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Message
from the CEO
Brian Hawrysh, CEO
 While
this is the time of year when many of us are looking at the
calendar and planning summer vacation, it is the time when
BC Wood's staff begin to ramp up the delivery of our market
development programs.
With
this in mind, I am particularly pleased to announce the launch
of a revamped Wood Supply Network (WSN), BC Wood's on-line
inquiry system. The on-line system matches inquires from buyers
from around the world with the capabilities of BC's manufacturers
of value-added wood products. Recent up-grades to the system
have made the entire system - from both the buyers and the
members' perspective, much more user friendly. I encourage
all of you to re-connect to the WSN system at www.businessforwood.com
to update your company profiles and receive the newest of
these matched product inquiries. For more information about
how to connect to the WSN system please contact David Pao
in BC Wood's Langley office at 604-882-7100 or at dpao@bcwood.com.
This
time of year is also when preparations for BC Wood's Global
Buyers Mission (GBM) kick into high gear. We will, as in previous
years, have over 220 pre-qualified buyers coming from around
the world to Whistler, to source value-added wood products.
We have focused much of our recruiting efforts close to home
with the largest group of buyers coming from North America.
Along with a strong contingent from Europe, group delegations
will also be coming from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Mexico,
with new interest from Vietnam, Pakistan and Malaysia. As
a continuation of last year's very successful architects program,
we are expecting over 80 domestic & US architects and
interior designers that have been pre-qualified for their
interest in the more design oriented wood products.
The
interest in the GBM from overseas buyers continues to grow
and I fully expect the program will be fully subscribed in
a matter of weeks. Do not miss the opportunity to have your
products introduced to this well qualified group of buyers.
For more information on the 2008 Global Buyers Mission, contact
Randi Walker at 604-882-7100 or rwalker@bcwood.com. Information
is also available online by following the GBM link at www.bcwood.com.
please
do not hesitate to contact me directly at bhawrysh@bcwood.com
or 604-882-7100.
GBM
2008
Have you signed up for the 2008 Global Buyers
Mission™ (GBM) yet? There are still a few spaces left
for those of you looking to expand your international market
opportunities. We have buyers coming from all over Europe,
China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Vietnam, Pakistan
and the USA, to meet our Canadian manufacturers of wood and
value-added wood products. We expect 70% new buyers again
this year!
We
will be coordinating at least eight extended mission programs
this year, with a focus on visiting GBM participant's facilities
in BC, either before or after the event. Want to get on the
visiting list?
Not
interested in international market opportunities but want
to influence decisions of builders and buyers in your local
market? Our North American Architects & Designers Program
registration has already exceeded our limit and we are looking
for creative ways to handle the incredible level of interest
from this important audience.
Want
to meet other manufacturers from across the country and maybe
source new suppliers and/or buyers/distributors yourself?
The GBM is the largest gathering of Canadian wood products
manufacturers in the country. Our target is 30% new manufacturers
participating in the event this year. We are currently 84%
sold out, so if you plan to exhibit this year, let me know!
Just a reminder…this is not open to the public - you
must be a registered exhibitor or buyer to attend.
The
focus of the GBM is one-on-one meetings, networking, socializing,
business and relationship building. Oh, and if you golf -
we'll have that available too! More information and registration
forms available through the GBM link at www.bcwood.com, as
well as lots of great photos and lists of participants from
past events.
Questions?
Contact Randi Walker at rwalker@bcwood.com
or call 604-882-7100 (toll free 1-877-422-9663).
Japan
Market Update
Jim Ivanoff
G8
Summit to Put International Spotlight on Japanese Resorts
Over the past few years G8 Summits have become known as battlegrounds
over further economic globalization with TV footage of protestors
rioting being shown over and over again. In July the 2008
summit will be held in passive Japan so such scenes will be
highly unlikely. Instead viewers from around the world will
be treated to breath-taking views from the mountains of Hokkaido
which will be hosting the event.
Such
intense media coverage may finally expose to the world the
area known as Niseko, which has been one of Japan's best kept
secrets. This area was "discovered" years ago by
backpacking Australians looking for affordable skiing adventures.
What surprised most was that little known Niseko offered the
best powder skiing in the world, while being easily accessible
to major Asian markets. Australian entrepreneurs that happened
onto this skiing "promised land" jumped in head
first and began building up the resort area for well-heeled
Australians and expats living in Asia. The G8 Summit will
now expose this area to a global audience and attract an entire
new wave of tourists and development.
