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.

For the past several years BC Wood has been promoting design related products in Japan such as furniture and millwork. We have been successful in having such products specified into several high-profile projects. Recently even one of Japan’s top department stores came to us as they were interested in using some pieces in a display.

Isetan’s flagship Shinjuku store attracts wealthy, fashion conscious shoppers from across Kanto. The Canadian Embassy in Tokyo has worked with them to promote Canadian apparel and recommended BC Wood when Isetan was looking to create a stylish, woody atmosphere to launch a new line of clothing.

We introduced them to a variety of furniture pieces as well as millwork options, but the store’s designers knew they had found exactly what they were looking for once they saw Brent Comber’s work and the WRCLA published Cedar Book. Using selected pieces from Brent as well as a selection of WRC products, Isetan was able to create a sophisticated yet woody display. The store felt that their customers really enjoyed the warmth of the Canadian wood products. Hopefully this will encourage some of their clients to consider using Canadian materials for their own homes in the near future.

As always, BC Wood greatly appreciates all of the support given to us by the Canadian Embassy. We look forward to more such collaborative efforts in the future.

Last week, BC Wood Specialties Group hosted the 9th annual Global Buyers Mission in Whistler, BC. Among the 19 international delegations that attended were timber importers from India looking to replace current wood sources with Canadian wood products. After attending the successful Global Buyers Mission, the India delegation visited BC value-added wood manufacturers as part of their extended mission. One of the companies they visited was International Forest Products (Interfor) Acorn Division in Delta, BC. The Acorn mill is an export sawmill dedicated to manufacturing high value squares and timbers that are used in housing and industrial applications across global markets.

Dave Hayer, MLA Surrey-Tynehead, opened the event on Tuesday at Interfor by welcoming the India delegation to BC. He stated that one of the goals of BC’s Job Plan is opening up markets abroad for BC goods. “Helping companies like Interfor make connections with new companies overseas is one of BC Jobs Plan initiatives that we have been focused on.” Mike De Jong, Minister of Finance, took the podium on behalf of Premier Christy Clark and Minister Pat Bell to further explain the BC Job Plan strategy and outcome.

Following the opening speeches, the India delegation attended two seminars, went on a tour of the mill, and learned about grading standards at Interfor. The seminars, delivered by John Leahy from Canadian Mill Services, dealt with the phyto-sanitary rules for sending forest products from Canada to India and BC’s tree species and wood products. The mill tour lead the delegation through the mill, letting them observe how a log is remanufactured into a timber product. Lastly, the delegation was shown the different types of wood species Interfor remanufactures at their plant and how they are graded.

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.

Last November, BC Wood, with a small group of member companies, completed a very successful trade mission to Moscow to explore opportunities for value-added wood products in the Russian market, and to participate in the Fall Holzhaus trade show.

BC Woods’ members showcased log home and timber frame structures, factory built homes, high quality millwork, and specialty Western Red Cedar building materials. Members were able to engage with industry professionals from all over Russia and surrounding countries. Developers, architects, builders, distributors, importers, and designers were all in attendance at the show, many of whom came specifically to the show to speak to the Canadian manufacturers.

Based on the success of last year’s program, BC Wood is planning to return to Moscow and the Holzhaus show this coming fall, November 1st- 4th. Space will be available for BC Wood members wanting to participate in the Holzhaus trade shows and I would encourage any companies interested in more information to contact me at bhawrysh@bcwood.com or in BC Wood’s offices at 604-882-7100.

Vanport Canada, a subsidiary of Vanport International, is an independent marketer of softwood lumber into Asia. The company was established in 1997 in Vancouver, B.C. by Don McGregor as a lumber exporter, representing many B.C. sawmills and selling primarily into Japan.

Over the years, Vanport Canada has developed a niche in providing customized, knowledgeable, and professional service to its myriad of customers. They have extended their operations beyond simple exports into a whole range of lumber-related activities and now use the expertise of their staff to manage numerous custom cut programs for their customers, mainly for the traditional home market in Japan. All Vanport Canada staff speak at least two languages, primarily English, Japanese, and Chinese.

