CKCA is proud of all its members. Canada has an excellent reputation worldwide for it’s woodworking skills and our history goes back a long way. But in this modern era, how do companies remain competitive while still offering a highly customizable product? Each company has carved out (no pun intended!) their own path and their stories, their passion and commitment will have you wanting to work with them – and we want that too. We want consumers to buy Canadian-build kitchen cabinetry and there are so many excellent reasons to work with CKCA members.
In 2023 we collected a number of stories to share and inspire.What are the ingredients for success? Be sure to check out what these members say here.
The Kitchen Cabinet Production Worker Training Program – you need trained workers and we’re creating a supply stream
The program was created in 2023 in direct response to CKCA members stating there was a need for labour and not just anyone but hires who could hit the ground running. Under the Northwest Industries Association, who has extensive experience as an association running similar employment training, this 9-week government funded training program was designed to prepare unemployed and underemployed persons for work within the Kitchen Cabinet sector. Working closely with CKCA members to understand their needs and skill requirements in potential employees, the Northwest Skills Institute created a hands on training program focused on the use of power and hand tools where students built projects each week, the application of safety, how to create and read blueprints, numeracy skills around imperial to metric conversion, quality control measures, finishing skills using sanders, spray paint guns, stain and varnish, online CNC training, Forklift Theory, Daily Kaizen, OFA 1, WHMIS and much more.
Weekly tours with CKCA members helped students learn about common equipment, the application of Kaizen at work, production procedures, job order tracking software and systems, and opportunities within this sector. Employers in turn had the opportunity to promote their companies and to meet potential hires ahead of time. CKCA would like to sincerely thank those participating companies!
Update – Dec. 2, 2023
CKCA scans for industry data, employment updates and strategic intel to help you manage HR in your business
CKCA Board Member Profile: Luke Elias is passionate about technology in manufacturing and in 1989 started implementing computer hardware and software to improve office to shop communications in his Alfred, Ontario company Muskoka Cabinet Company. Early on he invested in cutting and optimization software and invested in a Nested Based Manufacturing in 2000. Today Luke is co-founder of SMARTMRP Inc. an ERP/MES automation software specifically designed for the woodworking industry. With SMART at its core, Muskoka boasts one of the most advanced panel processing cells in the world, utilizing Robotics, RFID, ERP and an AGV, for machining, sorting, labeling, transporting and tracking parts. These innovations have resulted in Muskoka Cabinet having output that is three times the industry average. 
When we first used VSM, we counted 400 steps in the old factory. When we were designing for this new factory we wanted to reduce the number of steps. So, how did we do that? We rearranged and mapped out the movement of the parts. We asked a lot of questions about the positions of the machines and work stations on the shop floor. In thinking through the movement of parts and placement of machinery, we eventually cut the number of steps down to 200. And when we opened the new factory in 2004 we had a really big eye opener. With the same amount of people and the same amount of equipment, our production doubled in the first month. We just couldn’t believe it. Our sales doubled in the first month. With the money we made, we reinvested in further automation. We have been reinvesting and reinvesting ever since.
People also need to look outside of the wood industry. They need to attend the big automation shows in Canada and the United States. We took our robotics committee to the automation show in Detroit, North America’s largest automation show. At these shows you are going to see a lot of automobile technology. However, technology and automation is transferable. In Detroit, we saw vision systems. A big problem we have in our industry is quality issues – detecting flaws in the product. So, vison technology helps to address our quality issues. We saw a demonstration with a Tesla that had a camera going around the car to detect any faults. It covered every square inch of the car to detect deficiencies of paint, a scratch, or an imperfection, perhaps a weakness in its steel. Now, imagine having this vision system operating on your finishing line! This is a technology that our industry could use now. It would mean big savings. So, we need to go to these shows and learn what is out there that can be used in our facilities today.
In this photo Luke holds a small RFID tag containing code that allows him to track every single component in his plant. While many will ask how much it costs to produce the tags and attach to everything, Luke will tell you that the more important question the business owner should be asking is how much time and money will this save not trying to track down where components are in the plant. Point well taken Luke!
If you speak with P. Chacko John at Möbel, he’ll tell you this isn’t just a training program, it’s a “woman empowerment project”. With Möbel’s 30 years in business they recognized that the number of woman in the industry was negligible with marginal growth. They wanted to create opportunities for women to become independent cabinet installation professionals.
in the Kitchen & Bath Canada Expo and Conference. We want to celebrate “Canadian Built” kitchen cabinets by creating a “Canadian Pavillion” where we will showcase CKCA as well as some of our members and their products to really let the Canadian brand shine.
Giuseppe Castrucci former VP, Sales and Marketing may have retired from Laurysen Kitchens but he’s not sitting still. Instead Castrucci has initiated a collaboration between CKCA, Wood Manufacturing Council (WMC), National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA Ottawa Chapter), Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association ) GOHBA and Algonquin College to spearhead a one day conference in November in Ottawa to shine a light on the many career opportunities available in the residential building sector in Ottawa.