Nov.-Dec. 2018 Wood Industry

FOCUS ON

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SERVICE NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2018

www.woodindustry.ca

The business side of woodworking

Growth vector, time for charity at GCW Kitchens Workplace investigations done right

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Wood Industry survey: A miss and a surprise

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Editor and Publisher

Kerry Knudsen

kknudsen@wimediainc.ca 647-274-0507

Associate Publisher

Steve King

sking@wimediainc.ca 416-802-1225

Contributing Editor

Mike Edwards

medwards@wimediainc.ca Art Director

Lee Ann Knudsen lak@wimediainc.ca Graphics

nsGraphic Design nspence@wimediainc.ca

The business side of woodworking

Omni Data Services

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 Vol. 14, No. 6

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Features:

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Wood Industry is published six times annually, Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/ June, July/Aug., Sept./Oct. and Nov./Dec., for the secondary wood products manufacturing and marketing industries in Canada.

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© 2018 by W.I. Media Inc. All rights reserved. W. I. Media Inc. and Wood Industry disclaim any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect to the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. The opinions of the columnists and writers are their own and are in no way influenced by or representative of the opinions of Wood Industry or W.I. Media Inc.

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Shared vision

GCW Kitchens and Cabinetry of St. Thomas, Ont., spreads responsibility to become future-proof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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From the editor

Here’s one that works W

hen we bought our floor-coverings magazine 11 years ago, we thought there would be synergies, and there are, but not the ones we envisioned. The crossover readers and advertisers are virtually nonexistent. However, the complementary effects are large.

For example, the flooring readership comprises retailers, designers and installers, unlike the wood industry audience, which is largely manufacturers. This places the flooring magazine a full step Kerry Knudsen closer to the consumer and brings some much larger advertising entities – folks much more familiar with the consumer market. These include such household names and publicly traded companies as Armstrong, Mohawk, and Ardex. And, as you know, we try to share their marketing insights with you.

This time, it’s not marketing; it’s organization.

From time to time we note that an industry without communication is not an industry. It is just a bunch of people doing the same thing across different regions, making the same mistakes and subject to political manipulation by outside interests. There are three modes of communication within an industry, those being media, associations and shows. This time, let’s talk associations.

The B.C.-based National Floor Covering Association (NFCA) has launched an initiative that appears to have a great deal of promise. In the first place, they make it clear they have no interest in taking over or interfering with existing regional or sectoral associations, such as the Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC) or any of the design associations. They are trying to be an oversight association to help installers, particularly, as well as suppliers, to harmonize requirements and provide standards.

Without diving too deeply, flooring installers (hence retailers) are often pressured by general contractors and owners to not only accept responsibility for proper installation, but also proper inspec-

INDUSTRY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 2018 WOODINDUSTRY 4 WOOD 4

tion, proper guaranteeing and accountability. This is tough, since the same contractor or owner may demand an installation before a slab is properly cured, for example, and in that industry, “cured” and “dried” are not the same. So the contractor sees a dried slab and the specifications on an adhesive will see a wet one and the retailer is caught in the middle.

By specifying the standard in the contract, and by requiring a third-party, independent inspection (much as with AWMAC), the retailer/installer can offload the responsibility of denying the contractor, as well as the accountability of a failed adhesive because specifications were not followed. This is very simplistic, but it catches the idea.

Enter Chris Maskell. Maskell is the c.e.o. of the NFCA and the ramrod of the NFCA installation manual. Maskell is also a Certified Association Executive, certified by the Canadian Society of Association Executives. Being an association executive is much like being a business owner or artist. You may make it look easy, and others may think they can do it better for less, but when the rubber meets the road, driving at 180 kph can be more dangerous than fun, and you must have a pro at the wheel or somebody else will have to clean up the mess, sooner or later.

The NFCA has taken the idea of professionally run associations one step further. Maskell did not start out looking to be an association executive. He is from the hardwood flooring industry. It was Maskell and the NFCA that decided to invest in the training to get both Maskell and the association up-and-running. To put energy into the industry and provide measurable, definable services that would help the members improve perceived quality, decrease compliance risks and expedite work through a sometimes boggy system.

I often speak with suppliers to the wood industry that openly wish for better performance from our own industry associations. Maybe it would help for us to take a look at what works.

Comment at www.woodindustry.ca

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Machine guards safely in place?

BLITZES are coming The Ministry of Labour in Ontario (MOL) has a list of “workplace inspection blitzes and initiatives” for the new year, part of its annual deployment of industrial health and safety inspectors to fabrication shops and businesses across the province, and you are on it.

Machine guarding has been identified as one of the blitz categories, so wood and metal shops are being advised to be prepared for an unannounced visit from an MOL Health and Safety inspector from February 1 to March 29, 2019. No phone call or prior written notice is provided to a company prior to an inspector’s visit.

“Every year we do an initiative (also called blitzes),” says Ronald Landry, acting provincial coordinator at Industrial Health and Safety Program, MOL. “Just because you have a woodworking shop doesn’t

mean the Ministry of Labour is going to come knocking on your door — we don’t have the resources to do that — but there is a chance that they could.”

According to Landry, an inspector shows up unannounced and introduces himself. “They will go through the workplace and take a look physically at what’s there. They may ask to look at training records and things of that nature.”

Surprise? Yes and no

What the inspector is doing is part of the initiative, explains Landry. “The goal is to raise awareness of these workplace hazards. They are doing their inspection to find out if something doesn’t meet the minimum standard of the provincial Health and Safety Act.” Before every health and safe-

INDUSTRY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 2018 WOODINDUSTRY 6 WOOD 6

ty blitz, the MOL posts a list on its website of what to expect from the initiative, whether it has to do with machine guarding or another focus, such as warehousing.

“The whole idea with the initiative is not to sneak up and ‘gotcha,’” says Landry. “It is to report the internal responsibilities system, because at the end of the day a properly functioning system is the best protection for the workers. When management and workers work together for recommendations to the company’s health and safety committee or through their worker member rep, they have a way to improve health and safety in the workplace. In those circumstances the internal responsibility system can go above and beyond the minimum standard. We only enforce the minimum standard.”

Landry uses the example of having a guard available for use on a table saw. “The supervisor has to make sure it is readily available,” he says, “and if the worker wanted to use it, then that machine was still not necessarily in compliance. The guard actually has to be in use on the machine when the workers are working on it.

Merely having that guard available is not compliance.

“The workers and the supervisors need to understand that, because it will get somebody in trouble sooner or later. I have run into that once or twice in the field. I thought it was kind of strange.”

Enforcement teeth

Inspectors can issue work orders for machines with a compliance deadline specified, a machine stop order, or write tickets on the spot, according to Landry. “Similar to when you are speeding you get a speeding ticket,” he explains. “There is a schedule of offences that inspectors have, for example, if the worker is not wearing safety glasses.”

In accordance with the Provincial Offences Act, MOL inspectors have the authority to issue a ticket or summons for minor OHSA violations

and may also initiate prosecutions for certain violations. Currently, the maximum fine resulting from a ticket or summons is $1,000, though most violations of this nature are subject to a set fine, which generally does not exceed $300. A successful prosecution, though, may result in more severe penalties; individuals may be subject to a fine of $25,000 or imprisonment, while corporations may be fined up to $500,000.

Despite these statistics, at the end of the day the chances of receiving a visit from an MOL inspector are slim.

“There are 450 inspectors across all programs across the entire province,” says Landry. “You can do the math.”

Under the new provincial government, changes are being made to procedures to ease burdens on small businesses while still maintaining health and safety standards. “As a ministry we know we’re increasing

our focus on small business and trying to get resources specifically for small business,” says Landry.

“You are trying to keep the place open. You don’t have the resources of a big corporation with an HR department and a health and safety specialist.

“We realize that as a ministry and we’re trying to create more resources for small business to help them understand and achieve compliance because it’s a challenge.”

Fines across Canada

British Columbia and Nova Scotia currently use administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) for OHS contraventions. Offences are prescribed by regulation with fixed fine amounts set as penalties. Labour stakeholders and some MOL inspectors have expressed support for AMPs as an intermediate enforcement tool to be applied to offences for which a relatively small fine would not provide sufficient deterrence. Employers view the current system of tickets and prosecution as adequate and are concerned that AMPs will not be consistently applied, according to the Ontario MOL website.

