January-February 2018 Wood Industry

RUSTIC LATINSTYLE

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2018

www.woodindustry.ca

The business side of woodworking

Elias invests in ingenuity Challenge to industry: Use tech for creativity Manual arts and museum visits

Small business

CLAMPDOWN New labour standards PM #41203050

New labour standards squeeze margins even harder

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Editor and Publisher

Kerry Knudsen

kknudsen@wimediainc.ca 647-274-0507

Associate Publisher

Steve King

sking@wimediainc.ca 905-703-6597

Contributing Editor

Mike Edwards

medwards@wimediainc.ca Art Director

Lee Ann Knudsen lak@wimediainc.ca Graphics

nsGraphic Design nspence@wimediainc.ca Circulation

Omni Data Services circulation@wimediainc.ca www.omnidataservices.com

The business side of woodworking JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 Vol. 14, No. 1

Features:

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.

Margins are harder to come by under new employment legislation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

© 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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Exotic woods, rustic execution

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Focus on labour:

Small business feels the squeeze

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Cover photo: Richard M. Marshall

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Craftsmen in Costa Rica fabricate furniture with flair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Profile:

Key components

Elias Woodwork of Winkler, Man., marries Old World technical ingenuity with automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

WOOD Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Filings . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Design . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Digital . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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WOOD INDUSTRY 3

From the editor

Carbon politics T

here are no words to describe the gratitude I have for those of you that responded to our annual November Readers’ Survey. This is the main tool we have to demonstrate to advertisers that you are real, you are reading and you care. No other magazine in the market can come close you as an energized, responsive and loyal audience.

An interesting point was demonstrated in the “Comments” you provided at the end Kerry Knudsen of the survey. Of the 29 respondents that took the extra time after the objective portion of the survey was over, all were positive except one — one that chided us for pointing out failings in our competitors. And in that one are some fascinating facts.

First, we promise you that we don’t track your responses and we don’t provide your information to anybody. This is true. However, we can, if we choose to allocate the resources, trace the identity of somebody we think is a fraud, a troll or an instigator. In this case, the respondent was so far off the entire universe of all the other respondents, we decided to do the trace. Therefore, I can report with confidence that the renegade respondent is not a reader, at all, and had no business trying to invade and private survey and skew the results. He is an employee of one of our European machinery suppliers.

For what it’s worth, the professional standards of publishing actually require that publishers point out breaches of ethics by other publishers. The reasons for this, in short form, include that publishers are almost beyond the law because of the protections we are given by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but there are no mechanisms to protect the market from predatory, commercial and unprincipled publishers. In fact, if I failed to call out such breaches of professional conduct, I would be guilty of offending the standard that requires me to report.

So much for competitors. Let’s talk politics. From time to time we get a comment on the website that we should never talk about politics in a trade magazine. That sympathy has infested the main current of trade-magazine publishing, and just look what’s happened!

INDUSTRY JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 2018 WOODINDUSTRY 4 WOOD 4

(As an aside, just check and see how many times in the last 20 years I have used an exclamation point.)

On page 6, you can see what’s happened to Ontario as the result of ignoring politics, and you will hear the echo of Wood Industry columns gone by.

In addition to the page 6 story, we are facing provincial and federal carbon taxes, encroaching union control, fines or jail for not recognizing that the woman you hired is actually a man and so on…. Our political world has become nothing more or less than the tea party in Alice in Wonderland.

The carbon tax is of particular interest, since it is affecting much of Canada since the 1st, and will affect the rest, soon. But has anybody really thought about it? We should, since wood is about a carbon as you can get. Just wondering… since you work all day with carbon, how many Wood Industry readers were asked by the governments for input?

None, I’d guess, since we all know that the carbon tax is a reaction to Global Climate Change (GCC) — a concept that remains to be defined in understandable terms — and has nothing to do with reason.

In an effort to understand GCC, I often ask people what the largest contributor to climate change is. Universally, they mistrust the question and become either very confused or very evasive. So I’ll tell you. The largest contributor to GCC is the sun. No question.

But the proponents of GCC pooh-pooh the idea of the sun being a contributor to climate change because the sun, they maintain, is a “constant,” and they want to look at such “variables” as cars, the oceans, feeding poor children through agriculture and cow farts.

However, any astronomer will tell you the sun’s energy is not a constant. You can figure the effects of that out for yourself. Look up Red Giant.

Anyway, the entire argument of GCC is based on a false premise. That means it’s invalid. Nada.

Cow pooh-pooh. BS. Anything that follows from the false premise is invalid, so there is no man-made GCC. For what it’s worth, this is not internet boilerplate, and I did not get it from someone else. It’s just the way I count it.

Still, we get to pay the government. How does nonpolitical evolution look now?

Comment at www.woodindustry.ca

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Small business

CLAMPDOWN New obligations burden employers;

New obligations burden employers; benefit to employees in question New employment-standards legislation in Ontario is making it easier for unions to organize in the province. When Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act came into effect on January 1, it lowered the threshold from 50 to 20 percent signup of union cards in the private sector to allow access to employee data through the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

According to Julie Kwiecinski, Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) director of Provincial Affairs, Ontario, the federation has 42,000 members

INDUSTRY JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY2018 2018 6 WOOD INDUSTRY

in Ontario. The CFIB was not consulted during the bill’s review process. She believes the act, which also raised the minimum wage from $11.60 to $14 per hour immediately, and other reforms, are union-biased and union-backed. “This is a way for the government to curry favour with the unions,” she says.

Custom millwork-shop owner Livio Passalent, president of Crescent Cabinet Company in Hamilton, Ont., worries about the consequences for the wood industry and considers the government action “short-term

Richard M. Marshall Richard M. Marshall

gain gainfor foraalong-term long-termpain.” pain.”Passalent, Passalent,who whocurrently currentlyhas has hour hourand and$12.20 $12.20the theyear yearprior priortotothat thatdate. date.Ryan RyanNeumann, Neumann, 10 10employees, employees,isisall allfor forworkers workersreceiving receivingaaliving livingwage, wage, president presidentofofthe theOnsite OnsiteGroup GroupofofCompanies CompaniesininEdmonton, Edmonton, he hesays, says,“but “butthere thereare arenot notenough enoughyoung youngpeople peoplegetting getting Alta., Alta.,says saysthat thathe healways alwayspays paysabove aboveminimum minimumwage. wage.“You “You into intoour ourindustry. industry.Add Addtotoititthat thatany anyminimum minimumwage wagejob job try trytotocreate createan anenvironment environmentwhere whereyou youare arepaying payingthem them where wherepeople peopleget getexposed exposedtotoit,it,there thereisisgoing goingtotobe beless less enough enoughmoney moneywhere whereno noone onewill willpay paythem themwhat whatthey theyare are ofofaachance chancefor foran anemployer employertotohire hirethat thatminimum-wage minimum-wage making makingwith withyou,” you,”he hesays saysofofhis his42 42employees. employees. earner. earner.That Thatisisone oneless lessperson personwho whomay mayhave haveaapotential potential Neumann Neumannhas hasrecently recentlyobserved observedthat thatmany manylocal localsersertotowant wanttotocome comeinto intothe theindustry.” industry.”He Hepoints pointstotoEurope, Europe, vice viceand andmanufacturing manufacturingindustries industriesthat thathe heknows knowsabout about where wheresome somecountries countriesare arestruggling strugglingwith withhigh highyouth youthunun- have havebeen beendoing doingrollbacks rollbacksand andwage wagefreezes. freezes. employment, employment,ininpart partdue duetotohigh highminiminiPassalent Passalent also also believes believes that that by by mum mumwage wagelevels. levels. looking looking out out for for your your employees, employees, the the But Butthese theseissues issuesare arejust justthe thetip tipofof chances chancesofofaaunion uniongetting gettingaatoehold toehold 51 51percent percent the theexposure exposureiceberg icebergfor forOntario Ontarioemembecome become much much slimmer. slimmer. “Before “Before anyanyreduced reducedor or ployers, ployers, according according toto the the CFIB. CFIB. In In one onebrings bringsininaaunion, union,the theemployees employees eliminated eliminated December, December,ititconducted conductedaasurvey surveyand and need needtotoknow knowthe thepluses plusesand andthe themimiplans plansto tohire hire asked asked members members what what changes changes they they nuses, nuses, and and the the implications implications ofof what what have havemade madetotoprepare preparefor forthe theincrease increase ititmeans meanstotobe bepart partofofaaunion. union.Their Their young youngworkers workers inin the the minimum minimum wage wage toto $15.00 $15.00 per per wages wages may may go go up up but but it it may may be be lost lost and and hour, hour, effective effective January January 1,1, 2019.