This FSC certified exporter distributes Douglas Fir, Hemlock, and Sitka Spruce from British Columbia’s coastal regions to both domestic and international markets including Japan, China, and other Asian countries. They are currently seeing a growth in their exports to India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The North Vancouver-based company also has extensive experience working with First Nations groups in North America. One of their projects included assisting a First Nations Group in setting up a sawmill, designing cut specifications optimized for target markets, and training the mill employees and management staff in operations.

Vanport Canada also regularly recruits forest industry trainees from Asia to educate and assist in company operations.

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.

By Daryl Holmes

Organized for the 35th time, TURKEYBUILD Istanbul is dubbed the biggest inter-regional building gathering that covers Turkey, Balkans, former CIS countries, North Africa, and Middle East. The exhibition was held from May 2nd to 6th, 2012 at the Tüyap Fair Centre and Congress Center, which is made up of 81,000 sq. metres and consisting of 12 exhibition halls. Attendance at this show was very high with total attendees recorded at 110,000 guests.

The following information summarizes the show and my market observations as they pertain to the value-added wood industry beginning with the core feedback that directly impacts you, the member.

BC Wood first attended Turkeybuild in the smaller market of Ankara in September, 2011 with the notion of returning for the signature event to be held in Istanbul. The valuable work undertaken in September set the stage for a very successful return to this market in early May. This show takes me back to the glory days of USA builder shows with the aisles full of qualified agents, buyers, architects, designers, developers, planners, and builders. In Turkey, industry continues to take firm steps forward. Turkey, which acts as an intercontinental bridge due to its geographical position, is an extremely important partner for BC manufacturers who wish to develop sales in this part of the world.

Where do the sales prospects lie?

At the show, four companies represented their products in the BC Wood booth space. We focused our display on products that we feel have the greatest competitive advantage in this area – Engineered Wood Products, Log Home and Timber Frame structures, PreBuilt Housing, and Remanufactured Products. Flooring and high-end furniture also received attention at this event.

During the show, we spoke to many qualified representatives of local companies who were interested in the distribution of products; these contacts were spread around Turkey and the surrounding countries. All member companies received wide spread interest in not only distribution of products, but also direct sales opportunities.

While most construction taking place in Turkey is with concrete and steel, the appetite for wood products was high. Timber and lumber comes into the country from neighbouring countries; however, the reputation of Canadian wood products as being high quality meant that we received many enquiries about project based developments and high-end building materials. So, in short, the increase in development taking place in this market indicates a growing demand for lumber and wood products overall. It was encouraging to speak to many project managers and resort developers who did not see Canada’s geographic proximity as a barrier to discussing business deals.

How do I access these opportunities?

Obtaining access to these opportunities is not easy and won’t happen overnight. The key, as always, is to get active in the market and to get connected to local industry partners. Securing strategic partnership agreements with local agents is of the utmost importance. Relying on your website and word-of-mouth will not get you access to this market. Also, once you have made contact in this area, the key is to commit to follow up, and the required amount of engagement needed to realise sales.

Either as an individual company or in partnership with BC Wood and other industry groups, you will have success showcasing your products and gaining profile in this competitive marketplace if you make the decision to invest some time in a market strategy that puts you and your products in the path of these key decision makers.

Does Turkeybuild Deliver?

This show is without a shadow of a doubt the premium show to attend in this market. This show draws attendees from all over the Middle East and the local Turkish market, as well as Russia, Ukraine, and other neighbouring markets. Follow the money – this notion is so prevalent in this marketplace and based upon our success at this show, members have already secured sales. The Europe market is mature and very competitive; however, niche areas of the world continue to show an increase in opportunity for BC’s value added industry. The Turkey marketplace falls into this category and it is my opinion that business to business sales opportunities will continue to grow in this area.

Upcoming events in the Europe market include Holzhaus, Moscow (Nov 9-13), and BAU, Germany (Jan 17-20, 2012). For more information contact Brian Hawrysh at bhawrysh@bcwood.com  or email me at dh@themataigroup.com

The Ainsworth Story:A resourceful family builds a world leader

The Ainsworth saga began humbly. In 1952, David Ainsworth and his brother Tom moved to BC’s Cariboo country, bringing a sawmill with them-a small one, that could be towed behind a tractor or truck. They set up in the forests of Williams Lake, then Clinton, and finally settled in 100 Mile House. Along with the brothers and David’s wife Susan, the company boasted three employees. They lived and worked in tents, moving into portable cabins as the business grew. Today, Ainsworth employs over 600 people and operates four manufacturing facilities across Canada.

