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BC Wood wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving weekend.
Interested in Marketing, Branding, and Communications for your company? Read below for more information on a new workshop we are offering the value-added wood industry on November 20th.
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 and it is free of charge.
If you are using Microsoft Outlook to view this email, you may not be able to see all of the images. 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 - October 10, 2014' Read below for highlights from the past two weeks. Also, feel free to send me news stories that you think our readers would be interested in. You can email them to rmann@bcwood.com
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Industry News
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Whistler museum to be one with nature
Journal of Commerce  When construction crews finish the $30 million Audain Art Museum in Whistler in fall 2015, they will have finished B.C.'s largest purpose-built museum and a structure that takes some of Canada's most prized artists back to the natural environment where they created their works - the forest. "It's a very unique building," said project architect David Shone of Patkau Architects. The building design had to accommodate flood plain conditions from nearby Fitzsimmons Creek and was formerly an old public works yard and parking area. It also features a large stand of trees as one of the design mandates was that construction was not to impact the forest or include tree removal. The building will blend into the trees and "it will be enhanced by other plants," said Shone, as the walkway from the Whistler village leads to the museum area and down to Fitzsimmons Creek Park. Click here to read the entire article
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Industry News
| Proposed 18-storey UBC wooden tower to be tallest of its kind in the world
Vancity Buzz - September 30, 2014
Sustainability and green design are some of the key principles of the new buildings constructed at the University of British Columbia's Vancouver Point Grey campus, but one upcoming project will stand out among the dozens of buildings recently constructed or planned. Over the summer, the university issued an Expression Of Interest for architectural firms to design a wood-based high-rise tower between 16 to 18 storeys. At a height of 53 metres, it will be the world's tallest wooden building of its kind. The project is the first phase of the 690-bed Brock Commons, a new student housing complex wedged along Walter Gage Road adjacent to the North Parkade and new Law Building. Its development site encompasses a small grass field, ground-level parking lots, office trailers and the aging Brock Hall Annex. Click here to read the entire article |
| Industry News | Marketing, Branding, and Communications Workshop
What is marketing and why should you care? Business leaders who effectively communicate and correctly position their company with their target audiences have the competitive edge.
This hands-on workshop will be presented in three parts:
1) Introduction to Marketing
2) How to effectively brand your company
3) Choosing the right communication tools for your business
First, you will learn about the basic marketing principles and how to apply them to your products or services.
Then, through a series of self-directed exercises, you will learn how to define and articulate your company's attributes to create meaningful messaging with your target audiences.
Finally, we will review a range of communication tools and techniques and discuss how to best use them to engage new and existing customers.
Date: November 20, 2014 Location: Surrey, BC To register, please contact Rumin Mann at rmann@bcwood.com or call her at 604-882-7100 |
Industry News
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UBC Online Industrial Wood Finishing Certificate Course
Register early, this course has filled up over the past few years!
Starts: January 5th, 2015 - April 24th, 2015
Practical session at UBC: April 20th - 24th, 2015
The UBC Industrial Wood Finishing Certificate Program is the most comprehensive wood finishing course in North America. This course cover the full spectrum of finishing starting with understanding wood properties to material preparation and special effects finishing. It combines an online theory and discussion component as well as a face-to-face practical session.
It is designed owners, managers, coating sales reps., finishers and hobbyist. Learn how to finishing the right way and make money doing it?
For more information please visit CAWP Finishing Certificate
Or call Jason Chiu at 604 822-0082
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Industry News
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New Products - Smart Coatings for Wood Products
An FPInnovations Webinar
October 16th, 2014, 10:00am PST
Traditionally, the function of coatings was to protect wood surfaces or to change their appearance. Recently, coatings with novel functions have gained considerable interest and are now hitting the market. Smart or intelligent coatings are able to sense a change in conditions in the environment (temperature, pH, stress, etc.) and respond to that in a predictable and noticeable manner.
Self-healing coatings are coatings that can repair themselves or could be repaired with the application of heat. Self-cleaning coatings are coatings that can degrade several contaminants, such as viruses, fungi, and volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde.
This November, FPInnovations will host a webinar that will review the most promising emerging smart coatings for use on wood products. In addition, current research that is focused on self-healing, self-cleaning, and easy-to-clean coatings for wood products will be shared.
