BC Wood just recently received confirmation that the majority of the funding for our 2015-2016 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. The BC based tradeshows are yet to be officially approved, but, it is expected that they will be shortly. The balance of the proposed activities focus on expanding market share in the United States, while maintaining the hard won presence we have gained in the Asian markets. Recognizing the on-going need to explore new and emerging markets, BC Wood has also scheduled a mission and participation in a trade show in Mexico in October 2015. The Global Buyers Mission, our 12th, will be a highlight, with over 250 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 2015-2016.  

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.

This is Part II to our Exporting to the USA seminar series.  In this all new seminar, you will find out about current opportunities for BC value-added wood manufacturers; the best methods for actually shipping your product into the US; and how to minimize your risk factors. All really good information for new to the market exporters!  

In a new approach, we will also have an open discussion with BC manufacturers currently shipping product into the market, highlighting some of BC Wood's "cluster" marketing projects as well as traditional market development programs.  We will conclude the program with a delicious networking lunch. 

Wide Belt Sanding: Best Practices Workshop

If you have a wide-belt sander and want to reduce your operating costs and increase your sanding quality - then this seminar is for you!

Items that will be covered in this Workshop 

* Scratch and how it relates to finishing
* Standardized Work / Job Instruction
* Trouble shooting and Testing your machine
* Q&A Session

Start Time and Agenda: 

* Hands on Session - noon - 2:00pm
Lunch will be provided

Choose from Two Locations:

Surrey, BC

March 19, 2015 - 8:30am - 2:00pm

Merit Kitchens - 12158 86 Ave, Surrey

Kelowna, BC

March 25, 2015 - 8:30am - 2:00pm 

Now more than ever, organizations need to be continuously improving to be competitive in their market. This one day workshop will provide you with the tools you need to establish gains in Productivity, Quality, Cost, Safety, and Morale.

Through a "Learn by Doing" approach, participants will conduct a practice exercise and make improvements with Continuous Improvement principles of Spaghetti diagram, 6S, and Value Stream Mapping.

Date & Time: March 27, 2015, 8:00am - 4:00pm

Location: Holiday Inn Express & Suites - 8750 204 St, Langley, BC

To register, please click on the following link: www.eply.com_CI_Workshop_2015   

For more information, please contact:
Brian Ehrecke at 250-462-4000, brian.ehrecke@fpinnovations.ca  

One-day Moulder Audits are now available to BC manufacturers at no cost!

If you're experiencing issues with your level of finish quality, throughput, changeover times, and general safe work practices, a Moulder Audit could be a good initiative for your organization.

The results of the Audit will provide an indication on the operational level of your moulder and it can be the foundation for increasing your profitability on this machine center. The Audit will summarize ways to:

• Improve your level of manufacturing quality.
• Reduce rework and scrap.
• Catch quality issues before they reach your customers.
• Help to improve machine productivity
• Set up best practices in you grinding room.

Our trained personnel will perform a one day Moulder Audit at your plant and provide a summary report to you. The audit involves an evaluation of the mechanical condition of your moulder, best practices on grinding room setup, as well as tips on material handling and flow.

How do I book an Audit?

FPInnovations is working directly with Jim Strathern from J.S. Moulder Technology to provide this one time offer.

Spots are limited - contact Jim Strathern at jsmouldertech@gmail.com now to set up a time for your Moulder Audit, or Roland Baumeister at FPInnovations - roland.baumeister@fpinnovations.ca

"Wood products and systems have become the material of choice in mid-rise residential as well as for the institutional, commercial and industrial sectors," said WoodWORKS! BC executive director Lynn Embury-Williams. "Here in BC, designers and builders are leading the way by using wood because it is cost-effective, is renewable, has a smaller carbon footprint, and because it creates beautiful and comfortable spaces where people love to live and work."

Download the news release PDF .

For more information about the awards and award winners:  

 http://wood-works.ca/bc/  

Wood in Midrise Buildings  

In cities across North America, the low-density sprawl that has characterized development since the mid-20th century is giving way to a growing landscape of mid-rise buildings; five- to six-storey structures that are more environmentally sustainable and cost effective because of their increased density - while still blending with existing neighbourhoods and helping to create livable communities that accommodate growing urban populations.

There is a boom in mid-rise wood-frame construction across the province. Today in B.C. there are over 153 midrise projects in various stages of development - from project planning through to design, permitting and completed construction.  

Click here to view the Mid-Rise Wood-Frame Residential Construction in B.C. case study.

Wood in Healthcare 

Commissioned by Forestry Innovation Investment, FPInnovations has released a report that draws the link between the use of wood in the built environment and pro health outcomes. While the study of wood and health is relatively new in the field of environmental psychology, a clear relationship between the presence of other natural elements has been established in built environments.

Early evidence suggests that the human relationship with wood is similar to previously investigated responses of our species to other natural materials and nature cues. That is, wood is a biophilic material that reduces stress reactivity when present.  

Click here to view the full report: Wood as a Restorative Material in Healthcare Environments.

Once you know what your goals are for building awareness at your upcoming trade shows, how do you do it?  Here are 11 ways to help build your brand into an industry powerhouse:

Metrie's story began in 1926 as a small, family-owned and operated business. Formally known as Moulding and Millwork, their name was changed to Metrie in February of 2014 as part of a strategic decision to heighten the company's focus on providing inspiration and support to homeowners and professional designers who use interior trim (such as crown mouldings, casings, baseboards, doors, and other decorative elements) to add style and beauty to any room. Their innovative design and commitment to fine craftsmanship have helped them expand operations to include seven solid wood and MDF manufacturing facilities, plus 26 distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada. Their legacy has grown to include more than 5,000 moulding profiles and products manufactured in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.

