Mukwonago, Wis.-based Empire Level launched a line of Magnetic Billet Torpedo levels constructed of anodized aluminum alloy for strength and durability, and they’re available in 5.5-in. and 8.5-in. sizes. 

A fire that broke out on July 14 at Padula Lumber in Coyote, Calif., brought 30 firefighters, nine fire engines and two trucks to contain the blaze, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury News. One building was gutted and another seriously damaged, the newspaper reported. But owner Doug Morse told Home Channel News that the extent of the damage was pretty minimal. 

Already an active sponsor in NASCAR racing, Grime Boss heavy-duty hand cleaning wipes are now on board with NHRA drag racing, specifically with Jim Dunn Racing’s Funny Car team. 

In addition to alerting the industry to trends in new products, this holiday edition of the New Product Showcase can be seen as a gift guide for the beginner or serious DIYer. From stocking stuffers to show stoppers, or from impulse items to big tickets, here’s our holiday sampler. It’s the thought that counts.

Toro Z Master and GrandStand

Copper shoplifting is on the rise at home improvement stores across the country, but in the Fort Meyers, Fla., area, thieves may have come up with a novel way to steal the valuable metal. According to a story in the Fort Myers News Press, two men have been arrested for repeatedly shoplifting items from a Lowe’s store in Cape Coral, Fla., returning the items for store credit and then purchasing copper tubing, which they would sell to a recycling yard.

Retail sales of pizza pans grew 7% in the 12 months ending March 2011, compared to the same time last year, signaling a consumer trend towards making pizzas at home, according to The NPD Group.

Metal pizza pans accounted for 64% of dollar sales during the 12-month period, according to NPD’s Retail Tracking Service. Stoneware/clay stone pizza pans, the second largest product segment, are outpacing sales of metal pans, however, with a 21% growth.

DeWalt has announced the introduction of its 24 Inch Tote with Power Tool Case. The two-in-one storage solution allows contractors to easily store power tools, hand tools and accessories -- like drill bits, nails and screws -- in the power tool case, which also functions as a lid. For internal storage customization, the tool case has a removable divider that stores larger items in the bottom of the tote, helping to eliminate the need for multiple tool bags.

The 2010 Housewares report, released by The NPD Group, called last year a “challenging” one for sellers of crystalware and fine china, which is defined as bone china or porcelain with a metal band accent.

Columbus, Ohio-based Worthington Industries, makers of metal products including hand torches and propane tanks, posted sales of $580.7 million in the second quarter ended Nov. 30, up 30% from $448.0 million in the same quarter last year.

Net earnings, however, declined to $14.5 million, down from from $23.2 million in the same quarter last year.