2019. The The due duetotounion uniondues. dues.They Theycan canlose losesome some 54 54percent percent results resultsecho echothe theconcerns concernsofofPassalent.

Passalent. control controlover overthe thedestiny destinythey theyhave haveinin reduced reducedor or “Some “Some ofof the the results results included included 51 51 small smallshops. shops. eliminated eliminated percent percent have have already already raised raised prices,” prices,” says says Kwiecinski, Kwiecinski, “28 “28 percent percent have have “Let’s “Let’scall callaaspade spadeaaspade spadehere,” here,” plans plansto tohire hire already already reduced reduced the the number number ofof ememPassalent Passalent says, says, “people “people that that pay pay for for new newworkers workers ployees ployeesfrom fromstaff, staff,31 31percent percenthave havealalsomething something expect expect aa return return on on what what ready readyreduced reducedoverall overallstaffing staffinghours, hours, they theyare arepaying. paying.When Whenmy myclients clientspay pay 51 51 percent percent reduced reduced or or eliminated eliminated me metotodo domillwork millworkfor forthem, them,they theyexexplans planstotohire hireyoung youngworkers workersand and54 54percent percentreduced reducedor or pect pectthe themillwork millworktotobe bedone doneatataacertain certainlevel levelofofquality, quality, eliminated eliminatedplans planstotohire hirenew newworkers. workers. professionalism professionalismand andon onaacertain certaintimeframe. timeframe.The Thereality reality “I“Ithink thinkthat thatisisaatelling tellingpicture pictureofofwhat’s what’stotocome. come.We We isisthat thatthe theemployees’ employees’clients clientsare aretheir theirbosses.” bosses.” warned warnedgovernment governmentthat thatsmall smallbusinesses, businesses,when whenforced forced “My “Mybelief beliefisisififyou youtreat treatpeople peoplefairly fairlyand andhonestly honestlyand and totoabsorb absorbaa32 32percent percentincrease increaseininthe theminimum minimumwage wage respectfully respectfullythere thereisisno noneed needfor foraaunion.” union.” ininonly only15 15months, months,would wouldhave havetotomake makedifficult difficultchoices. choices.

Historically, Historically,Alberta Albertahas hasbeen beenvery veryanti-union, anti-union,NeuNeuMany Manyofofthem themfeel feelthat thatthey theyare arebeing beingbacked backedinto intoaacorcor- mann mann says. says. “I“I will will shut shut my my shop shop down down before before aa union union ner nerand andare areininsurvival survivalmode. mode.They Theyneed needtotofind findways waystoto comes comesininhere.” here.” absorb absorbthis thisand andthey theyare aremaking makingvery verysad sadchoices, choices,choices choices For Foremployers employersininOntario Ontariowanting wantingtotoask askquestions questionsabout about that thatthey theydon’t don’twant wanttotomake.” make.” the thenew newlabour labourstandards, standards,the thegovernment governmenthas hasan anemployemployCFIB CFIB members members are are wondering wondering how how they they can can afford afford ment mentstandards standardshotline. hotline.“We “Wecan’t can’teven evenget getthrough,” through,”says says aa32 32percent percentwage wageincrease increaseininonly only15 15months, months,on ontop topofof Kwiecinski.

Kwiecinski.“Government “Governmentwas wasnot notprepared preparedfor forthis. this.One One other othercosts. costs.“EI “EI(Employment (EmploymentInsurance) Insurance)just justwent wentup,” up,” CFIB CFIBbusiness businesscounsellor counsellortried tried14 14times. times. says saysKwiecinski.

Kwiecinski.“CPP “CPP(Canada (CanadaPension PensionPlan) Plan)isisgoing goingup. up.

“Unfortunately, “Unfortunately,there thereisisaalot lotofofinformation informationininthis thisbill bill We Weare arestill stilltrying tryingtotofind findout outthe thefinancial financialimpact impactofofcapcap- with withaalot lotofofgrey greyareas, areas,where wherethey theydid didnot notcompletely completely and-trade. and-trade.Hydro Hydroisisgoing goingup upagain. again.Also, Also,people peoplemay maynot not explain explainsomething. something. remember rememberthat thatWSIB WSIB(Workplace (WorkplaceSafety Safetyand andInsurance Insurance “A “Asmall smallbusiness businessmight mightbe bethinking thinkingthat thatthey theyneed needan an Board) Board)premiums premiumswill willlikely likelygo goup, up,too, too,based basedon onwhat whatthe the HR HRdepartment departmenttotokeep keepup upwith withthe thepaperwork paperworkthat thatthis this payroll payrollcosts costsare.” are.” bill billwill willcause.” cause.”

Enforcement Enforcementisisanother anotherwhole wholekettle kettleofoffish fishentirely, entirely, Alberta, Alberta, where where the the minimum minimum wage wagewill willbe bealso also according accordingtotoKwiecinski.

Kwiecinski.“The “Thegovernment governmentisisplanning planningtoto $15/hour, $15/hour, but but starting starting October October 1,1, 2018, 2018, has has had had aa softer softer hire hirean anadditional additional175 175employment employmentstandards standardsofficers officersby by ramp-up ramp-upthan thanOntario.

Ontario.On OnOctober October1,1,2017, 2017,ititstood stoodatat$13.60/ $13.60/ the theyear year2021.

2021.The TheMinister MinisterofofLabour Labourindicated indicatedininaanews news INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 77 WOOD WOODINDUSTRY WOOD

www.woodindustry.ca www.woodindustry.ca www.woodindustry.ca

conference that the first class of that group will be graduating very soon. So, you have more labour police, and fines are going up by 30 percent. You’ve got increased powers beyond belief for the employment standards director who will have the authority to issue warrants, place liens on personal property, hold securities, collect and share personal information.”

Although Crescent Cabinet has skilled labour paid well above the minimum wage, Passalent asks, “’What would it do if I needed to hire a labourer to clean up or move things?’ I would think twice because I would rather keep the guys that I have. There is always time to find something to do, there is always time to clean up. Do more with less is what the essence of this legislation will do for me and the company personally.”

Passalent notes that with the new labour standards, he’s looking at a number of issues, such as employees getting an extra week vacation after five years. “Calling in sick creates more exposure to me across the board. As it stood, I would pay all of the stat holidays and pay a couple of extra holidays as a small benefit. I would be understanding with it. Now I am mandated to give them an additional two days of time off.

11-14-17-hfpg-epilog-WoodIndustry.pdf 1 11/14/2017 3:10:30 PM

INDUSTRY JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY2018 2018 8 WOOD INDUSTRY

“I don’t want to penalize people when they are ill because they are suffering with the illness they have and they aren’t making money. I’m not overly for the legislation and I’m not overly against it. I’m trying to be fair to my guys and most of them are long-standing employees.

“They appreciate that I look out for them. When times are slow, I like to keep them on and keep them busy.

When times are busy I sometimes make more requests of them and say we are all in it together.”

The Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario filed a report in September 2017 that says raising the minimum wage would be an inefficient policy tool for reducing overall poverty. “If you want to help people that are dealing with poverty, it is a much bigger discussion,” says Kwiecinski. “It is not just about labour costs. It is about child care, welfare, education and housing.

“To simplify to this level is a disservice to the very people who are struggling with poverty. It is sad because the government is doing this to get re-elected.”

Comment at www.woodindustry.ca

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Filings WOOD Get paid on time in Ontario: AWMAC

The Ontario government has passed legislation called the Construction Lien Amendment Act, Bill 142, that includes new prompt payment rules to ensure Ontario construction businesses and workers get paid on time for the work they do. The changes will also modernize the lien and holdback process, help protect creditors and set out a new adjudication process to resolve payment disputes faster. According to a statement issued by Vaughan, Ont.-based AWMAC Ontario (Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada), the act addresses long overdue updates to 35-year-old legislation that includes payment protection throughout the construction pyramid. The association notes that contractors and sub-contracts now have security and assurance regarding timelines for payment, there are mandatory performance and payment bonds on publicly funded projects over a threshold contract price (similar to the Miller Act in the U.S.), and the adjudication process will now provide an opportunity for resolution of construction disputes without disruption of project schedule and will assist in avoiding costly legal battles.