Seeing
the great opportunity being presented by the summit, Citibank
is lauching its newly renovated luxury hotel in Niseko under
the Hilton brand just before the world leaders arrive (the
property was formerly a Prince Hotel). Not to be outdone,
the American luxury resort operator West Paces Hotel Group
recently announced its Capella Niseko Resort project which
will consist of an 80 room hotel and a 150 suite condominium.
To be designed by Japan's leading architect Tadau Ando, the
property promises to offer the highest level of luxury for
both affluent Japanese and foreign travellers. All of the
condominium units are expected to sell for several million
dollars each. West Pace will undoubtedly try to use the coverage
of the G8 Summit to pre-sell as many of these units as possible.
As
the Niseko area now achieves critical mass as an international
resort, BC Wood members should see many new opportunities
arise from these projects as well as other up and coming resorts
in Japan. To help members take advantage of these new developments,
the BC Wood Japan Office is now working on a market research
project to layout where the best prospects lie and how to
access them. The findings of this research will be quickly
put into use in our pre-show marketing activities leading
up to this fall's Japan Home Show. So stay tuned!
Deadline Approaching for Space at the Japan Home Show
While
most people at this time of year are thinking about BBQs and
vacations, I spend many waking hours contemplating the Japan
Home Show. Sick, I know. Unfortunately though the deadline
for applications is this month and I want to give as many
BC Wood members the opportunity to showcase their products
at what is still the largest dedicated building products show
in Japan.
This
year's Japan Home Show promises to offer a lot to participating
companies. For one the show is expanding. As this show has
become the main venue for imported building products, more
companies from around the world than ever are signing up.
Therefore, an extra hall is being added this year. This expansion
is undoubtedly being aided by the fact that producers which
had been relying on the US market are now running to Japan
to find new business.
The
other great opportunity being presented to Canadian lumber
related companies this year is due to Russia's impending January
increase of its export tax on logs and raw lumber to 80%.
This has made the entire Japanese wood products industry nervous
and is forcing them to find new suppliers. The one country's
name that comes up most is Canada's. With most of the major
wood buyers walking the floor of the Japan Home Show, it makes
sense for Canadian companies interested in looking at this
rare opportunity to take market share from Europe to be there
ready to talk business.
If
you are interested in the Japan Home Show or any other of
the BC Wood programs in Japan, please contact me by e-mail
at ivanoff@canadawood.jp
Snapshots
Despite the continuing overall lull in the Japanese condominium
market due to the tough new building permit process, starts
of high-end condos in Tokyo shot-up 70% in 2007. This caught
many industry watchers by surprise and is encouraging leading
developers to put more resources into such projects. Tough
regulations or not, people with money want their condos now!
While
we have all grown accustomed to reading about weak economic
growth around the world, the Japanese government had to revise
its GDP figures for the first quarter upwards from 3.3% to
4.0%. Japan's economy benefited from stronger than expected
capital expenditure as well surprisingly strong consumer spending.
After
the initial shock of Russia's proposed export tax on logs
and rough-sawn lumber wore off, many wood industry people
in Japan, China, and Europe thought that announcement was
just Russian posturing. However, as the tax was increased
on schedule on April 1st to 25%, industry watchers now fear
that Russia is serious about raising the tax to 80% next January.
China
Market Update
Gary
Tattrie
COMMERCIAL
MISSION TO CHINA
On
a crisp, sunny week in March 2008, I lead a delegation of
four BC Wood members on a commercial mission to China. The
main focus of the trip was our participation at a large trade
show in Beijing at the China International Exhibition Center
March 7-10. Like many China trade shows, there were multiple
events in different halls on the exhibition grounds at the
same time.
This
event was in-fact two shows.
-
The 12th Exhibition on Woodworking Machinery & Furniture
Manufacturing Equipment.
-
The 12th Exhibition on Furniture Accessories, Materials &
Wood Products.
This
show location alternates every second year between Beijing
and Shanghai.