The launch of the new company name coincided with the debut of five all-encompassing design collections of coordinated interior trim and doors.

"Our new Collections present a completely new way of thinking about, shopping for, and selecting interior finishings," says Greg Stoner, CEO of Metrie. "Until now, consumers were required to wade through bins of moulding, and racks of doors, to find the right products for their home. Selecting the right dimensions of moulding that fit together and in designs that work with and enhance your current decorating style, is next to impossible. Metrie has taken the guesswork out of the process by introducing our new, professionally designed Collections."

The Metrie Then & Now Finishing Collections™ are each inspired by different architectural styles. The Collections blend elements of modern and classic, so it's easy to find something that will work with virtually any decorating style. They are:

• Metrie French Curves™ Collection
• Metrie True Craft™ Collection
• Metrie Very Square™ Collection
• Metrie Fashion Forward™ Collection
• Metrie Pretty Simple™ Collection

Over the next couple of months, BC Wood will be coordinating the participation of its' members at the Edmonton Cottage Life and Cabin show, April 24-26th, 2015. After many successful years of running the Cottage Life shows in Ontario, the show organizers brought their winning formula West and launched the Edmonton show last year. Eight BC Wood members participated for the first time in last year's show and by all accounts it was was very successful, attracting over 8,000 current and would-be cottage owners all over Western Canada.

The Edmonton show will feature builders of log, timber frame, and prefabricated 2x4 homes. While these products and services are the highlight of the show, there is an opportunity for other manufacturers to promote finished building materials such as flooring, roofing, kitchens, doors, windows, and exterior finishing materials. The audience is drawn to the show to see a complete range of products; from log and timber frame shells to the materials that are need to finish them.

Space is still available for BC Wood members wanting to participate in the Edmonton Cottage Life and Cabin Show, but, time is running out. 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.

DelhiWood is India's largest international trade fair featuring all things wood from machinery to finished wood products. From February 4 to 7, BC Wood was joined by 7 major companies from BC's wood industry to promote the use of BC wood species in India's growing joinery (millwork and furniture) industry.  

The BC Wood "Pavilion" was part of a larger Canadian pavilion that also included FII whose exhibit area was just adjacent to BC Wood's and featured many finished products using BC species. Each BC company in the BC Wood pavilion had their own stand and monitors showing ongoing videos and slides of their respective companies and products. Attendance was apparently a little less than the previous year which was attributed to the show's location, approximately an hour from Delhi. Having stated that, all participants seemed satisfied with the activity and the leads that were generated.

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

Hawaii is known for beautiful weather, amazing sunsets and once again, a red hot real estate market. After years of a tepid construction activity, the Hawaii market is booming. Luxury residential and light commercial construction activity is up over 20% from last year and is showing significant growth potential over the next few years.  

To take advantage of this hot market, BC Wood and member companies participated in the Building Industry Association of Hawaii (BIA Hawaii) trade show and market mission. This annual trade event saw a surge in attendance which is reflective of the growth in construction being experienced State wide. Members from the remanufactured, prebuilt, and timber frame housing sector participated at the three day tradeshow and the following four day market mission, where we met with architects, builders, and distributors on the islands of Oahu, the Big Island of Hawaii, and Maui.

Members had the opportunity to meet with key buyers and decision makers and tour numerous luxury residential and commercial construction projects. The highlight of the mission was the group touring the Kohaniki resort project where BC Wood members including Daizan Joinery, Norelco Cabinets, ECP Meeker, and Anbrook Industries have all been chosen as suppliers on this world class resort project. Sales from BC member companies on this project are currently estimated at $2.6 million and are expected to grow significantly, as the project is currently at the timber framing stage.

Please click here to read the entire article

Nikkei Architectural and Construction Materials Show 2015 

The last activity we hold for members each year in Japan is the Nikkei Architectural and Construction Materials Show at Tokyo Big Sight in early March. This year's show was held from March 3 through 6 and we once again had a strong group of members and Canada Wood partners in the BC Wood organized Canadian pavilion. The products showcased ranged from structural lumber and engineered wood to finishing materials, furniture, and log home packages. We maintained our WRC inspired central reception display, which featured traditional Japanese wood connection, art created by the famous Japanese designer Hiroyuki Takamura. This space always draws in show visitors both with its visual as well as aromatic appeal.

The power of the Nikkei Newspaper brand and organization always ensures that this will be a well-attended show. This year saw a 2% increase in visitors for a total of 210,610 over the four days. It is important to note that this show is for industry professionals only so the attendance is not inflated by consumers. The show is very popular with architects and designers and in particular those involved with commercial and retail space design. We were not only happy to see the increase in attendance, but also the improvement in the mood of the attendees. At last year's show, the impending tax increase was on everyone's minds, but this year people were looking forward to renewed growth as the immediate effects of the tax increase have receded.

For the 2014 GBM, we worked very closely with Japan's CLT Association to put on the Wood First tour. Based on the success of that collaboration, we once again partnered with them to put on a CLT seminar at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo on the first night of the Nikkei Show. The speakers included a Japanese engineer who explained to the audience the buildings we had visited on the GBM 2014 tour as well as Colin Chornohus of Structurlam Products who talked about the newly built Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George. Colin's presentation was highly anticipated by the audience of 170 architects, engineers, general contractors, and importers. While we and our Canadian partners were extremely pleased with this very large turnout of key influencers in the Japanese large-scale wood building market, the Japan CLT Association was ecstatic with this tremendous profile that we were able to give to the emerging CLT market. It is clear that due to seismic and fire concerns, CLT is the future of large-scale wood buildings in Japan and through such collaborative efforts BC Wood is helping to move this forward.