Hoffmann Family Of Companies Acquires Ferche Millwork
Florida-based Hoffmann Family of Companies has acquired Ferche Millwork, headquartered in Rice, MN, and its brands including Ferche Frames, Firerated Frames, Ferche Lumber and 87 acres of land in Rice, MN and Mount Pleasant, TN adding to the global diversification strategy and balance with existing manufacturing companies. The acquisition of Ferche Millwork
Ferche uses solid U.S. Hardwoods in its manufacturing. All its mouldings, door frames and door jambs are manufactured in the U.S. using predominately domestic Hardwoods. Included are Red and White Oak, Poplar, Cherry and Hickory as well as imports such as Mahogany, Sapele and other species.
Ferche Millwork’s leadership and employees will continue with the company, and Ferche is currently looking to hire for multiple positions which can be found on the Hoffmann Family of Companies job board at HoffmannFamilyofCompanies.com/careers.
For more information, go to www.ferche.com.
Dura Supreme Introduces Quarter-Sawn White Oak Products
Dura Supreme Cabinetry, headquartered in Howard Lake, MN, has introduced a new wood species to their product offerings: Quarter-Sawn White Oak, which is admired for its distinctive grain pattern, and became especially popular with the Arts and Crafts furniture design. “Quarter-Sawn” refers to the manner in which the wood is cut from the log that creates a distinctive and desirable straight grain pattern with an intriguing “fleck” across the grain.
“Quarter-Sawn White Oak is a beautiful option for modern, transitional, and contemporary looks because of its straight, consistent grain pattern and coloring,” explained Karen Wistrom, VP of Marketing for Dura Supreme Cabinetry. It is available for Crestwood and Bria cabinetry in most door styles and a varied palette of stained finishes.
For more information, go to www.durasupreme.com.
Chinese Tariff Exemptions Extended
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), headquartered in Sterling, VA, recently received word from the Ministry of Finance of China and its contacts in the region that the tariff exemptions that were set to expire on September 17, 2021 have been extended through April 16, 2022. AHEC received initial confirmation of the extensions through the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service office in Beijing.
AHEC will continue to provide updates with any further developments, but for now it appears that Chinese tariffs will not come back into play for the U.S. Hardwood industry until after April 16, 2022. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to John Chan, Michael Snow, or Tripp Pryor.
For more information, go to www.ahec.org.
Test Shipment of Heat-Treated White Oak Veneer Logs Goes To EU
With the lifespan of Methyl bromide use for log export phytosanitation coming to an end, newer, more environmentally friendly and effective science debuts. After over 10 years of dedicated research, the replacement is an innovative application of steam and vacuum. Based on a research partnership between USDA Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service, the USDA Forest Service and the Virginia Tech Department of Sustainable Biomaterials this new pre-shipment and quarantine log treatment significantly reduces the treatment time and avoids the use of dangerous, ozone depleting chemicals. The scientists at Virginia Tech and plant pathologists at the USDA Forest Service have shown conclusively that treating the Walnut and Oak log sapwood to 56 degrees C and held for 30 minutes, kills all thousand canker disease pathogens in Walnut logs, and all Oak wilt pathogens in Red and White Oak logs, as well as any associated insect vectors.
The final phase in development of this alternative, non-chemical process is a series of heat treated, log test shipments. The first of these test shipments will be two, 20-foot containers of White Oak veneer logs from Baltimore, MD to the Czech Republic. The test shipment is a collaboration between the Maryland Upper Shore Regional Council, the Danzer Veneer Americas, Mill Creek Lumber company/Polo Pallet Corporation and Virginia Tech.
The veneer logs were set to be shipped from one of the Danzer facilities in Edinburgh, IN to Mill Creek Lumber Company last month. The Virginia Tech portable Steam/Vacuum treatment chamber was set to be located at Mill Creek Lumber/Polo Pallet, where the Virginia Tech research team would manage the treatment by the end of October. The two containers (one container of treated logs and the other untreated logs) were then to be shipped to the Port of Baltimore for shipment through Germany to the Danzer Bohemia, one of the locations of Danzer Veneer Europe, in Melnick, Czech Republic. There, the logs were to be inspected and processed into sliced (decorative) veneer.
The quality and yield of veneer from the treated logs will be compared to that of the untreated logs to determine any impact of the treatment on the value of veneer produced. Upon completion, the results will be published to all interested parties with comprehensive documentation. The estimated project completion will be January or February of 2022. The industry was invited to observe the treatment of the logs at Mill Creek Lumber/Polo Pallet in Elkton, MD.
For more information, go to www.vt.edu.
