FROM THE EDITOR
THE INTERSECTION OF PEOPLE AND AUTOMATION
Grace Tatigian
PUBLISHER
Mike Neeb
miken@mediaedge.ca EDITOR
WE’VE WRITTEN A LOT OVER the last year about the skilled labour shortage and the problems it causes in our industry. While it’s good news for the economy that unemployment in Canada reached a record low of 5.2% in April, it makes hiring very challenging. As we’ll see in our article on labour shortage and retirement, this problem isn’t going anywhere soon; we need long-term solutions. We’ve said it before, and we’ll repeat it: automation is the answer. We have several articles delving into the benefits of automation and robotics in this issue. Automated shops make more products in a day, get them out the door faster, and reduce errors and waste. All that adds up to higher profits and better margins. Yet, many smaller shops are still hesitant to take that step. Another nerve-racking change a lot of companies are reluctant to make? Getting into the export business. International sales average higher value than domestic sales and can result in 60% faster growth for your business, but many choose to stick to working close to home. Maybe that’s because they don’t have the capacity to start taking orders from orders from outside the country, which brings us back to the labour shortage and automation again. It’s circular and will only get better when we integrate permanent solutions. But that’s not to say that automation can replace the need for intelligent, capable people on the shop floor. Some things, particularly custom work, will always need to be done by hand. You also need people to watch for the newest products and latest trends. We’ve got a few design pieces here to give you an idea of what people want and what’s possible. We cover everything from your classic white painted cabinet to unique VeroMetal finishing. Some customers want the newest trends incorporated into their designs, and others want something timeless. Either way, it’s essential to have this kind of knowledge so you can be the go-to choice for every type of customer. That’s where we come in, keeping you up to date. We’re lucky to have an extensive list of industry experts who provide us with articles and opinions to make sure we have our finger on the pulse of the industry. Like what you’ve read so far? Inspired to jump into the conversation? Interested in adding “Industry Expert” to your title? Get in touch, and we’ll work with you to find the best way to share your knowledge, whether you’re a writer or not. Our e-digest is where we share the latest news, updates, and time-sensitive information. That might be awards finalist profiles, association updates, and news on available government funding. Reach out to me at gracet@mediaedge.ca, and we can get to know each other and learn how we can work with one another to create a magazine that represents you and your business.
ART DIRECTOR
Annette Carlucci
annettec@mediaedge.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Grace Tatigian
Thuy Huynh
PRESIDENT
CIRCULATION
gracet@mediaedge.ca
Kevin Brown
kevinb@mediaedge.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER
Rachel Selbie
roxyh@mediaedge.ca circulation@mediaedge.ca
Wood Industry is published four times annually, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, for the secondar y wood products manufacturing and marketing industries in Canada. Subscriptions are free to qualified participants in Canada’s secondar y wood processing industr y. Subscribe at w w w. woodindustr y.ca. Paid subscriptions rates: $40 to Canad ian addresses, $60 U.S. and foreign, $20 student rate. Please mail payment to Wood Industr y, 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 For subscription inquiries, e-mail circulation@mediaedge.ca © 2022 by MediaEdge Communications All rights reserved. MediaEdge Communications 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 MediaEdge Communications
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