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Happy Valentines Day!
If you have not been featured in our Spotlight section and would like to be, please email me at rmann@bcwood.com or call 604-882-7100. You do not have to be a member of BC Wood, or any other association to participate.
If you are using Microsoft Outlook to view this email, you may not be able to see all of the images, or the formatting might be a bit off. In this case you can view the webpage version of this email by clicking on the link at the top of this email "Having trouble viewing this email? Click here" or visit our Wood Connections archives and click on 'Wood Connections - February 14, 2013' Read below for highlights from the past 2 weeks. Also, feel free to send me news stories that you think our readers would be interested in. You can email them to me at rmann@bcwood.com
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| Industry News | Wood construction takes centre stage this year at Buildex
Journal of Commerce - February 11, 2013
 As stronger wood products hit the construction market, expect the height of wood structures to rise, say engineers and architects.
In the seminar Innovation in Wood Construction, engineer Eric Karsh and architect Jana Foit will hammer home the benefits of wood construction and how new wood building materials will lead to projects beyond the six-storey limit that exists in B.C. today. "The new wood products have progressed so much. Building codes need to recognize the differences and include them in the standards," said Karsh, a civil engineer and principal at Vancouver's Equilibrium Consulting. One product he expects to be included in Canadian building codes within a few years is cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels. The panels, which can be 10 feet wide by 40 feet long and up to 16 inches thick, are built up from narrow planks, roughly one inch thick.
Click here to read the entire article
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| Industry News | Tolko to restart its OSB mill in Slave Lake
Edmonton Journal - February 12, 2013
Growing demand from the U.S. housing markets has convinced Tolko Industries the time is right to reopen its Athabasca mill in Slave Lake. The company is proceeding with preparations to reopen its oriented strand board (OSB) and engineered wood products mill early in 2014, president and CEO Brad Thorlakson announced Tuesday. Tolko, a private, Canadian-owned forest products company based in Vernon, B.C., closed the plant in 2009. "Before we could commit to the significant financial and human resource investment required to restart the mill, we had to determine, to the greatest degree possible, that current improvements in market conditions are sustainable," Thorlakson said in a release. "We are confident about the future of the industry and look forward to positive years ahead. Reopening Athabasca confirms our commitment to meeting the needs of our customers through innovation and product development." Click here to read the entire article
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| Industry News | Canadian lumber producers boosted by U.S. housing upswing
Globe and Mail - February 10, 2013  The sawmills of three major Canadian lumber producers are expected to enjoy brisk orders this year, especially as housing markets in the United States perk up.
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., Canfor Corp. and International Forest Products Ltd., which report their fourth-quarter results this week, have regained their swagger during the long road to recovery over the past four years. B.C. Interior sawmills operated by West Fraser, Canfor and Interfor are working their way through limited timber inventories that must be processed after mountain pine beetles decimated forests in the region, but there is an abundance of wood supply in the U.S. Southeast, said Mark Kennedy, an analyst with CIBC World Markets Inc. Interfor will release its fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, while West Fraser and Canfor will announce their financial results on Friday. Analysts forecast the three Vancouver-based companies will generate impressive margins for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) because lumber prices climbed sharply in the final quarter of 2012. Click here to read the entire article |
| Industry News | WORKSHOP: Geo-traceability - a new marketing tool
