Central Valley Cabinet Doors, based in Abbotsford, BC, manufactures custom wood cabinet doors, distributes a line of Thermofoil doors, and re-faces existing cabinets. They have been supplying custom cabinet shops in the Fraser Valley with locally produced cabinet doors since 1994.

In 2008, they expanded by selling to the end user who wanted to replace their existing doors with new ones. Over the next few years, they began to sell and promote several products that helped streamline the re-facing process. Re-facing is a process of giving your kitchen a face-lift without having to rebuild the entire kitchen. The current layout stays the same; however, the cabinets get re-skinned, new doors are put on, new hinges and hardware are added, etc. to change the appearance of the original cabinets. The process is quite cost-effective and a popular choice amongst homeowners on a budget with a limited timeframe. Central Valley Cabinet Doors offers a few different solutions for re-facing such as Shaker White Thermofoil door. Watch this quick video on their re-facing solutions.

If you can not see the above video link, go to: http://www.centralvalleycabinetdoors.com/refacing-video.php

Central Valley Cabinet Doors has the ability to custom create what the customer specifies. They prefer to use locally sourced wood; however, they can import rare species and have a wide variety of material available according to the customer’s specifications.

For more information on Central Valley Cabinet Doors, visit www.centralvalleycabinetdoors.com

BC Wood just recently received confirmation that the funding for our 2013-2014 trade show activities has been approved. We began this year’s proposal writing with some concerns over just how much our members would want to take on in the coming year. Our early December sector meetings with member companies provided some good input on how much companies wanted to do this year and where they wanted BC Wood to focus its’ efforts.

BC Wood took this input and put together a comprehensive package of market development activities. Upcoming activities will focus on expanding market share in the United States while maintaining the hard won presence we have gained in Asian markets and Eastern Europe. Recognizing the possibility of a new and emerging market opportunity in India, BC Wood has scheduled a mission and participation in a trade show in Bangalore in February 2014. The Global Buyers Mission, our 10th, will be a highlight, with over 200 buyers coming to Whistler in early September.

I would like to recognize and thank the staff of BC Wood for the extra effort they put towards writing these funding proposals. The result was that BC Wood has another strong program of approved trade event activities for 2013-2014. For those of you wanting to see the updated list of trade show activities, please visit the BC Wood website at www.bcwood.com and select Trade Events from the Programs & Services tab. Any comments or questions regarding these planned activities can be directed to me at bhawrysh@bcwood.com or by calling our office at 604-882-7100.

With the GBM over, BC Wood’s Japan office is now working on bringing members into the market through two major fall shows. One of course is the famed Japan Home Show (Nov 14^th – 16^th) that has been welcoming overseas suppliers for more than three decades. The other, the Osaka Living and Design Show (Oct 24^th -26^th), is a new show for us and is a part of our continuing efforts to brand Canadian wood products in the high-end, Japanese commercial construction and interior design market. This is the last chance for members looking to take advantage of these exciting programs. Only a few spaces remain so please act fast if you are interested.

Osaka Living and Design Show

After a long absence from taking members to trade shows in Osaka, BC Wood will be organizing a Canadian pavilion at the new but highly regarded Living and Design Show. Over the past few years we have participated in Tokyo Designers Week, but decided to change to L&D as it is more focused on B to B for interior design and also gives us a chance to target the lucrative but underserved Kansai region in Japan (all foreign competitors go to Tokyo). This area that includes Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe has a larger economy than all of Canada and is also experiencing a flourishing commercial construction sector. Another benefit of this show for members is that it better covers building products such as flooring and millwork.

Japan Home and Building Show

BC Wood will once again be organizing the Canadian wood products pavilion at the annual Japan Home Show. This year the show will return to its traditional November schedule and run from the 14^th through the 16^th at Tokyo Big Sight.

The JHS typically attracts about 90,000 industry people ranging from importers and distributors to builders and architects and has long been the highest profile building products show in the country, particularly for imported products. This year the organizers have decided to strategically partner with JAPANTEX which is one of Japan’s largest interior trend shows for professionals. With the JHS and JAPANTEX collocated together in Big Sight’s East Hall, it is expected that JHS exhibitors will see a dramatic increase in designers working on non-residential projects.

