Blog Archives

90 Years of Trusted Performance: Franklin International Marks a Historic Milestone

2/24/2025

Our congratulations to long-time WCMA Tech Partner, Franklin International, on this milestone achievement! Cheers to many more!

Press Release 02/24/2025

COLUMBUS, OHIO, FEBRUARY 24, 2025 – Franklin International, a global leader in glues, adhesive, sealants, and polymer technology, proudly celebrates 90 years of operation in 2025. Founded in 1935 as "The Franklin Glue Company," the fourth-generation family-owned and operated business has grown from a small, local enterprise into one of the largest privately held manufacturers of adhesives and polymers in the United States.

"Reflecting on nine decades of growth, creating value, and building trust brings not only a great sense of pride, but a deep feeling of gratitude and responsibility — gratitude for the many individuals who have either contributed to our success or placed their trust in us to deliver products and service to facilitate their success; and a responsibility to honorably steward the legacy that they’ve provided.” says Evan Williams, President & CEO of Franklin International. “This milestone is a celebration of ninety years of growing success and a reaffirmed commitment to a future in which we continually strive to earn the trust of customers, suppliers, employees and our community. With that future in mind, we are as poised as ever to invest in our people, our standards, and our capabilities to meet the evolving requirements and unique demands of our customers. Perhaps the proudest statement I can offer as the third generation of family ownership is: the fourth generation is committed to and capable of carrying the legacy forward. Thank you for the support over the last 90 years — here's to the next 90!"

The Columbus-based company has expanded its operations to four distinct manufacturing sites and distributes across 60+ countries around the world. Franklin International serves a wide range of industries, including retail construction and industrial manufacturing. The company’s flagship Titebond® brand is a trusted name among professionals and hobbyists alike for their superior performance in a variety of applications, from woodworking to construction, remodeling and home improvement projects, while Franklin Adhesives & Polymers provides advanced industry solutions for wood adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, and specialty polymers.

Visit franklinap.com for more information.

About Franklin International: Established in 1935, Franklin International is among the largest privately held manufacturers of adhesives and sealants in the U.S. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the company maintains multiple manufacturing and distribution locations in the U.S. and a plant in Guangzhou, China to exclusively serve the Pacific Rim. The company maintains two divisions: the Construction Division manufactures Titebond® wood glues, construction adhesives, sealants and flooring products while the Industrial Division, Franklin Adhesives & Polymers, provides pressure-sensitive adhesives for labels, tapes and graphics applications, and adhesives for various wood assembly markets.

Media Contact:
Mark Schroeder, VP of Marketing Franklin International Mark [email protected]

WCMA President Phil Menzner Encourages Attendance at WoodTech Connect 2025

2/21/2025

Lindstrom, MN – The Wood Component Manufacturers Association (WCMA) is excited to announce the inaugural WoodTech Connect 2025 event, taking place May 20-22 in Williamsport, PA. Phil Menzner, President of WCMA and owner of Menzner Hardwoods in Marathon, WI, is encouraging industry professionals to attend this exciting event.

After careful consideration, WCMA decided to move its long-standing Fall Conference to Spring 2025 and is excited to introduce WoodTech Connect. This decision aims to provide a fresh start for the industry and offer new opportunities for networking and innovation.

WoodTech Connect 2025 promises to be a valuable experience for attendees, featuring eight facility tours led by knowledgeable facility leaders who will offer insights into their operations. Networking opportunities and the chance to see new technology are among the biggest benefits of attending WCMA's plant tour events.
Phil emphasized the importance of stepping away from the office and production floor to interact with industry peers. "It's sometimes difficult to pull away from the daily grind but taking a few days to engage with colleagues can be incredibly beneficial," he said. "It provides new ideas, a fresh perspective on your own production processes, and insights into the next steps for your business."

The event will kick off with a Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening, providing an opportunity for familiar faces to reconnect, and new friends to be welcomed into the community. With a good mix of manufacturers and industry suppliers, WoodTech Connect 2025 brings together both sides of the industry, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Phil, a long-time member of WCMA and frequent attendee of plant tour events, is looking forward to seeing both familiar faces and new participants at WoodTech Connect 2025. "We welcome anyone in the wood component industry to join us for this event," he said. "It's a great opportunity to learn, network, and see the latest advancements in our field."

For more information and to register for WoodTech Connect 2025, visit the WoodTech Connect 2025 website.

Spencer Lutz, American Millwork, Announces Retirement

2/21/2025

Our sincere thanks to Spencer for his contributions to the wood component industry. Spencer has been a strong supporter of the WCMA having served on the Board of Directors as well as being an active member. We wish him all the best as he navigates this new journey.

