Wood & Panel Europe is the bi-monthly digital magazine that covers what industry professionals prefer to know to accelerate their business operations. Ranging from SME decision-makers to multinational production plant managers, we are read by all. Our subject caters to forestry, high-end automated technologies, panel manufacturing, solidwood processing, veneers, laminates, finished and semi-finished products, construction, general woodworking and a lot more.
Stiles Machinery has announced that the New North Center will lead a collaborative problem-solving dialogue from April 14-16. An Executive Briefing Conference (EBC) will be held outside Chicago in St. Charles, Illinois.
The Construction Products Association welcomes the Chancellor’s strong commitment to making the UK a good place for business. This year’s Budget Statement has clearly shown support for UK manufacturing through a variety of key initiatives.
The board of directors of Resolute Forest Products Inc. on 22 March 2013 announced the nominations of Michel P. Desbiens and Jennifer C. Dolan to stand for election as new board members. 
AWMAC Manitoba will be a part of the 4th Annual Career Expo being presented by the Winnipeg Construction Association at Red River Exhibition Parkas an exhibitor. WCA is focusing on ensuring that the future generations are fully aware of the skilled trade opportunities Manitoba construction holds for them. 
Cepra spa and Fiera di Milano spa signed a new agreement a few days ago; the next two editions of Xylexpo, the biennial international exhibition of wood technology and furniture industry supplies, will be held again in the traditional fairgrounds in Milan.
The Meeting be+ 2013(Positive Energy Building) event, was held from 19 to 22 February at Lyon-Eurexpo, opened its doors to nearly 1,000 exhibitors across a surface area of 80,000 sq m. This collectively brought eight exhibitions for a unique event based on intelligent use of synergies and the promotion of dialogue between professionals:
Starting on March 26, the biggest three day flooring show in Asia Pacific is presenting an outstanding show to its anticipated 45,000 visitors.
There's only a few days left to prepare your entries for this year's Awards. For the 2013 Awards some innovations have been introduced to the line-up of competitions. Four award categories are now open for entry with £6,750 of prize money there for the winning.
Drytac, manufacturer of films, adhesives, liquid laminates and finishing equipment for customers in the sign, display and graphic industries worldwide, has launched Protac Matt Anti-Scratch film - a high quality, clear PVC overlaminating film ideal for outdoor applications where a non-glare finish is required.
In the furniture supplier and interior design industries, the interzum global trade fair in Cologne is the most important industry event for presenting newly developed products to the mass for the first time, and for examining their impact in product studies. Exhibitors reorient themselves around the two-year cycle of the fair so as to bring key innovations to the market. 
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports variations in home buyer preferences with regards to home size when it comes to age, race and ethnicity..jpg)
North American shipments of particleboard and MDF are off to the strongest start since 2009, with February shipments up nearly 9% to 434 MMSF (3/4” basis) compared to 398 MMSF in the same month last year. 
The Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, issued the following statement regarding Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) announcement on increased liabilities:
31st International ceramic tile and bathroom furnishing exhibition Cersaie opens in Bologna, the show’s organisational efforts are in full swing and bringing the first very positive results.
Twelve technical and seven commercial apprentices have successfully completed their vocational training at Hettich. They were praised and given credit for this achievement at a ceremony in Kirchlengern on 15 March 2013..jpg)
Four new trustees have been elected by the membership of the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) to serve on its Board of Trustees. The newly elected Trustees are: Iv Culp, president of Culp, Inc.; Jim O'Donnell, vice president of ales development for Tempur-Pedic International; Robert L. Simpton, executive vice president for Lady Americana Associates, Inc.; and Valerie Stranix, chief marketing officer for Rev.
The UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) will mark its return as a host of the timber pavilion with to the National Homebuilding and Renovating Show this March.
TEKHNODREV Siberia will be held for the seventh time, from September 10 to 13, in the city of Novosibirsk. The event ranks among Siberia’s leading forest and timber industry fairs and is one of the most important fairs for the Russian forestry sector as a whole. According to National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes faced two-point reduction to 44 in March. 
Stiles Machinery Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2013 Executive Briefing Conference (EBC) will open with a keynote address by Robert Tucker who has been a consultant and speaker for over 25 years..jpg)
S&P Dow Jones Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, released a data that indicates all three headline composites ended the year with strong gains. 
The plywood market has already been significantly affected by the EU Timber Regulation which came into effect on March 3, 2013..jpg)
Lowered forecast for the EU economies is bad news for African timber exporters. Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy, once major buyers of tropical timber, are struggling to turn their economies around through austerity measures and public spending on construction projects. 
The HOMAG Group introduces a whole new world of innovation at the LIGNA 2013: On show will be patent registered new developments, model studies showcasing new process techniques and pioneering new unit technology. The HOMAG Group will be unveiling 20 new units alone in the legendary InnovationCenter.
Stora Enso has been added in Ethisphere Institute’s 2013 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. The Ethisphere list recognises companies’ ethical leadership, compliance practices and corporate social responsibility. This is now the sixth time running that Stora Enso has been selected for the list, and it is the only Finnish company and one of only five Nordic companies in the 2013 list. In 2013, the 'innovation of interior' piazza will once again be the creative centre at the interzum and, as such, a major focal point for interior decorators, architects and designers. This time the focus is on functional and sustainable materials, besides their outstanding quality, offer added value which are based on natural resources.Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced that it will hold its annual meeting of stockholders on Thursday, May 16, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. The Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, has announced the appointment of Dr. Alexander McEwan as a permanent member of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for a five-year term.The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) have forged an agreement that makes it easier for individuals who hold builder and remodeler professional designations to take advantage of continuing education opportunities from both groups.