Also, we expect positive synergies from the HOSPEX show, catering to the owners/operators of medical and elderly care facilities, which will be run concurrently by the same organizers in an adjacent hall. Elderly care facility operators have been adopting 2×4 buildings more and more in recent years because of the perceived therapeutic benefits of wood framed buildings. COFI’s Japan Office has been very active in targeting this market on the structural side and we are endeavouring to find more opportunities for value-added products on such projects.

BC Wood will also be working with the Canadian Embassy on a program timed around the show to target the reconstruction efforts in the Tohoku region. As a result, members attending the JHS will also be able to take part in some match-making activities targeting local companies working on both non-residential and residential projects in the tsunami devastated communities.

This show offers a great opportunity for companies looking to enter the Japanese market and take advantage of the many positive trends we are seeing.  Products sectors covered: cabinetry, engineered wood, millwork, log and timberframe, packaged homes, as well as reman and specialty lumber including WRC.

For more information about either of these shows please contact Jim Ivanoff at ivanoff@canadawood.jp.

A reminder of BC Wood’s presence at this year’s Interior Design Show West (IDS West) – September 27-30th. Over the past couple of years, the IDS West has become the venue to see the best of international and local designs. BC Wood will bring together local companies that produce a full range of design-oriented products; everything from custom furnishings and architectural millwork, to cabinets, doors, mouldings, and flooring.

The objective will be to feature the individual companies by drawing more traffic to a centrally located “Design BC” pavilion. The pavilion will be an 1800 square foot of exhibition space, with BC Wood covering a good portion of the hard costs for this sector wide display.

If you plan to participate in the IDS West show this year, please contact me to see how we can save you money and ensure you higher visibility through the “Design BC” pavilion. Call 604-882-7100 or email me at  bhawrysh@bcwood.com.

BC Wood will once again be organizing the Canadian wood products pavilion at the annual Japan Home Show. This year the show will return to its traditional November schedule and run from the 14^th through the 16^th at Tokyo Big Sight.

The JHS typically attracts about 90,000 industry people ranging from importers and distributors to builders and architects and has long been the highest profile building products show in the country, particularly for imported products. This year the organizers have decided to strategically partner with JAPANTEX which is one of Japan’s largest interior trend shows for professionals. With the JHS and JAPANTEX collocated together in Big Sight’s East Hall, it is expected that JHS exhibitors will see a dramatic increase in designers working on non-residential projects.

Also, we expect positive synergies from the HOSPEX show, catering to the owners/operators of medical and elderly care facilities, which will be run concurrently by the same organizers in an adjacent hall. Elderly care facility operators have been adopting 2×4 buildings more and more in recent years because of the perceived therapeutic benefits of wood framed buildings. COFI’s Japan Office has been very active in targeting this market on the structural side and we are endeavouring to find more opportunities for value-added products on such projects.

BC Wood will also be working with the Canadian Embassy on a program timed around the show to target the reconstruction efforts in the Tohoku region. As a result, members attending the JHS will also be able to take part in some match-making activities targeting local companies working on both non-residential and residential projects in the tsunami devastated communities.

I am very excited about this year’s Japan Home Show as the housing market overall has been strong this year and the show organizers have been working hard to bring more value to exhibitors. This show offers a great opportunity for companies looking to enter the Japanese market and take advantage of the many positive trends we are seeing.  I will be booking booth space soon so for more information please e-mail me at ivanoff@canadawood.jp.

Francis Lemieux & Co. is a small, custom woodworking company located in Port Moody, British Columbia. With over 20 years of experience serving the BC and US market, Francis Lemieux offers a wide range of services including custom furniture and millwork fabrication, art services, and prototype building. The company is involved in the entire process from design to production and installation. They have chosen to remain small in order to maintain flexibility and diversity in the products they produce and to provide a high level of personalized service.

