Quick Links

Missed previous Wood Connections issues? 

CAWP is pleased to announce that it will lead a technical tour to Norway in September 2014 to visit sites that showcase innovative wood design and construction, culminating in attendance of the Holzbau Nordic "Building our Future with Wood" conference. The tour will run during the week of September 21st to 27th and will focus on the sustainability and energy-efficiency benefits that wood can bring to contemporary construction practices in both the residential and non-residential sectors.

A wide range of innovative contemporary architectural projects will be visited, and the group will also look at some examples of traditional wood architecture to consider the lessons such structures can teach us about durability and protection. The influence of modern engineered building materials such as cross-laminated-timber will also be of interest.

The group size will be limited to 20 people, and we currently have 15 slots remaining. More info can be found at http://cawp.ubc.ca/technical-tour-to-norway-and-holzbau-nordic-conference-september-2014/

Please join us for our Co-op Presentation Evening on Thursday, September 25th, 2014.

Intermediate co-op students in the B.Sc. Wood Products Processing degree program at the University of British Columbia will be delivering presentations on their recently completed co-op work terms in the wood products industry. 

An extended intermission is scheduled to provide a valuable networking opportunity to meet our industry partners, UBC faculty members as well as the students.  You will be able to meet co-op students in all years of the program, including those available for upcoming work terms.

Date:     

            Thursday, September 25th, 2014

Time:     

            6:00 pm- 9:00 pm

Venue:   

           
            Forest Sciences Centre

            2424 Main Mall
            Vancouver, BC

Map: http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=353

Please RSVP to sudeh.jahan@ubc.ca by September 12th, 2014

Do you want to learn how to build log homes?

Join us for our Surelog Homes Boot Camp. During this Boot Camp you will be learning the fundamentals of log home building not in a classroom but on an actual log home building work site.  

Your instructors Terry Hall, the Surelog Homes crew, and guest instructor, Gary Young Chief will walk you through:

• Log home safety
• How to choose your logs, both in the forest and in the yard
• Log preparation
• Introduction to tools and terminology  
• Foundation basics
• Scribing methods
• Basic Notches, windows and doors
• Assembly and disassembly 
• Intro in basic roof systems 
• And 'Micro Log Homes" 

Watch this video for additional details and to meet your instructors:  

 http://vimeo.com/100434492  

COST
The cost of the boot camp is $2,600.00 Canadian. This does not include flights, accommodations, and meals.  

For more information or to register for this event, please contact Terry Hall at surelog@airspeedwireless.ca

I'm not going to start with a history lesson about global trade. We all know the world has been trading between countries and continents for centuries. But with new emerging markets with a high potential client base, more and more companies are willing to take a shot at those markets. Many companies would love to expand their market to China and sell their products there. I have done several shows in China over the years with my clients and what I have learned is that exhibiting in China is totally different from every other country you might have exhibited in before. If you are planning to exhibit in China, be prepared and consider these tips I'm going to give you. Hopefully you will be ahead of the learning curve.

Have a Local Partner

Yes, you might have done a ton of shows in your career but the language and customs in China are different. If possible and for your greatest benefit, I would strongly suggest that you have an office or an agent already in China and involve them in the planning. [BC Wood provides this service for members] Just understanding the multitudes of holidays and making sure nothing is lost in translation is a huge challenge. My experience taught me that if I would not have been in contact with our Shanghai office during my shows and planning, I would have had many angry and frustrated customers and a negative outcome.

Click here to read the entire article

Randi Walker

We are delighted with the response from industry this year. We know that the program works and everyone benefits. If you are too late to register for a booth, call us to see how else you might participate in the event.

Recruiting for both international wood product buyers and our Wood First Specifiers program is also going extremely well and we expect a sell-out again this year. There are lots of new registrants so you will most certainly meet new interested buyers. Our goal is to have 70% new buyers again - some we can't keep away no matter what, since the GBM has become their "go to" event for North America - but the interest from new buyers and new markets has again been excellent.

We have created more great opportunities for exhibitors to participate in other related activities to enhance their exposure during and after the event. The cost of advertising in the Program Guide and each company's donation of a prize/gift are good ways to get your name in front of the entire delegation at the GBM.

If you have not yet registered for our Friday afternoon golf tournament, this year sponsored by the Teal Jones Group, please call for the registration link. You can sign up as a single, double or foursome!

Proposed Program Schedule

Thursday - September 4th

• BC Wood AGM; WRCLA BOD meeting; Wood First Seminars; Exhibitor set-up
• Evening Welcome Reception at the spectacular Roundhouse Lodge at the Peak of Whistler Mountain for all participants

Friday - September 5th

• Breakfast with Opening Ceremony and Morning Networking/Tradeshow/Meetings
• Afternoon Teal Jones Sponsored Golf Tournament; Architects (Wood First) in-booth presentations; or Whistler free time
• Gala Evening Reception in the Grand Foyer at the Whistler Conference Centre

Saturday - September 6th

• Breakfast and Morning Networking/Tradeshow/Meetings

If you haven't already registered, contact us for your online registration link at gbm@bcwood.com or call Randi at 604-882-7100. 

