Board of Directors Announcement
BC Wood is proud to welcome two new Board of Directors: Kelly Marciniw, Vice President of Pan-Abode International and Donna Shaw, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Live Edge Design. Both accomplished individuals will bring new perspectives and ideas to ensure growth of the value-added industry. Kelly will represent the Pre-Fab Housing Sector from the Lower Mainland and Donna will represent the Furniture Sector from the Island.
“BC Wood is extremely pleased to have two new Board members joining us this year. Both Kelly and Donna bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in their respective sectors to the role and are keen to share their understanding of the industry with our BC Wood members. We expect they will both be proactive in supporting industry initiatives that will benefit the industry as a whole, as well as their specific sectors.” - Brian Hawrysh.
We would also like to thank Brent Comber, who, just shy of 20 years, has represented the Furniture Sector. His valuable insight and guidance made large, positive impacts on the industry. Although he will not be guiding the association as a Board member, he will continue to be a strong voice and example for value-added manufacturers.
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Kelly Marciniw
Pan-Abode International
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Donna Shaw
Live Edge Design
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Export Readiness Training Program (ERTP) New Cohort Announcement
What is the ERTP?
A 10 module, 1.5 hour per module live, interactive webinar-based program specifically focused on evolving the exporting and international sales capabilities of Canada’s wood product companies. Specialists & industry representatives offer real-life examples on the dos and don’ts of exporting throughout. Crucial topics that help you determine if you are ready and if not, how to go about preparing yourself for a successful launch into a new market.
How much does the ERTP cost?
The ERTP is significantly cost-shared with our government partners, keeping the price low for growing wood products companies. $39 per session, if you just need to know/refresh on certain topics, or $195 for all 10 Modules.
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Cost-shared Government Funding for Marketing and Business Development
BC Wood can assist you in getting cost-shared government funding to cover a portion of your marketing and business development cost. This funding is available to BC’s value-added wood products industry to assist you with creating new marketing strategies, developing / revamping your branding and brand strategies, sales coaching, training for all aspects of business and marketing, etc. You do not need to be a BC Wood member to access this financial assistance. This cost-share funding is available in the following categories:
Marketing and Business Development Assessments: 75% cost-share
A marketing expert will review and evaluate your company's marketing activities and strategy. You will then receive a comprehensive summary report that identifies each marketing activity/strategy, recommended changes or improvements, and new marketing activities/strategies that should be considered. Alongside the report, you will receive recommendations on how to accelerate your marketing strategy, as well as how to strengthen and improve your overall brand and messaging to further set you apart from competitors and achieve your desired business goals.
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Kiln Drying Seminar
October 24 – 28, 2022
The UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) will be hosting a 5-day Kiln Drying Seminar. This is a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to drying technology taught from a practical, real-life perspective and backed with solid explanations into the scientific background of drying.
This highly-regarded workshop discusses the key processes and concepts involved in drying wood. Beginning with wood properties and moisture movement, students become familiar with kiln design considerations, drying schedules and kiln loading considerations. Other topics include drying with air, drying degrade, lumber storage and handling, control systems and power plants.
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UBC Industrial Wood Finishing Certificate Course
January 9 to April 14, 2022
(5-day practical session April 10 to April 14, 2022)
Part-time online training program with a one-week hands-on practical session. North America’s most comprehensive wood finishing certificate program.
The certificate program provides participants with a broad understanding of the field of wood finishing. It's designed for individuals who have some general experience in wood finishing and would like to expand their knowledge.
Once completed, participants will have knowledge and experience to do the following:
- Understand why finish is applied to wood and how wood properties affect finishing
- To be able to identify the best finishing system based on the end us
- Trouble-shoot wood finishing problems
- Design a safe and efficient finishing facility
This course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to start a finishing business or to improve an existing one.
