Newsletter 17 May 2024

We hope you had an enjoyable and productive period, despite the large number of days off between May 4-17. The Wood Magazine team made the most of the opportunity to gather the most interesting news and updates from the wood industry and beyond. Here's what we bring you in today's newsletter:

• I was telling you last time that we are back with details from the BACCI Open House. It was an exceptional event dedicated to the latest CNC machining technology. Mihaela wrote a longer, more detailed account of our experience there. We also filmed it, of course. Full details in the article: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]
• Important news for wood-processing companies: you need an environmental authorization, otherwise you risk heavy fines from the Environment Guard. We spoke to a specialist who explained to us what it takes to get the authorization. Read the full guide here: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]
• Perhaps the most interesting story of the week: we chatted with Emilian Grigore, founder of nZEB Shop and one of Romania's most ambitious entrepreneurs in the field of sustainable construction. We found out how his business has grown and what big plans he has for the future. Read the full interview here: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]
• Next week we're all at Xylexpo 2024 in Milan, the most important trade fair dedicated to technology and components for woodworking and furniture production. We promise exclusive reports, interviews and everything you need to know about the innovations and trends of the moment. Read our article for details: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]
• As our industry gears up for Xylexpo, the global economy is being rocked by a new chapter in the US-China trade war. The Biden administration announced a 4-fold increase in tariffs on electric cars imported from China, from 25% to 100%. The measure, to be phased in over the next 3 years, also targets other key sectors such as semiconductors and batteries. Details here: [link to Quartz article: https://qz.com/biden-us-china-china-tariffs-evs-chips-electric-cars-1851474998]
• Do you like soccer? How about barbecues and gardening? Then you should definitely go to Cologne next month, where the European Championships and spoga+gafa, the world's biggest garden and barbecue fair, are taking place simultaneously. The fair director revealed what surprises they have in store for visitors - details here: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]
• The artificial intelligence giants continue the innovation race. OpenAI has released GPT-4o, a revolutionary conversational AI model that makes ChatGPT seem old-fashioned. Not only does it speak more naturally and understand images, it adapts even when interrupted. You can do real-time translations with it. See the demo here: [link to YouTube video]. It wasn't long before Google countered with Gemini 1.5 Flash, unveiled at the I/O conference. Details here: [link to The Verge article https://www.theverge.com/24153841/google-io-2024-ai-gemini-android-chrome-photos]
• Also related to AI, we have more and more fraud attempts. WPP, the world's largest advertising group, was the target of a deepfake fraud attempt. Criminals created a fake WhatsApp account of CEO Mark Read and summoned executives to a meeting on Teams, using a clone of Read's voice and manipulated images. Fortunately, the attempt was foiled. "Just because an online account has my picture doesn't mean it's me" - warned Mark Read in an email to employees. Read the full story here: [link to The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/may/10/ceo-wpp-deepfake-scam]
• Finally, some good news for small manufacturers and woodworking enthusiasts: the LT20 saw from Wood-Mizer is the perfect ally for craftsmen, construction projects or creative hobbies. Read how users have grown their businesses with this compact and precise machine: [link to the article in the Wood Magazine]

These were the news of the week. For more news, analysis and exclusive interviews, visit our website or follow us on social media.

Have a great week!