Products carrying their signature AinsworthEngineered® brand are trusted across North America and are increasingly popular in Japan. After more than half a century, 100 Mile House, the site of Ainsworth’s first OSB mill, is still a centre of activity, and the home of one of their most advanced OSB operations.

Early in their history, David Ainsworth made the strategic decision not to rely on large, old growth timber such as Douglas fir, and instead chose to utilize fast-growing, small-diameter lodge-pole pine. This put him at odds with much of the prevailing opinion of the day, which doubted the viability of the smaller trees, considered a “weed” species by some. They feared the wood would warp and twist. They thought it would be impractical to work with the smaller logs-that they would be labour intensive to handle and weigh.

David saw things differently. He understood that old growth timber was a finite resource that would only diminish over time. He felt that the future was in fast-growing, renewable wood, and he went ahead with the decision to use lodge-pole pine for Ainsworth lumber.

David Ainsworth’s innovations and foresight set the tone for the company. AinsworthEngineered wood products are manufactured from a number of fast-growing, renewable woods, and also from pine-beetle killed trees that would otherwise be wasted. “Our wood resources are harvested from sustainably managed North American forests, and manufactured with virtually no waste.” Ainsworth is a strong supporter of “green” construction practices, and as a company, they are committed to sustainability in every aspect of their operations.

Today, although no longer a family owned enterprise, Ainsworth remains a leading manufacturer of engineered wood products including oriented strand board (OSB). The company operates four OSB mills located in 100 Mile House, British Columbia; Grande Prairie and High Level, Alberta; and Barwick, Ontario.

Ainsworth is a Canadian forest products company with a reputation for reliability, stability, and is unsurpassed in customer service to vendors, builders, architects, and homeowners.

For more information on Ainsworth and AinsworthEngineered products, visit their website at  http://www.ainsworthengineered.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.

Westminster Industries Ltd. was founded in 1975 by Dave Wasmuth in New Westminster. It is now one of the most respected and oldest, originally owned lumber wholesalers in the Lower Mainland. They are currently located in White Rock and have a distribution yard in Delta.

Westminster Industries works with the majority of the major and medium sized mills in BC and Alberta, distributing Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and SPF to both domestic and international markets including Asia, Middle East, Europe, and Australia. Providing service to purchasers over this broad range of clients is a knowledgeable staff and experienced traders, including two traders fully conversant in all Chinese dialects. Westminster Industries is seen as a valued supplier to its long and growing customer base. They also have strong ties to the community through their various donations and charitable work, with the most recent being donations for the new White Rock Bike Park.

Since their start in 1975, Westminster Industries has been following the trends and adapting to the market. This, coupled with their experienced staff, has been the key to their growth and success. They recently updated their website to reflect current conditions and company adaptions. The website is now easier to function and educates the customer on what Westminster’s products and services are. To view their new website, go to www.westmin.ca

By Daryl Holmes

BC Wood recently led a group of members on a market development mission to Turkey which included participation at TurkeyBuild in the capital city of Ankara.  Product sectors represented included Log Home and Timber frame, Prebuilt Housing, and Remanufactured Lumber Products.

In the Turkish construction materials sector, wood products have approximately 20% market share with consumption mainly in private up-scale villas and some high end commercial resort style development. The consumption of wood in major residential housing projects and light commercial projects is low when compared to concrete and steel (for structure) or PVC (for windows/doors), however, as with most markets in the Eastern European area, the demand for wood is on the rise.  Both private and public sectors in Turkey are engaged in a shift (albeit a slow shift) towards a growth in the use of wood products.  Industry professionals and consumers alike have a keen interest in wood as a construction material, as was evident during the show in Ankara. The earthquake in 1999 has drawn attention to the importance of timber in construction, however; with the economic impact of the global meltdown, progress has been slow in the area of conveying the attributes of wood and educating key decision makers as to the benefits of using wood in construction.  There is without a doubt, an increase in construction taking place right now in Turkey as residents look to build homes on the outskirts of some of the major cities. Accordingly, a select group of builders, developers, and importers are currently involved in projects outside of the main city centres which are being built with wood. During our stay in Turkey, we were able to make contact with many of these industry professionals and discuss opportunities for BC products.