In addition, the no-exceptions rule to hold-back release deadlines mean a no-exceptions rule to when contractors and sub-contractors get paid and mandatory payment protection for sub-trades is now in place, the association reports.

Woody’s Premium Cabinetry receives four awards

London, Ont.-based Woody’s Premium Cabinetry received four 2017 Awards of Creative Excellence from the London Home Builders’ Association (LHBA). The awards are: Best New Bathroom in a Home Over

10 WOOD INDUSTRY

$600,000 Project Partner, Best Indoor Living Space Project Partner, Best New Kitchen in a Home Over $600,000 Project Partner, and Best New SingleFamily Home Over $850,000 Project Partner. The company recently opened a new 40,000 square-foot Strathroy, Ont. facility to allow increased growth and expansion.

Hardwood plywood from China found to be dumped

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of hardwood plywood from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) has determined are sold in the U.S. at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of China.

As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, the DoC will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China.

Prairie Barnwood owner named Entrepreneur of the Year

The Morden and Distrist Chamber of Commerce in Manitoba has named Blayne Wyton (centre of photo) as its 2017 entrepreneur of the year. Wyton is the founder of Prairie Barnwood, a wood shop specializing in designing, building and retailing furniture and flooring from reclaimed wood planking. Planks are mostly reclaimed old barns, but some wood has

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

been harvested from sunken ships.

The company relocated to a larger, more modern facility earlier in 2017 to serve its growing business that includes showrooms in Morden, Winnipeg, Man., and sales office in Edmonton, Alta., as well as an online sales website. Wyton was introduced to woodworking by his father Larry Wyton (right) and says his entrepreneurial spirit was handed down by his grandfather Lawrence Wyton (left), both of whom were on hand to see him receive his award.

Construction begins work on Canada’s tallest skyscraper

Construction has begun on a skyscraper in the business district of Toronto, Ont., which is set to become the country’s tallest building at 306 metres. It will be Canada’s tallest inhabitable building and its second-tallest man-made structure after the CN Tower, a 553-metre communications and observation tower. At 85 storeys and over 300 metres in height, the building will be classified as a supertall skyscraper. The rectilinear design

by Foster + Partners of London, U.K. and Toronto, Ont.-based Core Architects will feature vertical, horizontal and diagonal elements covered in “champagne bronze” coloured cladding. The skyscraper will be broken up into a series of blocks by regularlyspaced bands that cut into the structure, correlating to the placement of the building’s mechanical floors.

Canlak partners with Université Laval to launch research chair

Daveluyville, Que.-based Canlak Inc., joined by Université Laval and industrial partners, recently announced a new research infrastructure that aims to position Canada as a global leader in eco-responsible

turing locations in Canada and Italy.

MQ specializes in serving the luxury residential and commercial segments and is known for its work on complex, historic renovations. The MQ brand will complement Andersen’s Architectural Collection. The MQ product line includes many product styles, such as contemporary, European, classical, traditional, historic, and rustic. MQ’s products are crafted of wood, aluminum-clad wood, bronze-

clad wood, UPVC and steel. MQ sells its products in Canada, the U.S., the Caribbean and Europe. MQ is a private company founded in 1975. Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

Energy compliance in B.C. part of national plan for 2030

Enacted in April 2017, the BC Energy Step Code is a voluntary provincial

In a class of its own.

interior wood finishing and densification using innovative practices and solutions. The new infrastructure takes the form of an Industrial Research Chair in Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and a cooperative research and development project. The mission for the NSERCCanlak Industrial Research Chair for the Finishing of Interior Wood Products is to increase the use of the products by improving the overall performance of finishing products and the densification process, as well as giving them new attributes. The research chair was made possible thanks to a five-year $3.7-million investment by Ottawa, Ont.-based NSERC, $2.2 million of which was a contribution of the industrial partners. The innovative concepts proposed by the chair will enable Canlak to continue its progression by ensuring that its clients can benefit from the latest technological developments.

Andersen acquires Fenêtres MQ luxury window and door manufacturer

Bayport, Minn.-based Andersen has announced its acquisition of Fenêtres MQ Inc., a luxury window and door manufacturer headquartered in Sainte-Agathe, Que., with manufac-

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standard for new construction, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) based in Ottawa, Ont. It provides an incremental and consistent approach to achieving more energy-efficient buildings by establishing a series of measurable, performance-based energy efficiency requirements — or steps — that exceed the requirements in the base BC Building Code.

The highest steps represent net-

zero energy ready buildings. The Step Code could serve as a single provincial standard, CMHC reports. In this way, it would replace the patchwork of green building standards enforced or encouraged by local governments in the past. The intent is that the highest steps of the Step Code become the base BC Building Code by 2032. In the pan-Canadian framework, the federal government committed to having the National Building Code of Canada net-zero energy ready by 2030. Matching the BC Building Code with the highest steps of the Step Code by 2032 will help meet this commitment. To support local governments and industry through the transition, the Province of B.C. has established the multistakeholder Energy Step Code Council. The Council will provide ad-

vice on Step Code implementation, research, training, communications, and policy.

Skills Ontario names new CEO

Waterloo, Ont.-based Skills Ontario has announced the selection of Ian Howcroft as c.e.o.

Howcroft replaces outgoing Skills Ontario c.e.o. Gail Smyth, who Ian Howcroft had retired this past August. Howcroft served on the board of directors from 1999 to 2015, including a term as board president from 2004 to 2006.

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Alberta Forest Products Association members plant 80 million trees in 2017

Members of the Alberta Forest Products Association of Edmonton, Alta., planted 80 million coniferous tree seedlings in forests throughout the province in 2017.

The association is a private, nonprofit industry organization, representing lumber, panelboard, pulp and paper, and secondary wood

manufacturing products companies operating in Alberta.

Mixed-use Toronto waterfront community breaks ground

A consortium of Menkes Developments, Greystone Managed Investments and Triovest Realty Advisors, has broken ground on a landmark office tower on the Toronto, Ont., waterfront. The office tower is the first phase of a new mixeduse community called Sugar Wharf, which will include employment, retail and residential uses, a new public elementary school and a new

two-acre public park. The new Sugar Wharf community will be located on an 11.5-acre property, a site that was purchased by the Menkes partnership group in 2016. The new office tower will be a 25-storey building, featuring approximately 690,000 square feet of Class “AAA� space. Designed by B+H Architects of Toronto, the tower will strive for LEED Platinum certification, an internationally-accepted rating system that recognizes excellence in the design, construction and operation of green buildings. In addition to the new office tower, the community will include approximately 300,000 square feet of multilevel commercial retail space, including a new flagship LCBO store, as well as a new grocery store. The residential component of the community will include five condominium towers, varying in height from 64 to 90 storeys, and a mid-rise rental building.

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WOOD INDUSTRY 13

Law WOOD Bill 148: Labour law in Ontario

Big changes At this point, many of us have heard about the increases to the minimum wage that have taken effect across the province of Ontario.

This change is part of the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, also known as Bill 148, which is intended to David Alli update workplace laws across Ontario. Further, the increase to the minimum wage is only one small part of many other aspects of the employment landscape that have changed.

The Fair Workplace, Better Job Act makes significant changes to the Employment Standards Act and the Labour Relations Act, which will have a major impact on your business operations. Accordingly, we will discuss some of the major changes expected to take effect between January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2019.

Firstly, Bill 148 has a significant impact on the minimum wage by increasing it from $11.40 to $14.00 per hour on January 1, 2018, and then $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2019.

While this may leave business owners very concerned, there are wage exemptions for specific classes of workers, including servers and students.

Protection for part-timers

The principle of “equal pay for equal work” is enshrined within Bill 148 as employers will no longer be able to pay workers differently based on employment status (i.e. full-time, part time, casual, temporary and seasonal). Typically, employers will pay their non-full-time staff at a different rate compared to others. With these changes, all employees regardless of status, now have to be paid the same if they are doing similar work. However, factors such as seniority and merit can be used to justify a difference in wage amount paid to specific employees.

