Canadian seasonally adjusted retail furniture store sales in June increased 1.3% from May to $1.17 billion (CAD) but were 8.8% lower than the same month in 2022. Sales for building material dealers fell 1.4% from May to $3.85 billion and were 9.0% lower than June 2022. Total Canadian retail sales grew 0.1% from May to

Behr revealed that its 2024 color of the year is “Cracked Pepper,” a “soft black shade that accentuates the spaces you create life moments in.” Other major paint companies, including Glidden and Valspar, announced statement colors featuring calming hues for 2024. See Behr

The Forest Products Society (FPS) is hosting its 7th biennial international conference on Processing Technologies for the Forest and Bio-Based Products Industries from October 30-November 30. The conference will be held on St. Simons Island, GA. See FPS Conference

West Fraser, Vancouver, BC, announced that Sean McLaren will become President and Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2024. McLaren succeeds Ray Ferris, who will retire at the end of 2023 after holding the position since 2019. McLaren has been with the organization and its predecessor companies for 35 years, most recently serving as Chief

On August 10, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) launched three forest products sector innovation funding programs, including Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT). Selected IFIT projects receive up to $10 million as a non-repayable contribution towards innovative technologies or products, sector decarbonization and improvements in resource use efficiency. Other funding opportunities include the Green Construction through

The deadline to apply for CPA’s inaugural Innovation Awards has been extended to September 1, 2023, to accommodate additional member interest. This newly launched awards program, developed and managed by CPA’s Decorative Surfaces Council (DSC), recognizes significant and creative advances in technology, product development and service solutions in the industry. The new awards program is