Two rulings are due to be made in the next fortnight in a patent dispute between Weinig and Homag that has been going on for the past year. Weinig said that it had filed a patent infringement suit against Homag with the Mannheim District Court in April 2012.
Palis (Padaluma Inkjet-Solutions GmbH), a digital-print specialist based in Markt Erlbach, and the decor paper printer Schattdecor of Thansau have formed an exclusive development partnership.
10th International Conference will be held on May 22 & 23, 2013 at Rheinforum Wesseling, Germany. The conference will present the latest technology developments and applications of industrial hemp for bio-composites, food, feed, insulation and construction.
UPM has received the Sustainability Award 2013 for Breakthrough Innovation in Technology in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The award which recognises the innovation that is taking place in the development of truly sustainable and renewable fuels is presented by the World Biofuels Markets Congress & Exhibition. 
Finnish exports of softwood lumber and planed products in December 2012 were 6.5% higher than the reference figure for the year before at a total of 526,000 m³ after a reduction of almost 3% had been recorded for the previous month. Exports to buyers within Europe were only raised slightly in December by just under 2% to 164,000 m³.
In the BWF’s pre-budget submission to the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, BWF Chief Executive Iain McIlwee has outlined proposals to boost the fortunes of joinery manufacturers through the housing and retrofitting sectors, while at the same time helping to meet the UK’s energy efficiency and growth targets.Lower pulp prices during last summer and an increased supply of sawmill chips put downward pressure on pulpwood prices in North America and Latin America in the 4Q/12, according to Wood Resource Quarterly. The biggest declines occurred in Western US, British Columbia and Brazil.The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers welcomed the reintroduction of legislation to improve the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) lead paint rule for home owners and remodelers who must comply with the costly work practices and recordkeeping requirements of the rule.
The International Wood Products Association (IWPA) has appointed Cindy Squires as the new IWPA Executive Vice President, replacing former EVP Brent McClendon.The International Wood Products Association reacted with concern over the Department of Commerce’s Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation on hardwood plywood imported from China. Preliminary rates have been assessed at 0% for mandatory respondents –a result welcomed by IWPA and that runs counter to claims that they were the recipients of government subsidization.
CPA’s 2013 Spring Meeting will be held May 5-7 at the Loews Coronado Bay Hotel in San Diego, California which include presentations from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB). The US flooring group Mohawk intends to deliver significant growth in the years ahead. The company has announced three major takeovers since October 2012: Pergo laminate flooring activities from Pfleiderer, the Italian tile producer Marazzi and Spano Group. The US flooring group Mohawk intends to deliver significant growth in the years ahead. The company has announced three major takeovers since October 2012: Pergo laminate flooring activities from Pfleiderer, the Italian tile producer Marazzi and Spano Group.
G. Siempelkamp boosted turnover from its machinery and plant construction business by 12.6 % to €589m last year. However, order intake fell 5.6 % to €388m. The order backlog was also 24.1 % lower than 2011 at €634m at the end of last year. The trends seen in years past have thus persisted. Sonae Industries saw its net loss swell by around 70 % to -€99m in 2012. By way of comparison, the net loss stood at €74m in 2010 after previously being in the triple digits at €128m in 2008 and €146m in 2009. This latest increase in the loss in 2012 has pushed the cumulative net loss in the past five years to €505m.In 2012 Siempelkamp Group achieved important sales successes, special milestones celebrated and the course for the future set. The results in numbers: The total order value amounted to 594 million Euros and group sales totaled 795 million Euros. The current order backlog totals 930 million Euros. As of December 31, 2012 the Siempelkamp Group had 3,154 employees and 120 trainees. With these results Siempelkamp continues the positive trend from 2011. The capacities of all production locations are committed until mid 2014. Siempelkamp's machine and plant engineering business unit (SiCo) contributed majorly to these results.A conspicuous upswing has been emerging in demand for ash logs in Germany in the last few weeks. Asia exporters in particular are increasingly buying up ash in spite of the difficulties with phytosanitary certificates (see separate report). The number of container loadings and shipments of ash logs has risen sharply since January.UPM has been awarded the EU Ecolabel Communication Award 2012 in the Producer/Retailer category. UPM Paper is the largest producer of newsprint, graphic and copying papers with the EU Ecolabel. Third-party ecolabels prove the environmental quality of products and support customers in their choices.Koelnmesse is expecting around 1,500 exhibitors on more than 155,000 square metres to the trade fair in May 2013. The Koelnmesse got 2013 off to a blazing start with two major trade fairs, the IMM cologne and LivingKitchen. Now all eyes are expectantly turned towards interzum that from 13 to 16 May will turn Cologne into the focus for all materials and design-related subjects for furniture manufacturers and interior designers. With production of almost 20m m³ in 2012, the German sawmill industry produced roughly 8% less lumber than it had in 2011. The association DSH from Berlin reports that domestic consumption also declined parallel to the lower level of lumber production, with consumption at 17.3m m³. .jpg)
At a total of 1.155 million m³, German plywood imports fell 8% short of the previous year’s level in 2012. According to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden hardwood, tropical and softwood plywood imports were all down from 2011. 