Features

EPA Formaldehyde Regulation Affects Entire Supply Chain

In late 2016, the EPA published a final regulation governing formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and importers of products containing composite wood -- such as kitchen cabinets, furniture, architectural moulding, flooring and many others -- will need to review the regulation closely to understand their potential requirements. In the following Q&A, which is the second part of a two-part series, Jackson Morrill, president of the Composite Panel Association (CPA), addresses some of the requirements and highlights sources of additional information to help affected stakeholders comply with the regulation.

Fully Committed

Showplace Wood Products didn’t rush into building full-access cabinets. When the company decided to make the move, however, it did so in Showplace’s customary bold way.

“The topic came up four or five years ago,” said Bill Allen, Showplace’s vice president and chief operating officer. “We were being told by our dealer base, our sales team and our suppliers that full-access or frameless construction, specifically European-style, was coming to the U.S.”

Luxury Closets the Affordable Way

Don’t let the name Affordable Closets Plus fool you. It belies the high-end custom nature of the Bangor, PA-based home organization manufacturer, a fact backed by a wall’s worth of framed design awards and dozens of five-star customer reviews on Houzz.com, many for projects priced in the five-figures.

Beautiful & Functional

She’s a model and wants things to look beautiful; he’s a marketing expert and likes everything to be practical. Melanie Raff and Marco Hornug have teamed up to make their dream come true. They have a kitchen that combines both aesthetics and functionality.

Alternative Materials Hit the Big Time

Among the many interesting engineered materials in EuroCraft Cabinets’ ever-evolving product mix are two lines of composite five-piece doors from industry giant Conestoga Wood Specialties.

High-Quality Customization

Customers of EuroCraft Cabinets have a strong preference for plywood kitchens (see “Investing in Flexibility,” page xx). And there is nothing wrong with that--until they ask for high-gloss acrylic on plywood. Acrylic is typically laid up on an MDF substrate because surface imperfections telegraph and mar the high-gloss finish. Achieving such an unconventional lamination without compromising quality requires a specialist.

Investing in Flexibility

Like so many great panel processing stories, this one begins with a panel saw, an edgebander and a CNC router. Set against the sultry backdrop of South Florida, this is a tale of survival and success -- of using flexible technology to bring the sexiest materials in the industry to the masses.

Looking Ahead By Looking Abroad

As 2017 gets into full gear, manufacturers who participated in the Stiles European Benchmarking Tour are factoring in their experience abroad to shape their future strategies and growth plans.

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