During the 2018 machine-guarding and electrical-hazard blitz from January 15 to February 28, Ministry of Labour inspectors visited 181 wood and metal fabrication shops out of a total of 694 workplaces. The fab shops were issued 1,291 orders and requirements, as well as 60 stop orders.

In 2016, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board received 2,653 claims from workers for lost-time injuries involving machine guarding and electrical hazards – injuries that resulted in workers having to take time off work. These included: 1,773 claims involving compression by equipment or objects or collapsing material; 347 claims rubbing or abrasion by friction, pressure or jarring by vibration; 37 claims involving electrocutions, electric shock; 27 claims involving burns (electrical); and, 383 claims involving amputations or enucleations (removal of an eye).

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Great service strategy:

Great communication Wood shops are preventing problems and delighting customers by seeing things from the customer’s perspective During an age when there is an abundance of communications channels with customers, shops have to continually re-evaluate how they provide service.

The intake point — and follow-up — with clients can be via a telephone call, website form, newsletter click, social media, email and even a showroom visit. But the best points of contact are clearly repeat business and the word-of-mouth referral.

Muskoka Cabinet Company of Alfred, Ont., a cabinet manufacturer with a highly automated shop system, works with home builders and contractors for the most part. “We do have a base of contractors that we deal with,” says Eric Elias, vice president of sales and marketing at Muskoka Cabinet. “They always invite us (to tender), and we’re given a special consideration because of our past performance and relationship with them.”

Elias notes that most contractors are first and foremost price-based. “There is a small amount though that rely more on loyalty. To know that the subcontractor — that being us — very well and will sacrifice the price to get us instead of dealing with somebody else they don’t know.”

Muskoka Cabinet has worked hard to earn the loyalty of its customer base, that also includes landlords which remodel apartments when tenants vacate, as well as some retail dealers, architects and designers.

Contractors are only interested in dealing with trades that will make them look good, according to Elias. “We have to make sure when we do get a job that we perform well and service it very well. Then at the end of the day they are going to say, ‘Muskoka, that was a breath of fresh air.’

“I think where we try very hard in excelling in is being on site, having a supervisor who is readily available, and they can contact and vent immediately. In the construction business they want instant gratification and unload INDUSTRY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 2018 8 WOOD INDUSTRY

their problem on to us. We have to not have them beg and plead and demand that we take care of our own work.

You’ve got to be a step ahead of them and make sure that they are never in a position to complain to you that you are deficient.”

He adds that it is “rampant in the construction industry where the general contractors have to babysit and police subcontractors because they don’t have the proper supervision to take care of it on their own. They resent that because it takes up their resources.”

Elias advises that after the installation, “you make sure all of the units are complete and done to the satisfaction of anybody that would be looking at it. Don’t wait for them to come up with deficiency lists and put you in a position where you are having to race to get things serviced properly so you can get paid.”

Listening goes online

Where Muskoka Cabinet mostly satisfies its commercial clients directly with considerations born of many years of business relations, Prairie Barnwood of Morden, Man., relies on digital platforms to draw in consumers. The company, which creates custom furniture and cabinetry from refurbished barn wood, has a website that displays its wares, supported by a presence on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. “Our first point of contact would be social media or our website,” says Blayne Wyton, president and owner of Prairie Barnwood. “For me, the social media aspect is just having what we can do on a thing for them to see. Then on the website having enough information so if they are going to make an enquiry, it is about something that they are already interested in — not just going at it blindly.

“Next, having ways for them to get in contact with us that are obvious, such as phone numbers or email ad-

dresses.” If they are in the area, Wyton makes it easy for them to come into the showroom with a location link to Google Maps.

The shop that has a showroom can display not only the quality of its workmanship, but also the functionality. St. Thomas, Ont.-based GCW Custom Kitchens & Cabinetry has a showroom in its plant and in nearby London, Ont. “We feel that we are in the kitchen business, so why not have a kitchen that actually operates?” says GCW president Ron DeWeger. “And if we are in the kitchen business, we are going to have fun in the kitchen, too.”

When the company opened its showroom in London in 2011, it determined that it would have a working kitchen right from the get-go. “We bought the appliances,” says DeWeger, “so we were able to set up cooking classes.”

DeWeger notes that GCW cooking events for its customers and builders — and expected builders — especially clients “that have been good clients and spent money with us are offered as a thank you to them.”

But due to geography, not everyone can entice clients into its showroom, especially Prairie Barnwood, located in southern Manitoba not far from U.S. border. “Facebook I use more for showing what we can do,” Wyton explains. “Instagram I use most for building the brand of the business. We are on Houzz and Pinterest as well.”

Wyton has found Houzz to connect the business more with professionals, while Facebook and Instagram connect it more with actual customers. LinkedIn connects Prairie Barnwood with a lot more of the professionals as well, he adds.

“I would say the first point of contact is a click,” says Wyton. “Then from there it would be a phone call, an email or a message on social media. Word of mouth for us has been absolutely enormous. Over 50 percent of the customers would be either returning or referral.”

One important element of the customer service equation is finding out — or drawing out — what she really wants. Wyton believes that too often carpenters are overly technical with a client. “Its kind of like when you go in and talk to a mechanic or even a doctor that tells you that you have some disease in a different language. ‘Can you just dumb it down for me? Like what does that mean?’

‘You’re going to have a cough for the rest of your life.’ ‘OK I can handle that.’

Overcoming what you know

“I think sometimes as carpenters we get in our brain the construction method and I think the customer is coming at it more from a design method. So, it’s just a matter of shifting our brains to really just seeking to understand what they want.”

Walking a customer through her options on the fly has its challenges. “For instance, I have a customer right now that would like a 180-inch dining table in solid oak. The price was huge. She got back to me and said, ‘it is probably out of our budget.’ But she helped me understand the overall look she wanted.”

In these cases, according to Wyton, he can come back to the client with different options in design or construction methods that can fit it into a budget that works for her.

Imparting sensible sales wisdom across the company counts at Prairie Barnwood, something that Wyton picked up from his grandfather. “He really taught me with customers to make a friend not a sale,” he says. “I think that that kind of spreads through the whole business. Just seek to understand what the customer wants.”

Wyton mentions Terri in the Prairie Barnwood office.

“She works right on the front line with customers and implements these different techniques. Then even my delivery guy or the person in shipping can respond approwww.woodindustry.ca www.woodindustry.ca

INDUSTRY 9 WOODINDUSTRY WOOD

priately when customers sometimes question or critique the piece to him.

“Train him to just listen to the customer. Don’t defend it. Don’t argue with them. Just hear them out and understand exactly what their concern is. Once you understand it, then you can overcome it.”

Eliminate uncertainty

Muskoka Cabinet is using technology to efficiently service its commercial clientele, from embedding RFID tags in its products to front end software development that tells the field installer exactly where the part or assembly is located, and when it can be expected.

“So, the person in the field can answer the customer and say it will be back this day — instead of leaving them to hang. A lot of places will just let the customer wonder when they are going to show up and finish the service off.”

Elias adds that it is very important to a customer to not have to ask all of the time “‘where this is or where that is or when you are going to finish.’ That is very important

and good for our reputation.”

“Our whole idea behind everything we do is to have one person touch it and that’s it,” says Elias. “From an order department and a purchasing department, you can imagine how much it would cost to make a little one-footsquare panel if you have to go through all of those steps.

“It’s a $10 part and you are going to spend $50 trying to get it in the hands of a service person?”

Referral programs that offer an incentive to customers are a popular way to extend customer service communications with some wood shops. Prairie Barnwood has set one up, however Wyton says his referral program hasn’t really been taken advantage of yet. Still, he’s committed to keeping it going. “It’s kind of like sending your wife a rose on your anniversary. Its more ‘I love you, thank you.’ I find the incentive program is more to just say ‘thank you.’”

Wyton thinks asking for repeat business or asking for referrals with a happy customer is “like sitting down and putting your hand in the couch after Grandpa was sitting there.

“There is going to be change in there.”

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Nuvo and Samet announce agreement at Wood Design Show

Nuvo Hardware of Montreal, Que., and Tekirdag, Turkey-based Samet have reached an exclusivity agreement for the sale of the D-Lite Lift, a mechanism for lift-up doors.

Recently held at the BMO Centre in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., Canada Woodworking East (Bois ouvré de l’est du Canada), the bilingual secondary wood processing event, had a turnout of 2,021 visitors for its third edition. The show attracted professionals from across Quebec and Eastern Canada including cabinet manufacturers, residential and commercial furniture manufacturers, architectural woodworkers, millworkers and custom wood product manufacturers.

