Roy Manion

For the most part, the last 2 weeks has been relatively quiet with the Architect Program as the BC Wood staff, along with FPInnovations and CAWP, spent much of last week in Kelowna where a series of meetings focusing on the Business Innovation Partnership (BIP) program took place.  Along with the meetings, we broke into groups and visited numerous companies to conduct needs assessments.  Many companies that were visited were unaware of the many programs that are available to them from the three associations involved with BIP so finding out how these companies can be assisted to make them better at what they do is always gratifying.

As it relates to the Architect & Designer Program, we did book a couple of sessions and are finalizing details for two mill tours.  We also are putting the final touches on the 2011-2012 Architect & Designer Program and will be sending applications out in the next week.

As always, if you require any information on any aspect of the Architect & Designer Program including how to participate in either lunch & learn sessions or in the Specifiers Book, please contact me at rmanion@bcwood.com

Wood product manufacturers can access wood finishing services through Business Innovation Partnership (BIP). We offer ongoing industry support through seminars and publications on finishing issues, and we work with individual manufacturers to help them resolve their finishing problems and increase their productivity and quality.

FPInnovations can support your finishing efforts by:

1. Forensic Testing: We can help you to determine the causes of finish failure and ways to help prevent future failures
2. Coatings:
   • Coatings performance analysis/suitability
   • Wet and dry film thickness measurements and an analysis of them
   • Sheen measurements (refractometer)
   • Solid content of your liquid coatings
   • Hardness (scratch test)
   • Analysis of your catalyst, reducers and retarders
3. Stains: How to achieve that specific colour each and every time through the use of spray only, spray and wipe, toners; the preparation and use of colour samples and step boards
4. Equipment: An analysis of the spray equipment used, the maintenance of that equipment, and alternative equipment; transfer efficiencies
5. Supervision and Training:
   • Standard operating procedures
   • Quality control programs
   • Safety

For more information, contact Norman Smith at 604-828-9555 or norman.smith@fpinnovations.ca

Wood Finishing Services information brochure

During my visits with manufacturers who work with nested based CNC machines I am often confronted with questions regarding hold-down vacuum performance. Surprisingly, there is very little information available to these manufacturers apart from the specs of the vacuum pumps. Manufacturers have told me when they have problems holding down parts to their table they often refer to the machine distributor who sold them the system. On occasion, they are told that the pump is not strong enough and that they must purchase a bigger pump. In some cases, after purchasing a bigger pump, the problem persists and they are told that the vacuum is not the problem, they must be doing something
wrong.

In order to hold down a piece of wood to a table using vacuum, more than just the performance of the vacuum pump has to be taken into consideration. The air that will be drawn by the pump must first travel through a spoilboard; then through a plenum in the table; then through different valves and plumbing fittings and finally through a pipe or tube to the pump itself. Let’s take a look at each of these elements separately.

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The use of wood veneer has been reported as far back as Egyptian times. Since then, craftsmen have used valuable and scarce wood resources of different patterns, colours and pleasant figures to expose this high value material. Since wood veneer has little application on its own, gluing veneer onto lower quality material is a simple solution to extending its use.

Both softwoods and hardwoods can be used for veneer, however the majority of softwood veneer is used as sheathing, structural products or as substrate for higher appearance products.

The inherent qualities of the many hardwood species result in veneer that is warm and appealing to the eye. Once the log has been processed, the narrow veneer components are usually spliced together to make a full-sized sheet. The highest grade possible is obtained by producing different patterns. Highly decorative effects are usually produced on 4×8-foot sheets by matching veneer components.

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Having an efficient dust collection system will add dollars to your bottom line. By improving the environment in which you and your employees work, productivity and manufacturing efficiency can be increased, while product quality is improved. Dust and noise issues in a manufacturing environment are nuisances that can be easily dealt with if good planning principles are used during the design of dust collection systems. However, before installing a dust collection system, or even considering whether or not one is needed, business owners must investigate a number of issues. These include:

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This is a half-day seminar on issues related to sustainable forest management certification for the value-added wood products industry. The presenter will compare and contrast the differences between sustainable forest management certification, chain of custody and environmental management certification. An overview of the various certification brands will be provided. Participants in this workshop will gain a better understanding of the chain of custody process including system requirements and external audits.

Date: Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Time: 8:30am-1:00pm
Location: Sheraton Guildford Hotel, 15269 104th Avenue, Surrey, BC

Please click here for more information and registration.