Stats
on the show include:
- Total exhibition area 60,000M2 spread out over 14 halls
- Exhibiting countries/regions 21 including: Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Finland,
India, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, P.R. China, Russia, Singapore,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan & US
- Number of exhibitors 637
- Number of attendees/visitors 29,298 - 95% P.R. China
- Nature of attendees/visitors business
Manufacturing - 49%
Wholesaler/Agent/Distributor - 14%
Trading - 13%
Retail - 13%
Other - 11%
Member
feedback from individual company results was positive, although
there were comments from the companies that had participated
before, that the Shanghai version of the show brought out
smaller, more diversified attendees. This is probably attributable
to the fact that the bulk of the woodworking industry in China
is 'Shanghai & South'. Beijing is geographically a long
way from 'Shanghai & South', so many of the smaller companies,
would not make the trip.
New
CFPA/BC Wood Exhibit for Chinese Trade Shows
Individual
member booths were anchored by the new CFPA/BC Wood exhibit,
highlighting the various BC species manufactured into a variety
of value added-products like doors, windows, stairparts, moulding,
paneling, flooring etc. The exhibit proved very effective,
with positive comments received from show attendees.
Beijing
Timber Market
After the show concluded, our group visited the new timber
market in Beijing, where hundreds & hundreds of individual
stocking merchants sell a variety of Tropical & Temperate
lumber & panel products from their own kiosks to contractors,
builders, carpenters & the public. It is a great opportunity
to actually see the variety & qualities of wood products
that are actually selling in a particular region in China.
BC products in various inventories included Alder & WRC
lumber & OSB. Other products on display were Russian &
Scandinavian softwood lumber, treated wood, and tropical hardwood
logs, cants/flitches & lumber.
Most
Expensive House In China
At the invitation of Greg Hoing, Deputy Managing Director,
Canada Wood China, I had the unique experience to visit what
is billed as the most expensive house in China. Upon completion
of construction in July, it will have cost $150 million dollars,
of which the walled property represents over a third of the
final cost. It is in a famous high rent district of Beijing
called Hou Hai, which is home to many of past & current
Communist Party leadership, including the daughter of former
Chinese Party Leader, Deng Xiaoping.
However,
the owner of this new house is not a Chinese Communist. He
is a Russian capitalist named Roman Abramovich who is no ordinary
Russian. He is a 41 year old billionaire who made his fortunes
in the oil business. Forbes ranks him as the 15th richest
person in the world with a net worth of 23.5 billion dollars,
and this man knows how to 'live large'. Among his many assets
is the worlds most expensive collection of 5 luxury yachts
(avg length 102M), a Boeing 767 and a fleet of smaller jets
& helicopters, plus the UK Chelsea English Premier Football
Club.
His
ex wife is the granddaughter of Boris Yeltsin. Vladimir Putin
is apparently staying in this house during the upcoming Summer
Olympics.
The
house itself is 3100M2 over 2 floors - the main floor is actually
a series of freestanding, single roomed traditional Chinese
post & beam buildings, connected by a series of outside
courtyards accented with sturdy pagoda's with complicated
roof construction. The collection of buildings that make up
the main floor, is about 20,000 ft2 with a 13,000 ft2 fully
subterranean basement with 6M high ceilings, which include
parking for his Ferrari or Maybach Top architects from all
over the world were brought in to help design the overall
complex.
Main
frame of buildings are huge teak logs & beams, intricately
carved with Chinese historical scenes & symbols. There
is about 5 containers STK Western Red Cedar lumber used in
the exposed roofing system as rafters.
Mr.
Abramovich is now looking for a similar piece of property
in Shanghai to do the same thing. This new addition will compliment
his collection of other residences in Moscow, 3 in England,
and Colorado.
For
more information on the Chinese market, contact Gary Tattrie
at gtattrie@bcwood.com.
Recent
Market Studies
BC
Wood Products Trend Analysis for 2007
The analysis provides an overview of our key markets, trends
in consumption, supply and demand, and BC's competitive position
internationally. The report is posted to the FII web site,
as are previous editions of the Trend Analysis.
Details
in this report include:
o Commodity wood products - lumber, plywood, OSB, particleboard
and MDF.
o A market overview and discussion of trends for each of BC's
major markets - US, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Europe,
Australia, and New Zealand.
o Information on emerging markets - Middle East, Vietnam and
India.
o A summary of supply and demand, consumption, imports and
exports, where such information is available - as well as
market share, economic indicators, and competition trends.
The
2007 Annual report also includes some limited data on the
value-added industry and its markets.