The legislation also aims to reduce unpredictable work schedules as the same has been recognized to have a negative impact on employees. The employer is now required to provide three hours’ pay if a shift is cancelled within 48 hours of its start time. Further, this applies to employees who are on-call and have their status cancelled within that time period. However, the three-hour penalty does not apply where the cancellation is due to reasons beyond the employer’s control (i.e. weather conditions).

Additionally, after three months of employment, an employee is able to request both a schedule and location change without any repercussion. In some cases, collective agreements that are currently in place within the work environment will take precedent over the new provisions.

There were discussions regarding exemptions for certain jobs with respect to overtime payments and other aspects of the Employment Standards Act; namely, architects, domestic workers, managerial and supervisory employees, pharmacists, and residential building superintendents and caretakers.

Previously, employees were entitled to a minimum of two weeks off and four percent vacation pay. Bill 148 increases these minimums for employees with five or more years of service to three weeks per year with vacation pay at six percent.

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Enhanced emergency leave

There are also changes with regards to personal emergency leave that have been introduced. Bill 148 maintains the current entitlement to 10 days of personal emergency leave, but will require that two of those days be paid leave. Previously, personal emergency leave is only available in workplaces with 50 or more employees, but the new Bill will eliminate this threshold and allow application to all workplaces across Ontario.

Employers can ask for a doctor’s note in connection to the employee’s personal leave, but they cannot require the employee to produce a note.

Further, an employee with at least six months of service is entitled to unpaid leave for up to 104 weeks in the event of a child death or crime-related disappearance of a child. Additionally, employees with at least 13 weeks of employment who are victims of sexual or domestic violence are entitled to unpaid leave for up to 15 weeks. In these cases, the employer can request reasonable evidence and must be given advanced notice by the employee.

Other changes include increasing the entitlement under family medical leave from eight weeks of unpaid leave in a 26-week period to a maximum of 27 weeks of unpaid leave in a 52-week period. Other increases have also been made to pregnancy and parental leave entitlements. The current six weeks of leave applicable

to employees who suffer stillbirths or miscarriages will be increased to 12 weeks. Also, 26 additional weeks have been added to the length of parental leave.

Previously, employers used independent contractors for a variety of reasons. Generally, an independent contractor was not entitled to the protections under the Employment Standards Act, such as notice and severance pay when the contract is terminated. This has motivated some employers to enter into independent contractor agreements despite the reality that the independent contractor is essentially an employee or dependent contractor committing all of their time to the employer. The legislation attempts to prevent employers from treating someone who is essentially an employee or dependent contractor as an independent contractor.

There are now penalties for employers who try to misclassify their employees to avoid their obligations under the Employment Standards Act.

industry, be expanded to other industries including, building services, community services, home case and temporary agencies. The justification is based on the suggestion that cardbased certification will decrease the ability of the employer to influence the voting employee population.

There are also further changes that require employee lists and contact information to be provided if the union can show they have the support of at least 20 percent of employees.

Card-based union certification

David Alli of Brampton, Ont.-based Lawrences represents and advises employers in all areas of employment law.

Changes have also been made to the Labour Relations Act in connection to union certification. For most industries, a voting-based process is used to cast votes for or against unionization. Bill 148 proposes that the card-based certification system, as seen in the construction

Become proactive

Being proactive is the best way to deal with the changes that are a result of Bill 148. Your business can update its current Human Resource Policies and employment contract templates to reflect the new requirements.

This area of law evolved, literally as I wrote this article. Therefore, it is crucial that you seek legal assistance in order to minimize the risk of liability in the future.

Comment at www.woodindustry.ca.

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WOOD INDUSTRY 15

PROFILE: ELIAS WOODWORK, WINKLER, MAN.

KEY COMPONENT Old World prairie

T

he land in southern Manitoba may be flat as a billiard table, but the ambition here is a mountainous as the Rockies. Over generations, Germans and other immigrants have exercised their wood craft skills to create scores of successful businesses, large and small.

Here in Winkler, Man., 20 km from the U.S. border at North Dakota, there is one large business helping smaller shops around the continent.

Elias Woodwork produces cabinet doors, as well as handcrafted solid wood furniture, solid wood dovetail drawer boxes, mouldings of all categories and designs, and many different accessories.

According to Ralph Fehr, majority owner and operations manager at Elias Woodwork, “We tend to be a favourite choice for smaller companies for their production and customizing efforts.

16 WOOD INDUSTRY

“Say a small cabinet maker wants to build something and they have a contract that is too big for them, but they would love to get a piece of it.

They find they can sub out a bunch of work to us to augment what they do.”

Fehr refers to this “mass customization” as the core of his business at the Winkler plant and sister operation in nearby Morden, Man. “The manufacturing of the pieces is high labour, low margin work for a lot of companies,” he says. “The money is in selling the product and installing it, doing the onsite trim stuff.

They let us do the manufacturing and they become sales arms for us. That is the best relationship we have, those customers.”

Originally, the company was one of those small businesses that it currently serves. Peter Elias started Elias Woodwork in a small garage on

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

a farmyard to provide cabinet doors to a few cabinet shops within Southern Manitoba. Over 20 years ago, John Fehr and his brother Ralph Fehr purchased the little company, as they recognized a great potential in the cabinet door manufacturing industry.

Upon acquiring the company in 1983, it was moved from the garage to a slightly larger building located within the town of Winkler. They remained there until 1987, when they had completed construction of the first building at the current location. At the time, the new 5,900 square foot building seemed enormous. Starting in 1993, they began another construction phase that lasted six years. Upon completion, they came to the realization that you just never seem to have enough building space. Elias Woodwork presently occupies 98,000 square feet, including an 8,100 square foot painting area.

In 2006, Ralph Fehr became the owner of Elias Woodwork, along with several employees as minority shareholders. “We were getting all kinds of offers from multinational companies to buy this place,” says Fehr. Personal family circumstances at the time led him to keep Elias Woodwork and acquire his brother’s shares, while the company’s purchasing manager, maintenance manager, business manager, marketing manager and human resources manager also bought stakes.

“My brother John stayed on working and he still does — it is a good relationship,” says Fehr. “I am the engineer and he is the artistic designer.”

Fehr explains that he is a structural engineer by education, with a major in dynamic structures.

His first job out of university was building highway grain trailers and flat deck trailers for a company in Winkler. The same company now leases space from Elias Woodwork to build aluminum versions of steel trailers built in a big factory elsewhere in Winker. “The smaller part of their operation is in the back of my building in the Morden plant,” says Fehr. “They have a year to get out because we need the space. We are growing as fast as we can possibly keep up with.”

The pace of growth is important to the company as it, like many other businesses, fend off foreign competition.

With this growth, Fehr explains, his operations are becoming more automated.

Immigrants from Germany have added to the talent pool at Elias Woodwork.

High quality finishes take both a hands-on approach and employ automation.

The company dedicates 8,100 square feet to painting alone.

“We have to make North American competitive with the low labour rates of the rest of the world,” he says. “There are two ways we keep China off of our radar. One is by implementing automation because automation is still less expensive than even the cheapest human labour on the planet. The other is that we have very fast freight connections to North American destinations everywhere compared to China.”

TECHNOLOGICAL PROWESS and craftsmanship is a huge driver of success at Elias Woodwork on a number of levels, in part to the massive influx of craftsmen from Europe.

“We have about 1,500 to 2,000 families from Germany who have moved into the area in the last ten years or so,” says Fehr. “A real estate agent did a travelogue in Germany and got the first few families here, then it’s just word of mouth after that. We have acreage here, we’ve got room and they are still coming.”

Fehr estimates that a third of his employees don’t speak English properly. “These guys are highly educated through the German Fachhochschule

system (where employment is part of academic accreditation), more than what we do for apprentices. I have a guy who has a master’s degree in stair building. You can’t get that here. He will tell you things about the molecular and cell structure level of wood, how it behaves with different conditions.

“They are the ones who taught us how to laminate big timber so it wouldn’t split apart. Like when you want to make a 4 x 4-foot post where it tends to want to split down the centre on the glue seam.