The Business Innovation Partnership in association with Sandler Training and Trainwest Management & Consulting presents a 1 day seminar on sales techniques presented by Randy Hnatko.

This one-day, 9 module sales workshop will provide you with the concept, knowledge and understanding of sales techniques. Through appropriate exercises, you will refine your sales-development plan, practice strategies and techniques in a safe environment, and develop your skills, before interacting with prospects and customers.

Date: March 17, 2011
Time: 9:00am-4:30pm
Location: Kamloops, BC

Testimonials from the previous session:

“Lots of great tools to use in the field”

“Very informative with lots of applicable material to our business that will help us in the future.”

“Well worth the time spent!”

Click here for more information or to register

Designing with Wood Using Advanced Technologies
March 25, 2011 – CAWP

CAWP will be offering a full-day seminar for furniture designers, manufacturers, and industrial designers to explore new product opportunities using industrial design and CAD/CAM and CNC technologies. In the morning a design session for manufacturers will introduce industrial design principles, common arrangements for working with freelance designers, and designing for ease of manufacture, while a technical session for designers will provide an introduction to wood materials, their properties and processing techniques, including finishing and machining. The two groups will then come together to listen to several case studies presented by industrial designers who primarily work with wood:

1. Vancouver 2010 Olympic Victory Ceremony Podium and Medal Trays (James Lee, former designer for VANOC)
2. 3D Scanning and CNC Machining (Vincent Leung, Technical Specialist, CAWP)
3. Prototyping Custom Modular Furniture for Manufacturability (Tony Millaires, Urthwurks)
4. Designing Contemporary Furniture (Richard Trory, Bensen)

Demonstrations will be given on integrating CAD/CAM software with CNC machinery to construct a wide range of wood products, from large timber frame buildings to wooden artwork. An interactive discussion session will also be held to discuss new market opportunities that can arise from industrial designers in the value-added wood products sector.

Date & Time: Friday 25th March 2011, 10:15am – 4:15pm
Location: Centre for Advanced Wood Processing at UBC
To register, please contact:
Email: cawp@cawp.ubc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-866-822-2297; Fax: 604-822-9159

Clad + Solid Wood Glazing Systems in the Building Envelope
March 29, 2011 – CAWP (Point Grey Campus)

Weathershield and Unison Windows and Doors will be presenting a special seminar for architects and builders to discuss recent wood product development work in low maintenance wood exteriors, as well as new high performance glazing technologies and AAMA recommended installation methods. Both morning and afternoon presentations are AIA/CES learning accredited, and will provide insight into new approaches in high performance clad + solid wood glazing products tying into the building envelope.

Topics to be covered:

• Introduction to Wood as a Low Maintenance Glazing System
• Introduction to Solid Wood Window Wall Systems
• New High Performance Glazing Technologies (AIA/CES Accredited)
• AAMA Recommended Installation Methods for Clad Wood Units (AIA/CES Accredited)
• Clad Wood Potential in Light Commercial Building
• New developments in Sliding Door Design
• Local Resources for custom glazing options

Date & Time: March 29th, 2011 9am -3pm
Location: UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver (Point Grey Campus)
To register, please contact:
Email: andrew@unisonwindows.com
Telephone: 604.980.6000 (ext. 104); Fax: 1.800.787.5747

Job Costing and Cost/Benefit Analysis of CNC Technologies for Timber Framing
March 18, 2011 – 108 Resort & Conference Centre, 108 Mile Ranch

This one day workshop will provide an overview of innovative ways to utilize new building materials and methods for the construction of wood buildings. In addition, it will focus on strategies for timber framers to improve cost efficiencies within operations, and will demonstrate how to evaluate the costs versus benefits of implementing advanced automated production technologies such as CNC equipment. The workshop will also look at trends such as building information systems and how these may impact the timber framing sector in coming years.

Topics to be covered:

• Product innovation creating niche markets and business opportunities in Europe and North America
• Quick and effective cost estimating to ensure each job is profitable
• Pre-calculations and follow-up calculations
• Calculating hourly rate on an absorbed cost basis
• Cost estimating samples for timber frame structures
• Comparing cost estimates for hand-cut work, precut (outsourced) timber frames and in-house machine-cut frames
• Simple ways to perform follow-up calculations
• Advantages and limitations of precut-timber connections
• Trends in software and integrated design-fabrication systems and their potential impact on the timber framing sector

Date & Time: March 18th 2011, 9am to 4pm
Location: 108 Resort & Conference Centre, 108 Mile Ranch, BC
Cost: $95 plus HST, including lunch and coffee