Over
the past year, a variety of detailed market research reports
on China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, India
and Pakistan were published. New research on Eastern Europe
and the Western Russia is also available. Brief summaries
of all reports are available on the Industry Resources page
at FII's web site www.bcfii.ca/industry_resources.
Detailed information is password-protected to ensure the materials
are only used by the BC forest sector. If you would like to
add another name, delete your name from the distribution list,
or you have problems accessing the web site, please contact
us at info@bcfii.ca.
The
Japanese Imported Housing Market
The
imported housing market in Japan has been a main target for
Canadian companies due to its size, ability to pay, and interest
in a broad range of products. The boom days of the mid-1990s
grabbed the attention of many suppliers as the Japanese industry
was seemingly buying everything in BC. Unfortunately, like
all "booms" or bubbles, it came to an end and it
did so just as people began to realize that Japan's annual
housing starts were bound to start falling due to demographic
realities. As a result, many industry watchers on both sides
of the Pacific have been expecting the entire imported housing
industry to fade away.
To
read the complete study, please follow this link.
Upcoming
Events
International
Woodworking Fair 2008
The
International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply
Fair - USA® is one of the world's largest trade show for
the furniture manufacturing, architectural woodwork, custom
and general woodworking industries - and it's more than woodworking.
IWF also meets the needs of the engineered wood product, composite,
wood substitute, display and store fixture, plastic fabricating,
flooring, surfacing and laminating, and upholstery industries.
Please contact Dave Farley at dfarley@bcwood.com
for more information.
Japan
DIY Home Centre Show
Japan
DIY Show - As the largest DIY event, it attracts the DIY chain
store buyers from all over Japan. The exhibitors get a list
of the participating buyers beforehand and can book appointments
with DIY chains of their choosing.
Please contact Jim Ivanoff at ivanoff@canadawood.jp
for more information.
WSN
Inquiry System
David
Pao
BC
Wood is introducing a new and improved online inquiry system
designed to match customer inquiries with your products. In
order to make this system as effective as possible, please
visit the new website at www.businessforwood.com
to update your company profile and product information.
For
more information on the WSN, please visit www.bcwood.com
or contact David Pao at dpao@bcwood.com
or 604-882-7100.
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Business
Innovation Program
Scott Thompson
Greetings!
It has been an interesting and exciting few months as we embark
down the path on the Business Innovation Partnership. BC Wood
and FP Innovations (Forintek) staff have recently completed
60 needs assessments from companies around the province. A
big thank-you goes out to all those companies for their assistance.
The initial 60 needs assessments help us to understand the
challenges faced by small and medium sized businesses and
will enable us to design programs and services that react
to those issues. A further 60 interviews will be conducted
in the next 6 months.
The
iforwood.com website has been expanded to include links to
market and technical analysis reports as well as trade show
listings that BC Wood is participating in.
Guide
to Sourcing Investment Capital workshops were held around
the province in the past few months. Specifically Prince George,
Nanaimo, Kelowna and Vancouver and the response from participating
companies was very encouraging.
The
Business Innovation Partnership also held its first Strategic
Business Planning workshop. This is a full day course that
is designed to examine the components of a well-written business
plan. The workshop utilizes a case study based on a value
added wood products business. Participants receive electronic
copies of a business plan template, scenario forecast spreadsheet
templates and business terms and rational. Participants at
the initial workshop held Jul 8th in Surrey were very pleased
with the content as delivered by Meyers Norris Penny. Comments
included:
"An
excellent, well laid out presentation, answered questions
thoughtfully, all in the most pleasant manner. Will recommend
to others in similar positions" - Henrik Laursen, Silva
Panel.
"Good
practical approach to a quality business plan" - Paul
Tabuchi, Tamlin International Homes Co. Ltd.
The
next Strategic Business Planning workshop is scheduled for
Sept 23rd in Kelowna. Please register via www.iforwood.com
or call Scott Thompson directly at 604-882-7100.
Please
visit our new website at www.iforwood.com
for more information.
Please do not hesitate to call me regarding the Business Innovation
Program. I can be reached at 604-882-7100 or sthompson@bcwood.com.
European
Market Update
Daryl Holmes
UK
And Ireland Continues To Show Promise
Daryl Holmes
May, 2008 -Glasgow, Scotland
BC
Wood recently led a group of members on a mission and trade
event in Scotland, UK. The show was held in Glasgow where
participants took part in the Scottish Home Builders Show,
a networking trade event, making over 40 new business leads.