The show itself was very busy, which in the current global market place was encouraging for the members.  Although the Ankara show is a more of a regional show (with the main construction show being held in Istanbul in May), it drew attendees from all over Turkey and some surrounding countries.  Numerous Architects, Engineers, Builders and Designers engaged in discussions with the BC exhibitors.  The outcome of those interactions predominantly showcased the demand and desire for wood, while also highlighting the lack of distribution of products within the Turkish marketplace.  In a jointly hosted event with the Turkish Timber Association, members were also able to showcase their products to key importers and building materials distributors located in and around the construction hub of Istanbul. Response from these professionals was again encouraging, as products including Western Red Cedar, Prebuilt Housing, and Log Homes proved to be of high interest for regions all across Turkey, including the coastal regions of the Black Sea.

Where do the sales prospects lie?

A clear demand for wood products exists within the Turkish marketplace.  Much of the wood imported into Turkey is from surrounding markets of Russia, Ukraine, and Scandinavia. The key to accessing this demand for BC companies is securing partnership with local wood importers and distributors of other building materials.  This process will take some time and investment by BC Wood members and this show in Ankara was a positive step in the right direction.  Turkish building professionals are starved of opportunity to partner with Canadian companies and they are motivated to establish relationships with producers of high quality wood products. As with all new and emerging markets, finding the right partner is crucial in gaining market penetration.  Turkey’s current growth is expected to continue well into the next ten years and those members who continue to put time and effort into the Turkey market will be rewarded with sales and long term partnerships.

What is the market looking for?

WRC Lumber, WRC Shake and Shingles, Hand Crafted Log Homes, MDF, Plywood, Yellow Cedar, Hemlock, Douglas Fir, and Prebuilt Homes.

How do I access these opportunities?

BC Wood will distribute the show leads via the online Wood Supply Network. For more detailed market information contact dh@themataigroup.com

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.

By Annette Carberry,Executive Assistant, Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd.

In 2000, Kootenay Innovative Wood Ltd (KIW), a modern 30 million bf capacity re-manufacturing plant, first broke ground and began operations. Their goal is to create 100% natural softwood products for home enhancement, protection, and beauty, while maintaining the highest standards of product quality and Forest Stewardship.

Using locally harvested fibre supplied by Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd., KIW was soon producing superior products and sales began taking off. 12 years later, KIW is going strong, providing local, national, and global markets with softwood flooring, paneling, decking, and exterior home siding products. Located in the heart of British Columbia’s Southern Interior, KIW is surrounded by some of the finest softwood forests in the world yielding over 13 commercial softwood species.

Sustainability and Forest Stewardship are a top priority for KIW working closely with Kalesnikoff Lumber as a supplier of premium fibre both companies achieved FSC Certification in January 2010. All KIW product lines are now available with the FSC Mark guaranteeing the highest standard of forest stewardship today.

Production:

Kootenay Innovative Wood’s state-of-the-art equipment combined with the expertise of the crew, graders, and QC team easily assures the accuracy and consistency of its numerous product lines. Growing to an annual capacity of 30 million bf in 10 short years, KIW is excited about plans to expand further to support an increase in production and services. The 35,000 sq. ft. plant boasts a Weinig 8 head Jointed Moulder, Leadermac Moulder, Custom OSI End-Matching Line, and a McDonough Re-saw, all of which allow KIW a wide range of versatility for production and custom processing. Their on-site grinding room allows for the sharpening and custom cutting of knives for specialty orders.

KIW offers many choices for species and natural wood blends which produce unique colors and machine well to accept superior finishes. Their ESLP blend of 30% Engelmann Spruce and 70% Lodgepole Pine yields a strong, flexible exterior home siding in many styles and is currently their most popular species for interior paneling. Well known for their 2×6 Douglas Fir T&G decking, in 2010 KIW responded to market demands by adding 3×6 double T&G Douglas Fir decking to their product line. They are currently exploring the option of providing pre-drilling for the 3×6 decking in the future.

Products:

Kootenay Innovative Wood offers a variety of products including siding, flooring, paneling, and Douglas Fir finished products. They are constantly monitoring the trends and adding to their product lines in accordance to these demands.

