By Dianne M. Pogoda
COMPANY NEWS
HARVARD SAYS MORE REMODELING ON TAP: Good news for remodelers: the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University projects expenditures for U.S. home improvement will increase at a faster pace this year. Average annual growth in home improvement spending of 13.8 percent is expected across all 48 metro areas tracked by the center, with 20 of these areas seeing growth of 14 percent or more, and six surpassing 17 percent. The largest gains are projected in Tucson, Ariz. (23 percent); Riverside, Calif. (21.9 percent), and Phoenix (20.3 percent). The center attributes the robust projections to solid home sales, strong incomes and record home-price appreciation.
LOWE’S, AARP PARTNER: Lowe’s has entered a multi-year commitment to become the leading retail destination for aging-in-place and life-change solutions through the launch of Lowe’s Livable Home. The program offers expertise, services and affordable products for universal design options. Lowe’s is partnering on a customer education campaign with AARP, the largest non-profit organization dedicated to serving people over age 50 and their families. AARP has provided articles about creating safe spaces for seniors and people with physical challenges on the Lowe’s website. Read more in KBB here or visit Lowe’s Livable Home.
QUEST CABINETS EXPANDING: Quest Engineering, a custom cabinet manufacturer based in Richfield, Wisc., is expanding its manufacturing capacity with a new state-of-the-art facility. Quest, founded in 2000, produces custom cabinetry and closet systems under the CABnX, CLOzX, and Euro-LogiX brands, all in the U.S. The new facility will be 100,000 square feet, consolidating three plants into one. The company produces around 7,500 kitchens per year, and the new facility will expand annual capacity to 17,000 kitchens. Quest will add about 25 new jobs, and the new plant is expected to open in July. Click to learn more about Quest.
MATERIAL BANK HEADING TO JAPAN: Sampling platform service Material Bank will launch in Japan this year, marking its first international rollout outside of North America. Material Bank, owned by SANDOW, launched in 2019 and distributes product samples from more than 450 brands to designers, most with next-day shipping. As in the U.S., Material Bank Japan will improve the sustainability of the design industry there by reducing the number of inbound packages to firms and designers. Material Bank Japan will be led by newly appointed CEO Go Nakazawa, a data company executive, systems engineer and corporate strategist. Learn more about Material Bank here.
NEW DESIGNS FOR WETWALL: Wetwall, a Wilsonart company, has introduced two designs in its waterproof wall panel systems with patterns that mimic stone. Larisis Marble and Augusta Calacatta are nature-inspired designs and add to the collection of eight other styles. Grout-free Wetwall panels are installed over existing shower walls and tub surrounds and feature a water-proof core and antimicrobial protection. For more info, visit wetwall.com.
EVENTS
A&D BUILDING WEBINAR SERIES: The Architects & Designers Building is hosting its Spring 2022 Showroom Series — a three-day virtual program of CEU-qualified webinars — March 30 – April 1. Participating showrooms include Poggenpohl, Sub-Zero | Wolf | Cove, Thermador Design Center, West | Wood Architectural Surfaces and others. Click here for more info and to register.
DPHA’S KITCHEN FAUCET WEBINAR: Want your clients to step up to a better kitchen faucet? The Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association will explain in a 30-minute webinar, “Elevating the Kitchen Faucet Sale,” on March 24 at 1 pm (Eastern). Andrew Moss, operations manager at Advance Plumbing, and Greg Rohl, principal of The Rohl Model, will share strategies to help customers understand their budget and see the value in higher-end products, and in the process, bump up your sales. Register here.
PEOPLE NEWS
CONROY TO CAESARSTONE: Gail Conroy has been named vice president of marketing for the Americas at Caesarstone. With more than two decades working in marketing communications and brand management, she most recently was senior director of marketing for LG Home Appliances. Previously, she held roles at Sigma Group, IRI, Samsung Electronics, Unilever and Kraft Foods.
OBITUARY: JAMES “MICKEY” STANFORD NORMAN JR.: The National Association of Home Builders(NAHB) reported that Mickey Norman, who served as its president in 1975 and was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1981, died on March 6. He was 98. Norman was a home builder and land developer, broker, lawyer and engineer based in Houston, and also served as president of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) in 1960. A graduate of Rice University with a degree in engineering, he enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Read more about Norman on GHBA’s website.
OBITUARY: ANDREAS NOWAK: Andreas Nowak, a former president and CEO of Geberit North America, died on March 6. Nowak, 57, joined Geberit in 2001 and was managing director of the Swiss company’s Austrian sales operation for six years. In 2007, he moved to the U.S., where he was named president and CEO of Geberit North America and Chicago Faucets. While continuing to lead Geberit, he successfully reshaped Chicago Faucets to be an industry leader in commercial faucets and fittings, offering products for healthcare, schools, laboratories, office buildings, food service, airports and sports facilities. He left the company in 2020.
CHAPTER NEWS
CHICAGO MID WEST CELEBRATES THE OUTDOORS: Join the Chicago Mid West Chapter for “The Outdoors Is In,” a fun and engaging presentation on outdoor living with Ryan Bloom of Urban Bonfire. The event takes place on March 29, 5:30 to 8:30 pm (Central) at Cosentino’s new Chicago showroom in the design-centric River North neighborhood. Registration is $15 for NKBA members, $25 for non-members and $5 for students. To register, click here.
