RALEIGH, N.C.—CaraGreen, a trusted source for healthier building materials, announced a new partnership with Arbor Wood Co., provider of thermally modified woods to the building industry. The partnership will introduce the thermally modified wood portfolio to architects and designers as a sustainable alternative to other standard wood products. Arbor Wood Co. uses high heat and a nitrogen rich environment to alter the cellular structure of wood and bring the moisture content to an optimal level. The result of this process is a product resistant to the elements with an increased durability and lifetime. Arbor Wood Co., based in Duluth, Minn.,...

BURLINGAME, CALIF.—Standard Fiber, one of the world’s largest suppliers to the home textile and hospitality markets, has signed an agreement with weaveRIGHT Technology enabling the company exclusive rights to develop and distribute bath products made with the technology to the home retail and hospitality markets. Developed by home textile veteran, Matthew Dalton, who was challenged by QVC to reinvent the towel in 2018, weaveRIGHT Technology is a patented weaving process that unites 100 percent cotton loops with performance fibers in the ground of the towel. This innovative technique enhances absorbency, accelerates drying time, and provides an additional level of durability. The...

TROY, OHIO—The ITW Food Equipment Group welcomed food and hospitality industry professionals to see its latest customer-driven innovations in kitchen equipment at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago. High-performance, energy-efficient commercial kitchen products and smart technologies from brands including Hobart, Traulsen, Baxter, Vulcan, Wolf, Berkel, IBEX, Stero and Somat were on display at McCormick Center. This year, two brands from the ITW Food Equipment Group had equipment featured in the Kitchen Innovations Award booth. The IBEX rapid-cook oven is first-in-the-world equipment that delivers combi oven quality at speed oven times. Using radio frequency that is constantly analyzing and adjusting based...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) and the Shaw Cushion Program for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have been named the 2022 Halo Award Silver winner in the Consumer Activated Corporate Donation category by Engage for Good. For every square yard of cushion sold through the program, 18 cents is donated directly to St. Jude—nine cents from Shaw that’s matched by the retailer when the consumer upgrades their cushion purchase. Since 2013, the program has been extremely successful, amounting to more than $7 million in donations to support the life-saving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children. “As we celebrate our 10-year...

ASHLAND CITY, TENN.—A. O. Smith, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters, has once again been named an Energy Star Partner of the Year and Sustained Excellence Award winner by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy for helping Americans save energy and reduce carbon emissions at home. A family-founded business with 148 years of American manufacturing expertise, A. O. Smith offers more than 1,000 Energy Star certified products across its brand portfolio, including high efficiency residential water heaters that one can purchase at Lowe’s. This marks the fourth consecutive year that...

BAYONNE, N.J.—Eastern Tabletop announced its new exclusive U.S. partnership with EcoBurner. Eastern Tabletop began distribution of EcoBurner and EcoServe buffet lines on May 19. This partnership with EcoBurner comes from alignment in both companies’ missions. EcoBurner’s mission is “To improve the quality of buffet services around the world and reduce buffets’ impact on the environment”. Eastern Tabletop boasts that its products “make their mark in the tableware industry with innovation, fine quality, personal service and exceptional value.” This partnership will elevate the green initiatives at Eastern Tabletop and complement its ZOZZ Modular Flat Pack and Hub Buffet System. EcoBurner is in...

SOLON, OHIO—A leader in sustainable and innovative flooring solutions, Tarkett is announcing the grand opening of its newest showroom in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. To celebrate the grand opening, Tarkett invites architects, designers, and other industry professionals to attend an event series called Tarkett Design Days 2022, June 13 to 15. Fulton Market District is widely considered one of the hottest submarkets for commercial real estate in the Chicago area, boasting hotel accommodations, bars, restaurants, retail, and notable corporate residents like Google, Dyson and MillerKnoll. In addition to its 10,000 square-foot space, Tarkett has access to the building’s rooftop patio with 360°...

CALHOUN, GA.—Mannington Commercial introduces the Top Notch and Top Shelf Collection. “Commercial designers will find the Top Notch and Top Shelf Collection to be yet another rich option in an already deep line of Mannington designs that give spaces modern movement,” said Roby Isaac, Vice President of Commercial Design at Mannington Commercial. “This collection also brings a natural vibe to any room with the richly-blended neutrals that provide exceptional design flexibility.” Top Notch offers a dynamic, geometric style, layering planes and circles of variegated lines, while Top Shelf delivers an organic linear pattern that echoes the gentle striations of sedimentary rock....

TROY, OHIO—Hobart announced that it is upgrading its LXe Undercounter Commercial Dishwasher with a new Two-Level Racking System. The optional two-level racking kit will allow the dish machine to wash two racks of dishes in a single load and boosts the total machine capacity to 48 racks per hour. “This second level rack boosts the capacity of the machine by doubling the amount of ware that can be washed in a single cycle,” said Hobart Warewash Marketing Manager Jerry Socha. “Restaurants today are struggling with labor issues and need to do whatever they can to free up staff to focus...

SEATTLE—Expedia Group released its second annual Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Report. Detailing progress achieved on key initiatives in 2021 and establishing standards for 2022, the report outlines the global company’s continued commitment to build and maintain an open, equitable workplace and experience with transparency for employees, partners, and travelers. As a global travel platform with more than 13,500 employees worldwide, 200+ travel sites in over 70 countries, Expedia Group uses travel to drive better understanding between people from different cultures and identities. The in-depth report presents key focus areas and findings in four distinct categories: Employees, Travelers, Partners, and Communities. Each...