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Japan Open for Business at the Nikkei Show
As of October 11th, Japan has reopened to foreign travelers. Business people and tourists from around the world have been waiting for this and it is finally a reality. The opening also means that limits on the number of daily arrivals in Japan have been lifted so airlines will be quick to resume routes and schedules making travel to Japan as easy as pre-COVID, for anyone with at least three vaccinations or a pre-flight negative PCR test.
Prior to COVID, many members visited Japan on a yearly basis and the BC Wood Japan Office is ready to assist them again to make their trips as productive as possible. The 2023 Nikkei Architectural and Construction Materials Show which will be held from February 28th to March 1st is a great option to get back in front of Japanese customers. This is the biggest construction industry trade show in Japan, covering everything from lumber to finished products. Nikkei attracts large numbers of architects and designers working on commercial projects so it is a great event to promote high value wood products and finishing materials. Prior to COVID, this show welcomed over 200,000 visitors over its four days and with other recent shows in Japan being busy again, we have high hopes for Nikkei.
BC Wood will once again be organizing the Canadian Pavilion on behalf of industry. As before, BC Wood will help take the stress and uncertainty out of exhibiting at the show. We can assist with all the logistics required for setting up your display. Leveraging our database of over 20,000 industry contacts in Japan, we can also support your pre-show marketing efforts and even match-make to preset meetings at the show with qualified buyers for your product. Please contact me at [email protected] and we can set-up a time to chat about this year’s program and how BC Wood can help you expand your business opportunities in the Japanese market. |
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Wood Solutions - November 15, 2022
The Wood Solutions Conference is back in-person on November 15th at the Vancouver Convention Centre East.
The Wood Solutions Conference is tailored for architects, engineers, builders, contractors, building officials, technologists, planners and developers. More than 500 design and building professionals will come together to listen and learn; connect and collaborate.
Presented by the Canadian Wood Council/ WoodWORKS BC, the Wood Solutions Conference is dedicated to design and construction with wood products and building systems, including mass timber. This one-day educational event will showcase wood uses in commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential construction through specifically designed seminar streams, featuring new and current topics and an interactive trade show floor. A keynote lunchtime speaker and an evening reception provide exciting networking opportunities with industry leaders and peers.
Space is limited, so if you would like to participate in the BC Wood cost-shared space, please contact Kit Crowe as soon as possible at [email protected]. |
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Buildex - February 15 & 16, 2023
Join us in person at BUILDEX VANCOUVER at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, February 15 & 16, 2023. Register now to exhibit within the featured BC Wood Pavilion and Wood Products Showcase.
BUILDEX VANCOUVER is the largest building industry trade show in Western Canada which features products, services, and technologies relevant to those designing, building, and managing real estate of all kinds. The audience includes Architects, Designers, Engineers, Construction Managers, Contractors, Developers, Property Managers, and Industry professionals.
The event will be organized in accordance with official government and local authority guidelines, as well as any venue or location-specific regulations. BUILDEX Vancouver aims to deliver the highest levels of hygiene and safety, providing the community reassurance and confidence that they are participating in a controlled environment.
For information on attending at cost-shared rates, please contact Kit Crowe at [email protected]. |
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Mexico In-Person Trade Mission & Show 20-23
BC Wood will be organizing a trade mission of BC lumber exporters and value-added wood manufacturers to Mexico, March 5 – 11, 2023.
The trade event will include:
- Business-to-business meetings with potential buyers throughout Mexico
- Manufacturing site visits, including driver and interpreter
- Participation at the MEM Industrial tradeshow in Mexico City
If you are interested and would like to know more, please contact Ken Hori at [email protected]. |
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Associate Member Spotlights |
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Akhurst Machinery Ltd.
In 1938 at the age of 60, W.A. Akhurst demonstrated his courage and entrepreneurship and opened his own firm, W.A. Akhurst Machinery Limited. Operating out of his family home in Vancouver, the company offered industrial equipment primarily to sawmill operations in British Columbia. Eight decades after W.A. opened his doors, Akhurst Machinery remains a family operated company, owned by fourth-generation family members Graham Akhurst, Ryan Akhurst, and Brent Akhurst. With over 80 employees in five offices strategically located across Canada, Akhurst has steadily grown to become one of the largest independent equipment distributors in the country to the secondary woodworking, structural steel, sheet metal, and machine tool industries.
