News Briefs

Accessa adds EZ Stains to product line

JDC Inc. entered into an agreement with Accessa Coatings Solutions on its EZ Stains intermix blending system. Accessa will serve as a sales and distribution partner of the EZ Stains system. EZ Stains joins the current wood coatings segment of Accessa's product segment offerings.

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EZ Stains is an intermix blending system that allows customers to formulate an unlimited number of stain colors, in-house, in any volume/batch size. This system is ideal for small- to medium-sized manufacturers or a "custom department" at a large manufacturer.

"The addition of the EZ Stains intermix system to our product line is a natural fit as we strive to bring high-quality, efficient products to the wood coatings marketplace," says Vince Todd Jr., vice president of Accessa Coatings Solutions. "Timing couldn't be more perfect as most manufacturers are trying to improve and/or maintain quality standards in a more efficient manner."

Practical Products releases new catalog

Practical Products Co. has published its new color catalog covering the company's entire line of woodworking and laminate tools, accessories and supplies.

The catalog is available at no charge and can be requested by calling 800-847-8839 or visiting www.practicalprods.com.

Stiles Machinery adds dealer in New England

Stiles Machinery added Alliance Machinery as its new dealer partner in the New England area.

Alliance Machinery has been a distributor of new and used equipment in the New England area since 1996. Its technology center in Marlboro, Mass., now features an array of Stiles equipment for customized demonstrations.

Contact: Alliance Machinery, 24 St. Martin Dr., Bldg. No. 2, Marlboro, MA. 01752. Tel: 508-303-0600. www.alliancemachinery.com

AWI elects new board members

Manufacturing members of the Architectural Woodwork Institute elected three new members to the board of directors.

Mike Bell of Kentucky Millwork in Louisville, Ky., Kent Gilchrist of Fremont Interiors in Carmel, Ind., and Steve Waltman of Stiles Machinery in Grand Rapids, Mich., will serve as directors for 2010-11.

Bell is a member of the AWI Ohio Valley chapter and is the current chair of the AWI education committee. He was a member of the joint standards committee that developed the new Architectural Woodwork Standards.

Gilchrist is the current SkillsUSA committee chair and is an active member of the AWI Ohio Valley chapter. He is part of the AWI Speakers Bureau, a team that presents the new Architectural Woodwork Standards to woodworkers, architects and designers.

Waltman is the vice president of sales and marketing at Stiles, an AWI supplier member. He is a member of the AWI Great Lakes chapter and is the current chair of the AWI supplier member committee. He is the founder and champion of AWI's Adopt-A-Shop program.

The AWI board of directors will vote Jan. 15 to approve the nominating committee's slate of 2010 officers. Nominees include president Doug Carney of R&S Casework Inc. in Fargo, N.D.; president-elect Robert Stout of RLS Commercial Interiors Inc. in Wendell, N.C.; vice president Matt Lundahl of Meyer and Lundahl in Phoenix; and treasurer Patrick Nartker of Ted Bolle Millwork Inc. in Springfield, Ohio.

In addition to the three new directors and officers, the 2010 board includes Skip Heidler of Heidler Hardwood Lumber Co. in Chicago and Bill Popp of High Planes Millwork Inc. in Hutchinson, Kan. Weldon Riley of Terrill Mfg. Co. in San Angelo, Texas, is the development council delegate director and Ed Brewer of Louisville Lumber & Millwork in Louisville is the past-president delegate director.

Other AWI leadership positions elected for 2010 include John Leininger of Leininger Cabinet & Woodworking Inc. in Lexington, Ky., as development council chair and Joe Galluzzo of The Anthony Galluzzo Corp. in Londonderry, N.H., as the development council vice chair.

Contact: Architectural Woodwork Institute, 46179 Westlake Dr., Suite 120, Potomac Falls, VA 20165. Tel: 571-323-3636. www.awinet.org

Oliver Machinery moves into new quarters

Oliver Machinery relocated to a new building in Kent, Wash.

"After 10 years we had just outgrown the building and space we were in," says general manager Dan Shaw. "We have had many compliments from visitors on the [new] office and warehouse since moving here in September."

Oliver also updated its Web site with a new look, current specials, downloadable specification sheets and manuals, and dealer contact information.

The Web site update "is directly influenced from feedback we've received from customers and our dealers," says Shaw. "We love hearing from the public and we are constantly working to keep up with the ever-changing industry."

Contact: Oliver Machinery, 6902 South 194th St., Kent, WA 98032. Tel: 800-559-5065. www.olivermachinery.net

Society of Arts & Crafts winner announced

The Society of Arts & Crafts in Boston selected Will Tracey to receive the 2009 John D. Mineck Furniture Fellowship for $25,000. Tracey earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design. He is currently an adjunct instructor and studio technician at RIT.

The John D. Mineck Foundation created this fellowship to encourage and support a young-in-career furniture artist with the financial assistance to help them succeed in their journey. The fellowship has been designed to help support a talented furniture artist looking to fulfill an apprenticeship, develop their own skills and/or make the transition to independence. The fellowship is administered by SAC.

Contact: Society of Arts & Crafts, 175 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116. Tel: 617-266-1810. www.societyofcrafts.org

Colonial Saw VP honored with award

David Rakauskas, vice president of Colonial Saw Co., was recently awarded the Career and Technical Education Advisor of the Year award by Silver Lake Regional High School in Kingston, Mass.

"Silver Lake is grateful for David's contributions over the years as a member of the carpentry advisory committee," says Elliott Glass, director of career and technical education at the school.

The school's administration credits Rakauskas' donation of time and knowledge for moving forward several important initiatives to incorporate the integration of technology into the school's carpentry and cabinetmaking programs. Rakauskas is a graduate of Silver Lake.

Kurt Mfg. now offering a new catalog

Kurt Mfg. Co. offers its new 36-page catalog of vacuum work-holding and automated systems, including grid system tables up to 60" x 120" and hundreds of modular components for custom applications.

The catalog also features application photos and technical information. For a free copy, call 877-266-7823 or visit www.kurtworkholding.com.

This article originally appeared in the January 2010 issue.