​Charlotte, North Carolina – Biesse is excited to announce the Grand Opening celebration of our new 23,000 sqft state of the art showroom on April 7 & 8, 2016!  The expansion is complete and we are thrilled to invite you to tour our new showroom filled with over $3,000,000 of machinery under power and ready for demonstration!  The Biesse Group Charlotte Campus boasts a total square footage of 66,800 making it possibly the largest facility of this kind in North America.
 
“This campus has been built in three phases, first was the central building which, at the time, seemed very large, then 17 years ago we added the showroom and warehouse,” said Federico Broccoli.  “The third phase is now complete and devoted to a new state of the art showroom fully equipped with machinery designed to host custom demonstrations, in-house events like our popular “Inside Biesse” and educational events.  With a goal to exceed all known industry standards, we have increased our spare parts warehouse, valued at an estimated $10,000,000, to maintain and improve our guarantee to deliver 96% of parts on the same day and also investing in training projects across all technical areas."
 
We have dedicated this showroom to Mrs. Anna Selci, the late wife of Mr. Giancarlo Selci. Together, about 50 years ago, they decided to become entrepreneurs.  They started in a garage and built Biesse Group into the exceptional company it is today.
 
Join Biesse’s Founder, Giancarlo Selci and our staff for the Grand Opening celebration of the Anna Selci Showroom on April 7 & 8 where you will see over $3,000,000 of machinery under power and ready for demonstration.  The product line up includes high tech automation equipment, CNC Routers and Machining Centers, Edgebanders, Wide Belt Sanders, Panel Saws, Drilling Machines, plus much more.  We will have the most cutting edge technology available for processing panels, solid wood, plastics, non-ferrous metals, glass and stone all in one convenient location.
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to work directly with Biesse product specialists and industry professionals, exchanging ideas and learning about new technology!  Contact us today to reserve your spot for this Grand Opening Event!  Call us at 704-357-3131 ext 5001 or via email at marketing@biesseamerica.com
 
Biesse Group
 
Biesse Group is a multinational leader in the technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic and metal. It designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems and software for the producers of furniture, door/window frames, components for the construction, ship-building and aerospace industries. It invests on average 14 million Euros per year in R&D, boasting over 200 registered patents. It works via 8 industrial sites, 30 branches, 300 agents and selected resellers, exporting 88% of its production. Its customers include some of the most prestigious names of Italian and international design. Founded in Pesaro in 1969, by Giancarlo Selci, the company has been listed on the Stock Exchange (STAR segment) since June 2001. It now counts 2800 employees throughout the world.

The Cabinet Makers Association (CMA) announces that Amanda Conger will assume the role of Interim Executive Director, effective February 16, 2016.

“She brings to the position a wealth of knowledge and experience,” says Matt Krig, current CMA president and owner of Northland Woodworks in suburban Minneapolis. Conger has been the organization’s Director of Sales & Marketing since April 2015, and will continue those duties in addition to her new responsibilities as Interim Executive Director.

“I’m looking forward to working further with the Board of Directors, our members and industry partners,” said Conger. She can be reached at (616) 930-4610 or via email marketing@cabinetmakers.org.

She succeeds Jim McDermott, who left the organization. “It’s been a great run. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the CMA,” says McDermott, who is also a founding board member and past president of the CMA.

The Board of Directors thanked McDermott for time of exemplary service as Executive Director. 

​“Jim has been a valued part of the CMA, as well as a friend. We wish him luck in his future endeavors,” Krig says. “He has done an excellent job of representing and promoting the CMA.”

Whether you are considering your first CNC machine or are looking for an additional piece of equipment to increase your production capacity, HOMAG Machinery North America has a solution for you.

HOMAG Machinery North America manufactures the WEEKE Vantech line of CNC routers at its newly expanded Grand Rapids, Michigan-based facility. The machines are sold through Stiles Machinery, a subsidiary of the HOMAG Group.

Originally, the U.S. manufacturing arm was conceived by product management at Stiles in 2008 as a direct response to their customers’ needs for a specific type of CNC machine. Their customers’ wanted a machine with a small footprint yet capable of a lot of production, and also built with quality engineering yet at a value price point. In addition, they requested shorter lead times along with after-sale support from a reliable service team. All of these factors, and many more, were taken seriously by the product development team at Stiles. In the end, the only viable solution that met their customers’ demands was to manufacture the well-known German-engineered machines in the States, right down the road from Stiles corporate offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  At the onset, the company’s name was WEEKE North America.

The company has produced and installed over 700 WEEKE Vantech CNC routers to date. The exceptional sales results acknowledge that the company met the markets’ needs head on.  Initially, their target customer was a cabinet shop with 5-10 employees, while today the company states that market segment accounts for approximately 50% of their business. The customer they did not anticipate was the “commercial” market segment, which can be defined as operations running one to two shifts a day. These customers sought out the WEEKE Vantech machines as they were in need to a rigid, robust piece of equipment to add to their production capacity. The surprise of this additional market segment not only opened up new possibilities for the machine, but it also dramatically increased sales more than initially projected.

Just last week, Stiles celebrated the grand opening of a new, expanded HOMAG Machinery North America manufacturing facility. Still located near Stiles in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the new factory provides 100,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space. Improvements include twice the production capacity and a streamlined manufacturing flow which applies the latest technologies and workflow processes to achieve efficient optimization.

