Interzum in Cologne, Germany, ended successfully on Friday, May 12, 2023. With approximately 62,000 trade visitors from some 150 countries, the leading international trade fair for suppliers to the furniture and interior design industry exceeded all expectations and inspired all present at the stands over the course of four days.
Blum Canada is pleased to provide you with this excellent summary of what they displayed at Interzum and what’s coming to Canada in July 2024. Read more »
May 1, 2023
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.
With the City of Ottawa committed to building 151,000 new homes in the next 10 years (that’s about 15,00 a year) the demand for skilled workers is only going to increase and we are all seeing the exodus of workers from the building industry as they head into retirement.
In a recent article in the Ottawa Citizen (Housing Renos – March 25 P2) it was mentioned that 400,000 skilled labourers will be retiring over the next ten years. But it’s important to note these retirees have plans to live in their homes, a trend that the kitchen cabinet industry has been hearing more about for some time called “aging in place.” CKCA ran a webinar on this trend 2 years ago, you can find the link to the recorded session here.
Add this to the newcomers to Canada and demand to build more housing for them and you have the highest demand for housing and renovation the industry has ever seen at a time where we have a diminishing workforce.
Jason Burggraaf, Executive Director of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association says “GOHBA is actively promoting skilled trades as a first-choice career while leveraging strategic partnerships like these to attract young people, immigrants, and those looking for a new career to consider a skilled trade in residential construction and professional renovation. Building approximately 10,000 new homes a year and renovating our 400,000 existing homes means that in Ottawa we need an average of 800 new workers every year for the next 10 years to keep up with labour demand.”
The residential and home renovation industry across Canada has found itself in a chicken or egg situation.
“Collaboration amongst stakeholders isn’t just a nice to do any more, its a must do as we all face the same issues” says Sandra Wood, Executive Director, CKCA. With CKCA participating in the collaboration the hopes is to create a one day event that profiles the building industry in Ottawa and the career paths available. We need to expose youth, parents, newcomers and those looking to change careers to the residential building sector and dispel the myths and celebrate the many positives this industry has to offer” says Wood.
The collaboration is a work in progress. CKCA has reached out to it’s local members inviting them to participate in the one day event. Castrucci is pleased with the progress made so far “As industry it’s important we do what we can to bring new talent into our industry. We can no longer assume we will have workers. The business potential for the kitchen cabinet industry in Canada is enormous. We need to get stakeholder organizations working together if we’re going to move the dial on the skilled labour shortage.”
As Chair of the collaboration, Castrucci is encouraging the group to leverage their individual expertise because each organization has been doing work on this issue for some time. The hopes is that this initiative will serve to become a template used in other parts of Canada. If you are interested in getting an initiative like this started in your local area, reach out to Sandra Wood at CKCA info@ckca.ca.
PRESS RELEASE
CKCA helps establish BC pilot training program specific to kitchen cabinetry
OTTAWA / May 1, 2023 — The Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association is pleased to be a partner in establishing a Kitchen Cabinet Production Worker (KCPW) recruitment & training program in British Columbia. The Northwest Skills Institute (NWSI) and Kaizen Learning Partners Inc, working in partnership with CKCA, has developed a program that will help participants gain the skills and knowledge needed to be immediately employed within the kitchen cabinet manufacturing industry.
There are considerable labour shortages in the cabinet manufacturing industry in BC, similar to the challenging job market throughout Canada. To explore innovative solutions to this issue, the CKCA program committee began talking about a possible solution to attract and train potential employees. Discussions evolved with NWSI, a well-established industry-focused training association in BC, and with the Chris Leonard from Kaizen Learning Partners. CKCA members in BC provided their input into a NWSI course curriculum that is specific to kitchen cabinetry.
The results is the KCPW training program that is delivered over seven weeks (210 hours) of classroom and wood shop instruction, using hands-on activities. Upon completion of this NWSI program, the participants will have the skills and knowledge of an entry level production worker for any kitchen cabinet manufacturer. Graduates will have foundational workplace skills such as using basic hand and power tools including cutting equipment. They will also obtain the ability to assemble products based on schematics, complete work orders, and ensure quality control.
The program is expected to attract new employees for the industry. Young people and newcomers to Canada will find the program instructive. The KCPW training program will present an accurate view of modern cabinet makers, providing important information for those who are not aware of the employment opportunities with cabinet manufacturers. It provides an overview of the diverse jobs and various careers that are available. Most importantly, the course provides some pre-employment skills training and work experience.
CKCA expects that the experience gained from this BC pilot training program will be helpful in supporting similar programs across the country. CKCA is committed to supporting its members gain an advantage in attracting new employees, especially in these times of critical labour shortages with skilled trades.