To register, please contact:
Email: cawp@cawp.ubc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-866-822-2297; Fax: 604-822-9159

A few places are still available in the Cadwork software evening course, starting March 1st and running 6-9pm on Tuesdays for 12 weeks. The course will be held in the CAWP computer lab. The course is intended for designers, architects, construction managers and builders who wish to use Cadwork software to create 3D models, 2D construction drawings, material takeoffs, optimization of takeoffs and schedules, and/or renderings for sales and marketing purposes. Skills covered will be at the basic and intermediate levels and will cover all common construction methods and materials. For information and to register, contact cawp@cawp.ubc.ca or call 604-822-6448. To view the detailed course outline go to:
http://www.cawp.ubc.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=4OEORZexgUc%3d&tabid=2636

This half-day seminar will give an overview of all Federal and Provincial Government assistance programs available to small and medium sized manufacturers.

Date: March 15, 2011
Time: 8:30am-1:00pm
Location: Sheraton – Guildford Hotel: 15269 104th Ave, Surrey, BC

Date: March 16, 2011
Time: 8:30am-1:00pm
Location: The Delta Grand Okanagan: 1310 Water St, Kelowna, BC

Click here to register for these session

A one-day seminar on issues related to exporting for first time exporters and those who are currently exporting but wish to expand their knowledge in this area.  This bootcamp is designed for value added companies with little or no exporting experience.  Topics covered are: shipping, customs, insurance, financing, planning, and legal aspects of international trade. A number of experts are lined up for this event.  Make sure you register soon as space is limited.

Date: February 16, 2011
Time: 8:30am-4:30pm
Location: Sheraton – Guildford Hotel: 15269 104th Ave, Surrey, BC

Testimonials from the previous session:

“Even though we are exporting I learned new things I didn’t already know”

“Good cross section of topics and speakers”

“Excellent value, time well spent”

Click here for a list of speakers and topics or to register

As we mentioned in our last Wood Connections, the final Working Wood project is participation in the Interior Design Show West (IDSwest), which launched with “Opening Night”, October 14^th, at the new Vancouver Convention Centre.

Richard Kaufmann, Chair of the Industry Advisory Committee for the Business Innovation Partnership, was on hand to congratulate the five companies that made up the program this year, and thank Jason Heard for organizing the program and delivery.  Jason was pleased to introduce and welcome Minister Pat Bell, who said a few words to the group about how important he feels their work is in growing a wood culture in the province.  He strongly supports the Working Wood program and hopes it will help to build many more world class designers in the future.  Minister Bell then spent time with each of the five “new” companies and visited last year’s participants as well.  Brent Comber, the primary program mentor, was a great guide for the Minister throughout the evening, who also took the time to meet a number of other BC Wood members exhibiting at the show.

This year’s IDSwest event is an exceptional example of the talent and creativity of BC companies – look for the exciting new pieces and exhibits from Roland Benesocky & Yves St Hilaire from Sticks and Stones Furniture; Darren Bertuccio from (the newly branded) Bertuccio; Matthieu LeBlanc; Steve Guan from Fine Line Creations; and German Pombo from (the newly branded) studio pombo.

The Business Innovation Partnership (BIP) and the CKCA will be presenting a 2 day Cabinet Symposium. BIP will present their “Staying Focused” seminar series which will include a group of experts to speak about marketing, interior design trends, and manufacturing. The CKCA will hold their regional meeting the following day to highlight their expanded services, as well as, conduct a series of tours and presentations.

Speakers:
Randy Hnatko (Sandler Training)
Alain Albert (FPInnovations)
Kelly Deck (Kelly Deck Designs)
Richard Lipman (Wood Manufacturing Council)
Helen Goodland (Light House)
Norm Smith (FPInnovations)

Date & Time: September 21, 2010, 9:00am-5:00pm, September 22, 2010, 7:30am-8:30pm
Location: Sheraton – Guildford Hotel, Surrey

For more information, please contact David Pao at dpao@bcwood.com

Click here to register

Last week, BC Wood along with FPInnovations and CAWP went to Victoria to discuss the Business Innovation Partnership program and meet with value-added wood manufacturers.  I got a chance to visit Swifsure WoodWorkers, M-Time Developments, Vintage Woodworks, and Douglas Grant Cabinetmakers with Randi Walker from BC Wood and Brian Ehrecke from FPInnovations.

The first company I visited was Swiftsure Woodworkers in Victoria with Randi Walker and met with Peter McCutcheon, the President of Swiftsure Woodworkers.  Swiftsure Woodworkers designs and manufacturers cabinetry for fine homes in the greater Gulf Islands region of BC.  They have received multiple CARE awards and GEORGIE awards.  The CARE award recognizes the winning efforts of Vancouver Island’s professional builders, developers, architects, interior designers, and sales and marketing professionals.  The GEORGIE award by the Canadian Home Builders Association of BC recognizes excellence in home building.  We also got a chance to check out the shop and see a CNC machine at work.  This was the first time I saw a CNC machine at work and I was amazed.

Peter also mentioned they employ Joiner and Carpenter Apprentices from Vancouver Island University’s apprenticeship program.  This is a great way to get hardworking and enthusiastic workers, and help develop the skill of the next generation of craftsmen.  I do encourage all of the value-added wood products manufacturers to follow Peter’s footsteps in employing BC apprentices.

For more information on Swiftsure Woodworkers, please visit their website: www.swiftsurewoodworkers.com.

The next morning, I met with Dave Miller of M-Time Developments with Brian Ehrecke. They produce a number of different value-added wood products including panel wall homes. Their goal is to operate an ecologically and socially responsible milling operation which purchases the bulk of its logs from local, sustainably managed (and certified) sources. Dave talked to us about some interesting projects he has worked on and is currently working on.  I don’t think I have ever met someone so enthusiastic and passionate about what they do as Dave Miller is.  It was great meeting someone with so much enthusiasm.

For more information on M-Time Developments, please visit their website: www.m-timedevelopments.com.  Also be sure to check out Dave’s new website: www.bamfield-millworks.com.

I then visited Vintage Woodworks with Brian Ehrecke which is located in what used to be a hotel decades ago.  Vintage Wookworks is BC’s heritage millwork supplier.  They specialize in providing restorations and restoration products for historic windows, doors, moulding, and brackets.  Brian has been working on a technical project through the Business Innovation Partnership program with Vintage.  I got a chance to go on a shop tour and see all of the different machines they use for producing different products.  The most interesting part was seeing all of the improvements that were made through the project.

For more information on Vintage Woodworks, please visit their website: www.vintagewoodworks.ca.

The last company I visited was Douglas Grant Cabinetmakers in Victoria with Brian Ehrecke.  This is another company located in a unique building.  Douglas Grant Cabinetmakers provides quality finished kitchens, bathrooms, built-in furniture, and more.  Douglas gave us a tour of his shop and showed us a gorgeous cabinet he was working on that showcased his attention to detail.

For more information on Douglas Grant Cabinetmakers, please visit their website: www.douglasgrantcabinetmakers.com.

I want to thank all of these companies for their time and interesting stories.  I also want to thank Randi and Brian for taking me with them to visit the companies.  I learned a lot about the value-added wood products industry look forward to meeting more companies!

This seminar will teach you the latest techniques and technologies used for finishing wood products.

Some of the things you can expect to learn from this seminar:

• the proven process control methods to ensure consistent finishes
• stain types and application methodology
• What types of coatings are available in the market and things to consider when applying water based coatings compared to solvent-based coatings
• selecting the correct application equipment and spray booths

This seminar will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Surrey, BC on March 9, 2010. For more information please click on the link below or contact Norm Smith at 604-828-9555 or norman.smith@fpinnovations.ca

Finishing Techniques Seminar Information

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FP Innovations has released a new study on Wood Flooring Trends:

Trendsetting is an important tool for enabling manufacturers to be proactive rather than reactive in their business. In this issue we track in the Wood Flooring segment. Trends revolve around offshore competition, new material supply, consumer preferences, the environment and other factors.

As a manufacturer it is up to you to pick and choose  the trends and opportunities that best suit your manufacturing, marketing and customer profiles. We hope this document can tip you off to new opportunities, alert you to some pitfalls and inspire your product lines.

Click the link below to read the complete document.

Wood Flooring Trends 09

Marketing Workshop – August 13th, Cranbrook
Sales Workshop – August 14th, Cranbrook

Presented by BC Wood through the Business Innovation Partnership.

This workshop is designed to build on your existing skills in sales and marketing, and to introduce you to a practical, common sense way to plan and execute future sales and marketing activities. The emphasis will be placed on fast-acting and inexpensive ways to build business-particularly now, when the economy is changing and is expected to become much more challenging.

For more inforamtion contact Scott Thompson at sthompson@bcwood.com

Sales Workshop Cranbrook

Recession Proof Your Business

Marketing Workshop Cranbrook