Greensboro, NC (PRWEB) March 26, 2015

Columbia Forest Products, North America’s longstanding leader in the hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer industry, has relaunched Wood Works, a bimonthly e-newsletter focused on news and information of interest to members of the professional woodworking community. It’s a free resource delivered to the subscriber’s inbox – designed as a “quick read” covering news and practical tips for readers.

The key audience segments for the Wood Works newsletter are cabinet shops, furniture builders and fixture manufacturers, plus the wholesale wood distributors that serve them. Among the readers are members of Columbia’s PureBond® Fabricator Network, made up of suppliers who are thoughtful about the materials they use and who serve clients that care about good indoor air quality, responsible forestry practices and professional workmanship.

The first edition of the new Wood Works newsletter, which deployed in mid-March 2015, features a completely new user-friendly format and appearance. In addition to being published more frequently (six times per year instead of quarterly), Wood Works contains more detailed and more varied content as well.

Each issue of Wood Works will include articles authored by Rich Christianson, the principal of Richson Media, LLC and a leading woodworking industry journalist. Christianson, who is the new editor-in-chief of the publication, has nearly 30 years of journalistic experience in the industry. He is the former longtime editorial director of Vance Publishing Corporation’s Woodworking Division and was responsible for editorial content management and development for Wood & Wood Products, Custom Woodworking Business and Closets magazines as well as their related websites and e-newsletters including the Woodworking Network Daily.

Christianson has toured more than 200 woodworking plants in North America, Europe and Asia while writing extensively on woodworking technology, design and supply trends. In keeping with this tradition, many of Christianson’s articles for Wood Works will include interviews with leading fabricators and other businesses active in the industry.

Christianson has also been involved with developing content for educational conferences such as Wood Veneering with Purdue University, Working with Particleboard & MDF with the Composite Panel Association, Working with Laminates with the Laminating Materials Association, and Laminate Flooring Trends with the North American Laminate Flooring Association, as well as for trade shows such as the Cabinets & Closets Conference & Expo and Canada’s Wood Machinery & Supply Expo.

“I look forward to my new role with Columbia as editor of Wood Works,” Christianson said. “One of my first goals is to begin a conversation with readers that will help us better identify their information needs. Our ultimate goal is to deliver timely, valuable information to Wood Works subscribers and to make each newsletter a better read than the previous one.”

Each Wood Works newsletter will also feature content written by Ang Schramm, Columbia’s Director of Technical Services. Schramm is a 45-year veteran of the forest, hardwood plywood and building products industries, focusing on developing quality standards, custom product specifications, technical sales support and training. He is also the Director of Columbia Forest Products University, which has provided training to thousands of Columbia’s employees and customers.

Schramm is one of the leading experts on the production and grading of hardwood plywood and face veneers. He served on the Harwood Plywood & Veneer Association’s technical committee for a decade, including three years as chairman. He is also the author of several important books including A Complete Guide to Hardwood Plywood & Face Veneer, published by Purdue University Press, which has been called “an essential industry resource” for anyone working with hardwood plywood or face veneer products.

Schramm is also an expert in how to avoid and resolve end-product challenges such as core telegraphing, warping, and knife marks. Most issues of the Wood Works newsletter will also feature a Q&A section authored by Schramm, based on reader-submitted questions.

Wood Works is available to members of the professional woodworking community free of charge via a subscription signup form. Subscribers will receive the newsletter in electronic format every other month.

New Wood Works subscribers are also eligible to receive a complimentary copy of Columbia’s Hardwood Plywood Grading Guide: A Guide to Understanding Popular Hardwood Plywood Face Veneer Grades. Authored by Ang Schramm, the Guide covers key topics such as:


    Veneer cuts and matching
    Slicing methods
    Face and back grades of popular species
    Explanations of common natural characteristics
    A glossary of industry terms

Because it involves a natural material, wood grading is a complex process that is governed by the Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association (HPVA). Columbia’s Grading Guide endeavors to clarify this process for woodworkers and wood specifiers like cabinetmakers, furniture makers, architects and designers. The Guide is illustrated using large, lifelike photographs of real hardwood plywood faces.

“Our goal is to provide information in a way that’s easy to understand – and that will be a valuable tool to enhance communication and ensure that customers’ expectations are met when they choose hardwood plywood versus other products,” Schramm stated.

For more information about the re-launch of Columbia’s Wood Works newsletter and its enhanced content, please visit http://bit.ly/1NgEnkF or contact cfpmarketing(at)cfpwood(dot)com.

About Columbia Forest Products

Established in 1957, Columbia Forest Products is America’s largest manufacturer of decorative hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer. An employee-owned company, it operates facilities throughout North America. It is a leader in sustainable forestry, as well as in developing innovative and environmentally friendly technologies and products for healthy indoor living.

Columbia Forest Products has provided fine decorative hardwood plywood veneer panels to North American fabricators for nearly 60 years. The company is committed to offering the industry’s widest product selection, manufactured in efficient, technologically advanced mills, and backed by exceptional service and product support.

Website address: http://www.columbiaforestproducts.com.






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