Please click here for detailed descriptions for some of their main product line and to read the entire article

Looking ahead to 2012, Kootenay Innovative Wood Ltd. is excited to expand on new products and species, such as their Idaho White Pine Paneling introduced in 2010. Idaho White Pine is currently sought after by fine furniture makers around the world and Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd. is one of only a few mills in Canada currently producing White Pine products. Having exclusive access to this exceptional fibre has allowed KIW to create this new paneling line.

A new website is also on the list for 2012 for KIW, please visit them at www.kiwood.com and watch for the new website changes coming soon.

BC Wood will be exhibiting at the China International Exhibition on Housing Industry (CIEHI) this September in Beijing. This event will focus on China’s growing construction market and the application of new housing and green building technologies. Attendees of the three day event will include major real estate and property developers from around various regions in China. The event is hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Construction. Other organizers also include the China Real Estate Association, Beijing Construction Committee, and Beijing Housing Technology Development Co.

BC Wood, along with Canada Wood partners, COFI and CFPA, see a strong potential for Canadian wood products at this event and will coordinate participation.

When and Where?  

Date: September 27-29, 2011  
Location: Beijing, China

Why should you come?  

• Cost savings for BC Wood members
• Gain in-market exposure and first hand market intelligence
• Opportunity to meet key builders and developers in China

Who should participate?

Manufacturers of:

• Glulam and heavy timbers
• Prebuilt homes
• Outdoor wood products (Western Red Cedar)
• Landscaping products
• Exterior siding and panel products

Market Opportunities

• The rise in China’s middle class is credited for a growing and increasingly important import market. The country’s rapidly growing middle class has spurred strong domestic consumption of housing and material goods.
• Over the past 10 years, there has been rapid growth in China’s use of imported wood products.
• Despite the global recession, the China market is continuing to grow with GDP growth projected to continue at up to 8.5% per annum.
• China’s new policies, focused on improving energy efficiency and environmental impact of structures, make wood building systems an increasingly attractive option, with benefits such as carbon reduction and seismic stability

Save the date and register now!

For more information or to register, please click here  to download the registration form and fax to 604-882-7300 or contact David Pao at 604-882-7100 or dpao@bcwood.com

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.

New to BC Wood is Oregon Canadian Forest Products. Phil Lemon started this company in 1994. They manufacture and distribute high grade industrial clears from the coast of British Columbia. They specialize in Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Hemlock, fine grain, in both quarter sawn and flat sawn clears. They can supply custom sizes as small as 1×2 and as large as 12×12 and wider. They also manufacture WRC pattern stock for the hot tub and sauna industries.

A unique feature of this company is that they are able to diversify quickly and handle all types of special and unique orders. They also supplied Western Red Cedar for the construction of the Richmond Oval.

Oregon Canadian Forest Products strives to give back to their community by supporting local youth sports groups and many local and international charities with scholarships and donations.

For more information on Oregon Canadian Forest Products, visit their website: www.oregoncanadian.ca

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

This week, I got the opportunity to speak with Scott Boates, the Sales Manager for Cedar Shake and Shingle, from Teal-Jones Group.

The Teal-Jones Group started out as a small organization in 1946, and has since grown to the largest independently owned logging and lumbering organization in West Coast BC, employing over 1000 people.  They are headquartered in Surrey, BC, on the banks of the Fraser River. Currently, their operations span British Columbia coastal regions, the lower Fraser Valley, interior British Columbia, northern, central, and southern Vancouver Island, and the Queen Charlotte Islands. In 2005/2006, they completed a new small log mill (JS Jones) in Surrey as well as a planner mill in Sumas, Washington.

The Teal-Jones Group sets itself apart from its competitors by being a fully integrated company.  They do everything from planting trees, to milling, to selling the wood and everything in between.  Since 2004, The Teal-Jones Group has planted close to 7 million seedlings throughout B.C. which will provide future generations with a continuous supply of natural resources.

The Teal-Jones Group has attended every single Global Buyers Mission (GBM) and will be attending the 2010 GBM in Whistler this September.  Scott mentions that they have had a very positive experience with the GBM and has always gotten new clients from it.

Some advise that Scott passes on to first time exhibitors is to “be patient; usually you will have more than one opportunity to speak with the prospective clients.”  Also, “this is a different type of show, it is way more personal.” It is best to take your time with the people that come through your both.

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.