“Kiln dried wood is fairly stable but when you have a big block like that and it dries out a little bit, the core has no place to go when it gets smaller so you need an extremely strong glue joint. What they taught us was to wet both surfaces with water and then use your PDA glue to put on top of it. The moisture wicks into the wood because the wood has been dried beyond its normal state in the kiln. It has a vacuum and it pulls the glue into the wood with it. We haven’t had a split since we have done that.”

Fehr says he doesn’t “mind giving the secret out to other people” because of the havoc splitting wood causes throughout the industry. Continued www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 17

Ralph Fehr (left), operations manager at Elias Woodwork, takes time to consult with a craftsman on a tricky door front assembly.

The company strikes a balance between automation precision and the care its employees bring to the table on product quality.

At the Morden plant, in-house engineering expertise has permitted the company to invest in designing its own automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that run on tracks throughout the facility, bringing just-in-time materials to each workstation. If a part for a machine or AGV is not commercially available, or it costs too much to commission a metal mold, it also has a 3D printer in its laboratory to make a custom version.

THIS EXPERTISE allows Elias Woodwork to create custom automated machinery for specific challenges. An automated system for drawer box sides incorporating a feed-through plunge router has been developed with native company talent. Other developments, such as laminating five-piece doors with vinyl materials and producing curved moldings with high gloss acrylics, are also part of the company’s manufacturing expertise.

While the company is leading edge, it maintains current assets such as some older Italian CNC machines that still produce highquality components. “The biggest problem with these CNC routers is that they go obsolete so fast that we can’t depreciate them quickly enough,” says Fehr. He finds it frustrating that they are not supported five years after being purchased. The engineer in him sees a still perfectly good, robust machine that he’d like to keep in service.

When some circuit boards ceased functioning, Fehr didn’t give up and turned to DigiKey, a giant electronics supplier across the border in Thief River Falls, Minn. “We are trying to get them to reverse engineer some of the cards that are no longer made for the servo drives.”

With this kind of ingenuity, it is easy to see why the company has been named on Manitoba’s 50 Fastest Growing Companies list several times — and that more honours lie ahead.

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Design WOOD Where manual and fine art meet

Mindful museums I

go to a lot of museums. I see it as professional development. I’m kind of in that business myself. I design things and I try to do a good job. Museums collect and display things that are done well and this sometimes includes my work, which is, of course, very gratifyPaul Epp ing and verifying.

So, I could say that museums inspire me and encourage me to do even better. And I like being in the company of people like myself, even though they probably only exist in the present by the record of the work that they did in the past.

Because I look at art as well as design, the museums I visit sometimes are identified as galleries, rather than museums. In these cases, they will likely only display what is now known as fine art. These artefacts are intended to only provide aesthetic or intellectual stimulation, rather than fulfill any useful function. It is noted that visual and cerebral stimulation can be a useful thing, but the distinction is usually clear. Note the word intellectual. It carries a lot of weight.

Useful things are produced through the exercise of the manual arts. Of course, painting and sculpture are produced manually too and at an earlier time, they were seen as trades

and not glorified by the distinction fine. But now they are.

Some of the museums and galleries that I have visited have mixed things up a bit, and I enjoy that.

There is sometimes a piece of furniture among the paintings, providing its own aesthetic and intellectual stimulation. And why not? Furniture can be a very demanding discipline and aesthetic accomplishment and not necessarily easier to create than painting a picture. As well, furniture can provide a very instructive (intellectual) record of a period of time, reflecting a range of social and cultural values. Ceramics are also sometimes on display, and it is generally accepted that this manual art can be used to produce objects that are very aesthetically expressive.

The distinctions we employ today have not always been so clear. It was really only with the onset of industrialization that a distinction was drawn between fine and applied arts. The disciplines of painting and sculpture, primarily, were seen as useful skills that could be applied to the production of the useful things that industry was now so busy producing. Schools, like the precursor to OCAD University, were established with the aim of obtaining the most useful benefits of a training in art, whether it be fine or applied, although those terms were not necessarily used.

At the same time in the late nineteenth century that post-secondary art schools were being established, a program of manual training in some secondary schools was being initi-

ated. This curriculum was intended to emphasize the benefits of tangible experience and actually doing things rather than restricting one’s education to thinking and talking.

But along the way, the manual training courses became vocational training and students were streamed into either academic- or trades-related courses. Because I did well academically, I chose that route, thinking that it would provide me with a better route off of the farm. But I was envious of some of the projects that some of the other students got to do. When I elected to go to a design school, I was actually counselled by the school against this choice, the argument being that with grades like mine, I did not have to go down a manual path.

A bias and hierarchy had been established that privileged the intellectual over the manual. The mind over the hands. Whereas at one time it was accepted that there were important benefits to developing both, now it seemed that manual development was for the losers. And to compound this view, the (manual/vocational) shops were removed from the secondary schools and replaced by computer labs.

So now we have a situation where the actual production of our goods is imperilled by the scarcity of workers that are willing to accept a career that employs the use of their hands.

There are plenty of former students with PhDs in Philosophy (as only one example) that can’t find jobs while the wood industry (as another example) suffers from a lack of workers that are willing to choose this type of employment.

This is why I go to museums. They make me think about many different things.

Paul Epp is an adjunct professor at OCAD University, and former chair of its Industrial Design department.

www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 19

Digital WOOD A classic goal, via new tech

Creative energy A

s 2018 is just barely poking its head out on a cold January morning, there is no doubt that we are living in a technological revolution the likes of which humanity has never experienced before.

Chances are that some form of technology was included as a gift in recent Alain Albert c e lebr at ion s and if you are a kid of two or 92, you are no doubt drawn into the irresistible magnetism of some new device or app as you read these lines.

There is no denying that technology is everywhere, and it seems to be distracting us from our natural pursuits a little more every day. Everywhere around us, people are looking down at their phones or glued to their screens from dawn to dusk. Are we being infected by technology to the point of losing our humanity? From an outside observer, this would be the logical conclusion.

We tell our kids to get off their tablets and play outside; we tell drivers to get off their phone while driving and we tell our employees to get off their favorite social media platforms during work hours. There is a general sentiment that technology is making us dumb and that it’s bad for us.

Could it be true that our creative impulses are being spoiled by the constant distraction of technology?

This is a debate that was all the rage

20 WOOD INDUSTRY

during the holidays and also on the internet and I’d like to bring this conversation to the wood manufacturing community.

Are you a better woodworker because of technology, or is it eroding your creativity?

I would like to propose a different conclusion; that technology can be our friend. Let’s show the world that the Canadian wood manufacturing community can use technology to reach new levels of creativity and transform our sector of the economy into a true reflection of what it means to work with wood in the 21st century.

Invent or copy?

At first glance it might seem like there is no longer a need to invent anything because you can probably find it online and copy it. For some people, copyright infringement is the modus operandi and that is lamentable. It is certainly despicable to steal someone else’s creative output and I will always condemn the practice. However, there is nothing wrong with using other people’s creative content as inspiration to inform your own experiments.

In the old days of the wood industry, in any given region, there was one way of making a specific product.

A chair was a chair and as an apprentice you learned how to make it from your master and you taught your own students the same methods years down the road. Today, you can learn chairmaking techniques from different masters and you can view hundreds of designs, if not thousands, in an instant.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

All this information is food for your own creative process and will only serve to develop your own product offerings. All you have to do is resist the temptation to copy and take pleasure in exploring your own creative juices.

Components of technology

You can break down any technology into three essential components: the tool, the technique, and the data.

The tool can be a physical tool such as a chainsaw, a chisel or even a hinge. A tool can also be software or even a service, CAD/CAM, your website, a spreadsheet or other devices. A tool on its own is not going to be doing much good to anyone. Tools are extensions of our own abilities; they help us to perform tasks that we couldn’t do on our own. In order to shape ideas into innovative objects using tools, we require a user and his or her skill.

The technique is the skill of the user. This is where the art resides; the more skillful the user becomes, the better he or she can express himself or herself in a meaningful way. Words are the tools of a poet; without a vocabulary he or she will likely not create memorable rhymes whereas a master lyricist can move us to tears. The same thing applies to people in the wood industry; if they have better tools and they master them they’ll have a better vocabulary with which to express themselves. Only one thing remains lacking, the data.