The company was established by Francis Lemieux, a hands-on master tradesperson in the joinery trade. Francis Lemieux has designed and made everything from musical instruments to furniture and architectural woodwork. For a time, he specialized in the design and production of chairs. Francis Lemieux is also the designer of a collection of original furniture, lighting, accessories, and art work called “Frank Smith”; all of these pieces are produced in-house. Francis Lemieux & Co. has worked with many design professionals and artists to facilitate the production of their products and projects which have included restaurants, hotels, and private residences. Their shop is well equipped for a diversity of products, including a CNC router capable of 2D and 3D work, which is used as a design tool just as much as a production tool.

Francis Lemieux & Co. has exhibited in numerous shows and competitions and has won several design & craft awards. Judson Beaumont has described Francis Lemieux as a positive inspiration when he started his company, Straight Lines Designs, in the 1980′s.

Over the years, Francis Lemieux & Co. has given back to the community by training many apprentices. Francis also volunteered his time to sit on the advisory committee for the Fine Woodworking program at Selkirk College in Nelson, BC and was a member of the former Wood Co-op on Granville Island. In addition, he has donated his work, including art pieces to numerous causes; the most recent being a relief carved art piece donated to the Unicef Unite for Art Auction.

For more information on Francis Lemieux & Co., please visit http://www.francislemieux.com and http://franksmith.ca. To read Francis’ blog, please visit: http://relevantwoodworking.blogspot.com/ .

Register now for the 28th MBC Construction Expo in Seoul, Korea, this coming January 27-30, 2012. BC Wood will be taking space at this building and construction show to exhibit member products to Korean builders, architects, distributors, and construction material importers. The four-day event is expected to attract over 150,000 attendees as well as 350 exhibitors.

This trade event offers an excellent opportunity for BC Wood members to tap into the Korean market and take advantage of our expert in-market representative. Members that would benefit from this event include manufacturers and suppliers of remanufactured lumber products, prebuilt homes, kitchen cabinets, log home and timber frame homes, and engineered wood products.

BC Wood will be coordinating space for members at the event; advertising in key industry publications; managing event logistics; and organizing business networking opportunities. Space is limited so contact David Pao ASAP at dpao@bcwood.com to register.

For more information, please click here.

Kelowna-based Norelco Cabinets taps into the Business Innovation Partnership (BIP) on all fronts and achieves huge impact to their bottom-line.

Companies that have accessed the BIP services have seen significant payback! For Norelco Cabinets, the market and technical advice delivered through the BIP has dramatically changed the way the company manufactures its products, as well as how it markets and sells those products. Hear from company owner Peter Raja in this short video (link below) as he details some of the changes that dramatically increased productivity, product quality, and sales – along with an increase in profitability.

Some of the areas Norelco focused on were the better use of their manufacturing space and how product moved through the shop. With FPInnovations’ help, the company was able to increase its production without expanding its footprint – a significant capital savings! Along with gains in productivity came increases in product quality, and lower rework costs. Accessing new markets and developing new business approaches helped Norelco expand its sales. With the help of BCWood, Norelco embraced new sales techniques including both online marketing as well as traditional client/vendor interaction, and discovered new sales potential in markets it had not previously ventured in to.

Overall, the biggest benefit for Norelco was working with BCWood and FPInnovations concurrently. As new sales opportunities were discovered, the manufacturing process was being improved with the final result of getting to the market quicker, and efficiently capitalizing on new sales potential.

If you’d like to discover how you can achieve results like these, watch this short video. If you have questions or want further information, contact FPInnovations at (604) 222 5672, or BCWood at (877) 422 9663.

Norelco Cabinets from Rumin Mann on Vimeo.

For over 30 years the Japan Home & Building Show has been one of the most important events in marketing calendar of foreign companies selling into Japan. However, this year there were many challenges facing the event, some resulting from the 3/11 earthquake while others were self-inflicted.

Several years ago the show organizers decided to change the date of the 2011 show so as to time it with the planned UIA event at Tokyo Forum. I personally expressed my concerns over this numerous times as I have seen how such date changes have hurt other shows. Especially with the JHS’ long history, everyone expects it to take place in November. However, they believed that holding it in conjunction with the UIA event would inject new energy into the show.

These plans were greatly complicated by the March earthquake. By having bumped up the show, the organizers also bumped up the recruiting period of the show to late spring, which was still the dark period when no one knew what tomorrow would bring. As a result, purse strings were tightened and I am sure the JHS had trouble signing up exhibitors.