News Release from American Millwork 02/21/2025

Today we are announcing Spencer Lutz’s retirement as President of American Millwork.

“We are grateful for Spencer’s leadership and vision as he has led American Millwork through 5 years of expansion. Spencer steered the company through the pandemic and recovery, preserving jobs and ensuring the company's continued success. We wish Spencer well as he transitions into a new phase of life,” - Vaughn Nickell, CEO and Owner.

“It has been a privilege to lead such an extraordinary team and organization for the last 5 years. I am grateful to Vaughn and the leadership team for the opportunity to be a part of American Millwork. I look forward to spending more time with my family and am confident in the American Millwork team to continue to serve our customers and lead the company towards future success.” – Spencer Lutz

We are thrilled to also announce Brett Lamont has accepted the position of President continuing to provide leadership to the American Millwork team. Brett had been assisting American Millwork for the 5 previous years with corporate strategy, succession planning and capital investment opportunities.

Combined with our tenured production staff, our recent capital improvements and our focus on innovative products and programs, the team at American Millwork is well positioned for continued growth.

Press Release: SCM Still Alongside Timberlab for State-of-the-Art CLT Panels Production Plant

2/13/2025

Timberlab, a prominent U.S. company specializing in sustainable timber solutions, confirms its partnership with SCM, Italian leading manufacturer of machinery and systems for the woodworking industry.

The collaboration includes the supply of two highly innovative technologies for the new plant in Millersburg, Oregon, destined to mark a real milestone in Cross-Laminated Timber production. SCM will supply a new CELASCHI XL profiling machine and double-end tenoner that will ensure the processing of panels over 18 m long, at a rate of 1 every 15 minutes, and an AREA XL 5-axis CNC machining centre with a mobile gantry structure and pendulum processing, developed specifically for the industrial production of large format CLT panels (up to 60'x11.5'). Both SCM innovations are ideal for being integrated into high-productivity lines.

With these two state-of-the-art solutions, Timberlab will be able to achieve top-level processing efficiency and precision for a plant that promises to be one of North America's largest in the industry, with an expected output of 100 thousand cubic meters of CLT panels.

The partnership between Timberlab and SCM does not start with this new project. Since 2023 the U.S. company has had 6-axis OIKOS X and OIKOS XL CNC machining centres for the production of large format glulam beams and columns. Decisive in the confirmation of this partnership were both the significant benefits obtained with these technologies and the reliability and efficiency of sales and service support received from SCM.

As stated by Jeffrey Tuma, Manufacturing Executive at Timberlab: “Partnering with SCM on innovative solutions for Timberlab has been the right choice. SCM’s willingness to try new things and solve for cost effective solutions to enhance safety and quality in our production process, is greatly appreciated. The entire team at SCM has been great to work with in our journey to manufacturing excellence in mass timber.”

“We are proud to be once again alongside Timberlab in this new challenge that has all the characteristics to chart new courses in the timber construction sector. - says Tommaso Martini, Business Unit Manager of CNC Machining Centres and Systems for Timber Construction - The high level achieved with our range of solutions, combined with the know-how and technological excellence of the Celaschi range, have allowed us to develop two unique machines that have been highly customized together with the customer to meet his specific production needs".

Scm Group is a world leader in technologies for machining a wide range of materials and in industrial components. The group's companies are, throughout the world, reliable partners of established industries operating in different sectors: from the furniture industry to construction, from the automotive sector to aerospace, from nautical to machining of plastic materials. Scm Group coordinates, supports and develops a system of industrial excellence, articulated in 3 large, highly specialized production centers in Italy, with a turnover of more than 900 million euros, 4,000 employees and a direct presence in the five continents.

For further contacts: SCM North America: Abigail Wachtel - [email protected] Tel.: 770-366-3738

Stiles University Courses: Enrollment in Now Open

2/11/2025

Ready to take your know-how to a new level? Stiles University courses scheduled through June 2025 are now open for enrollment.

Choose from more than 20 regularly scheduled courses, including introductory classes on machine operation, as well as advanced CNC programming, effective troubleshooting, maintenance and much more.

Secure your spot today: stilesuniversity.com

NWH Launches New Hardwood Resource Page

2/11/2025

We’re excited to share a new resource page featuring all the articles from our “Unleashing the Potential of Hardwoods” series!

Discover how hardwoods support health and wellness, power local economies, inspire beautiful design, and even store carbon—truly making our world a better place.

Click here to visit new page.

A New Chapter:The Hotchkiss School Edsel Ford Memorial Library

2/10/2025

With a nod to both tradition and innovation, Thos. Moser has crafted furniture for the new Edsel Ford Library at the Hotchkiss School that blends elegant design with cutting-edge functionality.

Find the story and more photos HERE.

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