Building Materials

Los Angeles – October 01, 2026 -- Dunn-Edwards Corporation has designated French Press Coffee (DEBN07), a deep brown with a subtle plum undertone, as its 2027 Color of the Year, signaling a commercial shift away from the cool grays and flat beiges that dominated paint specifications in recent years.

Dunn-Edwards color experts identify a market pivot toward warm, earthy neutrals

The company's internal color team tracked a decisive move away from stark whites and charcoal tones, positioning French Press Coffee as a moody neutral alternative to black that is gaining traction in upscale residential and commercial interiors.

Alpharetta, Ga. – October 01, 2026 -- Kawneer Company, Inc. has appointed Kate Anderson as Chief Executive Officer and Timothy Montz as Chief Financial Officer, marking a critical step in the architectural aluminum manufacturer's transition to an independent operating company under continued ownership by funds managed by Apollo.

Kawneer targets full separation from parent structure by 2027

The leadership overhaul is tied to a transition process expected to span the next year, with Kawneer becoming a standalone operating entity by 2027 while remaining under the ownership of the Apollo Funds. The company is building out a fully independent operating system to support the shift, including a dedicated team structure aimed at customer support and long-term growth.

Sydney – September 29, 2026 -- First Graphene Limited (ASX: FGR) has signed a 36-month Strategic Partner Agreement with UK-based Vector Companies Group Limited, coinciding with Vector's commercial launch of Peltyr, a printed heat flux sensor incorporating First Graphene's PureGRAPH graphene material.

Vector gains access to First Graphene's product range under new commercial framework

The agreement allows Vector to introduce prospective end-users to First Graphene's broader portfolio of graphene products and to place direct purchase orders under separate terms. The deal expands an existing relationship between the two companies, giving First Graphene an additional sales channel through Vector's network in advanced materials, manufacturing and the built environment sector.

Cold Spring, Minn. – September 29, 2026 -- More than 20 million Americans currently keep a loved one's cremated remains at home or pass them between generations without a permanent memorial site, according to data cited by Minnesota-based stone and bronze fabricator Coldspring. The company has established and registered the first-ever National Cremation Placement Day, set for Saturday, October 17, 2026, to address the gap.

Coldspring registers new annual observance tied to cremation's 150th U.S. anniversary

The date coincides with the 150th anniversary of cremation practice in America. Coldspring has designated the observance to recur annually on the third Saturday of October, giving the funeral and memorialization sector a recurring calendar event.

Charlotte, N.C. – September 29, 2026 -- JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (NYSE: JELD) has entered into a commitment and consent letter with a significant group of lenders and noteholders to extend the maturities of its 4.875% Senior Notes due 2027 and its 2028 Term Loans to 2031, while raising $135 million in new money debt financing.

Nearly all 2027 noteholders and most 2028 lenders back the deal

The agreement covers approximately 94.5% of the 2027 Notes and approximately 72.2% of the 2028 Term Loans. Under the arrangement, the existing debt will be refinanced and/or exchanged for new first-lien debt maturing in 2031.

Exchange offers to launch within weeks

JELD-WEN said it intends to commence exchange offers to holders of the 2027 Notes and 2028 Term Loans in the coming weeks to implement the transactions.

Guangzhou – – September 28, 2026 -- Overseas attendance at the 2026 China (Guangzhou) International Building Decoration Fair reached 11,473 visitors, up 33.4% year on year, with participants drawn from 147 countries and regions despite broader market pressures on the sector.

Exhibitor numbers grow as fair concludes at Canton Fair Complex

The 2026 edition wrapped at the Canton Fair Complex with exhibitor growth reported even as the home furnishing and building decoration industry navigates a shift away from a property-driven growth model toward renovation and upgrading. Chen Penghan, Sales Head of CBD Fair, said new opportunities lie in renovation, quality upgrades, intelligent innovation and broader channel development, pointing to early-stage brand globalization, supply-procurement mismatches and incomplete service chains as ongoing challenges.

Leesburg, Va. – September 24, 2026 -- The American Wood Council (AWC) has published the 2027 edition of the Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (ANSI/AWC SDPWS-2027), adding two new construction systems for engineers designing in high-hazard wind and seismic zones. The standard has been approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and will be referenced in the 2027 I-Codes.

Five-year technical process yields ANSI approval after 13 balloting rounds

The 2027 SDPWS resulted from five years of technical development and two years of balloting under ANSI's consensus-based process, including 13 rounds of balloting and a full public review period. SDPWS is typically updated every six years to keep pace with new research and align with other design references.

Calgary, AB – September 24, 2026 -- Renoworks Software Inc. (TSXV: RW) (OTC: ROWKF) has launched Renoworks.ai, a next-generation AI-native platform aimed at reshaping how building product manufacturers, distributors, retailers and contractors monetize homeowner engagement during remodeling projects.

Platform ties photorealistic AI renderings directly to sellable products

Unlike general-purpose generative AI tools that produce inspirational imagery, Renoworks.ai connects each design to actual products, colors and configurations offered by participating manufacturers. The system incorporates natural lighting, shadows, depth and architectural detail to generate photorealistic remodeling visuals.

Las Vegas – September 24, 2026 -- BOXABL Inc. (Nasdaq: BXBL) has appointed Timothy Goldsmith, CPA, to its board of directors, naming him chair of the Audit Committee effective Sept. 24, 2026, as the modular housing manufacturer builds out financial and governance infrastructure two months after its Nasdaq debut.

Goldsmith brings two decades of EY audit leadership to BOXABL's board

Goldsmith spent nearly 21 years at EY, serving as audit partner from 2018 to 2026, where he oversaw more than 20 complex public and private company audits and led a team of over 30 audit executives. He directed audit strategy for companies ranging from $200 million to over $3 billion in revenue, with technical expertise spanning U.S. GAAP, IFRS, SEC and PCAOB standards, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and M&A accounting. Earlier in his career he worked as a U.S. SEC capital markets senior in Hong Kong, advising on cross-border IPOs involving U.S. operations.

Vancouver – September 23, 2026 -- NWPX Infrastructure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWPX) has appointed John Schillie as Vice President and General Manager of NWPX Park, placing a 28-year infrastructure operations veteran in charge of the unit's three Texas manufacturing facilities.

Schillie takes over operations spanning Houston, San Antonio and Ferris, Texas

Based in Houston, Schillie will split his time across the three NWPX Park sites, which design, manufacture and service engineered solutions for water distribution and management, wastewater pretreatment and stormwater quality applications.