The earthquake and the nuclear disaster also worried the expected 10,000 overseas UIA attendees. In April there was even talk of cancelling the UIA event. However, they moved ahead with it as the situation in Fukushima gradually improved.

As we set-up for the show, I wondered and worried about how it would turn out. As feared, the attendance fell dramatically, from 87,000 to 43,000. Luckily though the quality of the visitors greatly increased as many more architects came to the show for the first time. This was undoubtedly due to the cross-marketing with the UIA event. We even received many overseas guests who came for the UIA event. Overall, even though the overall numbers were down, we felt just as busy as last year since the architects were spending more time with us asking questions about products.

The other thing that I had been wondering about was how much traffic we would receive related to reconstruction efforts in the Tohoku area. Over the three days we met with many builders, developers, and distributors from the earthquake/ tsunami affected areas and they seemed to be getting themselves prepared for the big reconstruction projects. I learned that developers from across the region and even other parts of Japan are buying up all the available elevated land near the coast for such projects. However, they are experiencing labour shortages and are thus looking at overseas suppliers that can help with packaged homes and other solutions.

Despite the drop in attendance I was very pleased with the results of the show. We were able to make a great number of new contacts including ones involved in the reconstruction efforts. This helps us prepare for the Nikkei Show next March where reconstruction projects will definitely be taking center stage.

After seeing the success from their 5S activities, the next step was to get training on Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to help them map out their process and make improvements to the flow of their products. VSM is a Lean manufacturing technique used to analyze the flow of materials and information currently required to bring a product or service to a consumer.

“We saw immediate payback after we finished the VSM exercise. With one of our products, we were able to reduce the number of processes from 18 to 7. This was a huge savings in the production”, commented Ken. “Because we have been looking at our products in depth with VSM, it helped us improve our consistency and our quality”.

Without buy-in of the staff, many of the Lean concepts won’t work. “Initially, I didn’t understand how Lean could be good for our staff”, says Ken. “After all, if you can do more production with less staff, how would your employees feel? People tend to think that if you look at efficiency in production it means jobs are on the line”.

Vintage began by making small changes that let the staff experience the improvements. For example, convincing the moulder operator that he was going to save money by doing lots of shorter runs rather than setting up once and doing bigger runs was difficult at first.

However, after witnessing that the machines were not tied up and the set ups were happening three times faster, employees began coming around. Says Ken, “with less inventory we did not have our cash tied up and it kept what inventory we did have clean and fresh”. “Reduced work in progress cleared the floor, kept the staff focused and reduced the possibility of damage to the products as they made their way through the shop”.

The next steps for Vintage Woodworks include creating the framework so that its staff can sustain the Lean improvements they have already done, and getting ready for further Lean implementation.

Adds Ken,” I have been really lucky to have an Operations Manager in our company that truly believes in the Lean journey. Working together, our staff is looking forward to future changes and the benefits it will result for them”. “We anticipate it will take Vintage some time before we meet our goals, however each step we take we should realize an improvement on our productivity”.

Brian Ehrecke is a manufacturing specialist for FPInnovations. FPInnovations is a company with over 25 years of experience providing technical and manufacturing support to the wood products industry in Canada. He can be reached at (250) 462-4000 or brian.ehrecke@fpinnovations.ca.

The Japan Home and Building Show is the most famous building products show amongst foreign exhibitors. Every year companies from Canada, the US, across Asia, and many parts of Europe come to this show to find new Japanese partners or build on their existing market presence. Even companies that do not participate directly time their business trips to Japan around the middle of November so that they can at least visit the show or take part in related receptions.

This year, however, many companies will be surprised to find out that the JH&BS will be held from September 28th through 30th and not in November. This is because the UIA is holding their “World Congress of Architecture” in Tokyo in and the JH&BS organizers agreed with the UIA organizers to tie the two events together. The UIA’s website explains their event in the following way:

“Described as the “Olympics of Architecture,” the UIA World Congress is a major international architectural event that attracts around 10,000 architects, engineers, researchers and students.Since the inaugural World Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1948, it has taken place triennial in 23 different cities around the world.”