The data is the information that the users have at their disposal to be able to express themselves using their tools. Data comes in various forms. The style of our aforementioned chair is a piece of data that is important to the chairmaker. So is the height of the seat, the connection between the rail and the back or the hardware used to make it foldable, for example. The more information or data that is available to our woodworkers, the more elaborate their

technology, the more creative the entire process can become.

In the last 20 years of my own career, I have seen, as you have I’m sure, an exponential growth in creativity and every day, I discover innovative designs and new techniques of woodworking that I could never have imagined just a few years before.

Boost creativity using technology

As a gift for 2018, I’d like to give you a simple methodology for boosting creativity within your woodworking business. It starts with embracing technology.

• Explore and experiment with new tools for creating with wood.

Look for tools that will help you automate your existing tasks and try using tools that perform tasks that are new to you. There are apps that can simplify and automate your tasks and software that can propel you to levels of efficiency never before seen.

• Learn new skills and hone your existing skills using technology.

Asking Google or exploring YouTube is a great place to find out how other woodworking masters have solved some of the same challenges you are facing every day.

• Absorb all the information that you can get your hands on. Putting information together with your skills is what constitutes innovation. Connect to your customers using social media and remote networking tools to get instant feedback on the marketplace and their needs and you’ll enjoy a more intimate collaborative relationship with them as well.

In the coming years, technology is likely to create a separate class of super-creative people who will dominate the marketplace in every field. We’ve already seen this in other sectors of the economy and it’s only a matter of time before the wood industry catches up.

My goal for 2018 is to bring you insights on some of these technologies and to explore together how to integrate them into the Canadian wood manufacturing industry so that we can be the global woodworking powerhouse that we were always meant to be.

Send me your comments below.

Your ideas, questions or criticism will feed this column and only serve to make it better. Moreover, I truly enjoy the conversations I’ve had with some of you over the years.

Enjoy a very creative 2018.

Professionally trained in architecture, Alain Albert has worked in wood as an entrepreneur, in production management, in design and as a digital manufacturing consultant.

Contact: aalbert@wimediainc.ca.

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WOOD INDUSTRY 21

Family business COSTA RICA STYLE With Tomás Montes Torres

Dropping out of the clouds over San José, Costa Rica, you get the feeling you are a long way from Canada. The view includes a few modern buildings, but many of the residences are walled and you discover as you drive past in your rental car that the walls are commonly topped with razor wire — a reminder that Costa Rica is lowcrime and low-risk for tourists, but has its local problems with pilfering and burglary.

Out of town and headed north on Hwy. 1, the PanAmerican Highway, the impression is reinforced as you roll along mountainsides and into valleys that the normal rules simply don’t apply. The road is favoured with scattered fruit stands and small cafés locally referred to as sodas.

Soon after San José, the multi-lane freeway narrows on INDUSTRY JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 2018 WOODINDUSTRY 22 WOOD 22

its way north, and, as you pick up the cadence, you get the strong sense that the high-speed game of dodge-’em you are involved in may rely more on reflexes than on brakes, as there is no way to confirm the rollicking transports whizzing by in both directions have ever been inspected.

Twisting in and out among the many hills and rivers, you soon sharpen your attention to turn-outs on the side, since the driveways of the shops and sodas are gone in a blink, and the road makes no accommodation.

Suddenly, you see a likely attraction, hit the signal and brakes simultaneously and peel out of traffic into the exposed and dusty showroom of Mundo Rústico. Rustic World.

Mundo Rústico was started about three years ago by the Chavarria Aguirre family, including Alexander Chavez Mesén, father; Mercedes Aguirre Salvatierra, mother; and Geovani Chavarria Aguirre, son; along with an occasional helper, and their stock-in-trade is exactly what it says. Rustic.

Row upon row of tree slabs adorn the open-air aisles in Cenizaro or Monkeypod (Albizia saman), Cedro or Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata), Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum), Laurel (not sure which species), Teka or Teak (Tectona grandis) and Espavel or Cocobolo (Anacardium exelsum), and it is clear to the Canadian eye that these exotic sizes and shapes would be the ideal ticket to draw customers to a northern showroom.

According to Mercedes, they have a strong flow of North American tourists that stop by to look, buy a few small items and take down the company’s num-

ber, but they rarely get a call back on their signature boardroom table-tops from the north. That market, she says, remains largely local, with the larger pieces selling in the range of $250 US. Language is a problem, since none of the family is fluent in English, but Mercedes says each of their presentation pieces is dried and treated for insects, and a call to Canadian Border Services Agency in Canada confirms that all that is needed to import slabs to Canada is a phytosanitary certificate, which can be issued by the government of Costa Rica. That assumes the slab has been stripped of its bark. To import wood with the bark on requires an additional import permit available from CBSA. If you are interested, find a Spanish speaker and call 011-506-85-52-96-76.

INDUSTRY 23 WOODINDUSTRY WOOD

www.woodindustry.ca www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD

New Products Compact wide belt sander provides four sanding units

The MFA Impression series wide belt sander from Akhurst is said to be a compact, rigidly structured machine design that can take up to four calibration, cross and longitudinal sanding units and disk brush units (RUT) as well as additional brush units. The modular machine permits the choice of belt access and operator side, providing application flexibility, the company says. www.akhurst.com

Laminate veneer door styles introduced

cause of the durable, antibacterial, stain and scratch resistant properties inherent in the material, the company says. The five-piece construction of laminate doors closely simulates wood doors and can be a cost-effective alternative for refacing applications, it adds. www.eliaswoodwork.com

Industry reference manual for tooling introduced

Sander operates cordless or corded

The Leitz Lexicon Edition 7 industry resource manual is now available in both print and PDF versions. The book is used by manufacturers to maximize the efficiency, productivity and longevity of their tools, according to Leitz. Edition 7, the latest version, features a new layout and userfriendly structure with each product category in a compact format, providing the reader comprehensive process and tooling know-how, it adds. http://leitztooling.com

Automatic tool changers expand CNC router options The Winchester variation is the newest decorative laminate veneer (DLV) door style available in Memento from Elias Woodwork. The pattern is said to add shabby chic to any kitchen or bath design. The company’s Portico and Mystique door styles are also available in Memento with supporting sheet goods, moldings and other components. DLV is very popular with some industry professionals be-

24 WOOD INDUSTRY

tionally, its existing seven- and 21-station units were upgraded with improved mechanics and drive motors. The 10G unit fits in the same housing as the 7G system and the 14G unit fits in the 21G system. Interchangeable carousel plates improve machine configuration options, allowing for more tool capacity options in the same ATC envelopes, the company says. www.axyz.com

Balanced by an ergonomic battery the DTSC 400 cordless sander from Festool provides the same functionality of its corded counterpart but with hybrid power options —it can be used cordless or corded. The 18-volt Ergo battery provides up to 30 minutes of runtime at full power. Work virtually dust-free with Jetstream dust extraction technology, the company says, to ensure a cleaner surface and work environment with longer abrasive life for better sanding results. An integrated, removable Protector provides protection to abutting surfaces as well as the pad for up close sanding applications. www.festool.ca

Automated sanding for wood, veneer and lacquer Axyz has introduced two automatic changer options (ATC) with capacity for either 10 or 14 tool stations. Addi-

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

The KSN series from Weber is a redesigned automatic sanding machine for wood sanding, veneer sanding and lacquer sanding for artisans and

line, snap-on mounting plate for a 90-degeee opening and for minimum door thickness of 16 mm, up to a maximum of 28 mm. www.salicecanada.com

Planer jointer features 3,000 mm table length

Clip-on bracket offers new mounting possibilities industry. Up to 4 sanding stations allow for different machining variations. All the sanding and brushing stations can be installed in any order, to suit requirements. Due to the angled corner positioning, the operation terminal permits better and faster access, the company says, and all connections can be installed systematically from the top. The series features operating widths of 1350 and 1600 mm, a vacuum blower integrated in the machine frame, calibrating roller drive up to 24 kW, “i-Touch“controller, lacquer finishing package, universal sanding lamella, and sanding belt drive with frequency control. www.weberamerica.com

Compact hinge system for downward flap doors

The Accuride Clip-On Bracket enables cabinet makers to bottom- or platform-mount popular models of the company’s side-mount slides.