​The new expansion and company name are part of a continued strategy by the global leader HOMAG Group to invest in manufacturing demands for the local market. The naming of the new North America manufacturing location aligns now with other international HOMAG Machinery locations, while it also implies that the facility could produce additional HOMAG brand of equipment. Christian Vollmers, President of Stiles, said it best, “It is the clear target of the HOMAG Group to produce machines specific to the market, directly in the region itself.” For now, though, HOMAG Machinery North America is the North American headquarters for nested-based CNC manufacturing technology.

Osborne Wood Products is serving up innovation at this year’s Cabinets and Closets Expo. Join us for the 4th annual Food for Thought Ideation Breakfast on Wednesday morning, March 23rd. The ideation breakfast will take place at 8:00 am, before the opening of this year’s Cabinets and Closets Expo. The event is open to all Expo and Conference attendees and exhibitors. An RSVP is required to attend.

The Food For Thought breakfast is a unique networking and idea sharing event. The breakfast is built for collaboration. Osborne Associate Vice President, Christian Smedberg, will be moderating the event, leading discussion on cabinet and closet innovation, storage solutions, and how companies such as Osborne can contribute new products and technology to the industry.

Reservations can be placed for the event by emailing marketing@osbornewood.comwith the name and number attending. The event will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California on Wednesday, March 23rd at 8:00am.
​
Osborne Wood Products is a manufacturer and supplier of high quality furniture components located in Northeast Georgia, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, and internationally.

FEIN accessories for oscillating power tools with Starlock tool mount have been launched. They allow users to work up to 25% faster and achieve more precise results. The inventor of oscillating power tools is continuing almost 50 years of development with new saw blades. The FEIN E-Cut Precision bimetal saw blades have the fastest cutting speeds in the market. They meet the high standards of professional users because of their low wear and service life that is 3 times longer.
 
FEIN accessories with Starlock tool mount
FEIN developed the new tool mount with Bosch, providing users with a uniform standard. The Starlock mount provides maximum power transmission and noticeably faster work progress, due to its three-dimensional geometry and remarkable rigidity. Users will work more evenly and smoothly with Starlock. FEIN has also made further improvements to its range of accessories for oscillating power tools. FEIN is the only manufacturer of Starlock accessories to equip every E-Cut saw blade with a rigid stainless steel holder. It ensures maximum rigidity and extremely precise saw cuts. In addition, all E-Cut saw blades have a chip space to discharge any chips. Holder and saw blade are firmly attached in state-of-the-art welding plants. Starlock accessories work with oscillating renovation systems from FEIN (MultiMaster, MultiTalent, SuperCut) and Bosch, as well as other manufacturers' machines with 12-point mounts. This makes Starlock accessories compatible with most machines in the market.
 
New generation of precision saw blades with Japanese teeth
The new FEIN E-Cut Precision saw blades with bimetal teeth are developed for demanding cutting work, even in hardwood. They are the fastest E-Cut saw blades on the market and have a service life three times longer than previous precision saw blades. Their double row of Japanese teeth ensure a precise cut with uniform high cutting speeds, even with higher numbers of strokes. They are differentiated by a new, patent-pending tooth geometry. The outer teeth are shorter and specially ground to prevent tooth breakage, even under heavy loading. The saw blade material is also new and improved. The cutting teeth are made from extremely robust, high-performance high-speed steel (HSS) and the blade is made from temperature-resistant high-carbon steel (HCS). FEIN E-Cut Precision bimetal saw blades are available in 1.37 in, 1.77 in, 2.17 in, or 2.56 in cutting widths.

Festool USA has just launched its Power Select cordless tool program featuring a variety of purchase options, as well as interchangeable batteries and chargers across its entire line of cordless power tools for construction, trim carpentry, woodworking and remodeling. Power select allows both new and existing customers to determine the delivery scope of Festool tools, providing them with a number of options and packages for batteries, chargers, and accessories. From “tool only” to a full set of two batteries, a charger and accessories, Power Select also features an entire 18v Li ion line of tools with an interchangeable platform.
 
“With Power Select, deciding which cordless tools to select is easier than ever,” says Steve Rangoussis, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Festool USA. “Professional users of our 18v Li ion tools now have the same battery and charging platform as well as a more streamlined and cost-effective way to add to their Festool cordless system of tools.”
 
Whether users need a new cordless tool to use with existing batteries and charger - or a complete set with tool and accessories - PowerSelect simplifies getting the right tools and accessories with multiple ways to buy:
 
Basic – Includes the device/tool in a Festool Systainer
 
Plus - Includes the device/tool in a Festool Systainer, plus two 18v batteries and a charger
 
Full Set - Includes the device/tool in a Festool Systainer, plus two 18v batteries, a charger and accessories
 
Festool’s 18v Li ion line includes the TSC Cordless Track Saw, the Carvex Jigsaw, the BHC Rotary Hammer, the heavy duty PDC QuaDrive Drill as well as the T18 Drill.
 
About Festool USA
Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is known for its innovative, precision-engineered power tool solutions.  Based in Lebanon, IN, Festool USA offers a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance. For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com.

Duration 1:05:31
​Originally Broadcasted on July 30, 2014.
Finding the right members in the design community can be a daunting task. This seminar will delve into seeking out those individuals or firms, how to work with them once you find them and how to keep them coming back for more.
What you’ll learn:

• Finding your market
• Staying in front of your target
• Understanding your role
• Building STRONG relationships
• Working together profitably