By adding these international guests to the JH&BS’ already large audience of Japanese industry professionals, the show organizers are expecting that exhibitors will be able to reach a much wider audience than in the past. This will be of particular interest to those who are looking to begin marketing to other parts of Asia as an event of this calibre in Tokyo will be sure to attract the top people in architecture from neighbouring Korea and China. Considering the bleak outlook that some people foresaw after the 3/11 earthquake, this added vibrancy to the JH&BS is a welcome development.

Another point in this year’s JH&BS’ favour is that some major wholesalers have decided to cancel their own private trade shows in the summer and fall. This means that the JH&BS will be the only venue for buyers, builders, and architects to see new products this fall. It is expected that the strong resulting interest amongst attendees will overcome any confusion resulting from the change in dates.

BC Wood now has its funding in place for the new fiscal year and as a result I am able to accept applications for show space. Please contact me for more information on this year’s event as well as on how to apply.

Norelco Cabinet Solutions opened their doors almost 40 years ago in Kelowna, BC.  They now have two manufacturing plants in Kelowna with Cucina Del Re Cabinetry, specializing in high-end custom cabinetry.  They have a team who designs and builds all types of different cabinets that suit the individual customer’s needs, including two very skilled, hand-crafters who carve intricate details on the cabinets.  Norelco’s primary cabinet division uses innovative European technology and high quality materials to design and construct cabinets for residential and commercial buildings.  They distribute all over Western Canada and the US including Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California.

Norelco has actively participated in a number of Business Innovation Partnership (BIP) activities over the past two years.  Along with attending workshops, they have completed a Lean program as well as a sales and marketing project.  When the current owners purchased Norelco, they were told that the facility would not be able to exceed a certain amount in sales due to the limited production space.  At that time, Peter Raja started the lean program with the help of FPInnovations, one of the BIP partners, in hopes of increasing their productivity, and thereby their sales and margins.  After implementing the new program, they are now producing at well over the previous limitation in sales and have the capacity to keep growing.

Recently, Norelco has completed a sales & marketing project with sales guru, Neil Godin.  They were instructed on how to set up a Facebook account, Twitter account, a blog through WordPress, joined LinkedIn, and developed an e-newsletter.  Norelco has fully immersed themselves into the world of social media.  Their first newsletter was sent out to 800 contacts last month and since then, 300 additional people have signed up for the newsletter.  They have 111 followers on Twitter and 70 on Facebook.  They also optimized their website for search engines to display them as the very first result when “Kelowna kitchen cabinets” is searched; whereas before, they were listed on the 25^th page.  In a very short time, they have greatly increased their brand awareness.

Social media is a powerful tool for companies to use to strengthen their relationship with clients and potential clients, while increasing their company’s profile.  However, you must learn to use it correctly to yield results; otherwise, you might do more harm to your company’s image than good.

Not only is Norelco establishing their presence online, they are also expanding into the Hawaii market.  As a BC Wood member, Norelco has had the opportunity to attend tradeshows in Western US and Hawaii to meet with prospective clients that they normally would not have the opportunity to get in front of.  Peter says “If it wasn’t for Dave [Farley] and BC Wood, I would never have gotten these clients, or even gotten in the door to talk to the executives.”  BC Wood has in-market representatives in the US, Japan, China and Korea.  If you are considering expanding into these markets, contact BC Wood at 604-882-7100 for more information on how to access our knowledgeable representatives.

For more information on Norelco, visit their new and improved website at www.norelcocabinets.ca.

For more information on instigating a company project like the ones Norelco has successfully participated in, contact Scott Thompson, Manager, Business Innovation Partnership (BIP) at 604-882-7100 or sthompson@bcwood.com.

One of our members, Straight Line Designs, was recently featured in Fine Woodworking:

“If you want to make an “exploding” dresser or a chest of drawers that stands with a “hands-on-hips” attitude, you’re going to have to take a page from Judson Beaumont’s book and abandon traditional furniture-making techniques for a while. Instead of traditional construction, Beaumont creates his often-whimsical designs using techniques inspired by aircraft construction and the human body. He begins by assembling an internal skeleton using a nail gun, skins it with thin sheets of plywood, and then adds veneer or paint. This technique allows him to make virtually any shape, from dramatic curves to human postures. And every single piece of Beaumont’s furniture is completely functional.”