With sales and service staff located across Canada, Akhurst can offer their customers local support that is unparalleled in the industry. Working as a full-service organization, they can assist you with the selection of your equipment, financing, installation, training, parts support, and after-sales service. Akhurst is especially proud to employ a great team of extended family who continually strive to provide the best service to their customers. They have built a portfolio of suppliers that include the most reputable names in the business for equipment, tooling, & supplies, and they’re justifiably proud of the partnerships that they share with their valued suppliers.
Akhurst recently announced the addition of their new branch in Anaheim, California, which will support the growing customer base serviced by Akhurst and its subsidiary divisions of Cantek America Inc. and Leadermac USA. This location offers a fully operational demonstration showroom and a warehouse for machine inventory.
In 2020, Akhurst was awarded the B.C Family Enterprise of the Year award and the National Family Enterprise of the year award, by the Family Enterprise Xchange (FEX).
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Sansin
Backed by over 35 years of proven performance with residential and large commercial wood buildings and structures, Sansin is the global leader in developing high-performance finishes that set the benchmark for environmentally friendly formulas. The company’s innovative research and development program has made it the leader in developing environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional, solvent based wood coatings and preservatives.
With a network of distributors, dealers and finishing partners across North America, Western Europe and Australasia, Sansin water-borne finishes are fast becoming the choice for customers in British Columbia and beyond who demand the absolute best in performance and beauty. No matter the type of substrate, design or building challenge, Sansin offers a wide range of treatments, finishes, and preservatives to get the job done right – and more naturally.
Sansin also offers architects and other professionals a one-of-a-kind consultation service, called Sansin Iris, to help achieve wood coating quality and maintenance objectives. Additionally, once the project is complete, Sansin invites owners to participate in Sansin Care, a personalized service to optimize proactive maintenance scheduling.
Sansin operates out of three locations: Canada (Ontario), United States (Rhode Island) and Europe (The Netherlands).
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Getting Technical and Going Taller with Timber
naturally:wood
Designers and developers can take low-carbon timber buildings to new heights with this updated essential resource for tall wood construction
Residential, commercial and industrial buildings account for 17 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and buildings generate nearly 40 percent of annual global CO2 emissions. As a result, there is a growing interest in taller wood construction as a low-carbon building alternative and a growing need to advance technical know-how that can take timber buildings to new heights.
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Kalesnikoff - Growing a Mass Timber Operation from Seedlings to Solutions
Business View
Two years after Kalesnikoff opened its mass timber facility, buildings made from Kalesnikoff mass timber are sprouting up across the continent. From schools to offices to community centers, warehouses, multi-family homes and more, Kalesnikoff is supplying prefabricated panels and beams that arrive on site ready to fit into place like 60-foot pieces of Lego.
Mass timber is made from dimensional lumber that is glued and pressed together into prefabricated cross-laminated timber panels and glulam beams. For Kalesnikoff, a fourth-generation family sawmill company that’s always looking to add value and make the most of every log they touch, expanding into mass timber was the next right step.
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Hiring: BC LTBIA Executive Director
The BC Log & Timber Building Industry Association is hiring. This is a part-time / home office in BC contractor opportunity.
The Executive Director is the key management position of the BC Log & Timber Building Industry Association. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the organization. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, member services, financial management and stakeholder liaising (e.g. members, government, other associations, the public). The position reports directly to the Board of Directors and oversees any project contractors.
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The WRCLA Has Partnered Up With BC Cancer To Create A Healing Space For Families
How do you create a healing environment? More and more studies show that incorporating elements of nature into indoor spaces is key to improving the well-being of its occupants. It’s called biophilic design, and it’s proven to provide substantial therapeutic benefits including reducing stress and anxiety. This, in turn, expedites the recovery process. Thus, biophilic design in healthcare has many benefits.
