NEWS

The Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood filed a request that the Department of Commerce issue a circumvention determination that Chinese radiata pine and pine hardwood and decorative plywood imports suitable for interior/decorative use are circumventing anti-dumping and countervailing duties orders, as later-developed merchandise or having been altered in minor ways to circumvent the new AD/CVD rates.

In response to China's decision to impose duties on U.S. goods, the U.S. Trade Representative proposed maintaining the original $34 billion action and the proposed $16 billion action, and to take further action of an additional 10% ad valorem duty on Chinese products with an annual trade value of approximately $200 billion.

In a victory for wood products manufacturers, the D.C. Circuit Court denied the Sierra Club's appeal of the favorable start-up and shutdown provisions in the EPA's Boiler MACT rule.

A recent Houzz report showcases the nine most popular bathroom trends, which include timeless classics as well as fresh new styles.

Sherwin-Williams unveils a new 42-color palette divided into six themes to make it easier to choose colors for a wide range of projects.

New furniture orders saw their biggest year-over-year gain, up 15% in April vs. a year ago.

A recent survey showed that 51% of the homeowners on Houzz plan to start or continue renovation projects this year.

Before 2004, first-time buyers and first-move-up buyers made up 60% of all new home sales. Today these groups account for less than 40% of new home sales. The average age of today's first-time buyer has crept up to 33 years old.

The time needed to build a single-family home in 2017 varied widely depending on the region, metro area, and who built the home.

In June, the median listing price for a U.S. home reached a record high of $299,000 as the inventory of active home listings continued to decline.

Since 1988, the median price of a new home has risen 39% while median student loan debt has soared 239%.

To accumulate funds for a down payment on a home, 69% of millennials saved from their paychecks. Of the rest, 36% used income from a second job, 24% received help from relatives, 13% tapped into retirement funds early, 12% used inheritance money, and 10% sold cryptocurrency.

Contractors are caught between the ongoing labor shortage and sharply rising material costs.

NAHB leadership met with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to discuss escalating lumber prices exacerbated by tariffs on Canadian lumber imports.

Renowned organ builder Rieger Orgelbau chose Danzer's birdseye maple and European maple veneers for an organ created for the St. Sebastian Cathedral in Bratislava.

HPVA Laboratories®, a leading provider of fire and flammability testing, now offers accredited cone calorimeter testing in addition to a full range of large-scale and small-scale fire tests for building products, transportation products, textiles, and cables. To learn more or request a quote, see the HPVA Laboratories® website.

A federal judge gave preliminary approval to Lumber Liquidators' $36 million settlement for its allegedly false claims of compliance with formaldehyde regulations.

Environmentalists and industry continue to debate the health risks of formaldehyde as some media outlets report that the EPA is sitting on warnings about the cancer-causing chemical.

The concentration of formaldehyde from vegetation, fires, and pollution in the air over India and Africa has been measured at five and six parts per billion. The level found in most other parts of the world is between one and three parts per billion. 

The record high price of log exports from New Zealand is being attributed to China's growing demand for logs.

To minimize the negative impact on the region's economy, the transition could take up to 90 years.

Two imported pests are spreading throughout North America. The Asian spotted lanternfly is preying on trees in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and now New York and Virginia. The velvet longhorned beetle, native to Russia, China, and Korea, has been found in 10 states and a Canadian province, where it infests and kills pine, spruce, willow, birch, and apple trees.

Sources: Davey Tree, Adirondack Almanack

A Princeton University team using satellite imaging discovered significant deforestation - 57% more than expected - in the highlands of Southeast Asia.

Norway has committed more than $18 million to the global fight against illegal logging. The investment will allow Interpol to expand its dedicated taskforce from six to 15 detectives.

Researchers are mapping how the genetics of a particular species of tree change from region to region, thus making it possible to identify where trees were logged. A Pacific Coast team is studying the Bigleaf maple, a species particularly susceptible to illegal logging.