By Dianne M. Pogoda

Company News

SKS Opens Showroom Overlooking Manhattan: Signature Kitchen Suite, the luxury appliance brand in the LG Electronics portfolio, has officially opened its Skyline Showroom and Experience Center at its American “Innovation Campus” corporate headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Catering to builders, dealers, designers and influencers, this East Coast immersion hub invites guests to explore SKS’s core philosophy of being “True to Food” through immersive cooking demonstrations, interactive tutorials and hands-on experiences. The Skyline Showroom features two fully equipped kitchen and dining spaces showcasing the latest SKS appliance innovations, including the range with built-in sous vide and the 48-inch refrigerator. Cabinetry and furniture were designed by Molteni & Co. and surfaces by Porcelanosa. Learn more here.

Elmwood Cabinetry Marks 50 Years: Elmwood, a high-end custom cabinetry maker, launched its 50th anniversary celebration in September. Founded in 1973 by Hans Neufeld and Henry Janzen, the company focused on custom craftsmanship during a time when modular cabinetry was emerging. It was acquired in 2016 by Cabico & Co., making Cabico Canada’s largest privately held custom cabinet company and North America’s third largest. Among the activations marking Elmwood’s half-century milestone is the “Five Looks, Five Decades” project that highlights five iconic looks in the company’s evolution. For more, visit the project page here.

True Opens in NYC: True Residential has opened a fully dedicated showroom in the A&D Building in New York. The 1,600-square-foot space showcases the brand’s signature refrigeration solutions in an interactive environment, including full-size, indoor/outdoor and undercounter models in a wide range of colors and finishes. The array includes refrigerators, freezers, columns and ice makers in various configurations. A fully functional chef’s kitchen for live programming includes Wunderwoods cabinetry, cooking and dishwashing appliances by Fisher & Paykel and countertops by Cambria. An outdoor entertaining vignette features a textured biophilic wall, a Caliber grill and a Dekton countertop. More info here.

LOTTE, Doyle Farris Enter Partnership: LOTTE Staron, a global provider of solid surface and quartz products, has formed a distribution partnership with Doyle Farris, a nationwide distributor based in Texas, for the complete range of Staron solid surface acrylic products and colors. LOTTE Staron is a division of LOTTE Chemical, based in Korea with U.S. headquarters in California and manufacturing facilities all over the world. It was founded in 1954 as the parent company of the Samsung Group, and it established its solid surface business in 1992. Doyle Farris is one of the largest manufacturers, marketers and distributors of acrylic solid surface sheet materials, sinks and lavatories in the U.S., with operations in more than 40 states. Click to learn more about LOTTE and Doyle Farris.

People News

Miele Taps Tangredi as VP of Sales: Miele has named Kenneth Tangredi Vice President of Sales in the U.S., reporting to Jan Heck, President and CEO of Miele USA. Tangredi is responsible for guiding and managing all domestic sales divisions for Miele USA, including major cooking and cleaning appliances and floor care, while collaborating with all company departments. Tangredi previously held roles in sales, leadership and operations at global brands including Fisher & Paykel DCS Outdoor, Samsung Electronics America and Dacor. For more on Miele USA, go here.

Bentham to Bluebell: Designer Paul Bentham has joined Bluebell Fine Cabinetry & Design in Wayne, PA. Bentham, a specialist in custom kitchen cabinetry, craftsmanship and mechanical engineering, joins the Bluebell design team with three decades of experience, most recently as a designer and contractor for Tailored Spaces Kitchen & Bath, a custom luxury design and remodeling firm. Bluebell, founded in 1985, specializes in bespoke design, construction and installation of luxury kitchens, baths and interiors. Learn more about Bluebell here.

By Dianne M. Pogoda

Company News

Daltile Parent Recognized for Climate Action: Mohawk Industries, parent of leading tile manufacturers Daltile, Marazzi and American Olean, was named to USA Today’s “America’s Climate Leaders” list, owing in large part to its tile brands’ 17 percent reduction in their carbon footprint since 2018. Among their achievements: more than 99 percent of their tile collections contain recycled or reclaimed materials; the factories recover and reuse 84 percent of process wastewater; all tiles are made from exclusively natural materials with no plastics, VOCs, PVCs or formaldehyde; and they recycle an average of 68 tons of cardboard and office paper a year. KBB has more.

