Blog

Join Us at WMS in Toronto

October 2015

torontoSynergy Thermal Foils, booth 1178, will showcase Memento, Milk Chocolate, Brown Pear and many other new colors.  If you haven’t seen our new line-up, please stop by or check back to our website for updates. If you need an entrance pass for the WMS expo please contact promotions@synergythermofoils.com for complimentary tickets.

What a Great Pear

October 2015

pear newSynergy Thermal Foils is always looking to add beautiful 3D laminates to our collections that can be paired with major melamine and high pressure laminates and our latest addition is no exception. Brown Pear is an exceptional match to Formica’s Espresso Pear (F5489). This contemporary design would bring a modern touch to any household and pairs well with white accent pieces and stainless steel appliances.

Builder Confidence on the Rise

October 2015

riseBuilder confidence for newly constructed single-family homes increased one point to a level of 62 on the National Association of Home Builders/ Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This has been the highest rating since October 2005. NAHM is projecting about 1.1 million housing starts this year and the newest HMI report is consistent with the forecast. Two of the three HIM components had gains as well in September, the index measuring buyer traffic increased 2 points to 47, and the component gauging current sales conditions rose 1 point to 67.

The HMI is derived from a monthly survey at the National Association of Home Builders and gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations. Scores for each component are used to calculate seasonally adjusted index where numbers over 50 indicated that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

New Residential Sales in August 2015

October 2015

Sales of new single-family houses is once again on the rise for August 2015. With a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000, according to the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a 21.6% increase from August 2014 and a 5.7% increase from the revised July rate of 522,000.

Canadian Lumber Production Increases

October 2015

lumberCanadian Lumber produced 2.2 billion board feet in July 2015, bringing up the year-to-date total to 15.4 billion board feet. This is a 6% increase from the previous year. The provinces that saw the most gain were Alberta, up 8% to 2.3 billion board feet, and Quebec, up 5% to 3.2 billion board feet.

Such a Diva

September 2015

Diva

Despite its name, you will never have to worry about this color being difficult to work with. Our newest addition to our Edgewood collection matches Formica’s White Ash (8841-WR) as well as Flakeboard’s Diva (375). Diva is a modern take on classic white, with subtle metallic streaking this color would brighten up any kitchen space leaving even the most diva-like customers satisfied.

Proposed Hardwood Checkoff Program

August 2015

The USDA is once again seeking public comments on amendments made for the Hardwood Checkoff Program. The program was initially proposed in November, 2013 as a collective research and marketing effort funded by lumber producers with financial oversight, implementation, and enforcement conducted by a 28 member board run by industry owners and employees. The proposed program would highlight a single commodity, hardwood, and create a promotional campaign to increase the sales of US produced hardwood. Similar programs started by the USDA include the campaigns such as “Got Milk”, “Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner” and “Pork, the Other White Meat”.

With the newest revisions to the program that clarify export and domestic sales would be included for eligible products and changing the voting procedures for the programs participants the USDA has started to move forward following the public comments period.

Under the Hardwood Checkoff Program the funding would be from sawmill operators and kiln drying yards with annual sales greater than $2 million will be assessed $1 for every $1,000 in sales. Plywood mills with more than $10 million in annual production will pay $3 per $1,000 of production.

For more information on the Hardwood Checkoff Program please visit: Harwood Checkoff Program   and No Hardwood Checkoff Program

New Residential Sales Increase for June 2015

August 2015

Sales of new single-family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 482,000 and compared to June 2014 this was an increase of 18.1 percent. However June 2015 sales were 6.8% below the revised May 2015 rate of 517,000. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of June was 215,000, representing a supply of 5.4 months at the current sales rate. For more information please visit US Census Bureau.

Expected Remodeling Growth in 2016

August 2015

With a recent increase in US residential home sales, there is an expected 4% increase in US residential remodeling spending for the first quarter in 2016 according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The second quarter of 2015 experienced a 4.3% increase to $144.7 billion compared to the $138.7 billion spent during the same time period of 2014.

“Other signals of strengthening remodeling activity include sustained growth in retail sales of home improvement products and ongoing gains in house prices across much of the country,” says Abbe Will, a research analyst in the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center.  “Rising home prices means rising home equity, which should encourage improvement spending by a growing number of owners.” (http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/)

The LIRA is published quarterly and is designed to estimate national homeowner spending on improvements for the current quarter and subsequent three quarters.

Expected-Remodeling-Growth-in-2016

References:

“Pick-Up Projected in Home Improvement Activity Moving into 2016.” (Press Release from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University). Web. 30 July 2015.

Amending the Lacey Act

August 2015

Amending-the-Lacey-ActThe Lacey Act of 1990 was the first US conservation law

which prohibits trade wildlife, plants and plant products that have been obtained illegally or traded in violation of the laws of a foreign nation. The Lacey Act has come under scrutiny again with the reintroduction of the Freedom from Over- Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2015 (FOCUS Act) by U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. They aim to remove any reference to foreign laws in the Lacey Act and substitute the criminal penalties with civil penalties. For more information on the Lacey Act visit: US Fish and Wildlife Services  For more information on the FOCUS Act

visit: https://www.congress.gov/

Completing the spectrum

August 2015

Completing-the-spectrum

Back in January 2014 we introduced White and Dark Chocolate to our collection of 3D laminates. Over the past year and a half the demand for these two designs has increased exponentially, so much so that we are now offering a new color, Milk Chocolate. This new design is a perfect compromise between white and dark resulting in a beautiful milk chocolate color perfect for any job. This new design matches Tafisa’s Milk Chocolate TFL (L493).

If you would like to order samples of Milk Chocolate please contact us

Introducing: Memento

August 2015

Introducing-MementoWith an increase in demand for more modern and unique designs, Synergy Thermal Foils is now offering a new design: Memento. Memento offers the look of distressed, barn wood without the time and hassle of producing distressed wood. Memento works great as a single vanity piece or as kitchen cabinets and with its subtle white and silver design it matches stainless steel appliances and a variety of color schemes. This 3D thermal foil matches Uniboards melamine H76 Memento and would be perfect for any project size.

Click here to request a sample of memento!