CKCA Executive Director Sandra Wood says:
“The Kitchen Cabinet Production Worker training program is the result of a six-month consultation process with our BC members. We are excited to be part of this BC pilot program. The combination of class instruction and hands-on skills training will ensure that the participants can walk into any one of our members’ companies and start work”.
Established in 1968 CKCA is a national trade association representing the kitchen cabinet industry in Canada. CKCA works to inspire progress and innovation in the industry, by promoting excellence, facilitating continuous improvement and working to ensure high standards for design and manufacturing are upheld. If you have any questions or would like more details on this initiative, please contact Sandra Wood, CKCA Executive Director at 613-493-5858 or info@ckca.ca.
We’re seeing more and more information and unfortunately more and more attacks.
Muskoka Cabinet Company in Alfred, Ontario is expanding operations and recognized the importance of bringing in local politicians to tour the shop and to better understand what Muskoka does. But more importantly, to ensure these politicians recognize the economic value Muskoka has on their community.
Mr. Yves Laviolette, Mayor of Alfred-Plantagenet and Mr. Stéphane Sarrazin, MPP Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP had a very successful tour at Muskoka, they were impressed with Muskoka and what they are doing in that region.
As Luke said “We needed to let them know about our industry and see what Muskoka Cabinet Company is all about. We are currently in the process of expanding our building and we needed to expedite the paperwork since we have commitments and don’t need to be delayed for some signature that might be required.”
In addition, Luke shared the CKCA prepared advocacy documents (all members have received the Reach Out, Speak Up, Be Head documents) to further support the information shared on the tour and to add more information about the challenges that manufacturers like Muskoka are facing, i.e. labour shortage. Luke further added that “They appreciated the information and they are ready to support us as much as they can.”
Mr. Sarrazin already posted his FB page and mentioned CKCA! Mr. Sarrazin also mentioned that he is willing to help the CKCA dealing with the province, even initiating a sit down at Queens Park if we wanted to be heard!
Well done Muskoka Cabinet Company for hosting and educating local politicians. We know this is the first step in effecting change. We look forward to hearing more on your expansion in the future!
If you want copies of the Reach Out, Speak Up, Be Heard documents – please get in touch with us at info@ckca.ca.
CKCA is part of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition (CMC), a group of Canada’s leading manufacturing sector associations chaired by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporers (CME). We meet quarterly to discuss important issues facing the manufacturing sector and there is never a shortage of issues to discuss!
Our participation in this coalition offers CKCA members a vital channel to reach Government. The issues and potential solutions are discussed as a means to help manufacturing in Canada continue to evolve and to thrive.
Please see CMC Budget 2023 Press Release signed by CKCA and 20 other assocations that was sent to Government March 16, 2023 to address four important issues:
Message from CKCA:
We are saddened to hear of the challenges created by cyber attacks on our members, they are happening with concerning frequency and costing business. CKCA also experienced a disruption as our email service provider was shut down in early December. Almost everyone has either felt the effects of an indirect or direct hit from cyber attacks. CKCA is working with CCTX (Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange) to provide more education and resources to help our members address these issues. We created this checklist tool in partnership with CCTX.
In addition, CKCA is participating in the newly formed Critical Infrastrucure for the Manufacturing Sector (CIMS) Network to explore and validate emergency roles, responsibilities, and communications pathways during emergencies impacting one or more CI sectors (cyber attacks are part of those discussions because of their potential impact). We will work with Government to develop a national strategy that will improve communications during a crisis, whether that is a pandemic or a significant cyber attack.
We received the following media release from this CKCA member.
Häfele Canada Inc.
5323 John Lucas Drive
Burlington, Ontario L7L 6A8
Phone: (905) 336-6608 Toll Free: (800) 423-3531
www.hafele.ca
MEDIA ALERT
February 21, 2023
Burlington, ON: Canadians are watching the news as Indigo, Canada’s largest bookstore chain, goes through the effects of a cybersecurity incident. CKCA member Häfele Canada had a parallel experience when a global cyber-attack affected all Hafele IT systems on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023. Unfortunately, our industry is not immune to this kind of criminal activity.
The Häfele Canada team acted quickly and created a viable “Plan B” to best service valued customers. Team members have been reallocated to monitor all backlogs and open orders as well as continue the flow of new orders, shipping requirements and customer service.
The team’s commitment from Day 1 of the disruption has been to stay fully open for business. While methods may take slightly longer and require a phone call or email versus a click of a button, the process is working, ensuring flow and fulfillment.