Participants took part in a 3 day mission prior to the show,
meeting with local key decision makers, architects, designers
and engineers. Member companies including Old Yale Log Homes,
BC Timber Frame, Calico Log Homes, Pioneer Log Homes and Teal
Jones have begun to develop sales proposals with Scottish
buyers and are engaged in business partnerships within the
competitive Scottish marketplace.
What's
going on in Scotland?
Market
opportunity for B.C. Wood members within the niche Scottish
marketplace continues to grow for our manufacturers of Log
Home, Timber Frame structures and Cedar manufacturers.
We
found a lot of interest in cedar siding as this product regains
popularity as a building material. Log Home and holiday developments
are beginning to emerge as developers look to provide for
the demand for eco friendly green structures in the rural
areas. The self build fad has taken over the construction
industry in Scotland in the past 5 years and with it, the
popularity of timber framed buildings has increased. The notion
of home owners building a hybrid home with timber and brick
and timber and post and beam accents is growing daily. In
addition to local residential development, Scotland is home
to some remote landscapes, islands and lake countryside. Opportunity
for building materials to be sold to these areas is real and
the opportunity to build timber structures is also prominent.
What
are the barriers to delivery of product into this market?
As with many of our offshore markets, there are local barriers
that must be addressed in order to successfully export to
Scotland. The main issues encountered in this market include:
"
Product education and acceptance
The status quo for building in Scotland remains brick and
concrete construction however, as we continue to educate the
market on the advantages of wood construction, we will see
an increase in demand. Using wood as an exterior cladding
has gained momentum and with continued investment into this
market, members will secure future sales and growth in the
conservative Scottish market.
"
Planning permissions
While demand for product is increasing, the main thorn in
the side of a member looking to land product into Scotland
remains the securing of planning permission from the local
county authorities within the country. Throughout the country,
there does not seem to be a policy on wood structures that
has any transferability from one county to another. Gaining
permission to build a wooden structure, or any structure for
that matter, lies in the hands of each individual local authority
which leads to the necessity for local partnership.
"
Local partnerships
The ability to partner with the local development community
is essential to delivery of product. Without local partnership
with architects, specifiers and builders, the prospects of
delivery of product becomes daunting. Having said that, there
is still opportunity to sell directly to the land owner, providing
the planning permission issue has been resolved. BC Wood has
already made inroads to securing partnerships with the builders
and industry professionals and will continue efforts to connect
and engage members within this community.
In
conclusion, the Scottish marketplace is worthy of investment
from our members. Market diversity is important and with the
challenges in the US market, the time to act is now. Those
members who have already invested time and resources in this
market are already reaping the benefits and there are market
indicators that suggest that sales of our member products
will continue to grow in accordance with the demand for wood
construction.
For
more information on this marketplace contact Daryl Holmes
at dholmes@bcwood.com
US
Market Update
Doug Auer
San
Francisco, CA, June 25th-27th, 2008
BC Wood once again partnered with industry members to showcase
BC products in the California marketplace. This year's annual
Pacific Coast Builders Conference saw fewer attendees then
in past "boom years". A subdued, and noticeably
smaller, throng of West Coast building professionals gathered
at Moscone Center the week of June 21st for the conference
and trade show. Builders appeared to be sending their key
decision makers and not the full entourage of sales staff
evident in the hay days of 2005.
The
overall mood of the conference speakers was down with only
a few bright spots delivered during the many extra presentations
given by industry professionals. One had to look beyond some
of the dismal statistics to hear the positive feelings and
hopeful predictions for the current downturn in the housing
market.
From
the tradeshow floor, the overwhelming theme of the show was
green building! Everyone was green or green washed in some
manner. Some of the seminars were geared specifically towards
helping builders by showing them that green is here to stay
and is helping to sell new homes. I want to share some of
the statistics and comments I heard during this show and hopefully
it will help everyone understand the current dilemma in the
western United States, and give some insight into planning
for future business in the area.
Everyone
pointed to the foreclosure problem as the number one problem
facing the housing industry for the short term. Once the glut
of foreclosures, which banks unload at bargain prices, gets
sold, the hope is that the market will start to regain equilibrium.