BC Wood and FP Innovations are inviting you to participate in a geo-traceability workshop, to determine the potential role of traceability systems like ThisForest as a marketing tool, and as an addition or alternative to certification. WHAT IT'S ABOUT Attendees will be introduced to forest product marketing trends, how certification changed the game, and the growing use of geo-traceability. The leaders of the workshop will discuss geo-traceability in depth, providing a solid understanding of its unique attributes. A forest products geo-traceability system, ThisForest, is being developed by Ecotrust and will be introduced and review in some detail. Attendee's comprehension of the growth and importance of geo-traceability will be expanded include insights as to how international markets perceive and in some cases demand geo-traceability. WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU Consumers are increasingly curious about the story behind their purchases, and once they know that story, they are likely to tell it to friends and family for years to come, generating support and referrals for your business. With today's technology, it is easy to share the story of your products with your clients using geo-traceability. This workshop will also explore how geo-traceability situates itself in relation to certification, international trade trends and supply chain management. Geo-traceability is certain to become an important tool for marketing and branding companies as responsible, concerned and accountable. It is in your best interest to find out if participation in this project will benefit you now and in years to come. Date: Thursday, February 21, 2013 Time: 10:00am-3:00pm Location: 7551 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC For more information, contact Randi Walker at rwalker@bcwood.com or 604-882-7100. Click here to register |
Industry News - FPInnovations Update
| Dust Collection for the Small Shop
Dust collection is one of those issues for the small woodworking shop that cost money to operate and maintain, but doesn't seem to add value to the product...or does it. Lacking dust collection or having inadequate dust collection can generate all sorts of problems if for example, you have a finishing booth. Without an appropriate dust collection system, fine dust particles will be drawn into the spray area either by the area's exhaust system or by being stirred up by other movement in the shop. Wet coated surfaces are magnets for dust, and as a result product quality suffers and your finishing costs rise as you try to deal with fixing the problem at a later stage.
Small shops have two choices with regard to dust collection: a portable single stage dust collection system or a two-stage cyclone system. The single-stage systems are economical to acquire, simple to operate and being portable, they can be moved from wood working machine to machine as required. They have less loss of air velocity and volume as the blower unit is close to the source of chips, shavings and dust. However, they need adequate space to operate in and they have to be repositioned as required. The fan or impeller on these units does come into contact with dust or any other debris in the air stream which in turn may cause damage to the fan assembly. Such impacts can cause sparks and in the presence of dry, fine woody material, a fire could result.
Two-stage or centralized dust collection systems are more powerful and costly, but they can accommodate the dust collection needs of a number of machines simultaneously. A two stage system involves a cyclone to separate out coarse dust from the finer dust, followed by a filtering system or bag house to capture the fine dust. They are more often positioned outdoors thereby freeing up valuable floor space. With these systems the impeller does not come into contact with any of the debris drawn in but sparks can still occur in these systems especially in the ducting and the bag house.
A duct system is required to connect the machines to the dust collector. Ducting systems can be the downfall of any centralized system therefore careful design is required so that the dust collector position is optimized to the position of the machine it services. There are a number of factors that can influence the performance of these systems. For example, the machines being connected should be in close proximity to the dust collector and attached with ducting that contains a minimal number of corners and other joints. Using the optimal duct diameter size for each machine ensures sufficient air volume to provide effective dust collection and air velocity to move the dust along the duct without it settling into piles.
The decision between a single stage or a two stage dust collection system rests mainly with cost, space requirements, simplicity of operation and dust collection requirements. Contacting a local vendor of dust collection equipment is a good first step in making the final decision on which system to choose.
Good websites about dust collector basics can be found at http://billpentz.com and http://www.rockler.com/articles/getting-tough-on-dust.cfm . Alternatively, there are a number of companies that offer turnkey dust collection systems and services to assist companies in selecting the optimum sized units for their manufacturing needs.