The extra level of versatility of the bracket supports the following models of drawer slide: 2109, 2132, 3732, 3832E Classic, 3832EDO, 3832ESC, 3832EHDSC and CH3832. The bracket requires no tools (screws or bolts) for installation and is available in a choice of three finishes: clear zinc, white and black. It also comes in even lengths from 14 to 22 in. www.accuride.com

The solid plan 51L planer jointer from the Felder Format-4 series features a three metre planing table length. The feeding planer table alone offers 1,650 mm of supporting surface for larger dimensioned workpieces. The planer also offers a tiltable planing table for concave and convex joint finishing. The space saving design of the planing fence makes it possible to position the planer directly against the workshop wall, the company says. The comfort guard is integrated into the machine chassis and can be folded away which, when coupled, with the counter design of the machine cover panel. An electrically-actuated height adjustment is included for operator comfort. www.felder-group.ca

ShopBot has the right CNC tool for any size woodshop.

Pacta is a compact hinge system from Salice for flap doors that open downwards without the need for additional flap stays or cables. The product has a soft opening system for a controlled and gradual opening. In the fullyopen position, the door and cabinet bottom panel are aligned, creating a uniform and flat surface. Units are available in either soft opening with self-close feature or soft opening with push to open feature. The system is offered in a variety of finishes. Attachment is to the cabinet with in-

ShopBot manufactures professional grade CNC tools that won’t break your bank. For a fraction of the cost of big-iron CNC machines, you can have a full-size shop tool that delivers professional speed, power, and accuracy. ShopBot tools are great for an endless variety of cutting, drilling, and carving operations – and have the ability to do so in a variety of materials.

Every ShopBot is designed, built, and supported in Durham, NC, USA.

Learn more about our full-size tools on our website. Then call us to order yours today!

888-680-4466 • ShopBotTools.com www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 25

WOOD

New Products

Drawer hardware system keeps production efficient

The ArciTech drawer system from Hettich has been developed to let kitchen and furniture manufacturers put together drawers for different furniture lines and personal needs while keeping their own production efficient. The Actro runner’s prism principle with synchronous control ensures a quiet, coordinated movement cycle, the company says. With loading capacities of 40, 60 or 80 kg, Actro always uses the same carcass and front panel drilling pattern. The push-to-open silent function combines handle-less opening in response to a light press on the front panel with soft-closing drawers. www.hettich.com

Machines process raw and painted panels

Excellent finishing results are said to be obtained when machining raw and painted panels due to the wide range of units (cross-belt, calibrating roller, sanding roller, super-finisher) that come with the DMC Eurosystem from SCM. Combining an aggressive roller with sensitive EPICS electronic sectional pad, the working width is 1350 mm, min/max working thickness (mobile table) is 3 to 170 mm and min/max working thickness (constant pass-line) is 3 to 200 mm. Abrasive belt width (roller unit) is 1370 x 2620 mm, abrasive belt length (roller unit) 150 x 5000 mm, and mat feed speed 3 to 18 m/min. www.scmgroup.com

Quick setup five-axis CNC work centre

Wide Belt Sanders

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26 WOOD INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

The Jet Optima T5 five-axis work centre from Casadei Busalleto features the new motorized “IMC” panel supports that are said to ensure high quality processing and increased production capacity due to the quick set-up of the working table. The versions of unit allow machining of various panel dimensions or doors and various types of windows. Advantages include high speed capability obtained by using floor conveyors that allow a reduction of the working cycle of the machine. Excellent reliability, finishing and precision are possible thanks to the structure, beam and carriages combined to an advanced technology, the company says. Working field X ranges from 3060 to 5260 mm and working field Y is 1450 mm, with a workpiece clearance of 180 mm. Specifications include an electrospindle power rated at 11 kW (15 hp), spindles in 18 (standard) and 26 (optional) sizes, and a tool changer with up to 34 tools capacity. www.casadeibusellato.com

Bullets WOOD The value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities increased 1.3 percent to $7.657 billion in November from $7.560 billion in November 2016. — Statistics Canada Canadian businesses reported 468,000 job vacancies in the third quarter, up 62,000 (15.1 percent) from the third quarter of 2016. The overall job vacancy rate increased 0.3 percentage points to 2.9 percent in the quarter. — Statistics Canada Housing starts in Canada were up by about 13 percent quarter/quarter in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2017. — Scotiabank Global Economics A new survey reveals the average American is stockpiling 23 unnecessary items in their home and 57 percent keep things for sentimental reasons, while a third procrastinate throwing out items they no longer need. — ClosetMaid Canadian imports of tropical sawnwood were worth $1.65 million US in October, slightly down from the previous month and also year-to-date from October 2016. — Fordaq Home Renovation Due Diligence Survey Findings, 2017, reveals 69.6 percent of Canadian contractors’ report that their clients don’t ask to see their trade licenses, with 20.3 percent of these respondents working in compulsory trades. In addition, 40 percent say that their clients never mention vetting their contractor’s trade license.

— TrustedPros U.S. total business end-of-month inventories for November 2017 were $1,895.4 billion US, up 0.4 percent from last month. U.S. total business sales were $1,420.1 billion US, up 1.2 percent from last month. — U.S. Census Bureau Of online platforms, 46 percent of Americans would like most for Twitter to be killed off, while 43 percent say that same for Tinder and 32 percent for Facebook. — The Harris Poll via Recode The trend in housing starts in Canada was 226,777 units in December 2017, compared to 226,178 units in November 2017, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). —CMHC

A Gallup World Poll has found that 14 percent of the world’s adults (710 million people) would like to move to another country if they had the chance.

Desire to migrate is strongest in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by parts of Europe outside the EU. When it comes to the most desired destinations, 21 percent of potential migrants worldwide would like to move to the U.S. Germany was the second most desired destination, followed by Canada. —Statista According to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, venture capital firms invested a total of $84.2 billion US last year in the U.S., up 16 percent from 2016 and more than 100 percent from ten years ago. — Statista China intends to increase its forest coverage to 23 percent by 2020, according to its State Forestry Administration. The Chinese government plans to plant 6.6 million hectares of forest – an area the size of Ireland – in 2018. — Fordaq There are now more than 25 million business profiles on the Instagram social media platform, up from 15 million in July 2017. As of March 2017, 80 percent of Instagram’s users followed a business, and in November 2017, 200 million Instagram members visited a business profile every day.

— Statista Between January and October last year, Brazil’s pulp exports grew by almost 3 percent year-onyear, reaching about 16 million tonnes. — Fordaq In 2004, more than 90 percent of households in the U.S. had an operational landline phone. Now the figure is (significantly) less than 50 percent, according to data provided by the Atlanta, Ga.-based Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, which has been tracking phone ownership in the U.S. as a by-product of its biannual National Health Interview Survey since 2004. — Statista The U.S. goods and services deficit was $50.5 billion US in November, up $1.6 billion US from October. November exports were $200.2 billion US, $4.4 billion US more than October exports.

November imports were $250.7 billion US, $6.0 billion US more than October imports.

— U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis www.woodindustry.ca

WOOD INDUSTRY 27

Bullets WOOD The U.S. tax bill completed before the Christmas break includes a one-time tax exemption for companies willing to repatriate foreign earnings held overseas. Companies will be able to bring back their foreign cash holdings at a one-time tax rate of 15.5 percent, allowing global players such as Apple to save billions of dollars in taxes.

— Statista The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) monthly Trend of Business Survey Cabinet reports that member year-to-date sales through November 2017 of total cabinetry were up 2.8 percent. — KCMA Total residential building permits issued in the U.S. were 1.297 million in October, up 5.9 percent from September. —National Association of Home Builders Investment in residential construction in Canada totaled $35.8 billion in the third quarter, up 9.1 percent compared with the same period in 2016 and the largest increase since the fourth quarter of 2012. —Statistics Canada Between 2012 and 2016, 21.1 percent (63,172,059) of the U.S. population age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home, an increase from 20.3 percent in the 2007-2011 American Community Survey five-year estimates data.

—U.S. Census Bureau Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 3.3 percent in September over the same period last year. —Statistics Canada While retail sales in Canada edged up 0.1 percent overall to $49.1 billion in September, sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (2.6 percent) and furniture and home furnishings stores (2.3 percent) were recorded.