Lenders are predicting that foreclosures will dramatically
decline by the end of 2008. It's apparent that the residential
construction industry cannot compete with the foreclosure/short
sale market. Buyers are able to find deals on foreclosed homes
at considerably less than the cost of newly built homes by
developers.
Bob
Rivinius, California Building Industry Association (CBIA)
President stated that fewer new homes will be built in California
this year than in any year since WWII, and 2009 doesn't look
much better. Alan Nevin, chief economist for the CBIA, reported
permits for 72,350 units are expected to be issued in 2008.
Of those, 38,250 are for single-family homes and 34,000 for
multi-family units. In both 2004 and 2005, the state issued
permits for 200,000 units. Single-family production in the
state, at 38,250 units, will be off 75 percent from its peak
of 155,322 in 2005.
However,
this is not all doom and gloom for BC manufacturers.
The
California Department of Finance reports the state had added
490,000 people in the last year. The CBIA estimates California
builders need to produce 230,000 homes a year just to keep
pace with demographic demand. It's important for all BC Wood
members to remember that even with the lower numbers being
reported, there is still a tremendous amount of building happening
in the State, as well as the entire country. BC Wood Members
need to take advantage of this down cycle and work hard to
position themselves at a time when builders in the States
are taking the time to find new products and suppliers to
help them gain some sort of competitive advantage. The members
who attended the show have all reported that key sales leads
were gathered and important connections to key decision makers
in the industry were made.
My
favorite quote I heard at the show and one I'm sure you who
know me have heard me say often, "Every down cycle is
the beginning of the next up cycle". With that being
said, I urge all BC Wood members to think long-term and position
themselves for the eventual recovery of the US building market
by participating in the tradeshows throughout the country.
Even with fewer attendees on the tradeshow floor, there were
strong leads generated by all of our BC Wood members participating.
For more information and assistance in this market please
don't hesitate to contact me at 530-412-3672 or by email at
dauer@bcwood.com.
Vietnam
Market Update
David
Pao
Vietnam
continues to rise as a hot market in Asia showing significant
opportunities and interest in Canadian wood products. In the
past few years, the growth of Canadian wood exports has increased
tremendously from C$1.9 million in early 2006 to C$7.5 million
by the end of 2007.
In
May of this year, BC Wood worked with the Trade Commissioner
Service to host an incoming group of Vietnamese wood buyers
to visit mills and meet with member companies in British Columbia.
Mr. Tuy Dinh, from the Ho Chi Minh Trade Commissioner's office,
was the mission leader for the 11 companies and 16 delegates
that attended. The group consisted of key wood furniture manufacturers
and wood traders from the Vietnamese market.
The
group visited mills and lumber yards in the interior of the
province, as well as local mills and facilities. BC Wood hosted
a business networking reception where BC lumber exporters
were able to meet with the Vietnamese delegation. The delegation
was particularly interested in learning more about SPF, Douglas
Fir, Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, White Pine, Yellow Cedar,
Lodgepole Pine, and Bigleaf Maple.
A
Vietnamese delegation will be participating in the GBM this
September and in October, BC Wood is planning to take a group
of member companies to exhibit in the HCMC Expo in Ho Chi
Minh City. This is the largest wood products trade show in
Vietnam and an excellent opportunity to meet the key players
in the market. Please contact David Pao at 604-882-7100 or
by email at dpao@bcwood.com
for more information.
BC
Wood Architects Program
Roy Manion
Recently,
BC Wood announced the introduction of the BC Wood Architect
Program. This announcement and an application for companies
who are interested in participating in this program were sent
out to all BC Wood members. If you didn't receive the announcement
or the application to participate, please contact Roy Manion
at BC Wood.
As
the announcement states, this program stemmed from a key lesson
we learned during BC Wood's Olympic Program when we were meeting
with architects and designers to have BC manufactured wood
products maximized in Olympic venues. What we learned is that
Architects and Designers (A & D's) in general, have a
lack of knowledge about many value-added wood products produced
by our industry. While there are always exceptions to the
rule, this lack of knowledge was quite extensive and spread
across all sectors. At the same time, many of these same A
& D's knew more about imported and/or alternative products
than those from our industry. As a result, in all too many
cases, imported or alternative products are being specified
on local projects at our industry's expense. Furthermore,
to get A & D's to change specifications proved to be a
daunting task.