Learn more about these amazing coatings and their potential by clicking on this link: https://www.eply.com/coatings_nov18
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| Tradeshow Tips/Advice | Ready... Set... Trade Show: Top 5 Tips for Exhibitors
Skyline Tradeshow Tips - October 1, 2014
So, you're ready to enter your first trade show! It is pretty simple right? Register your booth space, grab a booth, set up on show day, stand for 2 days and voila! You have business, right? No. If you or your company have decided to exhibit at a trade show, there are 5 top things to consider and act on in order to make it the success you would like. Of course there is a lot that goes into being ready for your trade show, but these tips will prepare you to make your investment worthwhile. Click here to read the entire article |
Spotlight: FraserWood Industries
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Rumin Mann
Squamish based FraserWood Industries is a pioneering, full-service provider of fabricated solid sawn and glulam timber products. FraserWood combines a passion for problem solving, innovation, sophisticated manufacturing and in-depth knowledge of wood as a structural material to support architects, engineers, and builders.
After graduating with a degree in wood science, principal Peter Dickson, has spent his career working in the timber products industry. He founded FraserWood in 1998 to offer timber drying services but soon expanded it to provide timber re-manufacturing and CNC fabrication services. Responding to market trends, over the last half-decade, FraserWood developed high appearance grade specialty glulam products for its more demanding customers. Their GrainMatched™ and EdgeMatched™ Glulams address the appearance and strength issues that have kept specifiers from using glulam products. What began as a one-man operation in a garage has grown to include a 50,000 square foot facility in Squamish, with 25 employees all working together to expand the reach of natural timber.
 FraserWood is a participating partner in the Boston Society of Architects' (BSA) open design competition Urban Timber: From Seed to City. FraserWood supplied all of the timbers for one of the four winning entries entitled "The Coopered Column" (image above). This structure was designed to simulate how wood can effectively distribute lateral and vertical loads in tall structures. The sculpture was on exhibit in Boston, MA until September 30th.
One of their recent projects was supplying the large support trusses at the Summit Lodge, for the Sea-To-Sky Gondola project in Squamish, BC. This Gondola provides sweeping views of Howe Sound fjord, the majestic coastal forest and surrounding mountains.
For more information, visit fraserwoodindustries.com
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| Specifier's Program Update |
Roy Manion
The beginning of October signals Specifier activities such as Lunch & Learn sessions, factory tours, and group seminars, all kicking into high gear. It also signals the beginning of trade show participation for the program.
From June through to the end of September, our focus had been primarily on all the activities that were related to the GBM - from all of the preparations through to all of the follow up that is required once the event is over. Then, yours truly took a couple of weeks off for a little R&R. Now that all that is behind us and our batteries have been recharged, we are now focusing on other specifier activities including Lunch & Learn sessions, group seminars, and factory tours. Already this month, we have 5 Lunch & Learn sessions scheduled. Actually, the program will experience a first next week when we will have 2 Lunch & Learn sessions with 2 different firms on the same day. It just goes to show how accommodating the program can be. We expect the pace to continue through to the Christmas break.
Tradeshows are the other major activity the program will be dealing with over the next couple of months beginning with this week's AIBC's annual three-day conference where BC Wood will once again be exhibiting and networking with the vast majority of BC's architectural community. At the end of the month, BC Wood will be joined by 7 companies for the Wood Solutions Fair. Then November 5th and 6th, BC Wood and 12 member companies will participate in Buildex Calgary.
Aside from the above, we will shortly be putting plans together for architect and designer seminars in the US Pacific Northwest and Alberta - very similar to what we did this past February and March. As we had such a strong response from those sessions, we have decided to offer the program again for February / March of next year. If you are interested in participating and meeting with the architects and designers in those two markets and want additional details, please contact me as soon as possible as space is very limited.
As always, should you wish for your firm to become more involved with the specifier community or simply want some information on what the Specifier Program entails, please feel free to contact me at rmanion@bcwood.com or call me at the office. I would be pleased to discuss it with you.
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Europe Market Update
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BC Wood at this year's BAU Show - Munich, Germany, January 19-24, 2015
Brian Hawrysh
 BAU is the largest and best known building products show in the European market. The BAU fair, held every two years, attracts over 240,000 attendees. Some 50,000 of these attendees come from neighboring Western European countries and the ex-Soviet Bloc countries. A unique feature of the BAU show is that it consolidates companies featuring wood products and wood building systems in one of its sixteen halls. So while the show is very large, the majority of potential customers for wood based products and building systems are concentrated in one display hall.
Throughout Western Europe and particularly in resort regions that have a high percentage of second luxury homes (such as the Alps in France, Germany, and Italy and the Pyrenees region of Spain and France), there exists good potential for manufacturers of log and timber frame homes. The BC handcrafted style, featuring large diameter logs and heavy timbers, have a unique appeal to these wealthy homeowners.
High quality, specialty lumber and building materials such as WRC decking, siding, and roofing and Douglas-Fir, Hemlock, and Western Hardwood lumber remain in demand in Western Europe and increasingly in the emerging markets of the Eastern post-Soviet bloc countries.
BC Wood plans to organize a relatively large display at the BAU fair for member companies and other Canadian forest products associations. Space is limited, so, for more information regarding the BAU show, BC Wood's participation and costs, please contact Brian Hawrysh at 604-882-7100 or directly at bhawrysh@bcwood.com.
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| China Market Update | |
Interzum Guangzhou 2015
Jim Ivanoff
After our well-received pavilion earlier this year, BC Wood is planning a return to Interzum Guangzhou from March 28th to April 1st in 2015 to give members another opportunity to build and expand their businesses in the still growing Chinese market. This annual event covers every facet of wood furniture and building products manufacturing including both machinery and raw materials. It is said to be the largest woodworking show in Asia. Over 1,100 manufacturers and suppliers are expected to occupy the 130,000-square meter venue with 60,000 visitors expected.
Interzum has been attracting pavilions from Germany, the US, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Sweden, etc over the past ten years, covering a wide variety of both softwood and hardwood species. Due to the show's importance to the Chinese woodworking industry, buyers/ importers of all types of wood products visit. Therefore, this show will be of interest to members supplying a wide variety of softwood & hardwood lumber including for uses in remanufacturing, concrete forming and wood construction. This show sells out quickly, so BC Wood will be booking space for members within the next month. For more information, please e-mail me at ivanoff@canadawood.jp.
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| China Market Update | |
China International Exposition of Housing Industry (CIEHI) Show in Beijing 2014
Jim Ivanoff
From September 9th to 11th, BC Wood took part for the second time in the China International Exposition of Housing Industry in Beijing. We organized a pavilion under the Canada Wood banner for participating BC Wood members as well as our Canada Wood partners from Quebec and Alberta. COFI organized a standalone display next to us offering information on Canadian wood frame construction and design.
While not a large show by Chinese standards, CIEHI did draw in the right target audience for our pre-fab home builders. This is one of the few shows in China that focuses on wooden housing. As a result, many developers came by specifically looking for options to build homes out of wood. They were looking for both the materials and design services, as wood frame construction is still relatively unknown to local builders. These companies seemed to be interested in wooden homes either because of the green benefits or because they could differentiate their projects from all the concrete centric ones.
COFI also organized a seminar on wood frame construction on behalf of all Canadian participants. This was a great opportunity for our members to meet Chinese developers and builders who had already approached Canada Wood for information on wooden homes.
By the end of the show, all of the Canadian industry representatives had reported getting numerous serious inquiries and were thus very happy with their participation. BC Wood sees a growing market for pre-fabricated Canadian house packages in China and based on the success of this year's CIEHI, we will build a bigger program for members next year anchored around this show.
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Marketplace
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HELP WANTED
We are a growing creative fabrication studio where clients can have their ideas come to life. Using CAD and CNC technology, we build a huge variety of one of a kind elements. We work with foam, wood, plastics and metals. It's rarely the same thing twice.
We are looking to fill two important positions in our shop:
Production Coordinator:
We are on need of a candidate able to assist owner/designer with daily operations. Should have excellent organizational and computer skills. Some experience in woodworking, sculpting, and/or joinery an important asset.
Some example tasks:
Help schedule incoming and ongoing projects
Update daily social media feeds
All aspects of a hands-on woodworking shop including project assembly and clean up.
This full-time position is to be filled immediately. Hourly pay depends on experience. Range is $15 to $25/hr
Creative Fabricator / Joiner / CNC operator: We are looking for a candidate able build and assemble projects from drawings . Should have excellent woodworking, and/or joinery skills. BCIT Joinery apprentices and alumni: Please apply! Bonus if you have CNC router table experience . Some example tasks: Basic CNC operation (will train right candidate ) includes loading and unloading of materials. Does require heavy lifting. All aspects of a hands-on woodworking shop including project assembly and clean up. This full-time position is to be filled immediately. Hourly pay depends on experience. Range is $15 to $25/hr
If interested in these positions, please send Gerald your resume at gerald@featureworx.com
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 |
October 14-18, 2014: Expo CIHAC, Mexico City, Mexico October 15-17, 2014: Osaka Living and Design Show, Osaka, Japan November 5-6, 2014: Buildex, Calgary, Canada November 12-14, 2014: Japan Home and Building Show, Tokyo, Japan November 12-14, 2014: NAWLA Traders Mart, Chicago, USA November 23-26, 2014: Beautiful Houses Expo, Moscow, Russia 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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