Industry association partners presented a seminar series covering diverse topics of interest to a wide variety of industry professionals. The fourth edition of the show will take place in 2020; details will be posted at www.canadawoodworkingeast.ca when they become available.

Felder open house showcases automation

Through its progressive opening mechanism assembly, the product can remain in any desired position and is available in three colour options. The agreement was announced at the 5th edition of the Wood Design Show held in Montreal in October, an event for the industry professionals such as architects, designers, kitchen designers, kitchen cabinets manufacturers and retailers.

At its open house in November, the Felder Group of Mississauga, Ont., featured its tempora F800 60.12 edge banding machine. According to Felder Canada c.e.o. Andy Gombaz, “the F800 makes it easier to switch between edgeband materials and sheet materials.” The unit accommodates edgeband material up to 60 mm in height and 12 mm thicknesses, he explains. The edgebander permits either PUR or EVA adhesives to be used, depending on the application. “PUR is a stronger glue that offers the benefit of smaller glue lines and requires less glue application,” Gombaz says, “while EVA offers easier machine maintenance and still provides a good, clean glue line.”

The top feature of the edgebander is its automated touchscreen operator interface that guides a twin-servomotor system. “There are no more manual adjustments required inside the machine,” explains Gombaz.

Web-Cab wins provincial export award

Highlighting its business success over the past several years, WebCab of Mirabel, Que., has received a

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Filings WOOD MercadOr Award in November. MercadOr Quebec, organized by Commerce International Quebec, is a provincial export awards gala held in Laval, Que. The event highlights the success of exporting companies from all over Quebec and provides positive visibility to their business regionally and provincially, as well as promotes exports to companies in Quebec’s economic development sector. Web-Cab creates smart management software designed for the woodworking and kitchen cabinet industry that complete the functions of an ERP system to optimize business processes.

Loewen announces new senior v.p.

Loewen Windows and Doors of Steinbach, Man., has announced the appointment of Steve Donner as senior vice-president of sales and customer experience. Reporting to pres-

12 WOOD INDUSTRY

ident and c.e.o. Al Babiuk, Donner will be assuming responsibility for the Loewen sales organization, working closely with Kim Marchuk, vice-president of sales. He will also have responsibility Steve Donner over the customer experence areas including customer order services, drafting, and field and installation services. Donner brings nearly 15 years of experience in the architectural segment of the window and door industry through his roles as past-chair of the Washington, D.C.based Window and Door Manufacturers Association, general manager of Weiland Sliding Doors and Windows of Oceanside, Calif., and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

his recent role as director of Big Doors within the Architectural Collection of Bayport, Minn.-based Andersen Windows and Doors.

Initiative encourages made-in-Canada

The Bien fait ici/Well Made Here organization has been founded in Montreal, Que., with the support of more than 60 manufacturers of hardware products and building materials intended for the residential market. As of spring 2019, Richard Darveau thousands of hardware products and building materials bearing the Bien fait ici/Well Made Here label will be found in over 2,500 hardware stores and home improvement centres owned by or affiliated to Ace, BMR, Castle, Home Hardware, Lowe’s Canada, Patrick Morin,

Réno Dépôt, RONA, Timber Mart and Unimat. Directors of associations present at the launch to show their support of the program came from the Association des professionnels de la construction et de l’habitation du Québec (APCHQ), the Canadian Hardware & Housewares Manufacturers Association and the Quebec Hardware and Building Supply Association (AQMAT). Richard Darveau, president and c.e.o. of AQMAT initiated the project. A product or material must have at least 51 percent of direct manufacturing costs (materials and labour) that were incurred in Canada qualify, including manufacturing, assembly, and packaging. Excluded factors are overhead costs, R&D, design and transportation.

CMA announces 2018 award winners

The Chicago, Ill.-based Cabinet Makers Association has announced the winners of its 2018 Wood Diamond Awards contest. The awards were introduced in 2010 as a means

March 1, 2019 through May 15, 2019.

Entrants must be a current CMA member to participate. The winners will be announced during AWFS in Las Vegas, Nev. Currently, CMA membership is made up primarily of 20 or fewer employee operations, with the vast majority of those being 1- to 5-person shops. For more information, visit www.cabinetmakers.org. for CMA members to be recognized by their peers. Announced during the IWF 2018 trade show, winning entries received a certificate recognizing their achievements, while first place winners are awarded a customized plaque declaring their excellence in their respective category. The 2018 “Best Of” award went to Woodland Furniture of Idaho Falls, Idaho for a project submitted in the category of Kitchen: Finish, Over $50,000. Sofo Kitchens of Maple Ridge, B.C., won in the categories of Architectural Millwork, Bar – Residential, Bath, Bookcase (pictured), Closet, Home Theater and Kitchen: Face Frame. The 2019 awards contest will be accepting submissions from

NAP Gladu acquires Ace Saw and Supply

NAP Gladu, a Techniks Industries company headquartered in Jasper, Ind., has acquired Ace Saw and Supply, based in Los Vern Cameron Alamitos, Calif.

For over 50 years Ace Saw has been a provider of carbide saw service, band saws, hot taps and hole saws. The acquisition of Ace Saw builds on one of North America’s

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Filings WOOD largest service networks and strengthens the capabilities, products and services of both companies. Vern Cameron, c.e.o. and president of Techniks Industries, says that its growing portfolio of brands extends the service reach of the company and enhances the range of solutions and our value to its customers.

Grass sets new visitor record at Sicam

The tenth edition of the Pordenone, Italy, supplier trade fair Sicam benefited exhibitors from 10 years of the show’s constant growth. Grass, the specialist for cabinet and furniture movement systems based in Fussbach, Austria, reports that it counted more visitors at their stand on the third day than during the entire edition of Sicam 2017. This year’s show attracted 612 exhibitors from 33 countries, with visitors were from 53 countries.

Bannon joins Tiger Group

Tiger Group, a provider of asset valuation, advisory and disposition services based in New York, N.Y., has announced that home furnishings industry veteran Mark Bannon has joined the firm as director of Furniture Solutions. In this newly created position, Bannon will direct new business development and strategic client relations within Tiger’s retail and wholesale turnaround and asset disposition operations, focusing on the home furnishings industry. He brings over 30 years of experience in Mark Bannon all aspects of the home furnishings industry, including retail operations, furniture liquidations and acquisition negotiations. From 2015 to 2018, Bannon served as c.e.o. of Las Vegas, Nev.based International Retail Group, a provider of consulting services and products to the furniture and rug industries. In that role he directed deal negotiations, as well as corporate and field operations, for numerous home furnishings clients throughout North America.

Bürkle has new owner

The management of Robert Bürkle GmbH of Freudenstadt, Germany, has announced its acquisition by Munich, Germany-based Auctus Capital Partners. The contract was signed in September 2018 and is subject to approval by the German Federal Cartel Office. The Munich investment specialist’s involvement is said to be a positive development of the company and shows confidence in the further expansion of the Bürkle Group. Bürkle is a manufacturer of machines, systems and plants in the field of press and coating technology.

Weinig previews innovations for Ligna

At its recent InTech in-house exhibition in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany, Weinig previewed product developments for Innovations at InTech: The new solid wood Powermat 3000 was one of the processing that attractions of the international will be shown at Weinig in-house exhibition. the Ligna 2019 trade fair in Hannover, Germany. Automation and digitization were the main topics of the in-house exhibition. In the field of planing and profiling, the 1000 visitors from 35 countries were able to experience the new Powermat 3000 for the first time at InTech. The launch of the Powermat 700 Blackline planing and molding machine at InTech is intended to convince customers, the company says, who have not yet been able to decide to convert their production to the current Weinig generation.

14 WOOD INDUSTRY

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Design WOOD New chapter: RV conversion

Staying busy N

ow that I’m not teaching, I’ve had to find a project to keep busy with. And what that has turned out to be is a DIY Sprinter cargo-van-to-RV conversion. It’s certainly kept me busy and I’m not done yet.

I first became aware of Sprinter vans around 2006 and was Paul Epp i m me d i at ely struck by their potential adaptability for RVs. But that was long before my time. In 2015, when I sold my house in Toronto, I bought a used RV: a 22-foot Class C. And I got a lot of use out of it over the next three years, spending four months of each summer in it. That gave me a pretty good sense of what I wanted and how I used an RV. Despite my extensive enjoyment of that unit, it was a pig to drive. And I found the interior to be very inappropriately designed, at least for me. So, an idea began to take form: build my own the

way I wanted it. This would satisfy my desire to feel active as a designer and it would give me a chance to put my woodworking skills back to use.

