In the dessert world, Sultana is a a small, light brown, seedless raisin that finds its way into cakes, puddings and other tasty treats.
In our world of trend-setting decorative surfaces, Sultana Elme is the third in a series of new 3DL matches with Funder America’s Cabrera Elme textured TFL collection.
Construction input prices rose 2.3% in May compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 2.3% for the month.
Construction input prices are up 21.4% from a year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 21.9% higher. Input prices rose in 10 of 11 subcategories in May. The largest price increases were in natural gas (+39.7%) and unprocessed energy materials (+16.3%).
“Inflationary pressures show no signs of abating,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For months, economists and others have been expecting inflation to peak and then subside. Instead, the Russia-Ukraine war has disturbed markets, driving energy prices higher. Those elevated energy prices are now circulating across the economy, affecting manufacturing and distribution, and there is little prospect for inflation to meaningfully subside during the weeks ahead.
“Federal Reserve policymakers will continue to aggressively combat inflationary pressures,” said Basu. “But what the Federal Reserve most directly affects is demand for goods and services, not supply. By tightening monetary policy and raising interest rates, the Federal Reserve will suppress demand over the rest of the year. Eventually, suppliers will respond to diminished demand. This dynamic will quite likely drive the economy into recession either later this year or at some point in 2023.
“Based on the historical lag between the performance of the economy and nonresidential construction spending, more difficult times could be ahead for contractors in 2024 or 2025,” said Basu. “Looking at the most recent reading of ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, contractors are already seeing momentum slow. The likely exception is public contractors, who will continue to benefit from stepped-up infrastructure spending.”
While our claim to fame is offering sensational textured three-dimensional laminates (3DL) that closely mimic the look and feel of solid wood, we also offer more than a dozen 2DL designs. These products, available by special order, dovetail with our matching TFL/HPL program.
2DLs are PVC films primarily used in flat lamination and profile wrapping of trim and mouldings. In some cases, they are vacuum formed around contour components to provide a seamless design.
In the salty wilds of the Pacific Ocean, corvina fish roam. Corvinas have a silvery, blue-grey on their dorsum. They are a white firm fish akin to sea bass.
Funder America has aptly borrowed the Corvina name for one of its new Cabrera Elme Collection of TFLs. That same silvery grey look is now perfectly matched by Synergy Thermal Foils’ Corvina Elme 3DL. Corvina is one of several new Cabrera Elme design matches offered by Funder and Synergy.
Stop by and see it, feel it at Synergy Thermal Foil’s booth C-1208 of the International Woodworking Fair, August 23-26 in Atlanta.
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Carbrera Elme collection in partnership with Funder America. Cabrera is a new embossed texture that gives these designs a level of natural realism.
Rococo represents the first salvo of several new Cabrera Elme designs that we are adding to our matching TFL program with Funder.
Stop by and see it, feel it at booth C-1208 of the International Woodworking Fair this August in Atlanta.
While all of our decorative surfacing products meet environmental health and safety standards, our PET laminating films are the greenest of them all.
PET, short for polyethylene terephthalate (try saying that five times fast!), is made from 100% recyclable materials. Also known as polyester films, other environmental benefits of PET formulations include:
— No halogens;
— No plasticizers;
— No formaldehyde; and
— No heavy metals.
Oh, and our PET films not only look great, they are super durable and dimensionally stable. They can be profile wrapped or miter folded and are ideal for kitchen and bath cabinets, store fixtures and other applications.
They are available in matte or gloss finishes.
Nearly 89 percent of respondents in the Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey for the first quarter of 2022 felt either somewhat or very positive about their company outlook, up from 86.8% in the fourth quarter.
The quarterly survey conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) noted that the challenge for manufacturing firms has been in meeting heightened demand, with sizable hurdles from supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages, soaring costs and COVID-19.
To counteract supply chain disruptions more than half of the respondents said they plan to increase inventories:
15.90% — increase by more than 10 percent
18.02% — increase 5 to 10 percent
17.31% – increase up to 5%
31.10% — stay the same
8.83% — decrease up to 5 percent
4.59% — decrease 5 to 10 percent
4.24% — decrease more than 10 percent.
Cabinet manufacturers participating in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s (KCMA) latest monthly Trend of Business Survey reported overall cabinet sales increased 13.5% for February 2022 compared to Febraury 2021.
February 2022 cabinet sales over February 2021:
Overall sales up 13.5%
Custom sales up 19.4%
Semi-custom up 5.4%
Stock sales up by 18.1%
In addition, February 2022 showed big sales gains over January 2022:
Overall sales up 7.4%
Custom sales up 10.5%
Semi-custom up 11.0%
Stock sales up 4.6%
Estimated cabinet quantity increased 3.3%
Survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent approximately 75% of the U.S. kitchen cabinet and bath vanity market. KCMA is the major trade association for kitchen cabinet and bath vanity manufacturers and key suppliers of goods and services to the industry. KCMA has been compiling and reporting industry sales data for more than 40 years.
Textured surfaces, that mimic domestic and exotics hardwoods, have driven the soaring popularity of 3D laminates and spared a lot of trees in the process.
Synergy Thermal Foils offers 14 types of exacting embossed textures including Sandblasted (shown), Crown Cut, Rift Cut, Matte, Gloss and Leather, not to mention Wenge, Walnut and Edgewood.
Our 3DLs are durable, water resistant and easy to clean. What’s more, many of our 3DLs match HPL and TFL designs produced by North America’s leading decorative surface manufacturers.
Get acquainted with Cocoa, top, and Oatfield, our two new walnut woodgrains that match designs by the same names of TFL panels offered by Kronospan.
Cocoa is a rich, dark chocolate walnut, while Oatfield is a lighter color with a strong grain character.
Each of these embossed textured designs achieves an authentic wood look and feel.
The LIRA projects double-digit gains in annual homeowner renovation and maintenance expenditure will top out in the third quarter of 2022 before beginning a deceleration toward more sustainable rates of growth.
“Strong increases in home sales activity, household incomes, and home equity levels are supporting a faster expansion of the home remodeling market over the coming year,” says Carlos Martín, project director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Center. “As owners continue to navigate the ups and downs of the pandemic’s trajectory, the focus on home improvements for changing wants and needs remains in sharp relief.”
“While annual owner improvement and repair spending could reach $430 billion by the second half of 2022, several headwinds may still temper growth expectations this year,” says Abbe Will, associate project director of the Remodeling Futures Program. “The rising costs of labor and construction materials, difficulty retaining contractors, and climbing interest rates could discourage owners from undertaking new or larger remodeling projects.”
Consider these factors: