Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/904555
DECEMBER 2017 | 35 Architectural Woodwork Architectural woodwork's enormous versatility gains mass recognition by ROBIN BRUNET Boom Time A lthough the great recession is long over and Canada seems to be swept by a growing eco- nomic boom, that growth has been quicker to affect certain business sectors than oth- ers – as many woodworkers will attest. Even as builders and other trades enjoyed a resumption of work volumes, woodworkers until recently frequently found them- selves struggling to land jobs – or, they were at the mercy of paired down budgets, thus greatly dimin- ishing the chance to create wow-factor workspaces or seamlessly joining materials such as walnut and Corian in luxury settings. But the good news as we approach 2018 is that mill- workers have more jobs than they know what to do with. If anything, the big push now is to recruit new tal- ent in order to make up for the losses incurred when apprentices and journeymen alike fled to the oil sands for steady and bountiful employment. Glenda Harskamp, the new executive director for the B.C. chapter of the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC), says, "Many of our manufacturer members – we have 47 architectural woodworkers and 30 associates – are phenomenally busy and in full hiring mode, looking for workers of all skill levels." So intense is the phenomena that, according to Harskamp, members have been lending talent to other members experiencing difficulty in getting over busy periods. "It's a strategy in our association that seems to be working far more efficiently than expected," she says. The underlying issue is of course the challenge in recruiting new talent, but even on that score Harskamp isn't overly worried: "Word is getting out that our sec- tor is thriving, and fortunately it only takes a few years from someone with no experience to become trained as an apprentice and start making money as he or she works towards getting a joinery ticket." Meanwhile, AWMAC is helping advance the stan- dards of the woodworking sector by offering its new North American Architectural Woodwork Standards manual (AWMAC's Standards) as a free download. "We regard this as the woodworking bible for our members, as it lays out the standards and guidelines that we should adhere to when manufacturing and installing architectural woodwork," says Harskamp. "We also offer a national program, the Guarantee and Inspection Service (GIS), a third party verification program with a two year guarantee, whereby certi- fied inspectors review and report on shop drawings and the manufacture and installation of the wood- work against the current manual, to ensure that qual- ity standards are met." Kelly Glanzer, manager for Top 40 Woodworks Ltd., has been so busy in 2017 that his Kamloops-based firm is currently upgrading several key pieces of CNC equip- ment and expanding to an automatic material handling system from Austria in order to take full advantage of a boom he believes will extend beyond next year. "We've broken every record previously established for growth, and we're currently up over 35 percent on gross volume," he says. "Part of our success is due to careful planning when times weren't so good, and building strong relationships with our clients. Finding PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MORINWOOD INC.; KEN SANDERS/COURTESY AWMAC