This year, BC Wood is planning a return to the Mexican market to look at opportunities for BC's wood products. Mexico is a market which was showing good initial promise prior to the economic and construction downturn in the United States in 2008. Even during the downturn, Mexico's dependence on imported wood products, now at US $1.4 billion per year, has been increasing at 5.5% annually. Softwoods comprise the vast majority of wood products imported into Mexico with some hardwoods used primarily in the furniture industry (hard maple and alder are popular imports).

Almost half of the total wood imports come from the US; much of this share is vulnerable to Canadian competition. Deforestation remains a severe problem and Mexico's substandard infrastructure compels the country to rely on foreign sources of wood products. As the US and Canadian economies continue to expand, it is expected that Mexico will be forced to depend on larger and larger volumes of wood imports. In 2012, Canada exported almost $17 million of manufactured wood products to Mexico. This was an increase of 30.1% from the previous year. BC's share of this total was $6 million, a year over year increase of 49%.

BC Wood will coordinate the exhibition of member companies at the Expo CIHAC in Mexico City. Expo CIHAC is the premier event in Mexico and Latin America for the construction industry. This trade event focuses on the importers and distributors of construction and building products, but also goods that are used in industrial application like the packaging and furniture manufacturing sectors. The Expo CIHAC will be a suitable fit for many suppliers for hardwood and softwood lumber and other wood based building materials.

BC Wood will also coordinate a trade mission component post CIHAC that will take participants to directly visit and meet with Mexican wood importers, distributors, and manufacturers. Member companies that participate in this event will have an opportunity to gain first-hand market intelligence, meet with qualified buyers, and increase the sales potential of their products. Space is limited in this program so for more information on CIHAC trade show and the proposed mission, contact Ken Hori at 604-882-7100 or by email at khori@bcwood.com.

In late September, BC Wood and its' members will participate in the Denver Log and Timber Frame Home show, Sept. 26th -28th. The Denver show features displays from manufacturers of log and timber frame home manufacturers, pre-fabricated 2x4 and 2x6 house packages, and finished building products such as roofing, flooring, decking, and rustic furniture. Over the past few years, a number of BC Wood members from the log and timber frame home sector have used the Denver show to maintain a toe hold in the US market while they cut back on some of their other promotional activities during the slower economic times.

The B.C. log and timber frame builders have remained active in a number of regional markets in the U.S., like the Rocky Mountain States, because it has been one of the few areas that have has shown some activity. The Rocky Mountain States, due to their close geographic proximity to BC, product acceptance, and the clustering of resort developments catering to a wealthy demographic, have continued to be a relatively strong market for BC producers.

The feedback from the members attending recent Denver shows has been generally very positive. The number of attendees, while not back to pre-2008 levels, has been growing each year since 2011. Most exhibitors reported a more positive attitude from the attendees at the show last year. Individuals who had been hesitant over the past few years to take the final step towards building their projects came to the show ready to build.

For more background on the Denver show or to register to exhibit at this event, please do not hesitate to contact me at bhawrysh@bcwood.com

A few comments, suggestions, and ideas that may be of interest to the industry...

The mission will also connect members to residential and light commercial builders in the market. In Lake Tahoe, we plan to meet with Loverde and Crestwood Construction in Truckee and with Webcor Builders in the Bay region who specialize in multi-family, light commercial construction.

Finally, we will try to close the distribution channel by meeting with a number of building product distributors in San Francisco and along the Interstate highway leading to Lake Tahoe. Contacts in the distribution market include Beronio Lumber and Restoration Timber in San Francisco and Tahoe Truckee Lumber Company, Tahoe City Lumber, and Meeks Lumber in Lake Tahoe.

The mission is still in the organization stage; however, if it sounds of interest to you and your company, please email me at dfarley@bcwood.com or on my cell at 604 728 8786. We will have a limited number of spots available and preference will be given to members that have AIA accredited presentations.

Strong Interest in CLT Among Japanese GBM Participants

This year, we once again are seeing strong interest in the GBM amongst Asian buyers. The Chinese delegation will be around 50 again and we expect around 20 from Korea. The Japanese delegation will also be very large with at least 40 buyers. What is particularly interesting about this year's Japanese delegation is that a majority of them will be taking part on our Wood First Discovery Tour.

The reason for this is that a JAS certification system was established earlier this year for CLT and a revised building code incorporating CLT is expected by early next year. The adoption of such systems in Japan usually takes many years, but the government sees CLT's potential in both growing the demand for wood in large-scale commercial buildings in general as well as domestic wood in particular. Therefore, rather than resisting the new system, they seem to have been pushing it along as quickly as possible. As a result, Japanese companies see the new market for CLT developing and want to learn as much as possible.

BC Wood has been collaborating with the newly founded CLT Association of Japan on the Wood First Discovery Tour; therefore, many of the CLT Association's members will be taking part. This group includes companies ranging from glulam producers to builders and architectural firms specializing in large-scale wood buildings. Interestingly, the largest engineering firm in Japan that usually focuses on skyscrapers is also sending staff. Also, many trading companies that typically come to Canada for lumber products are also signing up for the tour. Obviously CLT has caught the imagination of the Japanese construction industry and as a result we will be hosting a very unique group from Japan at this year's GBM.