I sold the Class C in the fall of 2017 and planned on starting to build its replacement in the spring. I was offered the use of a wood shop near Calgary and that’s where I went in February.

It turned out that the shop wasn’t available as expected and I didn’t get the use of it until July. In the meantime, I bought a van and started to do what I could. I bought the long wheelbase/high roof model because I wanted a bathroom and a decent kitchen and to be able to stand up when using them. Plus, adequate storage for long term occupation. The shorter model would park more easily and use less fuel, but I made that trade-off. This was just the beginning of the kinds of compromises that this project would typify. I had new windows put into the cargo door and the space opposite, behind the driver which included a smaller awning window with screens.

I also had smaller windows that slide open installed in the back panels. I sourced a fresh water tank and ones for both grey water and black water and had them installed. And I had plenty of time to design and redesign.

I had this project in mind for some time and for research, and I had visited RV dealerships, both here and in Europe and also asked to inspect the interiors of

other RVs that I found myself camping beside. I went to a very large RV show in Dusseldorf, Germany, which was very worthwhile. There are, by now, plenty of RVs built commercially using Sprinters as a starting point.

Many of these just use the cab and chassis, building a new box behind.

The principal benefit of this approach is to be able to orient the bed across the van, instead of along its length, saving quite a bit of space. But this gets back to a bigger and heavier unit and I wanted to avoid that.

The internet also made me aware of the fact that my ambitions were not unique. Others had been doing DIY conversions and in fact, there was now a whole industry supporting this interest. Many of these are intended for shorter time usage, supporting other outdoor activities like biking and their owners are typically not yet retired. So their designs differed but I’ve benefited for the network of suppliers and up-fitters that support this emerging market.

My design is a more conventional RV, with its bathroom and kitchen. I choose a design and construction approach that more closely resembles nautical work than is conventional, although I wasn’t fully aware of how this would complicate my project. The geometry of the van’s body is much more complex that it first appears to be. It tapers to the back, with greater taper at the top than the bottom and even the vertical portion is far from flat or straight. And as it turns out, the floor isn’t even flat, despite its appearance (and maybe its intention).

So building has involved a lot of trialand error, with plenty of emphasis on the error.

But it’s coming along. I had hoped to have it roadworthy in time for next spring, but that’s not how it’s working out. The biggest surprise for me has been just how enthusiastic the young people have been that have seen what I’m doing. I had not expected, or intended, to be this cool.

Paul Epp is a professor emeritus at OCAD University, and former chair of its Industrial Design department. www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 15

PROFILE: GCW

Kitchens & Cabinetry, St. Thomas, Ont.

SHARED SHARED

VISION

RESPONSIBILITIES Kitchen cabinet company sets the table

M

any a company has origins in a residential garage, and some are content to stay there. Not GCW Kitchens & Cabinetry of St. Thomas, Ont., which had its humble beginnings constructing one kitchen at a time from just such a garage.

Fast forward to 2018 and the company has evolved to employ over 100 staff, has two showrooms and an 82,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

At the beginning, according to GCW president Ron DeWeger, local home builders didn’t have many shops to choose from in 1999. “There was a company that was supplying cabinetry to a number of builders here in town. That company unfortunately went under. And so, two builders in town said, ‘why don’t we just take over the kitchen cabinet company? It can’t be that hard.’ I always like to say, ‘famous last words,’” laughs DeWeger.

However, it wasn’t just success that drove GCW out of its garage at

16 WOOD INDUSTRY

the back of a St. Thomas home. “The neighbours could smell the paint finishes. So, there were a few complaints.

Then we had to move from there to a small strip plaza with about 2,000 square feet.”

Growing by leaps and bounds, the company — situated close to London, Ont. — moved to a building of 8,500 square feet in 2004, the same year DeWeger started. “At this plant we brought in CNC technology and we had a paint booth built in,” says DeWeger. “We had an edge bander — now that is really the humble beginnings.”

Then, in 2007, GCW purchased a 21,000 square foot building, added a second CNC machine and an automated spraying system. “It was far too small for the growth we were experiencing,” explains DeWeger. Consequently, the company moved to its current 82,000 square foot plant in April of 2013.

“We grew 22 times the size from the beginnings in 2004 when I joined in until today,” says DeWeger. “We’ve

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

become a formidable competitor in the area and probably one of, if not the largest, cabinet manufacturers, in southwestern Ontario.”

The home builders in the region account for about 75 percent of the current residential business, according to DeWeger, with about 25 percent of the company’s overall volume representing commercial projects. “In April of 2014 we started a commercial division under the name Milestone Commercial. To simplify our operations, we have just changed the name to GCW Commercial (to go with its GCW Residential division)”.

Installations include hospitals, multi-unit complexes, high rises and food franchises. Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons and Parkwood Hospital now have GCW cabinetry. “We do a lot of reception areas and nursing stations in the hospitals,” says DeWeger.

“Commercial is an industry that is notorious for not being on time. We are on time every time and have built

a real strong reputation for that.”

DeWeger says that he was approached to join the company prior to 2004. “I was asked a couple of times in 2002 or 2003 if I wanted to join from a sales perspective. I thought about it and I thought it wasn’t a good fit and it wasn’t the right timing.

“It wouldn’t have been affordable at the time. When I made the decision to join, I said, ‘I would like to join, but I will buy in and be your general manager.’ That was my position at the start.”

When the dust settled, four owners at GCW emerged: DeWeger with his sales experience, George Vanderveen, Terry Kuipers and Dave Dryfhout.

Cabinet maker and original employee Dryfhout is now plant manager, while Vanderveen takes care of the maintenance and the physical aspects of the building, and former chicken farmer Kuipers takes a background investor role. “It is just a perfect combination,” says DeWeger, “nobody stepped on the others’ toes.”

“We dealt with everything as a board of directors. I think it was the key to the success of this company to this day. Because we collaborate on everything, we have never had issues in all of the years since 2006 — it has never come to strong words. I think there is a little bit of safety in (ownership) numbers.”

Besides bringing his sales experience from the wallpaper market to GCW, DeWeger also brought a strong

design sense to the company. In 1984, he graduated from the Interior Design program at Fanshawe College in London, Ont. “I ended up in the furniture industry for a number of years and then I took a job with a wall covering firm,” says DeWeger. “So, I worked for two wall covering companies for 20 years in sales and marketing.

“So many things have happened since we started GCW. What I tend to bring to the table is I’m a bit of the vision caster in terms of promoting ourselves.”

One of DeWeger’s promotional visions was to outfit the showroom in St. Thomas and the satellite showroom in London to present cooking classes.

“We are not just fixated on workwork-work and producing, we’re making it fun too.”

The working demonstration kitchens, complete with appliances, can be used by the staff, builder clients and sales prospects. When GCW had its London showroom grand opening in 2011, it brought in David Rosen, a local chef. Rosen cooked hors d’oeuvres that night and his association with the company has continued ever since.

A source of pride to DeWeger is giving away kitchen showroom time to charities. “When a charity asks us to donate, we donate a cooking class. We get typically 10 people in London or 12 people in our St. Thomas location.”

The showroom grand opening in St. Thomas in 2014 attracted over 600 people, with chef Michael Smith presiding. “We had done his kitchen in P.E.I.,” says DeWeger. “He was speaking that night, so we charged admission and we raised $33,000 for the charity Bethany’s Hope in London.”

The company allows its facilGCW Kitchens & Cabinetry of St. Thomas, Ont., has grown in leaps and bounds since 2004. ity to be used

Kitchen cabinets from GCW can be found in homes, hospitals, high rises, multi-unit complexes, franchised restaurants. The company has a reputation for being meticulous about delivering on-time, every time.

by charities free of charge, including the kitchen and a boardroom that can hold 22 people. Besides fundraisers, charities have also conducted board meetings in the space.

Although the company has over 100 employees, there is no union in the plant. “We have a really good rapport with our staff,” says DeWeger.

He feels that comparatively speaking, GCW has very high employee retention. “Someone just said to me the other day that, ‘wow, your design team.’

They had gone to other places and noticed there is kind of like a revolving door as far as people leaving.”

He observes that his company has the same designers working for it longterm, and not just in that department.