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Streamline Your Project Without Compromising Your Budget or the Environment
Pacific HemFir
When it comes to choosing Industrial Matting, material does matter. After all, there’s a lot riding on your choice – both figuratively and literally. Truck drivers hauling heavy equipment to and from a remote site, for example, need sturdy, load-bearing Access Mats to create temporary roads for the duration of large construction projects. Crane operators in densely populated urban areas, meanwhile, need an especially stable Crane Mat to create a solid foundation on uneven ground.
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UBC Researcher Develops Plastic Alternative from Forest Waste
Vancouver Sun
UBC researcher Dr. Feng Jiang has spent years concerned about how plastic is contributing to the ecological crisis the world faces, and contemplating solutions.
Now he has developed a cellulose film that is as strong as plastic but is biodegradable, using a unique chemical process.
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Locals Develop Electric Logging Trucks
Merritt Herald
Two Merritt locals are going full speed ahead on their electric logging truck idea, with truck driver Chace Barber and power system engineer Eric Little teaming up to bring a new idea to life in an old-school way. The duo has been working as part of their joint venture, Edison Motors, to create diesel generator powered electric vehicles out of their local shop.
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Gorman Group gets back to its roots with vineyard in honour of Eunice Gorman
woodindustry.ca
Sawmill operator Gorman Group is going back to its founding family’s farming roots with the development of a vineyard on an Okanagan Valley hillside destroyed by a forest fire in August last year.
It’s next to the company’s West Kelowna sawmill and is being planted with vines as something of a tribute to one of the company’s founders, Eunice Gorman.
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VIU Mass-Timber Building Innovates While Adding to Wood Construction Push
Journal of Commerce
A new mass-timber project is both a first for Vancouver Island University (VIU) and another step forward for B.C.’s Wood First policy.
VIU is building an $87.8-million nine-storey mass timber student housing project that will include 266 student beds, a common area and a new dining hall at its Nanaimo, B.C. campus.
VIU associate vice-president of facilities and ancillary services Richard Lewis said the project is a chance for the university to branch out while fulfilling its environmental responsibilities.
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B.C.’s Second-Largest Encapsulated Mass Timber Building Welcomes Tenants in Langford
Goldstream News Gazette
The concept of mass timber construction has been taken to new heights in Langford, an accomplishment that will be marked by a special ceremony at the end of the month.
Project developer, Victoria’s Design Build Services (DBS), along with local dignitaries, will conduct a ribbon-cutting event at its Tallwood 1 mixed-used building Sept. 29.
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Tutoring with Timber: Using Wood in Schools
archdaily.ca
How does school design influence the process of teaching and learning? Understanding current educational design trends and methodologies is key to designing healthy spaces for students to develop their social and academic capacities.
If we look at the evolution of school design through time, we can see that each period has its own challenges and preferences. Today's main challenge in school design is to create spaces that can integrate open learning environments that incorporate diversity of learning spaces, social interaction and sustainability.
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UBC Engineering Students’ Aircraft Model Features BC Wood in International Competition
UBC
UBC AeroDesign students are showcasing hometown pride with their use of BC wood in their newest competitive aircraft models.
Each year, international competitors gather at the SAE Aero Design Competition in the US, to pit their fixed-wing, electrical-powered, remote-controlled aircraft against each other in specific design challenges.
Built for the 2022 Regular Class design challenge, UBC AeroDesign’s model features balsa and BC-grown Sitka spruce in its fixed wing.
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BC Wood’s programs are open to all value-added wood product manufacturers in British Columbia. By participating with BC Wood, you will be adding our staff of business development experts to your sales and marketing team. If you are ready to grow, call BC Wood at 604-882-7100 or 1-877-4BC-WOOD for more information on our programming. |
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