IWF Storms Through Atlanta

Mother nature has not been kind to the city of Atlanta this year.  In March, a tornado ripped through the downtown area causing severe damage to the Georgia World Congress Center, site of this year's International Woodworking and Furniture Suppliers Fair (IWF 2008).  When the show opened last week, just 5 months later, you would be hard pressed to find any lingering effects from the storms.  And despite the threat of more bad weather from Tropical Storm Fay, IWF 2008 went off without a hitch.

Favorable economic conditions for foreign travelers could be the explanation for a heavier than normal international contingent of exhibitors and attendees. And although it has been a difficult year for many of the domestic millworkers and craftsmen that we met, most were cautiously optimistic that business would rebound soon.  

This year's IWF was also notable for the "trickle-down" effect that sustainable building practices in the A & D community has had on the cabinet, architectural millwork, and furniture industries.  Eco-friendly products such as low-emitting adhesives, FSC certified wood veneers, and high-efficiency machinery were all on display.  

But unlike design-oriented trade shows where the buzz word is LEED, at IWF, it was another 4 letter acronym that had people talking: CARB.  Next year. California introduces new lower standard formaldehyde emissions regulations for composite wood panels used in store fixtures, cabinetry, casework, furniture and more.  Manufacturers of CARB compliant panels and substrates as well as advice on navigating the new California regulations were certainly in abundance in Atlanta.  

The Lamin-Art road crew heads a little further south for its next appearance.  Be sure to see us at HD Boutique in Miami, FL in booth #2307, September 17-18.

USGBC Looks to Expand Certified Woods Credit

At the moment, only wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (also known as FSC) are eligible to earn points towards the U.S. Green Building Council's Certified Woods credits under the LEED Green Building Rating System^TM. This summer however, the USGBC has opened up to the idea of recognizing other green forest agencies.

No other wood certification systems have been acknowledged by the various LEED ratings systems yet, but the USGBC has set benchmarks for any systems they would recognize. These proposed standards were set after two years of research and will be open to public comment until September 7.

This is a great start to promoting the use of more products sourced from responsibly managed forests. If the USGBC expands its standards for certified wood products, more projects and building materials can utilize responsibly grown wood. If LEED points are more attainable in this area, eco-friendly wood will surely receive more attention.

As a reminder, all kraft paper used in the manufacture of Lamin-Art's high-pressure laminate comes from responsibly managed forests certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

Lamin-Art Expands Direct Service

We would like to remind our Canadian customers that since earlier this Spring, our premium high-pressure decorative laminates and pre-finished wood veneers have no longer been distributed by McFaddens Hardwood and Hardware in Ontario and Eastern Canada, but instead have been sold factory direct from our manufacturing plant in Montreal.

Not only do the factory direct shipments provide for shorter delivery times, but this allows us to offer customers in this area the excellent service we are known for. Through our dedicated customer service staff, we offer timely and accurate pricing, delivery and technical information on our products. In addition, we have removed our minimum order requirements for special products such as Fire-Rated material or Pearlescence items with the Oyster Shield High-Wear Protection.

Our friendly representatives will gladly answer your call, in French, English or Spanish, weekdays from 7 am till 6 pm CST at 1.800.323.7624. Call them with any questions you might have, or to open an account to start buying direct from Lamin-Art.

Also, remember that you can request samples online at www.laminart.com, where you can also find a whole host of information, including all of the forms that you need to open an account with us. We look forward to doing business directly with you!

When One Is All You Need

We have all been there before. Whether you're lacking that final piece of paper to print out a project or short one dollar to buy lunch or need one more gallon of gas to get to the nearest station, everyone knows the feeling of running out just before your goal is reached. Sometimes you just need one more.

Lamin-Art understands this frustrating predicament and it is why we have eliminated all minimum order requirements on our premium high-pressure decorative laminate. If you only need one more sheet of laminate to finish your project, we'll sell you one more at no extra charge. There are no strings attached here and no fine print, as this policy includes all of our laminates, even Fire-Rated material and non-stock finishes such as our Oyster Shield High-Wear Protection for Pearlescence items.  

Our willingness to sell as many sheets as our customers need is just another example of our dedication to personalized service. For more information, e-mail us at customerservice@laminart.com or call 1.800.323.7624.