For further information contact on this topic, contact Brian Ehrecke (250) 462-4000, brian.ehrecke@fpinnovations.ca |
| Specifiers Program | Roy Manion
As mentioned in earlier Wood Connections, we anticipated that the first quarter of 2013 would be a busy for the Specifiers Program and the reality is indeed living up to expectations. We started 2013 out with a bang as January was an incredibly busy month. We conducted 9 Lunch & Learn (L&L) sessions with architects in Vancouver and Surrey and booked additional sessions for February and March. Three of these sessions were initiated by the architects as they requested follow up lunch & learns on specific products we covered in our overview. We also finalized 4 seminars; two of which are with the two major construction associations in Greater Vancouver - The Independent Construction Business Association (ICBA) and the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA). BC Wood will have 5 firms from industry actively participating in these sessions with each having approximately 20 minutes to educate the contractors on their respective products. We have also finalized plans for group seminars in Kamloops and Kelowna. These sessions are targeting architects and specifiers and once again BC Wood will be joined by representatives from our industry. This time, 4 companies will participate and present their products in an educational format to the respective groups. We are also planning on a couple of individual L&L sessions while in the Okanagan. All these sessions will be held in March with Kamloops and Kelowna scheduled for March 5th and 6th respectively, the VRCA scheduled for March 20th, and the ICBA scheduled for March 27th. While we haven't mentioned it yet, February will be no "cake walk". As of now, we will have conducted 3 lunch & learn sessions, and are gearing up for Buildex which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. a week later, I am off to Seattle for the Wood Solutions Fair and returning for another lunch & learn session. Then the week after, we are off to the Interior for our previously mentioned seminars. In the first weekend of February, I had the pleasure of speaking to the BC Log and Timber Builder Industry Association on the subject of Marketing to Architects. The occasion was the LTBIA's 16th Annual Conference and AGM which was held at the Quaaout Lodge in Chase, BC. Although my stay was relatively short, I did have the opportunity to renew acquaintances and met some new friends from the LTBIA. From all reports, the conference was a great success so congratulations to Patti LeFrancois and Aaron Moore and their groups for organizing this successful event. I was happy to have been a small part of it. It's hard to believe but in just 6 (hectic) weeks, our fiscal year will come to an end and we will start gearing up for the 2013 - 2014 Specifiers Program. If you have any thoughts regarding changes or additions to the program, this would be a good time for your suggestions. We are very open to them as in the end, while we may administer the program, it can only be successful if industry is fully engaged with the ultimate goal of increasing industry's business. So if you have any suggestions, please let us know. Also, if you have any questions on this article or wish for more information on any aspect of the Specifier Program, please contact me at rmanion@bcwood.com or call the office. I would look forward to hearing from you. |
| Tradeshow Tips/Advice | Look For Big Opportunities At Small Trade Shows
Skyline Tradeshow Tips - February 11, 2013
 I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy, I believe, and I'm flexible, so I try to look at the positive opportunities in any situation. Small trade shows, therefore, aren't a problem. In fact, they can be a powerful tool for the opportunistic trade show marketer.
Sure, you can go into the small show looking for problems, but a positive approach can get you more bang for your buck than many larger shows. 1. Small audience. Big connections. - Sure, the traffic might not be heavy throughout your show, but that lets you reach out to a few key contacts to schedule meetings. Fewer activities and a smaller show floor means they are likely to have fewer commitments if you can get on their calendars early. Make a compelling case and get the appointment in your trade show booth or before or after the exhibit hours.
Click here to read the entire article
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US Market Update
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Dave Farley
A few comments, suggestions, and ideas that may be of interest...
A few weeks back, BC Wood and a contingent of eight member companies travelled to Las Vegas to participate at the International Builders Show (IBS), an annual event where tens of thousands of suppliers, distributors, and builders convene to examine new innovations in home building materials, appliances, fixtures, and technologies.
The mood at this years' event was optimistic, as construction of single family homes climbed 18% in December from the previous year. When measured year-to-year, home construction in the US is projected to be 23% higher than in 2011, which was a record low year. Strong housing starts along with pent up consumer demand created an air of renewed confidence at this year's IBS.
IBS also sets the standard for manufacturers to unveil the latest in new and innovative construction products. Kohler, for example, introduced a Bluetooth enabled shower head that can instantly stream your music collection from your cell phone or tablet. Innovative wood products included stunning curved glass door systems from Nana Wall and Caoba door that take advantage of the Eclipse track system which allows the doors to be folded away allowing for large unobstructed openings of up to 20 feet.
