel, the Model 43 boasts topof-the-line features such as Siemens drives, THK rails, and three-dimensional volumetric position compensation.

Affordable: Despite its high-end features, the Model 43 is priced affordably and offers unbeatable value for money.

Expandable: Designed for ease of use and expandability, the Model 43 can grow with your business and adapt to your changing needs.

Three varieties: The Model 43 comes in three varieties - the Multi-Purpose 43, Cut Ready 43, and the CabinetShop 43 - so you can choose the perfect fit for your needs and budget.

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RICHELIEU BOOTH

SHAPER TOOLS AT SUGATSUNE BOOTH

MASTERS: MATERIALS

ULTRAPAN PET AND ACRYLIC PANELS

Ultrapan is a U.S. manufacturer of superior, customizable Ultra-HighGloss and Ultra-Matte laminated panels. Our radiant finishes are perfectly suited for the contemporary lifestyle that embodies clean yet stylish looks for kitchens, furniture, displays, and myriad other residential, commercial and institutional applications.

Ultrapan PET and acrylic laminates feature highly durable decorative surfaces with excellent resistance to stains, scratches and harmful UV rays. These eco-friendly products are also easy to clean and maintain.

ULTRAPAN PANELS MADE YOUR WAY

• The Ultrapan collection features more than 60 surface options including solid and woodgrain designs; pearlescent and metallic finishes; and deep emboss textures.

• Our wide selection of in-stock panel options includes cores made from particleboard, standard MDF, lite MDF, fire-retardant MDF, moisture-resistant NAF MDF, exteriorgrade MDF, and hardwood plywood. We offer panels from ¼" to 1½" thick in 4x8 or 4x10 sizes.

• Matching edge-banding, including 15/16" and 1-3/4" widths, are available in stock for most of our designs. Custom widths can be produced by special order in gloss or super matte.

• Anti-fingerprint (AFP) coatings are standard on all Ultra-Matte surfaces.

• Our expanded metallics collection is available on 4x10 as well as 4x8 panels.

• Our quick-ship program features the same color laminated on both sides of ¾" 4x8 MDF panels.

• We inventory a variety of substrate types and sizes to support our ready-for-production program.

• Special orders don’t upset us. Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Check out our website—ultrapan.net—to learn how Ultrapan modern finishes can add a superior elegance to your home, office or storefront. Contact us about our Distributor Network at up@glosspanels.com

Seen @KBIS 2024

S&P STAFF REPORTS

The 2024 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) once again dazzled attendees with countless innovative products that are set to redefine residential spaces. Companies put their best new products on display to showcase the latest trends and advancements in the kitchen and bath sectors, highlighting the industry’s commitment to sustainability, technology integration and luxurious design. With every product and prototype displayed, it's clear that the industry is moving towards a more integrated and sustainable approach to kitchen and bath design, aiming to improve not only our homes but also our quality of life.

These are just a few of the standout items S&P editors saw at KBIS 2024:

SALICE BOOTH

NOBILIA BOOTH

Salice expanded their popular Pin Hang storage system with a new product variation that enables the orderly and functional arrangement of clothing and a host of different items of everyday usage. The Pin Hang system can be arrayed vertically and horizontally, enabling it to be adapted to all kinds of room settings and spaces with an infinite number of possible combinations. The system is available in aluminum or titanium finishes, can be surface-mounted or recessed into wood-based panels. Visit salice.com for more information.

nobilia North America featured its high-gloss cabinetry NOVALUX Alpine

White panels, combined here with the new LineN handle with recessed LED lighting. nobilia’s Master Oak niche decor can be seen as the back panel behind the sink and extra island counter space, adding a touch of nature to this luxe kitchen. Visit nobilia.de/en for more information.

Häfele debuted its TwentyThree Collection, an exclusive line of handles, knobs and pulls that have been crafted to bring elegance and order to every project. Also notable were the lighting options for shelving and drawers [see more in our Closets Convo on page 52] Visit hafele.com for more information.

Belwith Keeler showcased several of its collections, including new additions to its luxe Bijou Collection, available summer 2024. Visit belwith-keeler.com for more information.

HÄFELE BOOTH

BELWITH KEELER DISPLAY

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

Sugatsune’s new ALT-ST Pocket Door System was recognized as a 2024 Best of KBIS finalist. The ALT-ST, with a weight capacity of 44 pounds and an innovative connecting bar that eliminates racking and door sag, comes in two different versions and with various slide lengths. It also hinges on Sugatsune’s new 360-Olympia cup hinges which feature an industry first, five-speed adjustable damper to ensure the desired softclosing speeds. Visit sugatsune.com for more information.

Grass America showcased several functional hardware products, including the Nova Pro Scala drawer system and their ZBox drawer system. Also popular were the Kinvaro T-Slim lifter door fitting, the Dynapro undermount slide system, and the Tiomos hinge system. Visit grasusa.com for more information.

Richelieu’s booth featured many designs, patterns and hardware, including their Autore Collection, avant-garde pulls and knobs featuring compelling archetypes that “transcend practicality” and their Silencio slatted warm wood acoustic panels for the best in performance and good looks. Visit richelieu.com for more information.