To view this article, click here (you will have to be a subscriber to view the article)

Straight Line Designs is a one-of-a-kind workshop that has been operating out of Vancouver, British Columbia for the past 25 years. In addition to installations, sculptures and private commissions, designer Judson Beaumont and his staff of eight full-time craftspeople have designed and constructed a variety of custom-built furniture and projects for public institutions and children’s exhibitions throughout North America and abroad. Focused on quality and custom design, Judson’s studio stays far away from mass production. Our workshop’s building capacity is restricted but Jud’s designing ability is not!

I had the pleasure of visiting Jud’s shop last summer.  As I walked into the shop, I felt like I walked into Dr Seuss’s workshop. There were all different shapes and colours, and to set the mood, whimsical music was playing in the background. It looked like a really fun place to work. Jud Beaumont gave me a delightful tour of his shop and showed me some really unusual pieces of furniture. Jud also shared some pretty interesting stories about tradeshows he has done in the past. If you ever run into him, ask him about his Tokyo adventure involving his Elvis Whale.

For more information on Straight Line Designs, visit www.straightlinedesigns.com

BC Wood is currently wrapping up the Request for Proposals to our funding partners and as such, I wanted to bring to BC Wood members’ attention an exciting opportunity to develop new sales in the Northern California market.

This spring, with funding approval, we will organize and participate in a trade event and market mission to Lake Tahoe to influence the architect, design, and building professionals in this market and increase sales for member companies.

The Lake Tahoe region in the Sierra Nevada’s is a vacation and resort market with a wealth of affluent consumers who are interested and able to build with the latest in green, high-end, energy saving building products and systems. The Truckee Builders Show is a trade event that has been at the forefront of the move toward renewable and sustainable living in the home construction process for many years. The event, in partnership with the Contractor’s Association of Truckee Tahoe (CATT), organizes a Regional Green Building Symposium to provide educational and networking opportunities for architects, construction professionals, and the general public. BC Wood will partner with CMHC and WoodWorks US in the coordination and delivery of a seminar presentation on the benefits and applications of new “green” energy saving building materials and high-end finished products to this target market. The trade event will provide an excellent opportunity for BC manufacturers to connect with builders and architects who service the regional market.

Following the show, BC Wood will coordinate a number of site visits to high-end residential and specific multi-unit project sites currently underway in the region. We will focus on the Martis Camp development which is an ultra high-end members only resort development with over 30 vacation homes currently under construction and another 60+ homes at the design stage.

Do you manufacture high quality products in these sectors:

• Heavy Timber, Post and Beam
• Cabinets
• Millwork and interior finished products
• Exterior Cladding and trim components

If so, then this event should be seriously considered as part of your sales and marketing campaign for this year. For more information on this event or this market please feel free to contact me at dfarley@bcwood.com

“If a Tree Falls in the Forest…

…does anybody hear?” Rick Bowerman and his design team at Bowerman’s Handcrafted Furniture in Squamish certainly do. They’ve carved a name for themselves as some of BC’s premier craftsmen and designers of reclaimed and recycled wood furniture.

Rick insists that they never cut down trees for their reclaimed furniture. They rely on a local woodsman who alerts them to trees that have fallen. The majority of the local reclaimed wood he uses is western maple or cedar, adding fir to the mix for a more contemporary look. He also “imports” reclaimed pine flooring from farmhouses in Ontario and Quebec. “Every piece of wood has a story to tell.”

Bowerman started his business restoring antiques, learning the basics and importance of sound joinery skills. Quality is paramount to his team who still use traditional methods to craft each unique piece. Their skill is evident in the other main focus of the business – custom wood cabinetry. Known for their “impeccable design and craftsmanship”, Bowerman’s cabinets are built with locally sourced wood and low VOC products. Other popular products include tables, benches, sideboards and armoires with every piece built in-house from start to finish to the highest standards.