“We try to really build on key employees. I think people that are really proud of what they do. They know they do great work. They are looking on this place as a career — as a vocation really.

We are really blessed with that.”

As the company continues to grow, new staff is required, so local outreach to schools is conducted on an ongoing basis. Interior Design classes from Fanshawe College come into the London location every year and the same www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 17

students also come through for plant or one of the owners. tours in St. Thomas. “We also have “We get real buy-in and people feel a good number of people that came like they are really part of something.” through high school tours that ended Although manufacturing kitchen up working for us. cabinets is an established practice, “Some people in key shop roles GCW has a development team lookwere actually hired through co-oping ing at adopting new technologies with us through high school. We see into its production lines and finished that as a really important part of our kitchens. “We may have up to two business to the point where, as owner- or three people just developing new ship, we are actually looking at those systems for the manufacturing,” says key players, strategizing on how we DeWeger. “Or working on how the are going to transition them to put a ERP is integrated with our finances succession plan in place. The script and our inventory and the floor.” In isn’t fully written yet.” developing new products and proOne way of transitioning employ- grams that attract home builders ees into key roles takes place in man- and commercial clients, the company agement’s collaborative approach focus is always toward providing the with the staff. “Because of the com- consumer a better experience. pany size we really work within com“How to integrate lighting and mittees throughout the organization. other technologies into our cabinetry We have, for instance, a sales commit- is being explored,” says DeWeger. tee instead of a sales manager. One of “If you went right now to our Lonour salespeople is chairing that sales don showroom, the place is completecommittee along with somebody from ly automated. When we walk in, we engineering, service, from the floor hit a key pad and all the lights, TVs in production, someone from pur- and everything goes on.” However, 9-17-18-hfpg-epilog-WoodIndustry.pdf 1 9/17/2018 12:32:47 PM chasing and myself as management the company isn’t stopping there.

18 WOOD INDUSTRY

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

GCW president Ron DeWeger, one of a quartet of the company’s owners. He notes that the company encourages employees to take on key roles so that a succession plan for the business will eventually be in place.

“Our hope and our end goal is that we will be one of the first to really truly automate the kitchen to the degree where it will become a certified smart kitchen.”

Law WOOD More common, and must be done right

Workplace investigations I

nvestigations into claims of employee misconduct were once reserved for the most serious and complicated allegations of wrongdoing involving a company’s senior-level employees.

However, workplace investigations are becoming Joe Figliomeni increasingly common in

light of recent high-profile incidents, which have raised public awareness for the right of all employees to be free from workplace discrimination, harassment and violence.

Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (the “Act”) includes provisions that are intended to protect employees against harassment and violence, including workplace bullying, psychological, and sexual harassment. The Act requires employers to prepare and implement a policy for investigating complaints.

Section 32.0.7 of the Act also estab-

lishes a duty for employers to ensure that an investigation “appropriate in the circumstances” is conducted into incidents or complaints of workplace harassment. An employer’s failure to conduct a proper investigation can have serious consequences; Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice, Human Rights Tribunal and Labour Relations Board have all sanctioned employers for failing to properly respond to and investigate complaints of harassment and discrimination.

Disotell v. Kraft Canada Inc. (“Kraft”) is a case concerning an employer’s duty to take appropriate steps to investigate claims of harassment. In Kraft the Court considered the adequacy of the employer’s investigation into complaints made by Douglas Disotell, an employee with 16 years of service. Notwithstanding Disotell’s repeated complaints that he was being harassed and bullied by his co-workers, Kraft investigated only after Disotell went on sick leave and upon receipt of a demand letter from Disotell’s lawyer. Kraft failed

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Law WOOD to interview the alleged harassers and refused Disotell’s offer to provide Kraft’s human resources personnel with further details regarding his complaint. Kraft failed to address or accommodate Disotell’s concerns and he ultimately determined that he could no longer tolerate the workplace. Instead of returning to work, Disotell sued Kraft for constructive dismissal on the basis of harassment. After reviewing Kraft’s investigative process, the Court determined that Kraft breached its duty to provide Disotell with a harassment-free workplace. Disotell was awarded damages equivalent to one year’s salary and legal costs of $50,000. In reaching its decision, the Court found that Kraft had clearly invested time and effort to create and disseminate its zero-tolerance harassment policy, but that the policy was not being properly administered.

An employee may also claim wrongful dismissal if he or she is terminated based upon the findings of an investigation or where the employer imposes undesired changes to the employee’s job as a result of its investigative findings. In Roe v. Schneider National Carriers, Inc. (“Schneider”) Schneider received allegations

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that its employee, Ms. Roe, had sexually harassed two of her colleagues. As part of the workplace investigation, Schneider’s representatives arranged to meet with Roe, but they did not advise her of the purpose of the meeting. During the meeting, Roe was not provided with any specifics of the allegations of misconduct or the identities of the complainants. Instead, she was asked general questions about topics related to the complaints, such as whether she had ever made sexually suggestive or offensive remarks in the workplace. At the same meeting, Schneider terminated Roe’s employment for creating a hostile work environment.

Roe sued. After a four-day trial, the Court determined that Schneider’s workplace investigation was deficient because Roe was not given sufficient particulars to enable her to respond appropriately to the allegations. Although the trial judge found Roe engaged in distasteful behaviour, it did not warrant termination of her employment, and Roe was awarded damages equivalent to three months’ pay.

Kraft and Schneider both illustrate the degree to which the integrity of a workplace investigation can be scrutinized and challenged. Both cases also provide helpful guidance to employers and employees faced with the daunting proposition of having to conduct or participate in a workplace investigation. There is certainly no “one size fits all” solution, but it is generally accepted that a proper investigation must be:

Conducted promptly.

The investigation should be completed as soon as possible with regard to the complexity and seriousness of the allegations and the number and availability of witnesses. Delay may cause disruption in the workplace and may also adversely affect the health of the parties. Evidence may get lost or forgotten with the

passage of time. If video, audio, or other physical evidence is available, it should be preserved immediately.

Impartial and objective.

The appointed investigator should not be involved in the incident and should not have any personal or other connection to the complainant or alleged harasser. The investigator must ensure that the process is fair to all parties and that each has an opportunity to state their case. The investigator should also be knowledgeable of the law and understand the requirements of due process. In certain situations, it may be appropriate to engage the services of an external investigator, such as an employment lawyer or a retired judge.

Confidential.

Everyone involved must respect the sensitivity and confidentiality of the investigative process. Confidentiality is critical in order to protect privacy and reputational interests.

Information about the incident(s), including information about the people involved, should not be disclosed unless the disclosure is necessary to protect employees or is needed to investigate, take corrective action, or is otherwise required by law.

Thorough.

The objective of any workplace investigation should be to review and determine whether a complaint can be substantiated. All complaints should be taken seriously. Reasonable efforts should be made to interview the parties and anyone who might have relevant information. Proper documentation is essential to ensure that evidence is accurate and sufficient facts are available to support the investigative findings.

Employers who are required to investigate incidents of workplace harassment and employees who find themselves the subject of such an investigation should seek legal advice at an early stage. An employment lawyer can review, consider and assess the specific circumstances and clarify the legal rights and obligations of all participants. As noted in Kraft and Schneider, the consequence of conducting an inadequate workplace investigation can be both expensive and embarrassing for everyone involved.

Joe Figliomeni is a commercial litigation lawyer at Lawrences Lawyers, Brampton, Ont. Comment at www.woodindustry.ca.

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WOOD INDUSTRY 21

Reader survey 2019 You could use questions 3, 4, 5, 13 and/or 14.

Sheds some light — and fun — on your vocation Because I often claim my hits, I also have to admit my misses, and I missed big-time on the lead question on this year’s survey. It was about pot, and I figured the industry would be concerned about legal risks. Not so, but more on that in a minute.

I was mildly disappointed in the response rate this time, and I credit the abuse that others have heaped upon us all once they get our e-mail addresses. I get surveys from health care providers, merchants, politicians and plain-old John Does. Each says, “Your opinion is important to us.” But it’s not. It’s something for them to sell. I complete the survey, and the next thing I know, I’m hit with another survey or a sales offer, or I just see something I mentioned start showing up on all the pop-up ads on my web searches.

We don’t do that, as we have said many times. I asked the pot question, as well as others, to get a feel for what you want in editorial coverage over the next year or so. So you won’t be seeing any pot coverage as a feature. I will, of course, publish any substantial legal consequences we incur as an industry if those occur, because that is the nature of news.

