Issue Date:6/26/2006
Hardwood Floors E-News Monday, June 26, 2006 Issue 292 Next issue published July 10, 2006 Deadline for items: July 5, 2006 Send news to [email protected]
Strictest VOC Limits Take Effect in Southern California
As of July 1, clear wood finishes--including varnish and sanding sealers--with VOCs higher than 275 grams per liter of coating can no longer be manufactured for sale and use in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This action originates from amendments to Rule 1113, which was originally adopted in 1977 to reduce air pollutants. This latest amendment is currently the strictest VOC limitation in the country. It was adopted by the
South Coast Air Quality Management District of Southern California (SCAQMD) in 2002, so manufacturers have had four years to reformulate their finishes in order to meet lower VOC requirements. At the time it was passed, the amendment provided that quart containers would be exempt from the lower-VOC rule, but abuse from some manufacturers selling high quantities of these smaller containers caused SCAQMD to reverse the exemption,
Dan Russel of SCAQMD says. Now, quart containers less than 350 grams per liter manufactured before July 1 can be sold only until July 1, 2007. However, containers larger than 1 quart manufactured before July 1 not exceeding 350 grams per liter have a sell-through period of three years. Any person selling or using products higher than 275 grams per liter after July 1, 2009 will be in violation of the rule. The VOC content limit for lacquer also dropped to 275 grams per liter in January 1, 2005, but due to the three-year sell-through provision of the amendment, lacquers manufactured before that date and not exceeding 550 grams per liter can be sold and used until January 1, 2008.
Other areas of the country are also making efforts to reduce VOC levels. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), which covers the entire state of California, may adopt many of the Rule 1113 VOC limitations within the next year, according to David F. Darling, director, environmental affairs of the National Paint and Coatings Association. The state is currently conducting surveys that will serve as the basis for revising its CARB Architectural and Industrial Maintenance Suggested Control Measure (SCM). The Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium, made up of representatives from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio, will likely adopt CARB's resolutions next year as the group's work is completed, Darling says, adding that the Ozone Transport Commission for the northeast states from Maine to Virginia is also waiting for CARB to complete its SCM work and will then adopt the changes. New York and Pennsylvania have sent out their own surveys on VOC regulations, which should be completed by the end of this summer.
Domotex Middle East Debuts in Dubai
More than 5,200 visitors and 241 exhibiting companies from 45 countries on 14,000 square feet of exhibitor space attended Domotex Middle East in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 28-30. The show covered many aspects of the flooring industry, including wood floors. NWFA members present at the show were
Anderson Hardwood Floors (Clinton, S.C.) and
National Carpet Equipment (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).
Manufacturer News
TechCana Inc. (Saint-Félicien, Quebec), manufacturer of Evolution Hardwood Flooring, has acquired two sawmills in Grand-Remous and Malartic, Quebec, and assets and $3 million Canadian dollars from
Domtar Inc. (Grand-Remous, Quebec) in exchange for 20,329,412 common shares of TechCana stock. This agreement, which will go into effect in August, allows the company to become vertically integrated and secures a raw hardwood supply. For more information, contact
Tom Gormley at 450/978-9994.
Distributor News
VerMeister USA (Seattle) held a sales event at distributor
HFD Goodfellow's (Delson, Quebec) Seattle location in conjunction with
Norton Abrasives (Sanborn, N.Y.). Both manufacturers showcased new products.
Lon Musolf Distributing (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) held a fishing tournament on July 21 sponsored by BonaKemi USA Inc. (Aurora, Colo.); Grill Works Inc. (Marshall, Minn.); Palo Duro Hardwoods/Lägler (Denver, Colo.); Artistic Finishes Inc. (Roseville, Minn.); and North Wood Flooring (Coleman, Wis.).
Association News
The International Standards and Training Alliance has opened a state-of-the-art training facility at 1645 Greenleaf Ave., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. The 28,000-square-foot facility includes mock panels for flooring professionals to practice on, including box and winder stair sets.
Mapei Corporation (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) has named
Rainer M. Blair successor to the retiring
Nick Di Tempora as president and CEO of Mapei Americas. Blair joins Mapei after 16 years with BASF Corporation.
World of Floors (Detroit) has hired Barth A. Getto as COO and national director of franchising. Getto was formerly president of Group Builders.
Besse Forest Products Group (Gladstone, Mich.) has promoted four senior managers to new positions: Greg Besse to president, Dennis Breitrick to vice president for veneer production, Marc Lee to vice president for procurement and Jim Moberg to vice president for business administration and finance.
Powernail Co. (Lake Zurich, Ill.) has recognized employee Ed Polnau for his 50 years with the company. Polnau began working for Powernail on June 6, 1956, and has no plans to retire.
By the Numbers
Housing starts for May increased 5 percent from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,957,000 units, according to the
U.S. Commerce Department. This was 3.8 percent below the pace for the same month last year.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) dropped four points from 46 in May to 42 in June, the lowest mark since April 1995. The index gauging current sales was down three points to 47, while the index gauging sales expectations for the next six months fell five points to 50, and the index gauging traffic of prospective buyers declined four points to 29.
Mark Your Calendar
The NWFA will hold an Intermediate Installation, Sand & Finish School August 23-25 at the NWFA Training Center in St. Louis. For more information, e-mail
[email protected] or visit
www.nwfa.org.
Lon Musolf Distributing will hold its annual golf tournament July 19 at the StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater, Minn. For more information, contact Liz Grohn at [email protected].
The Chinese International Exhibition Company (CIEC) will invite a flooring industry delegation representing more than 12 U.S. and Canadian companies to the 7th China International Floor Coverings and Carpet Fair September 20-23 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. For more information, contact Dave Spreen by phone at 707/445-2244, fax at 707/445-1024 or e-mail at [email protected].
Job Watch
Basic Coatings (Des Moines, Iowa) is looking for a regional sales manager. Qualifications include a working knowledge and understanding of the wood flooring industry and distribution channel. This position will be responsible for managing business with distributors and contractors, growing all product categories, and handling all questions and training in the south-central (Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma) area. Résumés should be e-mailed to
[email protected], faxed to 419/321-9886 or mailed to Betco Corporation, Basic Sales, P.O. Box 3127, Toledo, OH 43607.
Business For Sale
Advanced Hardwood Floor Systems Inc. (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), a contracting company with seven employees, is for sale for $475,000. The price includes six months of training, all vehicles, trailers, equipment and current inventory, and existing contracts and customers. For more information, contact
Gretchen Hicks at 970/846-0783.
NWFA Member Services
The NWFA has released its "Profit Improvement Report, Remembering the Mistakes of the Past." In this report,
Dr. Al Bates suggests that while our nation is currently experiencing economic recovery, distributor members need to avoid common mistakes that can negatively impact their businesses such as uncontrolled growth, payroll expense pressures and excessive inventory investment. Bates shows how proactive planning can control these issues and lead to major profit growth. The complete report is available online at
www.nwfa.org. Simply click on the "Services and Supplies" menu option and select the "Statistical Reports" link. To request a hardcopy, contact the NWFA by phone at 800/422-4556 (U.S.), 800/848-8824 (Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international), or by e-mail at
[email protected].