It
is therefore critical for companies in our industry; to reach
out to the A & D community prior to their specifying products,
to educate them on your products and their value including
environmental, quality, innovation; product range and competitiveness.
By doing this, A & D's will have information on hand that
will allow them to specify your products at the outset of
the process.
What
may surprise many is that BC has in excess of 1,000 A &
D's throughout the province. However, for various reasons,
the ability of most of BC Wood's members to access this group
is difficult at best and in many cases impossible.
The
good news is that BC Wood is ideally positioned to carry out
the role of educator, promoter, and facilitator on industry's
behalf, as well as being a one-call resource for A & D's
to access all our members.
In
view of the forgoing, BC Wood is establishing the BC WOOD
ARCHITECT PROGRAM which will reach out to A & D's on behalf
of industry, with the objective of increasing knowledge, acceptance,
and demand for members' products through education, promotion
and industry access.
Key
components of the Architect program will be as follows:
- Conduct Lunch & Learn sessions for A & D's - we
visit their facilities, bring lunch and put on an hour long
seminar
- Attend and exhibit at events where A & D's will be present.
- Conduct classroom seminars with A & D students.
- Publish quarterly newsletters with industry news and profiling
one or two participating members in each publication
- Establish an A & D friendly resource section on the
BC Wood web site.
- Become Registered Providers for both AIBC and IDIBC so that
A & D's will have incentives, in the form of Learning
Units, to attend BC Wood's sponsored functions.
- Develop a database of A & D's which will be used to
contact and invite them to BC Wood sponsored events.
Actually, the last two have been done, although the data base
will be a constantly evolving project.
A key preparatory item still to be done is to compile a BC
Wood members' product information library, including samples,
literature, CD's and DVD's, etc.; all of which may be used
in the seminar's etc., including providing A&D's with
promotional material for their respective libraries.
While
all this is going on, BC Wood has also been aggressively inviting
A&D's to our Global Buyers Mission. More on this issue
is covered in Randi Walker's section on the GBM.
Energy
Star
While there is still much work to do, there has been considerable
progress in an effort to resolve this contentious issue as
it relates to wood doors. It is a virtual certainty that wood
doors will be exempt from the Energy Star regulations, as
they currently stand and which will come into effect for all
other doors and all windows January '09. However, that does
not mean that wood door manufacturers can remain with the
status quo. Government, while they finally recognize the environmental
benefits of constructing doors with wood, need for industry
to show an overall "improvement" in wood doors heat
loss values. To this end, wood door manufacturers will be
contacted in the upcoming weeks and months as we seek input
from industry on a number of manufacturing issues, including
how to improve the heat loss value of wood doors. Your co-operation
on this very important issue will be greatly appreciated.
Please note that any manufacturing information provided will
be kept in confidence. However, a current "baseline performance"
standard will need to be determined prior to moving forward
with achievable performance improvement targets. Therefore,
a certain amount of data re current manufacturing standards
will need to be obtained. Once this information is gathered
and processed, the next step will be determined. All this
will be explained during the visit. It is expected that David
Bruce, formerly the president of the WDMA, will be spearheading
this data gathering process.
Olympic
Program
Although BC Wood is still somewhat active in this program,
the major thrust of it is behind us. The program has had its
share of frustrations and successes. One of our major successes
is the BC Pavilion in Beijing where a number of members participated
in supplying all the wood used in the pavilion.
For
further information on any of the above, please contact Roy
Manion at 604-882-7100 or by email at rmanion@bcwood.com.
Welcome
to BC Wood!
Welcome
New Members
C&
C Furnishings Inc.
www.candcfurnishings.com
Cariboo
Building Systems Ltd
www.cariboobuildingsystems.com
MacKenzie
Sawmill Ltd
www.mackenziesawmill.com
Terminal
Forest Products
www.terminalforest.com
Welcome
New Associate Members
North
American Wood Treating
Canada
Housing Developments Inc.
Sunset
Business Solutions
Got
Something to Say?
If
you have any questions, comments, or would like to contribute
to BC Wood News On-line, please contact David
Pao at:
BC
Wood
#200 - 9292, 200th Street
Langley, BC
Phone: (604) 882-7100
Fax: (604) 882-7300
Toll Free: 1-877-422-9663
or email dpao@bcwood.com
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