The woodworking industry is entering a new era – one driven by automation, robotics and smarter manufacturing processes. To help manufacturers explore what this means in practice, JJ Smith is proud to present its Automation Show: The Future of Woodworking – a two-day in-house event taking place at the company’s Liverpool showroom on 15–16 September 2026. Bringing together the latest automation technologies, live machinery demonstrations and keynote insights from industry expe

Specialist door manufacturer JELD-WEN has integrated a third production line into its Penrith manufacturing facility to increase capacity and strengthen its ability to deliver doors at scale. Now fully operational, the new line enables the factory to increase production by 50% and has also created 30 new roles at the site, supporting local employment. Dom Gaffey, VP, GM UK France and Export at JELD-WEN UK JELD-WEN has redesigned the factory layout as part of an efficiency dri

The official Professional Woodworking Expo 2026 Event Preview is now available, giving woodworking and joinery professionals an early look at what to expect when the show opens at the NEC Birmingham from 23–25 June 2026. View the Event Preview here: www.professionalwoodworkingexpo.com/show-preview Taking place in Hall 2, the 2026 event will bring together the full woodworking supply chain, from independent craftspeople to large-scale manufacturers. Visitors will be able to ex

MILWAUKEE® introduces the latest addition to its Jobsite Clean-Up range: the M18™ Brushless Compact Vac. Designed as a quick and effective clean-up solution, the compact vacuum is suitable for a wide variety of jobsite conditions. Equipped with a high-performance brushless motor, the M18™ Brushless Compact Vac delivers 68m³/h of airflow when paired with an M18™ 5.0Ah battery pack. This compact vacuum also provides more than 20 minutes of runtime. The M18™ Brushless Compact Va

Too many women on site are still making do with workwear that was never designed for them – just 26% feel their clothing fits properly, compared with 60% of men. It’s more than just an inconvenience; poorly fitting workwear can slow you down, cause discomfort and even create a safety risk. Carhartt’s new Women’s Steel Pants have been designed around how women actually move and work on site, rather than simply resizing existing men’s products. Carhartt’s men’s Steel Pants rang

Following a successful 40-year career at Mirka (UK) Ltd, Managing Director Craig Daycock is set to retire at the end of 2026. To support a smooth transition, ensure continuity for the UK business and provide stability for employees, customers and partners, Phil Sandford will assume the interim role of Business Development Director – effective 1 May 2026 – before taking over as Managing Director in January 2027. Current Managing Director of Mirka (UK) Ltd, Craig Daycock For fo

Decorative glass specialist RegaLead will make its debut appearance at Professional Woodworking Expo in June at the NEC, Birmingham from 23–25 June 2026. As an Affiliate Partner of The Joinery Network, RegaLead has been making waves in the timber market with its range of decorative glass solutions for timber doors. The company offers designs featuring Stained Glass Overlay techniques, as well as etched and traditional leaded glass, all encapsulated within high-performance ins

EndtoEnd IT Ltd, creators of integrate, the software platform for window and door companies, has strengthened its Support and Implementation team with the promotion of Liam Simkin to Senior Support Analyst and the appointment of Sophie Gilbody as Support Analyst. EndtoEnd IT Ltd's Liam Simkin and Sophie Gilbody Liam’s promotion, effective from May 2026, recognises the significant impact he’s already made while working alongside Alex Thomas, Head of Support and Implementation.

How Bradfords Building Supplies transformed its specialist product offering through a strategic partnership with James Latham. As demand grows for higher-specification timber and panel products, builders’ merchants are increasingly being required to extend their offer beyond core commodity-focused ranges. Driven by more detailed architectural specifications and changing customer expectations, this shift raises a practical question for many businesses: how do you supply specia

Makita has built a global reputation for tools that perform day in, day out on demanding worksites. That same practical, performance-first approach now defines the new Makita Workwear range – tough, considered and built for real working environments. Developed by Castle Clothing – the team behind TuffStuff Workwear – and drawing on more than 50 years of industry experience, the head-to-toe collection covers everything from base layers to outerwear, trousers, shorts and safety

Whether it’s heavy tools or everyday essentials, what you carry – and how you carry it – matters. Carhartt’s range of bags and backpacks combines rugged materials with practical storage solutions, making them ideal for work on site or everyday use. The 16-Inch 30-Pocket Heavyweight Tool Bag (0000518) offers plenty of room to keep tools organised. Its main compartment is large enough to hold a cordless drill and with 30 pockets, you won’t waste time searching for what you need

Globally recognised woodworking school, the Chippendale International School of Furniture, is opening its doors for its annual Graduate Exhibition and Fine Furniture Sale, which takes place from 18–20 June 2026. Now in its 41st year, the exhibition will showcase exceptional handcrafted furniture from this year’s graduating cohort, featuring students from Ghana, India, Turkey, Canada, the US, France and Scotland. The public is invited to explore the collection and purchase one

SCM confirms its participation in the next edition of Xylexpo, scheduled at Fieramilano Rho from 9–12 June, presenting an opportunity to discover the latest innovations for the entire woodworking industry. At the Group’s stand in Hall 14, visitors will experience a comprehensive and integrated ecosystem of advanced technologies, software and digital services, developed with a clear goal: to provide companies in the sector with a solid, strategic and long-term partnership to t

For years, Spruce has been the go-to species for structural timber in the UK. With its pale colour, consistent grain and reliability in engineered applications, it’s dominated the market. However, pine (European redwood) is now taking an increasing share of the UK construction timber sector. A bark beetle infestation has devastated large areas of European forests, particularly in Spruce-dominated regions. This damage has reduced available Spruce stock and forced many sawmills

Mirka UK Ltd is launching the Mirka® ToolChanger, a new automated tool-changing system developed specifically for robotic sanding and polishing applications across a range of sectors. The system has been designed to address one of the most persistent challenges in automated surface finishing: enabling fast, reliable tool switching without interrupting production. The ToolChanger is a mechanical plug-and-play system consisting of two modules. The upper unit is mounted on the r