This was the third gain in four months at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers. —Statistics Canada Single-family housing starts in the U.S. in October were 877,000, up 5.3 percent from October 2016.

—National Association of Home Builders

28 WOOD INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Following a brief dip in revenue in September, billings at U.S. architecture firms advanced in October. The AIA Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was 51.7 for the month, up from a 49.1 reading the prior month. Through 10 months of the year, the ABI has posted gains in eight. —American Institute of Architects Posting the fastest gains in new housing construction of any global region, the 4 percent annual growth projected for new housing units in North America through 2021 will be driven by above average household formation in Mexico as well as strong construction activity in the U.S. The size of an average North American housing unit is forecast to grow to 145 square metres in 2021, making North America’s existing floor space the second largest, behind only the Asia/Pacific region.

— Freedonia Group In the third quarter of 2017, order bookings at members of the German machine tool industry rose by 13 per cent compared to the previous year’s equivalent period. Domestic orders were up by 31 per cent and exports by 5 per cent during this year’s period. —VDW The global building and construction sheets market is expected to reach $195.15 billion US by 2025, according to a new report. The increasing spending in the construction industry in developing economies is expected to drive demand.

—Grand View Research National home sales in Canada rose 4.5 percent from November to December. Actual activity was up 4.1 percent year-over-year. —Canadian Real Estate Association Higher-than-expected economic growth in 2017 will fuel Canadian business confidence in 2018, leading to a jump in planned investments by small and mid-sized enterprises, says a new study. SMEs plan to make $140.5 billion in investments this year, a 3 percent increase over 2017, mainly to support their growth, the study says. —BDC

Events WOOD Feb. 6 – 8 ZOW Bad Salzuflen, Germany www.zow.de March 8 – 12 Indiawood Bangalore, India www.indiawood.com March 9 – 18 National Home Show Toronto, Ont. www.nationalhomeshow.com March 12 – 14 Dubai Woodshow Dubai, UAE www.dubaiwoodshow.com March 20 – 22 Domotex Asia ChinaFloor Shanghai, China www.domotexasiachinafloor.com

WOOD

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April 14 – 18 High Point Market Charlotte, N.C. www.highpointmarket.org April 17 – 22 EuroCucina Milan, Italy salonemilano.it/en-us/ EXHIBITORS/EuroCucina May 1 – 4 Woodworking Industry Conference Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii www.wmia.org/events/

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S U C FO N 7 IG 201 S E D 2017-09-20 1:17 PM

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WOOD INDUSTRY 29

WOOD

By the numbers Residen'al construc'on investment in millions of dollars

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000 40,000 40,000

35,000

35,000

20,000

30,000 30,000

15,000 25,000 25,000

20,000 20,000

10,000

15,000 15,000

5,000 10,000

10,000

5,000

5,000 0

Total residen'al investment

Residen'al construc'on investment Residen'al construc'on investment Residential construction investment In millions of dollars

0

0

in millions of dollars in millions of dollars

Total

Total Total residen'al Renova'ons residen'al investment residential investment investment

Renova'ons

Renova'ons Renovations

Q4 2012

Q4 2012 Q4 2012

Q1 2013

Q1 2013 Q1 2013

Q2 2013

Q2 2013 Q2 2013

Q3 2013

Q3 2013 Q3 2013

Q4 2013

Q4 2013 Q4 2013

Q1 2014

Q1 2014 Q1 2014

Q2 2014

Q2 2014 Q2 2014

Q3 2014

Q3 2014 Q3 2014

Q4 2014

Q4 2014 Q4 2014

Q1 2015

Q1 2015 Q1 2015

Q2 2015

Q2 2015 Q2 2015

Q3 2015

Q3 2015 Q3 2015

Q4 2015

Q4 2015 Q4 2015

Q1 2016

Q1 2016 Q1 2016

Q2 2016

Q2 2016 Q2 2016

Q3 2016

Q3 2016 Q3 2016

Q4 2016

Q4 2016 Q4 2016

Q1 2017

Q1 2017 Q1 2017

Q2 2017

Q2 2017 Q2 2017

Q3 2017

Q3 2017 Q3 2017

Canadian building permits in millions of dollars

building permits i+,#-+..+/,0#/1#2/..340# n millions of dollars !"#"$%"#&'(%)$%#*&+,-.%/0& Canadian building permits InCanadian millions of dollars 60,000 60,000

50,000 50,000

40,000 40,000

30,000 30,000

20,000 20,000

10,000

10,000

0

0

Residen2al Residen2al 1,0%$,#2")&

Residential building permits

Commercial Commercial !3..,-4%")&

Commercial building permits Ins2tu2onal and Institutional 5#02/(23#")&"#$& Ins2tu2onal and governmental and *36,-#.,#/")& governmental governmental building permits

Q3 2012 Q4 2012 Q1 2013 Q2 2013 Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2016 Q4 2016 Q1 2017 Q2 2017 Q3 2017

!"#$%&$# !'#$%&$# !&#$%&"# !$#$%&"# !"#$%&"# !'#$%&"# !&#$%&'# !$#$%&'# !"#$%&'#!'#$%&'#!&#$%&(# !$#$%&(# !"#$%&(# !'#$%&(#!&#$%&)# !$#$%&)# !"#$%&)# !'#$%&)#!&#$%&*# !$#$%&*# !"#$%&*# Q3 2012 Q4 2012 Q1 2013 Q2 2013 Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q 1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2016 Q4 2016 Q1 2017 Q2 2017 Q3 2017

New h iin !"#$%&'()*+$,&*(-.',/&*$)*0"(-1"*-$ New housing ousing c construc/on onstruc/on iinvestment nvestment +,#-+..+/,0#/1#2/..340# n m millions illions o of f d dollars ollars

New housing construction value In millions of dollars

New dwellings, !"#$2#"33)*+(4$ all types 533$-67"($ New dwellings,

all types

Singles Singles 8)*+3"($

Doubles Single Doubles 9&':3"($ Row (1)

Row (1) ;&#$<=>$ Apartments

Carpenter construc-on union hourly wage rates in dollars, including selected pay supplements

70

60 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3

2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 2016 2016 2016 2016 2017 2017 2017 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 !"# !&# !$# !'# !"# !&# !$# !'# !"# !&# !$# !'# !"# !&# !$# !'# !"# !&# !$# !'# $%&$# 2013 $%&'# 2013 $%&'# 2013 $%&'# 2013 $%&'# 2014 $%&"# 2014 $%&"# 2014 $%&"# $%&"# 2012 2014 $%&(# 2015 $%&(# 2015 $%&(# 2015 $%&(# 2015 $%&)# 2016 $%&)# 2016 $%&)# 2016 $%&)# 2016 $%&*# 2017 $%&*# 2017 $%&*# 2017

50

Carpenter construction wage dollars, including selected supplements Carpenter cconstruc-on uunion ourly rrates iin sselected ppay ssupplements Carpenter onstruc-on union nion hhhourly ourly w wage age ates rates n ddollars, ollars, Iniincluding ncluding elected ay pay upplements

40 70 70

30 60 60

20 50 50

10 40 40

Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 0 30 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 2016 2016 2016 2016 2017 2017 2017

30 30

30

20 INDUSTRY INDUSTRY WOOD WOOD 20

JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 2018

Apartments

Apartments ?75.-1"*-($

Row

Double

Toronto, Ont.

Regina, Sask.

Edmonton, Alta.

Toronto, O Toronto, Ont. Toronto, Ont. nt.

Regina, Sask.B.C. Vancouver, Edmonton, Alta.

Regina, Sask.

Regina, Sask.

Vancouver, B.C.

Québec, Que.

Quebec, Que.

Edmonton, Alta.

Edmonton, Alta.

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

Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver, B.C. Québec, Que. Québec, Que.

Source: Statistics Canada

18,000 18,000

16,000

14,000 14,000

12,000 12,000

10,000 10,000

8,000 8,000

6,000 6,000

4,000

4,000

2,000

2,000

0

0

ONLY THE ESSENTIALS

Pacta Pacta is a compact and innovative hinge for drop down doors.

Its decelerated opening action means that the door opens gradually and controlled.

With its clean, simple lines and ingenious design, Pacta can be used in a host of applications.

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