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The Wood Innovation Group
Welcome to the TWIG Newsletter! We're working to help shape the future of the value-added wood products industry. Our events and programming provide a dynamic platform for professionals to connect, learn, and share innovative ideas. Our newsletter is dedicated to those interested in using creativity and design to transform wood into finished products while blending tradition with cutting-edge technology.
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Your voice matters. If you have events, projects, or ideas to share, reach out to us at info@twigbca.ca
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Sea 2 Sky Wood Network - Shop Tour
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Van Urban Timber, 1126 Resolution Way, Squamish
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Our Squamish-based network heads on site for another tour of a local lumber producer More Info+
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Wood-First-Wednesday
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September 11, 6:00 - 8:00
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Faculty Brewing Co. 1830 Ontario St, Vancouver
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The Vancouver group meets as usual, touring local craft breweries in the city More Info+
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A new season begins!
We hope everyone had a wonderful final long weekend of the summer and made the best of their activities for the past few months. We are gearing up and our local networks are getting things together to provide events for you in Vancouver, Squamish and Victoria. TWIG will also be rolling out some online events in the near future that allow you to attend wherever you are.
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This year you will be able to catch TWIG again at IDS Vancouver where we will be featuring the works of artists, designers and creators who have a unique approach to sourcing wood and making use of the material they gather to create distinct works. We are grateful to IDS for welcoming us back to create an exhibition that connects the audience to BC Wood. From broken Hemlock beams tested at UBC to reused timbers from the Fraser, our exhibition will spark conversations on how creativity can be used to add value to wood resources. IDS will also be the launch of our Shape & Structure program for 2024/25 (details below).
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Keep in mind that each of our local networks has a WhatsApp group, so when you attend an event, make sure to get the details to jump into the group so you can stay connected, and leverage the group for future questions you have and resources you are seeking.
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We are trying to get our ducks in a row at the tail end of summer, so we may have a few more events we announce in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned for a special newsletter with more details.
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We wish you a great start to September and the best of luck on your current projects new ones coming down the pipeline.
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With forest-felt regards,
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Patrick Christie and The TWIG team
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We are happy to see Van Urban come back to TWIG, and this time around with a shop tour hosted on-site in Squamish. We had the VUT team present online with TWIG back in January of 2025, and now we get an opportunity to take a peak inside at their operations.
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The company started in 2009 as a two-man show, upon observing the amount of trees that were being taken down on construction sites every day across Vancouver. From a pile of slabs in a driveway to a North Vancouver Shop and then expanding sawmilling operations in Squamish, the company has evolved from their roots as an urban salvage and much larger operation, supplying customers in the Sea To Sky corridor and beyond. Today they focus on custom-cut timbers and lumber packages, specializing in Douglas Fir, while offering a variety of other products such as slabs, T&G, and whatever else you can’t find in a lumber store
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For those attending the event, the tour starts at 6:30. To access the facility, park on the westside and enter through the entrance located there.
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Prefabricated Building Tour and Conference to Austria & Germany
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Save the date - December 1 - December 7, 2024
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CAWP, in partnership with BCIT, is organizing a technical tour for general contractors, home builders, land developers, building manufacturers, public sector officials and policymakers. A group of 15-20 industry participants, accompanied by ‘tour guides’ from CAWP and BCIT, will visit state-of-the-art production facilities of innovative manufacturers of prefabricated homes, building systems, and building components.
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Last year the CAWP toured through Sweden to check out leading prefabricated home manufacturers, coinciding with the 12th annual Holzbau (Wood Building) Forum in Växjö, Sweden.
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More details, costs and registration information coming soon! Email Jason Chiu for more info.
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DFMA Workshop 3
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) is a design approach that focuses on ease of manufacture and assembly efficiency. In North America, due to the fragmented nature of construction whereby the designers, engineers, manufacturers, and contractors all work independently, the bridging of the knowledge gap will help improve the success rate of projects. DfMA will improve projects by reducing time, waste, cost and labour, while increasing quality and efficiency.
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This 3-day hands-on workshop will be a lecture/design/build format. It will be led by UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) and UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) faculty and staff. The expertise from industry leaders in design, engineering, fabrication, and installation will also be called upon to discuss lessons learned in mass timber construction. Participants will be guided through the process of designing mass-timber projects while considering manufacturing technologies.
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The use of digital technology in design and manufacturing are aiding the realization of mass-timber projects. The participants will be supported through a design-build exercise utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software for design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software for manufacturing of components. The project will culminate with the fabrication of components and the assembly of a mass-timber structure.
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If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please contact Jason at 604 822-0082 or by email at jason.chiu@ubc.ca
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A Call for Partners
Last year, our pilot Shape program successfully accelerated innovative ideas, turning them into reality and showcasing them at IDS Vancouver. Building on this success, we are launching the Shape & Structure programs for 2024/2025. These programs aim to harness the collective genius of our community to create impactful solutions for the wood products industry.
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Shape & Structure Programs
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Two parallel programs, each with its distinct focus but working together towards a common goal of innovation and sustainability in the wood industry.
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The Shape Program is designed to transform dimensional offcuts from construction sites, film and TV set builds, wood reclamation from old homes, and sawmill offcuts into value-added products like objects and furniture. Inspired by initiatives like Chop Value, Shape focuses on additional processing, gluing, and assembly to create market-ready products.
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The Structure Program targets larger offcuts from the mass timber and heavy timber industries. This program aims to repurpose these byproducts into usable products for architectural and building applications, addressing the growing need for sustainable solutions in the mass timber industry and supporting prefabricated building projects.
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We invite you to join us as a partner in this innovative journey. Your support can come in various forms:
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- Material Partnership: Provide wood byproducts and share your story.
- Mentorship: Offer your experience and guidance to emerging wood professionals.
- Educator: Teach specific expertise related to wood products manufacturing.
- Program Sponsor: Contribute financially or in kind to support the program’s success.
- Other Partnerships: Propose unique collaboration ideas to advance the wood industry.
Be part of this transformative initiative and help shape the future of wood innovation.
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Learn more and get involved - Full PDF
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Our goal is to build a BC-wide network of wood professionals through localized events and programs. Currently operating in Vancouver, Squamish, and Victoria, we aim to expand our TWIG network and establish new chapters across BC. Our diverse forest regions and the unique communities within them are integral to TWIG's dynamic nature, and we want our network to reflect the unique characteristics of BC.
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We extend a warm invitation for you to join our organizational team. Whether you bring expertise in board governance and organizational leadership or offer services beneficial to non-profits, your time and energy would be invaluable to TWIG's progress and the future of the value-added wood products industry.
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If this resonates with you and you are passionate about our mission, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out and connect with us at info@twigbc.ca, and we can schedule a call to explore what might be possible.
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Got an idea?
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Do you have a concept, product, or prototype that you want to realize? TWIG can work with you to make this happen with financial support through The Wood First Program. Carried out through the Center for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) and its team of technical staff, we are able to provide an array of support on various wood-based projects.
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