Those of you that follow Wood Industry know that we are unique. This is mostly because we will not kneel before commanding suppliers and their hirelings. We have pointed out in the past that some, such as the management at IWF, have admired our successes so much they decided to kick us out and take the keys, with disastrous results. It’s not that easy.

So I was talking with Lee Ann about how to help energize the industry when surrounded by pickpockets. I joked, “Maybe I should ask the readers who they think is the most recognizable personality in the industry.” But then I didn’t laugh. What an audacious idea. But then, audacity is not necessarily a vice. And again, since so many wanna-be promoters think celebrity is the only measure of value, I decided to risk it.

The results have been more gratifying than I dreamed, and funny. For example, I was running 13 to nothing in INDUSTRY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 2018 22 WOOD INDUSTRY

early reports, and then, a distant second, somebody nominated Mike Holmes. I joked again that Holmes could catch up if only he would age quickly and eat more donuts, but the race was on. By then end, we had Martha Stewart, Donald Trump and our own Paul Epp, who richly deserves it. One industry supplier nominated Richelieu President Richard Lord, illuminating why we ask only readers to respond to reader’ surveys and why some people will never “get it.”

Pete VanHartingsveldt at Durham Precision Cabinets was enthusiastic, “Kerry Knudsen, and I mean it.”

So it was sort of a joke, but it’s serious. We have risked a lot to be for the reader and not the advertiser, and it worked.

We will have detractors that say the question is biased.

This is exactly the kind of foolishness that the survey purveyors have promulgated on the industry. ALL questions are biased. That is why they are questions. You would not survey people on whether the sun will rise tomorrow, although if you did you would get four percent that claim it will not. The reason I asked the celebrity question, as well as all the others, is because you cannot get an answer if you don’t ask the question. And our questions are pretty well unambiguous and straightforward. All the people in the sample had a chance to answer that question, positive or negative to any “leading” they thought was in process, and all the people that answered are represented in the results. We NEVER skew the results.

What professional surveys do to protect against fraud is to make sure the sample is not biased, not dictate the questions. In our case, we sent out surveys until we had just over 10 percent of our subscribers verified as having received the email.

Of the verified recipients, 10 percent actually clicked to view the survey, and 56 percent of those completed it.

As noted, the response rate is much lower than previous surveys, but still very impressive to those that make a living doing surveys. You are showing you trust us and you care about how you are perceived.

On the pot questions, 93 percent of you expect the legalization of marijuana to affect your legal exposure little-to-none (57 percent), or you don’t know but it’s concerning (35 percent). In addition, 80 percent said they think legalization will have no effect on productivity, and another 12 percent say it could decrease productivity up to 15 percent. One percent believes legalization will increase their productivity over 15 percent.

Once again, we know we are an industry of small companies, with 86 percent of respondents reporting fewer than 50 employees and 68 percent reporting fewer than 20. Seven percent report 50 – 100 employees, and six percent report over 100.

Ontario had the highest number of respondents, with 48 percent, followed this time by British Columbia at 13 percent, Alberta with 12 percent, the Prairies with 9 percent, Quebec with 7 percent, the Maritimes with five percent and the U.S., another group that does not belong in the survey base, at 3 percent.

Nearly half of you, 48 percent, expect next year’s revenues to increase up to 20 percent, with another five percent expecting revenues to increase more than 20 percent.

Wood Industry’s monthly e-letter remains very popular, with 80 percent saying they read it immediately every time it comes (12 percent) or every time it comes when they get around to it (68 percent), and 94 percent say they want it to keep coming at the current frequency, which is once a month.

The celebrity question: I got 13 percent of total respondents, but just over half of total respondents skipped the question. Mike Holmes came in tied with Paul Epp at 2 percent and the rest was a jumble, including Home Depot, Building Construction Canada and some others. No other publication, association leader or trade show personality was mentioned.

I will repeat, that was an immodest question and one I had to swallow hard to include, but I was curious. Others can have their opinions, but they had a chance to register them on the survey, so we are stuck with the results.

Wood Industry matters to manufacturers because manufacturers matter to Wood Industry. Go figure.

How many employees are in your company overall?

We will publish the compiled results at www.wood industry.ca, and we will publish ALL the comments regarding what we can do to improve, and what you have on your mind.

Importantly, 100 percent of you said Wood Industry is informative (63 percent) or somewhat informative (37 percent) so we even got the no-sunrise-tomorrow crowd with us.

And finally, I asked if reading Wood Industry is fun.

You said yes (24 percent) and somewhat (71 percent), with the no-tomorrow crowd coming back in at 5 percent. We will work harder to make it fun, but we hope you will work with us toward that goal. After all, we only have one shot at today, and we should not waste it with “glum.”

Is reading Wood Industry informative?

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0

1-5

6-20

21-50

50-100

More than 100

Where do you see your sales revenues going in 2019?

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0

Down more Down up than 20% to 20%

No change

Increase Increase more up to 20% than 20%

Is reading Wood Industry fun?

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0

Yes

Somewhat

No

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0

Yes

Somewhat

www.woodindustry.ca www.woodindustry.ca

No

INDUSTRY 23 WOODINDUSTRY WOOD

WOOD

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The ScaffoldBench from Metaltech is a multiple-purpose four-in-one unit with many uses on the job site and work shop. It combines a six-foot Baker Scaffold, a garage storage unit, a utility cart and a mobile workbench

with miter saw stand. With no-tool assembly, the unit has a 1,100 lb. capacity and capacity for workers to reach up to 12-feet. The platform is reversible with one side a deck/table, the other side is a saw bench with rails that will hold your miter saw or table saw. The saw-bench side is equipped with rails and comes with four universal brackets that fit all miter saws. It can also be stacked up to three levels high for a 24-foot high reach. Also included are five-inch heavy-duty, double-locking casters to move it around. www.metaltech.co

HIGH QUALITY INDUSTRIAL WOOD COATINGS DARE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

UV CURED SYSTEMS These products are custom-made and specifically designed for the Wood Flooring Industry.

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CANLAK

24 WOOD INDUSTRY

Dovetail clamp and router bit kit

ASK FOR A SAMPLE : SAMPLE@CANLAK.COM

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Microjig has introduced Matchfit Dovetail Clamp Pro, said to be the first clamp/router bit combination kit on the market. The kit includes the latest version of the Matchfit Dovetail Clamp, which allows users to rout a standard dovetail groove and clamp in a wide variety of applications. The tool eliminates the need for expensive T-Tracks, the company says, and makes it easy for users to secure materials at any angle, create instant end vices, work with unlimited fence height and build personalized track systems, all with the clamp head out of the way of operation. The tool slides into a 14-degree by ½ in. dovetail groove and is compatible with other manufacturers’ router bits with that profile. www.microjig.com

Framework for drawer organization

Tavinea Sorto, a framework for the organization of drawers, has been announced by Grass Canada. The frame elements are assembled from 6 mm narrow metal profiles, the shape of which creates the framework’s functional good looks, the company says. The system’s corner connection is both spacer and anti-slip device.

With the appropriate add-ons, the framework becomes a comprehensive

interior accessory system for a knife block, foil holder or spice rack. A spring device on the inside of the divider rail makes it possible to position the narrow longitudinal divider where needed. In that way, a single divider rail can be used to create two compartments or to hold accessories firmly in place. www.grasscanada.com

Solid state laser module

terproof plastic carriers with the advantage of matching the finish of the decor. Waterproof PUR adhesive is used to stick down decor papers, printed digitally or by the intaglio printing process. Product advantages include: suitable combination for vinyl and LVT floors; can be laid using Clipholder CH23, but screws or nail can also be used; cables can be laid behind it; and, matching plastic corners are available. www.fnprofile.com

Sliding table saw dampens torsion, vibration

Next Wave Automation has just introduced a 7 W, plug-and-play, solid state laser module. The module has enough power to engrave wood and leather, and can cut fabric, veneer, and most woods up to 1/8 in. thick. The unit can be mounted or removed by inserting it into the router collet – the router itself does not need to be removed. Features include an integrated cooling fan, soft-start for diode protection, PWM control for smoother gray scale images, LED status lights for input laser enabled and laser on, thermal shutdown control and over burn compensation control. www.nextwaveautomation.com

Skirtings to provide moisture resistance

FN Neuhofer Holz has developed skirtings for applications that require resistance to moisture. The skirtings combine the benefits of wa-

The new F 45 sliding table saw available from Akhurst has a redesigned machine frame that is said to combine torsion resistance with extremely low levels of vibration, while the smooth front and clear foot space on the floor enable users to operate closer to the machine and the workpiece. There are three control units available, every one of which allows users to move up to four axes and tilt the saw unit to either side. Whichever control unit is chosen, it will be mounted at eye level so that the swivel-mounted display is always visible from any working position – even from the right-hand side of the saw blade. The basic configuration includes: motorized rise/fall and tilt adjustment of 0 to 46° for main saw blade with automatic cutting height correction when saw blade tilted; sliding table lengths from 2250 to 5000 mm; manual rip fence to 1300 mm; manual fixed or mitre crosscut fences; maximum saw blade projection of 150 mm; and, maximum saw blade diameter 450 mm (204 mm optional). www.akhurst.com

Cabinet LED lighting system

The Loox LED system from Häfele is said to make it is easy to develop and plan flexible light ideas. The flexibility is a result of a wide selection of different components ranging from light fixtures to switches. The plugin system with its clearly marked colour coding connects all the elements together with a compact driver.