The BC contingent, not to be overshadowed by their competitors, did an excellent job of showcasing their wares. Kettle Valley Millwork partnered with Norelco cabinets in the design and construction of a beautiful booth exhibiting their world-class cabinet and architectural millwork capabilities. One showstopper was Norelco's "gun slinger" kitchen which featured a solid mesquite wood counter which was supported by 3 hand carved six shooter guns. Attendees were drawn to the unique look of the kitchen and at one point had a line up of 10 people to get into the booth.
Participating BC Wood members commented on the high quality leads that were created at the event. BC Wood member Canadian Timberframes Ltd. felt that they got over a 100 solid leads from builders and architects from across the United States and South America. All things considered, the 2013 IBS builders show was a barometer for showing that the US economy is improving and that the residential construction sector across the US is back on the right track. Initial optimism was abundant and here is hoping that this attitude now becomes the norm. For more information on the IBS show or the US market, please contact me at dfarley@bcwood.com
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Korea Market Update: BC Wood Returns to the MBC Show in Seoul
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Jim Ivanoff
 After a successful show in 2012, BC Wood returned to the MBC Show in Seoul, South Korea from January 25th to 28th. MBC is one of the largest construction shows in Korea with 312 exhibitors this year and over 170,000 visitors comprised of builders/architects (39%), interior designers (32%), manufacturers (6%), and distributors (4%) according to the organizers data. Products on display at the show included everything from structural materials and construction equipment to windows, doors, and finishing materials.
The Canadian pavilion was once again organized by BC Wood's Korean representative, JC Lee. While there were other overseas exhibitors at the show, only the Canadian exhibitors enjoyed a branded pavilion. A total of six BC Wood members took part covering a variety of species and lumber products as well as kitchen cabinets and siding products. The BC Wood booth was used as a reception desk for clients coming for appointments as well as to disseminate information on Canadian wood products and recruit buyers for the September GBM.
As always, JC lined up meetings for the attending members with key clients. However, this year he also arranged an opening day reception inside the pavilion in order to create a networking opportunity for members with invited Korean wood industry VIPs. Both the BC Government Office in Seoul and the Canadian Embassy were partners in this event. Over 100 Korean clients attended this event.
BC Wood also organized an architect's seminar on the day before the show in collaboration with KIA (the Korean Institute of Architects) in order to promote the use of Canadian wood products in commercial building projects and particularly for facilities being built for the Pyungchang Winter Olympic Games. The event was held at the historic Old Seoul Rail Station and was attended by close to 100 KIA members. Attendees were able to learn about the various wood solutions offered by Canada while we were also able to gain access to high-value specifiers and influencers in the Korean architectural community. BC Wood is planning to further develop this target segment by taking part in the KIA Convention this October. Please contact Jim Ivanoff (ivanoff@canadawood.jp ) or JC Lee (lee@canadawood.or.kr ) for more information on this upcoming event.
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Marketplace
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In this section, you can post anything from a job postings (for employees looking for a job and employers), to machinery for sale/wanted, to a request for a particular type of wood or service.
If you would like to include a posting in our Marketplace section, please email me at rmann@bcwood.com or call 604-882-7100 and ask for Rumin.
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| Upcoming Events |
February 13-14, 2013: Buildex Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
February 13-15, 2013: Montreal Wood Convention, Montreal, Canada
March 2013: Wood Solutions Fair, California, USA
March 5-8, 2013: Nikkei Architectural and Construction Materials Show, Tokyo, Japan
March 6-8, 2013: WoodBuild China 2013, Shanghai, China
March 9-10, 2013: BC Log Home, Timber Frame, & Country Living Show, Abbotsford, Canada
March 8-10, 2013: Home, Garden, and Remodeling Show, Anchorage, USA For a list of all trade and industry events, please visit our |
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Sincerely,
Rumin Mann
BC Wood |
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