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The Wood Innovation Group
Welcome to our monthly newsletter! Here, you'll discover exciting wood industry events, and events connecting you with fellow enthusiasts, giving you the opportunity to share and receive knowledge. Our events are carefully designed to bridge the worlds of craftsmanship and technology. We aim to uncover new opportunities, delve into the origins of our industry, and drive forward the value-added wood sector. Join us as we connect, learn, and grow together on this journey.
We are always open to supporting and posting content from our community, so if you have anything to share then send it our way to info@twigbc.ca
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Wood-First-Wednesday
Main Street Brewing Co. - 261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver
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Jumping between the breweries around Main Street and East Van, we meet on the first Wednesday of each month for a mid-week social and networking event. Meet others who work across the various wood-related industries in BC, and connect with friends and colleagues after work. More Info+
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Vancouver Island Wood Network
Wood-First-Wednesday
CRAFT - 450 Swift St, Victoria
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The Vancouver Island group continues with another WFW style event in Victoria.
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Timber Tech Connect
Timber Innovation Series
Concept Lab - 397 West 7th Avenue
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Dive into the future of Timber building at the inaugural event of Timber Tech Connect! TWIG has teamed up with Fast + Epp and the Center for Advanced Wood processing. Together, we're hosting a series of dynamic events at Concept Lab, an innovative R&D space located within Fast + Epp's Vancouver headquarters.
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Hello TWIG community
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We would like to welcome those who have joined our mailing list over the past month. We resolved a minor issue with our mailing list, which prevented people from signing up, but now that it's sorted out we've had a good number of people join!
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Our TWIG team was at IDS this year with the participants of the Shape Program, which was a great success in our inaugural year. We got to spread the word about TWIG and the work we are doing in creating a more connected Value-Added Wood products industry. One of the conversations that emerged relates to the "I" in TWIG which stands for Innovation. We realized that we can substitute this word for many others that still aligns with TWIG's mission as an organization. We believe that Innovation is a result of the right conditions, connections and collaborations that allow new ideas to grow into something bigger - from a seed to a tree. Take the lodgepole pine cones for example - They are protected by a waxy coating that require the heat of fire to release their seeds. Our ideas need favorable conditions in order for them to germinate and start the journey to becoming a tree.
So if innovation is a result, than what other inputs do we need in order to foster the growth of new ideas? Sticking with the "I" in TWIG, here are some others that we can reflect on that are essential to the process of innovation, all which are at the core of TWIG's mission within the Value-Added sector.
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Imagination: Mental ability to visualize the unreal
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Inspiration: Creative motivation from external sources
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Ingenuity: Clever problem-solving and resourcefulness
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Invention: The creation of something new or novel.
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Intuition: Sometimes, the best ideas come from a gut feeling or intuition.
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Integration: When different elements come together harmoniously.
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Iteration: The process of refining and improving an idea over multiple cycles.
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Iconoclasm: A more unconventional approach, often involving challenging established norms.
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Illumination: Shedding light on a subject or idea, often leading to new perspectives.
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Inclusivity: Ensuring that diverse perspectives and voices are considered in the creative process.
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Interdisciplinary: Combining knowledge and methods from different fields to spark innovation.
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Did we miss any? Let us know and connect with us at one of our upcoming events!
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Timber Innovation Series
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Unlock the Future of Timber Design with Timber Tech Connect!
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Concept Lab - 397 West 7th Avenue
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We're excited to announce a collaboration between TWIG, Fast + Epp, and CAWP. Together, we're hosting a series of dynamic events at Concept Lab, an innovative R&D space located within Fast + Epp's Vancouver headquarters.
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Timber Tech Connect offers an up-close look at the latest innovations in timber design and the individuals driving progress in wood-based design, engineering, architecture, and construction. Through these events, our aim is to provide a platform for networking, learning, and exploring the possibilities of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) in timber construction.
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The inaugural event will take the form of an open house, featuring introductions from the teams at Concept Lab, CAWP, and TWIG. We'll share insights into the opportunities, programs, and services available to you. You'll have the opportunity to tour the facility, discover current projects at Concept Lab, and explore the ever-expanding library of timber-based components and materials. During this event, we're eager to hear from you about your endeavours and how we can assist you and your clients in realizing timber-based goals, ideas, and projects.
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Our overarching goal with these events is to establish a consistent series that brings together experts from various fields. As the mass timber industry continues to grow, our mission is to support individuals and firms throughout the innovation process, equipping them with the knowledge needed to excel in wood-based construction. Additionally, we'll inspire you by showcasing timber projects from around the world, including those by local firms and manufacturers based right here in British Columbia.
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Light food and drinks will be provided.
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Kiln Drying Seminar
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November 20 - 24, 8:00am - 5:00pm
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Essentials of Wood Drying
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A 5 day comprehensive, hands-on introduction to drying technology taught from a practical, real-life perspective and backed with solid explanations into the scientific background of drying.