Large systems with multiple different drivers can also be created. All components are certified to international standards and provide longterm reliability during operation. www.hafele.ca

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WOOD INDUSTRY 25

WOOD

New Products Veneered slab doors

mechanism. The switch enables the closing speed of any size or shape of door to be finely adjusted. www.salicecanada.com

Edge bander with touchscreen

Outside edge molding from WalzCraft add depth and interest to its veneered slab doors while said to maintain a contemporary, bespoke design.

The moldings are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to help personalize the made-to-order cabinet doors.

The company manufactures custom cabinet doors, drawer fronts, dovetail drawer boxes, cabinet components and millwork for custom cabinetmakers and cabinet refacers throughout the U.S. and Canada. http://walzcraft.com

Hinges with improved soft closing

Silentia+ hinges from Salice employ an advanced deceleration system for cabinet doors of a wide range sizes, weights and applications. Included are the Series 100 for light thin doors, Series 200 for thicker doors, Series 300 with a 45 mm operating profile and Series 700 for doors with a minimum thickness of 16 mm. Consistent with the aesthetics of the first generation of Silentia, with identical dimensions and shape, the decelerating effect is now powered by twin silicone-oil dampers, housed in the hinge cup. Silentia+ hinges are also equipped with a discreet switch to adjust the deceleration

26 WOOD INDUSTRY

The Format 4 edge bander tempora F400 models from Felder are said to bring state-of-the-art premium edge finishing to the medium segments of

budget, size and performance. The smartouch control unit reduces all manual settings to a minimum and enables fast, simple and intuitive operation of the units, as well as complete monitoring of all machine functions directly on the touch screen, the company says. The features of the control unit with 10.4 or 16 in. screen include: unlimited memory space for custom edge banding programs; easy, self-explanatory representation of the units and their functions; selection and precise fine adjustment of the motorized positioning units (setting accuracy 1/100 mm) from the control panel; adhesive temperature setting; and, automatic temperature reduction of the adhesive in stand-by mode. www.felder-group.com

Thin-cutting frame saw

The Power Plus thin-cutting frame saw from Ogden has a solid cast iron base and is equipped with a 15-kW main motor. Designed for the production of veneer slats, the machine can run products up to 250 mm in height.

The frame saw cuts solid wood blocks into glueable slats with minimal saw kerf waste. The machine can be fitted with a custom channel system that

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

will feed up to 5 boards simultaneously. Features include: linear guides for smooth carriage movement; easy access for saw frame changing; automatic central lubrication system; precision stop/start feed system; solid steel crank arms; and, air blast cooling system. Applications include flooring, engineered stiles and rails, and musical Instruments. www.ogden-group.com

Four-axis CNC machining centre for stile and rail components

The Bacci BMT 4-axis CNC machine centre from Taurus Craco is for producing mitred kitchen cabinet door components and is configured for flexible, high volume production

requirements. The machine produces high quality 45° mitred, mortised and tenoned components for use in cabinet door construction. Features include: two direct drive spindles, one for the mortise and one for the mitre/tenon; two zone work table for pendulum processing capability; opposing left and right reference fences for mitred corners; side and top clamps; four interpolated axes managed by the NC control; 800 mm X-axis; and, automatic lubrication system for the 4-Axis NC controlled motion systems. Capabilities include quick and flexible programming software for processing various profiles shapes and sizes, as well as the ability to recall previous programs manually or via bar code. www.tauruscraco.com

Bullets WOOD Canadian municipalities issued $8.1 billion worth of building permits in September, up 0.4 percent from August. The national increase was driven by higher construction intentions in Quebec. —Statistics Canada Demand for design services in the U.S. grew for the 12th consecutive month in September, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) from the American Institute of Architects. The September ABI score was 51.1, down from August’s score of 54.2, marking a slowdown in growth for architecture billings. The long stretch of growth in billings is a great sign for the construction industry heading into 2019. —AIA In August, 464,700 people in Canada received regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, down 7,400 (-1.6 percent) from the previous month. Compared with August 2017, the number of EI recipients declined by 61,900 (-11.8 percent). —Statistics Canada Canadian commercial property investment market remained brisk during the third quarter, on the heels of a record-high $16.5 billion in sales recorded in the second quarter. —Morguard In Q3 2018 the Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle was the best-selling car in the U.S. in terms of revenue and the 5th best-selling car in terms of volume.

—Statista The North American Industrial Project Spending Index, which measures the value of active projects in the pipeline for the year, was up more than 12 percent in September compared with the measurement reported a year earlier. —Industrial Info Resources In October, Canada’s unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 5.8 percent as fewer people searched for work. Since November 2017, the unemployment rate has ranged from 5.8 to 6.0 percent.

—Statistics Canada In the three largest markets in East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, total infrastructure construction output is expected to soar from $25.9 billion US in 2017 to $98.8 billion US in 2022.

—GlobalData

Demand in the U.S. for low-pressure laminates is forecast to reach 10.3 billion square feet in 2022 on annual gains of 2.4 percent. Thermoplastic films are expected to post the fastest gains of all low-pressure laminate types. —The Freedonia Group U.S. housing starts are forecast to total 1.6 million units in 2021, according to Housing: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Single-unit conventional housing starts, representing both the largest and fastest growing segment, will benefit from rising household creation and an improving economy, amidst the preference of many consumers for detached homes and other single-unit types. —The Freedonia Group U.S. construction spending increased to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,329.5 billion US in September 2018. This is just 0.05 percent higher than August, but 7.2 percent above where it was a year ago. —U.S. Census Bureau Of the top 10 construction projects in Canada for the month of August, the Time and Space Condos in Toronto, Ont., was first in the residential category at $415 million for 3 structures at being built by the Pemberton Group. The top commercial project, also in Toronto, was the Well Mixed-Use Office Tower coming in at $225 million for 3 structures built by Diamond Corp. —ConstructConnect According to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s monthly Trend of Business Survey, participating cabinet manufacturers reported an increase in cabinet sales of 2.3 percent for September 2018 compared to the same month in 2017.

Stock sales increased 9.4 percent; semi-custom sales decreased 5.6 percent; and custom sales increased 5.2 percent compared to September 2017. —KCMA American homeownership rates increased in the third quarter. Currently, 64.4 percent of the households reside in their own homes, reflecting gains achieved since the second quarter 2016, when the rate reached its lowest point. The gain over the last four quarters is half a point. —NKBA

www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 27

Bullets WOOD Vietnam is one of the world’s leading wood processing and exporting countries with an export turnover of 8 billion US in 2017. The figure is expected to hit $9 billion US this year. The country earned more than $7.61 billion US from exports of forestry products between January and October, 84 percent of the yearly target. Timber and wood products contributed $7.23 billion US to the revenue. —TIN U.S. imports of wooden furniture fell 7 percent in August. The $1.6 billion US total for the month came in at 5 percent above imports for August 2017, however, and imports remain about 6 percent above the 2017 year-to-date. Imports from the largest suppliers, China and Vietnam are both up 6 percent year-to-date. —ITTO According to a recent U.S. survey of residential furniture manufacturers and distributors, new orders in July 2018 were up 5 percent over July 2017.

