Wood First: General Assessments
General Assessments are a free, confidential conversation with BC Wood that will help identify the specific areas limiting your company’s growth. Typically, there are three general areas of concern for most value-added wood manufacturers: Marketing and/or Business Development, Technical Expertise, or Product Development and Design.
Once the assessment has been completed and gaps to growth identified, we will work to develop programming intended to build the skills and capabilities within your company. BC Wood can help by providing cost-shared professional business development services at your company level, or to groups of companies with like needs, either related to business organization, marketing, product development, or enhancing manufacturing processes.
For now, all assessments are done virtually, but once it is safe to travel, we would be happy to meet you at your place of business! Please contact Kit Crowe at kcrowe@bcwood.com to arrange your general assessment.
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Grants To Support BC Wood Manufacturer’s Growth
DATE: March 10, 2022 | 10:30am – 12:00pm PST
PRICE: $19.95 per attendee
LOCATION: ZOOM
Wood manufacturers have a unique place in the grant space. There are opportunities through two channels: manufacturing and natural resources. Your business and others in the sector may also be looking at clean technology opportunities to ensure a cleaner/greener future for Canadians. If you are thinking about grants that could support your company, join “Grant Angel” Stephanie Sang and Warren Senkowski as they unpack the best grants available to support your firm as it grows.
In this webinar, you’ll learn about grant funding made available to wood processors and develop an understanding of how to use grants strategically. Learn how to search for grants, grant timing, best practices, and how to create a grant strategy for growth. There will be a section of the webinar dedicated to learning about CanExport funding presented by the Trade Commissioner Services.
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SELECTING INCOTERMS® FOR INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS & SHIPPING
DATE: February 24th & 25th, 2022 | 8:30am – 10:30 am PST
PRICE: $50
LOCATION: ZOOM
The Selecting Incoterms® for International Contracts & Shipping course helps Canadian wood product manufacturers shipping products internationally to understand Incoterms® as well as how to negotiate & incorporate them into contracts & shipping agreements in order to reduce risk and lower costs when transporting these goods across borders.
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Registration Closes February 18th, 2022
8 AIBC Core LU’s Approved!
Future of Prefabrication Building Symposium – Virtual
February 24, 25 & 26, 2022 – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm PST
Registration is Open!
Prefabrication in mass timber buildings is fast becoming a reality and through digital design and manufacturing processes, is bringing forth a disruptive effect on the building industry. In order to maintain BC’s lead in innovation in wood and to promote value-added processes within the province, it is time for BC to lead a symposium on the state-of-the-art in Wood Prefabricated Buildings. This symposium is held jointly by the University of British Columbia, in collaboration with the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the University of Northern BC.
The 3-day symposium will be delivered in a virtual format and will focus on aspirational outcomes for prefabrication bringing together architects, engineers and fabricators who are interested in the potentials for their disciplines using prefabrication in wood. The conference will be focused on three key themes; (1) State-of-the-Art in British Columbia (2) State-of-the-Art in Prefabrication, and (3) Industry 4.0. As such the event will appeal to architects, engineers, manufacturers and building professionals seeking more information on prefabrication that will enable them to fully participate in the growing market for prefabricated mass timber, tall wood, passive house and large multi-family wood structures.
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WMC Management Skills Training
UBC - Online Managements Skill Training Courses
Jason Chiu | 604 822-0082
UBC – Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) will be offering the following “online” courses; Sales & Marketing (March 28th to May 9th) and Production Planning (March 28th to May 23rd).
These wood products industry-specific courses are designed for owners, managers, supervisors or management tracked employees. These are not academic courses and the skills learned can be applied immediately to the workplace. Each part-time course is led by a tutor with extensive industry experience.
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Workshop Rescheduled to June 4th to June 8th, 2022
17.75 AIBC Core Learning Units Approved!
3-DAY WORKSHOP – Robot Made: Large-Scale Robotic Timber Fabrication in Architecture
Assistant Professor David Correa from the University of Waterloo and Associate Professor AnnaLisa Meyboom from UBC SALA, will hold a technical workshop on robotic fabrication, in collaboration with UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP). While many industries have made leaps and bounds in adopting highly flexible and fully automated fabrication workflows using robotics, the construction and design industry is only just starting to open the door to these technologies.
Recent developments in robotics combined with more accessible design-to-fabrication tools can now offer architects, designers and fabricators unprecedented access to a new design paradigm.
We are pleased to welcome two experts to UBC, to share their knowledge and experience with students and practicing architects. Using a state-of-the-art eight-axis industrial robotic work cell in the CAWP manufacturing pilot, the workshop will guide participants through the unique technical and conceptual foundations that underpin robotic milling in wood, through the development and construction of a full-scale fabrication project.
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BUILDEX VANCOUVER
Join us in person at BUILDEX VANCOUVER at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, March 23-24, 2022. Exhibit your booth within the featured BC Wood Pavilion and Wood Products Showcase.
BUILDEX VANCOUVER is the largest building industry trade show in Western Canada and 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 2022 show will see new and innovative products for the built environment, diverse speakers and continuing education seminars, installations focused on the future of design and construction, industry networking and meaningful dialogue, an enhanced online experience, safe and secure face-to-face event, and a reconnection experience.
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.
BC Wood member cost: SINGLE BOOTH – 10’ x10’ space - $2,750 (includes electrical and carpet)
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Visit the BC Wood Pavilion at Buildex Vancouver March 23 & 24, 2022 with a free expo pass! |
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NAWLA WOOD BASICS COURSE
There are only a few spots left for the NAWLA 2022 Spring Wood Basics course, May 2-5 in Vancouver, Canada! During four days of fieldwork, mill tours and classroom lectures, you'll learn the entire spectrum of the forest products industry and walk away with beneficial insights to enhance your career.
This comprehensive course offers practical skills and valuable knowledge for all industry professionals, no matter your role within the industry.
You Will Learn:
- Negotiations training
- Product segmentation
- Price and cost trends
- Logistics and transportation
- Forest management and operations
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New Program Launch: “Client Direct: Korea”
For many years, BC Wood has given members the opportunity each winter to exhibit at the Housing Brand Fair held in Seoul’s COEX facility and meet with Korean importers and distributors. Unfortunately, the current dramatic spike in Omicron infections worldwide has kept Korea’s borders closed and is also leading to more and more severe restrictions on gatherings within the country, meaning that BC Wood will not be able to host members in the market this March. Therefore, we have developed an all-new program that will allow participating companies to develop new Korean customers without leaving home.
“Client Direct: Korea” will be a two-part match-making program that leverages our in-market staff and the power of online meetings. During the first step, our Korean market representative JC Lee will analyze your offerings and then begin an outreach campaign to test market your products with potential importers. Having devoted his entire career to the building products industry, JC has an immense network of connections to work from. However, we will also seek out and develop entirely new contacts that specifically meet the needs of unique products. Once the potential clients have been qualified on your behalf, JC will schedule meetings during our Zoom-based event to be held in late March. All meetings will offer professional English-Korean translation services. After the online event, our in-market staff will also follow up with each of the clients on the results of the meetings and report back to the participants on the next steps to be taken.
Unlike other such online programs, Client Direct: Korea will be limited to a small number of Canadian participants and all client recruiting efforts will be focused on only the participants’ products. This will lead to an extremely efficient and direct search for potential new customers in the Korean market. For more information, please contact JC Lee at jclee@bcwood.com. |
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International Builders Show IBS
A few comments suggestions and ideas….
Well, that was interesting? I just returned from the International Builders Show IBS in Orlando, and I’m still trying to process my experience. According to show organizers, an estimated 55,000 folks participated at IBS this year. That number seems pretty accurate to me as the trading floor was busy from the moment the show opened and stayed that way for the duration of the 3-day event.
The BC Wood products pavilion was located in the middle of the west hall and provided an excellent location for member companies to meet directly with builders, architects and distributors from across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. The event was very good, especially considering concerns with the pandemic, travel and testing and the ever-present dilemma of where and when to wear a mask. As expected, the State of Florida has few if any restrictions around Covid, so it was up to the individual to determine their level of comfort on mask-wearing and social distancing.
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IBS provided a good opportunity to get a sense of what today's builders, architects and distributors are talking about and interested in. There were a few conversations that stand out when it comes to trends and concerns in construction.
- The most common question I heard was “is it available?” and “where do I get it?” The issues in the supply chain continue to prove challenging and have made builders wary of working with new suppliers.
- Another big concern was the cost. This was especially true for the wood products sector. Builders constantly brought up stories of huge price increases on both structural and appearance-grade wood products. With inflation and the impact on building costs, builders were noticeably concerned about how the procurement of construction materials impacted their bottom line.
- Performance and innovation. Wood products that were lower cost or provided superior performance were of considerable interest to the folks that stopped by the pavilion. Engineered wood products including finished and mass timber products like CLT were very popular, as were fire treated and prefinished wood products.
Having participated in the first large trade show in over two years was interesting and upon reflection, oddly satisfying. Meeting with buyers and influencers directly was a nice change from the past few years of zoom calls and online meetings. As we move into the spring, BC Wood has a number of exciting in-person activities for the BC Industry - just remember to bring your mask.