LG Earns Sustainability Honors: LG Electronics has been named the most sustainable home appliance brand in the 2023 “Green Builder Sustainable Brand Index.” The top ranking is based on data collected by surveying builders and consumers on how they regard a product and/or a company. Additionally, LG earned two 2023 Green Builder “Sustainable Products of the Year” distinctions, which recognize manufacturing, technology and sustainability innovations, for its LG Multi F MAX with LGRED° multi-zone heat pump HVAC system and LG Studio induction cooktop with a flex cooking zone. It was also named a 20223 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its energy-efficient, cost-saving models across a spectrum of appliances. Learn more about LG’s sustainable efforts here.

Fortune Brands Acquires Hardware, Lock Businesses: Fortune Brands Innovations has completed its acquisition of the Emtek and Schaub premium and luxury door and cabinet hardware business, and the U.S. and Canadian Yale and August residential smart home locks business from ASSA ABLOY, for a purchase price of $800 million. Fortune said Emtek and Schaub have strong distribution networks with leading channel partners and will be a synergistic complement to the House of Rohl suite of brands, allowing the company to expand into adjacent product areas. Fortune’s growing brand portfolio includes Moen, House of Rohl, Aqualisa, Therma-Tru, Larson, Fiberon, Master Lock and SentrySafe. More details here.

Industry News

Survey on Aging in Place: An overwhelming 93 percent of American adults say they plan to age in place, increasing the need for accessible design and health-related home technologies, according to a new national survey from U.S. News & World Report. Among the report’s highlights, 49 percent of respondents who use the technology say general aging is their primary reason for adopting its use, but other reasons — like mobility, hearing or vision impairments and cognition — are close behind. Two of the most widely used technologies include medical or health-related apps (25 percent) and wearable medical or health-related trackers (17 percent), and 88 percent said assistive or health-related technologies have improved their quality of life. KBB has the details.

Pioneering Kitchen Furniture: Ree Drummond, “The Pioneer Woman,” has added to her Walmart collection with a line of kitchen, dining and bedroom furniture. The line features dining chairs and bar stools, a freestanding kitchen island, a hutch and rolling cabinet cart, a dining table and bench, a headboard and a vanity table, all under “The Pioneer Woman” label. Prices range from $158 for a pair of dining chairs to $478 for a hutch. More info here.

Events

Women’s Design + Construction Conference Set for October: Pro Builder and Pro Remodeler have combined their Women in Residential Construction Conference with Building Design + Construction’s Women in Design + Construction convention to form a new event this fall. Women in Residential + Commercial Construction Conference (WIR+CC) will take place in Nashville, Oct. 25 to 27, featuring three days of keynote talks, workshops, roundtable sessions, interactive panel discussions, networking events and more. Get further information here.

Chapter Updates

Soar with the Squirrels and Virginia State: Join the Virginia State Chapter on July 25 for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball game and tailgate from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Diamond, 3001N Arthur Ashe Blvd in Richmond. The Squirrels, a Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, will take on the Portland Sea Dogs, a Boston Red Sox affiliate. Tickets are complimentary, courtesy of Richelieu’s generous sponsorship. A buffet tailgate and networking will take place at the Cross Timbers Party Pavilion from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by the game. More info and registration here.

Chapter Officer Nominations Are Open: Chapter leadership is a great way to influence the direction of your NKBA Chapter and a stepping stone to greater involvement in the association. Three officer positions are open for the current election cycle: President, Programs Chair and Communications Chair. To be considered, any NKBA member (excluding student members) may self-nominate. We are accepting nominations through July 31, and all elections are conducted at the chapter level. Access the chapter officer self-nomination form here, and learn more about the benefits of becoming a chapter leader here.