Välinge Innovation’s Threespire showed how it is outdoing another familiar Swedish company with its snap-together Threespine Core cabinetry. Using the same technology the company pioneered for the flooring industry, the innovative system allows components to seamlessly click together, ensuring precise angles and structural integrity without the use of glue or additional hardware. Installation becomes a seamless one-person task — with assembly of a standard kitchen cabinet taking approximately 40 seconds. Visit valinge.se/ threespine/ for more information.

SUGATSUNE DISPLAY

GRASS DISPLAY

BELWITH KEELER DISPLAY

THREESPIRE DISPLAY

EGGER Wood Products launched its new Collection 24+ just in time for KBIS. This collection includes 80+ décor and texture combinations, 70 Eurodekor decors in the established EGGER décor match, 30 new introductions; and nine PerfectSense decors with two new additions. Visit egger.com for more information.

Debuting at this year’s show, wireless charging pioneer FreePower proved to be the darling of KBIS 2024, with its FreePower for Countertop taking the coveted Best in Show and proved to be the crowd favorite in the highly contested DesignBites Award, winning People’s Pick. The innovative new system turns any surface into a wireless charger. Visit freepower.io for more information. S P

FREEPOWER DISPLAY

EGGER BOOTH

KBIS Continues to Raise the Bar

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) marked its most successful show in its 60-year history, bringing together a record number of kitchen and bath design professionals.

The show was held February 27-29, 2024, in Las Vegas and was part of Design & Construction Week (DCW), the co-location of KBIS and The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)’s International Builders’ Show (IBS), which also reached recordbreaking attendance.

“We’re incredibly proud of the growth and success of KBIS, continuing to offer tremendous value to the thousands of designers, architects, dealers, showroom professionals, builders, remodelers, and more in the kitchen and bath industry,” said Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO of NKBA KBIS. “We’re pleased with the feedback from exhibitors that 2024 was a remarkable show filled with learning, networking, and business opportunities, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.”

KBIS 2024 By-the-Numbers

• 117,000 DCW registered visitors

• More than 41,500 KBIS registered visitors

• More than 670 Exhibitors – a 30 percent increase from 2023

• More than 260 New Exhibitors – a 40 percent increase from 2023

• More than 200 International Exhibitors – a 35 percent increase from 2023

NKBA Global Connect Impact on KBIS

NKBA Global Connect, the omni-directional NKBA international business development program, designed to minimize the risk for international brands entering the North American kitchen and bath market, helped to facilitate the increase in international exhibitors and attendees participating in KBIS. Initiatives and activations including the Global Connect Lounge, Global Connect Kiosks, the International Delegation Program, the Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partner Forum, and the International Pavilions from UK, Germany, and Brazil were drivers of much of the increased international attendance.

Congratulations to the 2024 Best of KBIS Award Winners!

As the industry’s premier awards program, Best of KBIS, sponsored by Luxe Interiors + Design, recognizes the pioneers and trailblazers who are behind the most cutting edge and innovative products in the kitchen and bath industry. The following brands were awarded for their product innovations across seven award categories live on NEXTStage at KBIS 2024.

STAFF REPORTS

REVEGO BY BLUM

BEST IN SHOW

FreePower for Countertop by FreePower

Style Statement: Kitchen GOLD:

Professional Series 48” Induction Range in Carbonio by Bertazzoni

SILVER:

Viking RVL Collection by Viking Range, LLC

Style Statement: Bathroom GOLD:

Wall-Mounted Tub Filler by Tenzo Fine Plomberie SILVER:

Venezia by Venini from Fantini

Game Changing Innovation GOLD:

Luxury 30 in. SlimTech Insulation Column Refrigerator by JennAir

SILVER:

Novy Light Pro by Novy

Most Functional Find GOLD:

REVEGO by Blum Inc.

SILVER:

HydroTap Celsius All-in-One Plus with Pull-Down Sprayer by Zip Water

Sustainable Standout GOLD:

RainStick Lite by RainStick SILVER:

Transcendence by Kohler WasteLAB x Nada Debs by Kohler

Wellness Trailblazer GOLD:

SpaViva Two-Function Handshower and All-in-One Cleansing Device by Kohler SILVER:

M6A Water Purifier by FOTILE

NKBA | KBIS is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). With nearly 50,000 members in all segments of the kitchen and bath industry, NKBA KBIS has informed, educated and supported the industry since the association was founded in 1963. The association’s mission is to inspire, lead and empower the kitchen and bath industry through community, professional certification and learning, and events. Next year, KBIS and DCW will be held February 25 – 27, 2025, in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center. S P

Powder Coated Wood

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NeoCon 2024 Takes the Stage

NeoCon, the premier event for the commercial interiors industry, gears up for a stellar show June 10-12 at THE MART in Chicago. This year’s event promises an exceptional lineup of keynotes, featured presentations, special events and workshops as well as virtual and on-site CEU sessions.