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This highly-regarded workshop discusses the key processes and concepts involved in drying wood. Beginning with wood properties and moisture movement, students become familiar with kiln design considerations, drying schedules and kiln loading considerations. Other topics include drying with air, drying degrade, lumber storage and handling, control systems and power plants.
Visit the link to download the course PDF and to register for the workshop.
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Online Industrial Wood Finishing Certificate Course
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The UBC Certificate in Industrial Wood Finishing is designed to provide professional learners from the woodworking industry with a broad understanding of the field of wood finishing. The program involves a comprehensive review of the various dimensions of wood finishing, including wood properties, colour theory, the physical and chemical processes associated with the applications of stains and coatings, application methods; pre-treatments; coatings; application and curing equipment and automation; safety; environmental considerations; quality control and testing methods; and costs/economics. Throughout the course, workplace examples and case studies are referenced as much as possible, to provide real-world context to the discussions.
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We understand that it can be difficult for technical staff and managers to take time away from a production environment to attend training. For this reason, the program is structured in two distinct parts;
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- Part 1: learn all of the theory online through our e-learning website. Requires approximately one hour per day for 12 weeks. Study at home or at work, whatever fits your schedule. Get ongoing phone and email support from an online tutor, and interact with other trainees via online discussions
- Part 2: come to a 6-day practical session, normally in Vancouver or at an alternate facility (depending on where most participants are located). Includes hands-on practice, demonstrations from industry experts, plant tours
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Program begins January 8th 2024. More details on schedule can be found in the link.
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Shape @ IDS Vancouver
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In the inaugural year of the Shape program, we had a great conclusion to with a showcase at IDS Vancouver. In this program, participants were challenged to develop an idea embodying their design approach, material considerations and regional influences. Our booth stood out - first because almost every surface in the space was made from wood, and second, the diversity of what was being showcased brought a sense of curiosity, drawing people into the space to investigate more.
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Our booth design was a collaborative effort from the Shape participants, and we wanted the design to express something that represented who we are. Our goal was to create a booth from materials that we had available to us, and that would not go to waste after the show concluded. We we grateful to have some CLT panels donated by the crew at Concept Lab at Fast + Epp, who are structural testing some panels in their lab. It was an undertaking, but we managed to get the 14 250lb panels in place and secure to create our main feature wall.
We will be featuring the work from participants on our site soon, highlighting their projects and approaches to wood design, and are preparing for our next edition of the shape program for 2024. You can follow the links below to the websites of the participants to see the work they do and follow along to see what they are up to following Shape.
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Vancouver Island Wood Network
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Are you located on Vancouver Island and want to connect to a network of like-minded wood-based people? We are working with a group led by Marc deMontigny of Toolpath Design to foster a network that supports the established and rich community on Vancouver Island. So far there have been a series of events and tours piloted over the last few months and the plan is to continue. With each passing month, the community continues to expand as individuals step out from the shadows and actively participate in these events. TWIG evolved over a ten year period to get to where we are today, and we hope to foster something similar, with its own regional flavour on Vancouver Island.
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Building a network takes time, and we are using all the tools we can to get the word out and connect people to these events, but we need your help in broadcasting this group to people you may know. Our main point of connection to get up-to-date information about whats taking place is the WhatsApp group that has been started. You can join through the link below or forward it to someone who would been keen in joining.
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The next event takes place on October 4th from 6:00 - 8:30 @ CRAFT, located at 450 Swift St.
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We can help you to promote open positions, contracts and other jobs that you are seeking to fill. Just reach out to us at info@twigbc.ca with the details and we can add it to our monthly newsletter.
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We have the goal to transform TWIG into an independent non-profit organization so we can continue to expand and support people and communities across BC. In our current structure, we are supported via Centre For Advanced Wood processing and the Wood First Program from Forestry Innovation Investment. This move to an independent organization would allow us to pursue and invest in new activities based on the gaps and needs we have observed within our industry.
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We are actively seeking people to work with us at TWIG to help us coordinate and plan events, develop partnerships and expand the reach of our network within BC. Depending on your capacity and what you have to offer, we have some opportunities that might interest you within the structure we are developing
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Advisors - TWIG welcomes industry insiders with valuable expertise and resources to actively guide and amplify the organization's effectiveness. Advisors, drawn from relevant sectors, provide insightful direction, foster connections, facilitate introductions, and bolster partnership initiatives, ensuring TWIG's advancement aligns seamlessly with industry needs.
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Organizers - These individuals are the driving force behind TWIG's event and program organization, executing tasks aligned with their roles. Organizers play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless event execution, focusing on recurring and consistent events within TWIG. Their responsibility extends to catering to event requirements and ensuring active participation and attendance.
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If any of this speaks to you and your are passionate about our mission we would love to hear from you. Please reach out and get in touch at info@twigbc.ca and we can schedule a call to explore your interest and time commitments.
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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. We already have some projects underway from this past year that will be ready to present in 2022.
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