The 5 percent increase was a good one considering July 2017 orders were 11 percent higher than July 2016. This July increase marked the third straight month that orders were up 5 percent over the same month a year ago. Orders were up for 57 percent of the participants. Year to date, new orders remained 6 percent ahead of last year. —SmithLeonard Assembled hardwood flooring imports into the U.S. grew for a third month in a row, rising 11 percent in August. Imports from Canada and Vietnam fueled the gain. Imports in this area are up 7 percent yearto-date. —U.S. Department of Commerce Increased exports of softwood lumber from Russia to China the past decade have resulted in higher timber harvests in Eastern Russia. In 2017, Russia’s total harvest reached an estimated 190 million m3, six percent higher than the previous year.

—Wood Resource Quarterly The New Lending Services Price Index (NLSPI) rose by 0.4 percent in the second quarter, following a 0.5 percent decline in the previous quarter. Year over year, the NLSPI was down 5.0 percent in the second quarter from the same quarter in 2017.

—Statistics Canada

28 WOOD INDUSTRY

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

In August 2018, Brazilian exports of wood-based products (except pulp and paper) increased 34.4 percent in value compared to August 2017, from $238.6 million to $320.6 million US. —Lesprom The Red Dead Redemption 2 video game released this year had the second-highest grossing launch of any entertainment product in history. With over $725 million US in worldwide retail sales during its first three days of availability, the Western-themed open world game trails only Grand Theft Auto V in terms of three-day launch sales. By contrast, the top grossing 2018 motion picture release, Avengers: Infinity War, had a worldwide box revenue of $641 million US through the first Sunday after launch this year. —Statista Canadian goods exports are forecast to follow up last year’s banner performance with another strong 6 percent expansion in 2018 and 4 percent in 2019.

—EDC New house prices in Canada edged up 0.2 percent year over year in September, the smallest annual increase since January 2010. —Statistics Canada According to new data, superbugs are killing around 33,000 people across Europe every year. The deaths came as a direct consequence of an infection due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics. —The Lancet The Canadian economy advanced 0.7 percent on quarter in the second quarter of 2018, following an upwardly revised 0.4 percent growth in the previous period. Expressed at an annualized rate, the GDP grew 2.9 percent, well above 1.4 percent in the first quarter. —Trading Economics The annualized GDP rate in Q3 for the U.S. was 3.5 percent, up from 2.8 percent in Q3 of 2017.

—National Association of Realtors

Events WOOD

WOOD

Advertisers

Nov. 28 – 30 The Buildings Show Toronto, Ont. www.thebuildingsshow.com

Akhurst www.akhurst.com ............................10

Osborne www.osbornewood.com ...................14

AXYZ Automation International www.axyz.com ..................................12

Precision Drive Systems www.spindlerepair.com ..................20

Jan. 3 – 5 WMIA WTII Bootcamp Pittsburgh, Penn. www.wmia.org/events

Canlak www.canlak.com .............................24

Safety Speed Manufacturing www.safetyspeed.com .....................20

Epilog Laser www.epiloglaser.com wood-industry ..................................18

Salice www.salicecanada.com ..................32

Jan. 14 – 20 Imm Cologne Cologne, Germany www.imm-cologne.com

Felder Group Canada www.felder-group.ca .........................7

Sames Kremlin www.sames-kremlin.com ...............11 ShopBot Tools www.shopbottools.com ...................21

Jan. 17 – 20 Interior Design Show Toronto, Ont. interiordesignshow.com/

Grass Canada www.grasscanada.com .....................5 ICA https://icaamerica.biz .....................21

Taurus Craco Woodworking Mach. www.tauruscraco.com ....................19

Jan. 22 – 25 The International Surface Event Las Vegas, Nev. www.intlsurfaceevent.com

James L. Taylor Manufacturing Co. www.jltclamps.com .........................25

Vortex www.vortextool.com ........................13

Nuvo www.nuvoconcept.com......................2

Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo www.wmscanada.ca .......................31

Jan. 27 – 31 Las Vegas Market Las Vegas, Nev. www.lasvegasmarket.com Feb. 19 – 21 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show Las Vegas, Nev. www.kbis.com March 8 – 10 PEI Provincial Home Show Charlottetown, P.E.I. www.peihomeshow.ca March 8 – 17 National Home Show Toronto, Ont. https://nationalhomeshow.com March 12 – 14 Dubai Woodshow Dubai, UAE www.dubaiwoodshow.com

NEW: ONLINE COFFEE SHOP Start a discussion in the Ask-it Basket Buy, sell or hire Talk about Wood Industry stories

WOODINDUSTRY.ca www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 29

WOOD

By the numbers Residential construction investment in millions of dollars

Due to Statistics Canada updating data quarterly, this information remains unchanged from the previous issue.

40,000

Residential construction investment in millions of dollars

Residential constructionResidential construction investment investment In millions of dollars in millions of dollars 35,000

40,000 40,000 30,000

35,000 35,000 25,000 30,000 30,000

20,000 25,000 25,000

20,000 15,000 20,000

15,000 15,000 10,000 10,000

10,000

5,000 5,000 5,000

0 0 0

Total residential investment Total residential Total residential investment investment

Total residential investment

Renovations

Renovations Renovations

Renovations

Canadian building permits in millions of dollars Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 April-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 April-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 April-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18

8,000

Canadian building permits In millions of dollars Canadian building permits in millions of dollars 7,000 Canadian building permits in millions of dollars

8,000 6,000 8,000

7,000 7,000 5,000 6,000 6,000 4,000 5,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 4,000

3,000 3,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 1,000

0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 New housing construction value in millions of dollars 0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 Apr-17 May-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 Apr-18 May-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jun-18

6,000

New housing construction value In millions of dollars 5,000

New housing construction value in millions of dollars 6,000 6,000

4,000

5,000 5,000

3,000 4,000 4,000

3,000 3,000 2,000

2,000 2,000

1,000 1,000 1,000

70 0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 0 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 60

Carpenter construction union hourly wage rates In dollars, including selected pay supplements 50 70 70

Total residential Residential Total building Total residential permits residential

Total Commercial building permits commercial Total Total commercial Institutional commercial

and governmental building permits

Total Total Total institutional institutional institutional and and and governmental governmental

governmental New dwellings, all types Single houses New dwellings,

all types New dwellings, all New dwellings, all types types Single

Single houses Single houses Semi-detached

houses

Apartments Semi-detached Semi-detached houses houses Row

Row

Row Row

Double

Apartments Apartments Apartments

Toronto, Ont. Regina, Sask.

Toronto, Ont. Toronto, Ont.

Edmonton, Alta.

60 40 60

Toronto, Ont.

50 50

Regina, Sask.

40 40

Edmonton, Alta.

Edmonton, Alta.

30 20 30

Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver, B.C.

20

Quebec, Que.

10

Saint John, N.B.

Regina, Sask.

Regina, Sask.

30

QuĂŠbec, Que. QuĂŠbec, Que.

10 0 0

Saint John, N.B. Saint John, N.B.

Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18

INDUSTRY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 2018 30 WOOD INDUSTRY

Source: Statistics Canada

Vancouver, B.C. Edmonton, Alta.

SAVE THE DATE

The National Event for Canada’s Wood Industry

Oct. 31 - Nov. 2, 2019 International Centre • Mississauga/Toronto

WMS Has It All! Hardware | Wood Components | Raw Materials Green Products | Closet, Garage, & Home Organization Products | Panel Processing Machinery | CNC Machinery | Solid Wood Processing Machinery | Cutting Tools | Sanding & Finishing Equipment & Materials | Computer Software | Portable Power Tools | Wood Waste Management | Dust Collection PLUS: • Opening morning free keynote • Plant tour

• Networking Luncheons with top industry keynoters To reserve exhibit space: Rich Widick – WMS/Hall Erickson wms@heiexpo.com • 1-800-752-6312

• Opening night reception

For general conference and show information: Harry Urban - Woodworking Network harry.urban@woodworkingnetwork.com 1-708-373-4344

www.WMSCANADA.ca

(R)EVOLUTION

( ) ( )

Silentia+ The new-generation of soft close hinges from Salice.

Besides showing no resistance while opening doors, the Silentia+ hinges guarantee an exceptional and consistent deceleration thanks to twin fluid dampers, delivering a perfect soft closing action in all applications and under any temperature condition.

Silentia+ incorporates an innovative switch to adjust the deceleration mechanism. This enables the closing speed of doors of any size or shape to be perfectly adjusted.

10°

+

30°

salicecanada.com Salice ADV Silentia+ Revolution B_Wood Industries 05_18.indd 1

04/05/18 11:39