Recognized as a major global platform for influential thought leaders from diverse backgrounds, NeoCon’s lineup (including an Academy Award-winning designer, a global art powerhouse and the leading entertainment design leader) offers inspiration that sparks vital discourse. Design will be explored from all angles; demonstrating how to harness creativity to enhance visual storytelling and truly affect how we work and live.

Since launching in 1969, NeoCon has served as the annual gathering place for the commercial design world’s manufacturers, dealers, architects, designers, end-users, design organizations and media. The three-day event showcases game-changing products and services from more than 400 leading and emerging companies—providing unparalleled access to the latest and most innovative solutions.

Registration is still available for the sessions, which will be held both in-person and virtually. Anchored by the theme “Design Takes Shape,” this year's edition will provide a platform where diverse perspectives converge to foster enrichment and growth across a wide range of topics and disciplines.

“At NeoCon, we are dedicated to curating a diverse programming

experience, providing a dynamic blend of educational courses, inspirational talks, and hands-on workshops,” comments Nubia Henderson, Director of Programming for NeoCon. “Our CEUs and workshops will provide access to the technical skills and exposure to fresh ideas necessary to shift paradigms and promote growth, all within a vibrant, collaborative environment ideal for learning and innovation.”

More than 50 CEU-approved programs and workshops will be accessible exclusively to registered NeoCon attendees and will feature speakers from leading associations, universities, architecture and design firms, and top media outlets, as well as experts in workplace, sustainability, emerging technology, and more. From leveraging neuroscience insights for complex design challenges and honing technical expertise in podcasting, to integrating artificial intelligence into design processes, the modules will provide ample opportunity for intensive learning and actionable inspiration.

NeoCon will offer a wide selection of on-demand sessions starting June 10 through September 13. They will cover various topics and verticals including DEI, Design Skills, Education, Facilities Management, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industry Directions, Lighting, Public Space, Sustainability, Technology, Wellness, and Workplace.

The complete schedule of CEUs and workshops can be found online. Visit www.neocon.com to register and explore the full listing of 2024 programming, including CEU-approved programs, workshops, featured presentations, and keynotes. S P

STAFF REPORTS

TFL ANTI-FINGERPRINT DECORATIVE PANELS PROUDLY MADE IN NORTH AMERICA

Blum

800.438.6788 www.blum.com

Cascade Distribution Group

541.228.9757 www.mirluxpanel.com

Dackor

407.654.5013 www.dackor.com

Daubert Chemical Company, Inc.

866.368.3983 www.daubertchemical.com

Deckwise

866.427.2547 www.deckwise.com

www.dvuv.com

GDP Guhdo

800.544.8436 www.gdptooling.com

Genesis

877.266.8292 www.genesisproductsinc.com

Panel Processing

800.433.7142 www.panel.com

Pinnacle Systems

412.262.3950 www.pinnaclesystems.com

Premier Eurocase

303.373.9718 www.premiereurocase.com

Pro Edge Tech

844.738.3343 www.proedgetechnology.com

Richwood

616.243.2700 www.richwoodind.com

Shopbot

888.680.4466 www.shopbottools.com

Simona America Industries

866.501.2992 www.simona.america.com

Stevenswood

217.857.7100 www.stevens-wood.com

Thermwood

800.533.69001 www.thermwood.com

UCS Forest Group

905-814-8800 www.ucsforestgroup.com

Giardina Group USA

877.631.1003 www.giardinausa.com

Grass America

Uline 0.50 800.295.5510 www.uline.com

Ultrapan 754.702.2632 www.ultrapan.net

Uniboard 800.263.5240 www.uniboard.com

TRADITIONAL & MODERN

The latest technology in PET surface panels

An affordable, sleek, modern surface, MIRLUX Premium Panel is available in high gloss and super matte finishes in twelve on-trend colors.

MIRLUX is sustainable, easy-to-clean, durable, scratch-resistant, and manufactured in the United States with short lead times.

Order panels, edgebanding, and doors through a distributor near you.

DOVE GREY*

JADE GREEN*

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GRAPHITE BLACK

WARM WHITE*

DEEP BLUE

Sustainability in the Industry

Energy from wood is the single most important source of renewable energy, representing 9% or 27x the world’s annual carbon emissions from fossil fuels

of the total primary energy supply worldwide

Global forest carbon stocks are estimated to be

Globally, buildings consume more than 36%

Wood production stores carbon at a rate of

189 million metric tons

861 billion metric tons per year and growing — equivalent to removing

693 million metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually

of final energy, the majority of which is still produced using fossil fuels. This results in the building sector accounting for more than 37% of energy — and process-related

GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) EMISSIONS

$1.77 trillion spent in clean energy technologies by global industries in 2023

780 KILOGRAMS

One cubic meter of MDF stores about of CO2

Time for more.

Decorative Collection 24+

All our shown and mentioned decors are reproductions.

Always inspiring. Always up to date. With our innovative rolling collection concept, the new EGGER Decorative Collection 24+ has more than 80 decor and texture combinations, all seamlessly linked by our array of digital services, putting all the latest trends and innovations at your fingertips to help inspire your next project.

Discover our new collection: to.egger.link/decorative-collection