Rick Bowerman will always value the natural beauty of wood and what you can create from it. He says most of the time, he can already see the finished piece before the first cut is made. With the desire for homeowners looking for custom pieces while incorporating recycled and green products, his business is growing. Creativity and attention to detail have made Bowerman’s the choice of designers, contractors and homeowners across British Columbia.

Bowerman’s is thrilled to be part of BC Wood and invites members to visit their website to find out more at www.bowermans.ca.

The Malaysian Timber Council will be organizing the MTC Global Woodmart (MGW) 2010 from October 19-20, 2010 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).  This will be the first event of its kind in South East Asia and will serve to provide a one-stop selling, buying and networking platform for all suppliers and buyers of timber products from Malaysia and abroad.  The MGW will also facilitate business among local and/or overseas wholesalers, manufacturers, importers, distributors and ancillary providers in the timber industry and trade and promote and encourage the wider application and use of timber from Malaysia as well as international sources.

Reasons why you should participate in teh MTC Global WoodMart 2010:

1. Enables buyers and manufacturers of wood products to source their product needs through a dedicated event
2. Created trade opportunities for timber industry members by bringing together international buyers and sellers from around the world
3. MTC, HQ, and their offices in London, Shanghai, and Dubai will undertake marketing efforts to bring prospective buyers from traditional markets (ie, Europe, USA, Japan) and emerging markets (India, Middle East, Eastern Europe) for business matching with timber industry members from around the world.

Exhiborts who sign up before May 30, 2010 will qualify for an Early Bird Discount.  For further information, please visit www.globalwoodmart.my.

Click here to view invititation letter.

Click here to view the page 1 of brochure.

Click here to view page 2 of brochure.

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!

While most of us aspire to a debt-free life with maybe a good steak to eat every once in a while, there are others, the multi millionaires of the world, who aspire to belonging to an exclusive members only playground where private ski lifts and putting greens await.

For the ultra elite, the Yellowstone Lodge in Big Sky is their choice to indulge in their lavish lifestyle. This gated resort community occupies over 13,000 acres in the Southwest corner of Montana and counts Microsoft’s Bill Gates among its members.

Among its numerous amenities, the Yellowstone Lodge offers members a private ski resort, golf course, and equestrian centre for its members. Custom residences in the resort are available, selling for $4.8 million to $16 million. The average cost of new home construction is over the $500 per square foot range.

I have come across some information that suggests that the market in Yellowstone is beginning to turn and could provide some significant opportunity for our members. Following the economic crisis and through a nasty divorce proceeding between the original owners, the Yellowstone Club emerged from bankruptcy protection last year with new ownership and direction.

A reliable source who has worked on the design stage of the project commented that over $100 million in real estate transactions have taken place in Yellowstone in the past 4 months. This means that a number of high-end residences are currently either at the architectural stage or will be coming out of the ground this summer.

According to the source, manufacturers of quality custom and architectural millwork products including, doors, windows, cabinetry, and finished products have an opportunity. Also, the design and style of the Yellowstone Club and residences lends itself to the type of heavy timber construction that a number of our members specialize in.

Check out their website www.yellowstoneclub.com.  You will find a listing of a number of builders and architects that are active in the Yellowstone project. I will travelling in that region over the next few weeks and will give a report on my findings in an upcoming Wood Connections issue, or feel free to contact me at dfarley@bcwood.com.

We have launched our Pre-Registration Program for 2009 participants of the Global Buyers Mission. If you are a past participant but did NOT yet receive your invitation to attend, please let me know as soon as possible.

If you have not exhibited at the GBM before but would like an invitation, please let me know and once pre-registration closes on April 23rd, we will send you an application to participate this year.

The GBM continues to be the best business building events in Canada for wood products manufacturers interested in growing their export market opportunities – and developing new business relationships with local architects, designers and developers, as well as other exhibiting wood products companies. Response from our 2009 Exhibitors surveys indicated an estimated $22+ million in new business from attendance at the event.

For information and photos from past year’s events, visit the BC Wood website at www.bcwood.comand select Global Buyers Mission under Programs & Services.

For more information, please contact Randi Walker at rwalker@bcwood.com.