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Podcast with Scott Chatterton of BIM One on The Future of BIM for Wood Building Design
Scott Chatterton discusses what building owners should consider when using BIM for wood building design
Take a listen as the Journal of Commerce’s Warren Frey speaks with BIM One Director Scott Chatterton about building information modelling (BIM) in the world of wood buildings. Today, engineered wood systems have the potential to transform the building industry as wood lends itself to off-site construction techniques—for example, modern prefabricated light-frame units, mass timber and hybrid systems—which can be factory-produced to high levels of accuracy for speedy, reliable installation on-site, while benefiting from integrating technology into the construction workflow.
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Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Wood Buildings: An Introductory Guide
BIM use, coupled with lean processes and collaborative methods is enabling the delivery of more economical, sustainable, and resilient buildings. Projects that implement these innovative approaches are showing significant benefits throughout the project lifecycle, across the industry supply chain, and for all types and scales of building projects.
Wood is a widely used construction material that contributes significantly to carbon reduction goals in building construction. The adoption of advanced technologies like BIM can enable digital fabrication and off-site construction that will lead to significant improvements in productivity, reliability, and quality. These innovations rely on designers and builders being conversant with digital design, collaboration, and delivery methods.
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City to buy new portable sawmill for Mission woodworking students
Patrick Penner
Woodworking students at Mission Secondary School (MSS) will soon have access to a brand new portable sawmill, courtesy of the city.
Councillors unanimously voted to foot the $23,538 bill for a Norwood LumberMax HD38 (and accessories) on Feb. 7.
“The more that we are sharing the wealth of our municipal forest with people of our community, the better,” said Mayor Paul Horn.
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Export Readiness Helps Value-Added Manufacturers “Survive Covid” and “Plan For Its Aftermath”
Kelly McCloskey
Given increased interest and emphasis on growing and diversifying Canada’s value-added wood exports, the Tree Frog News decided to have a closer look at BC Wood’s Export Readiness Program—which kicked off the last week of January. In an earlier piece, we noted that it appeared well received, based on surveys of past participants. But why were they signing up, what were their key learnings and how have their export plans evolved since? With BC Wood’s blessing we reached out to five individuals who completed the 9-module program in 2021, to learn answers to these and other questions.
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Picturing sustainability: Winners of the 6th annual BC community photo contest
Susan Yurkovich
The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) and Canadian Forest Industries are excited to present the winners of the sixth annual forestry photo contest.
This year’s contest called for photos that showcased the deep commitment of British Columbia’s forest sector to sustainability and being part of the climate change solution.
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Nature is healing: Doctors in B.C., other provinces can prescribe Parks Canada passes to patients
CBC News
Doctors and other licensed health-care professionals in four provinces can now prescribe a free pass to Canada's national parks.
PaRx, Canada's first national nature prescription program, was started by the B.C. Parks Foundation in November 2020 to help health-care professionals develop a "nature prescription" that encourages patients to spend time outdoors as a way to manage anxiety and improve mental and physical health.
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How B.C.-based San Group is turning forest waste into value-added wood products
BNN Bloomberg
B.C. lumber producer San Group, is focussed on value-added manufacturing, turning wood waste into high- grade, profitable finished products. Kamal Sanghera, CEO of San Group joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss its no-waste manufacturing methodology.
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Structurlam mass timber specialist receives national engineer recognition
LBM Journal
The NCSEA was formed to improve the standard level of practice of the structural engineering professions, with a vision that structural engineers are valued for their contributions to safe structures and resilient communities. The Susan M. Frey Educator Award is presented annually to an individual who has a genuine interest in, and extraordinary talent for, effective instruction of practicing structural engineers. The award was established to honor the memory of Sue Frey, one of NCSEA’s renowned educators.
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CAPTURING CARBON: Fighting Climate Change Through Canadian Forestry.
Tree Frog News
Our fight against climate change has become a collective race against the clock. To keep the global average temperature from rising by more than 1.5°C … we need to significantly reduce our carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Making Bioenergy from Wood Waste In Golden B.C.
Forest Enhacement Society of British Columbia
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has provided $655,000 in funding to LP Building Solutions (LP) to utilize nearly 17,500 cubic metres of residual fibre to generate power in Golden B.C.—equivalent to about 430 logging truck loads. Much of the residual fibre would normally be left behind on local logging blocks and wildfire risk reduction treatment areas to be burned, as it doesn’t meet sawlog or pulp log requirements. The funding enables an increase in the utilization of this fibre and reduces smoke levels by avoiding pile burning.
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