“Loyalty has never been so important. We can’t stress enough how grateful we are that our clients value the quality and selection they receive when they order Häfele products. The willingness and understanding we’ve seen from our customer base has been phenomenal. It can happen to anyone, and we are working through it together,” stated Earl Ducharme, Häfele Canada President and CKCA board member.
Currently, the controlled reconstruction of Häfele systems is well underway. Häfele.ca is available for all sales and customer service contacts, full product information and technical specifications required for project planning as the team works toward restoring the account log-in function and e-commerce orders.
“I’d also like to give a huge shout-out to the Häfele Canada team, who have selflessly rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves in finding solutions. We were recently certified as a Great Place to WorkÒ in Canada, and I see it in action every day. Strength during adversity is an understatement,” added Ducharme.
Quick Reference for Temporary Communication Channels:
| Sales Orders | General product and service inquiries
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| 📧Email hafelecanadasales@gmail.com | 📧 Email hafelecanadainfo@gmail.com
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📱Phone numbers
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Media Contact
Leanne Wood
Flying Camel PR
519-754-7745
leanne@flyingcamel.com
Article prepared by: Amrita Bhogal, People and Culture Leader, Sunrise Kitchens Ltd
Did you get a chance to make your Masala Chai? On the tour at Sunrise Kitchens, Amrita Bhogal, People and Culture Leader and the VP of CKCA, shared with us a special Masala spice blend.
You may be thinking how does Masala Chai connect to manufacturing cabinets?
The recipe of Masala Chai has been passed down through many generations and today families have their own unique spice blend of brewing masala chai. Culture is like masala chai. There are many variations on how to build your organizational culture and to share our process we have identified our top 4 ingredients for our recipe, Growth through Culture.
An important attribute to building a strong culture is having respect. Some ways you can build a respectful community within your teams is to practice active listening skills. Being an active listener can help you build trust, mutual understanding and empathy with others. Active listening can break the barrier of listening to any objectives when teams are faced the resistance to change. In LEAN perspective, “walk the Gemba or where the activity is and listen to the people”.
Furthermore, approaching conflict as a collaborator will also help mitigate those who are most troubled with the changes. Collaborating and understanding where they are coming from will show your team you are willing to listen and be flexible to come to an agreement both are okay with.
In order to have an environment that encourages your team to build their careers with your organization, it is important to provide opportunities of training, courses they can enroll in and participate in organizational workshops. Policies can also help streamline career development such as an employee transfer policy that is initiated by the employee. An open-door policy also allows employees to come in and share their thoughts furthermore, for Managers, Amrita provides a monthly People and Culture Coversation with her management team. This allows managers to build a personal and professional connection along with providing extra support with their teams. Building a comprehensive onboarding program that includes, new hire presentation, safety training, QA training etc. will help new hires transition into the organization.
A unique way to share the diversity of the team is to visually represent where your team is from. There are endless ideas how this can be brought to life, a few examples can be in the format of a map on the wall or a pin able globe. Achieve team cohesiveness through being transparent in your communications such as creating an internal newsletter or having organizational meetings every quarter. Furthermore, making employee focused decisions will help create equality. Lastly, building a two-way communication in majority of conversations will help create collaboration and ownership. Another way this can be achieved is through creating a marriage between self-evaluations and performance reviews.
Empowering the organization can take place through many activities. A good place to get started is by embodying company values by setting examples through actions and communications along with positively reinforcing desired values by providing verbal rewards when the employee demonstrates the values. Another empowering action can be to celebrate failures. This will help break down the fear associated with doing some wrong or the worry of termination. It is important to create a safe environment that allows employees to make mistakes and learn from them. Empowerment can also show up in the form of system integration. Allowing departments to work together and access information when they need it will allow them to make powerful decisions.
The IDS show in Toronto provided a window in to the new and the trending designs in interior design. We asked Blum Canada to give us an update on what they observed from the show. Lucy Traetto and Tony Henry have over 40 years combined experience in the industry. Their observations of what they saw are very valuable. Read their observations here»
“IDS-23 proved once again that it is a place to inspire and connect. The design community is always ready to give us new ideas to work with. Adapting to new realities while using our ingenuity to create better solutions will keep us moving forward.” – Blum Canada
Where do we get the workers? Colleges have been providing our industry with workers for many years. In fact, this was obvious very recently when we toured manufacturers in Waterloo, ON as part of the CKCA National Forum. A number of attendees to the forum commented that they had graduated from Conestoga College. Its obvious that Conestoga College, located in Waterloo, has done a great job of training and then feeding our industry with trained candidates. But given the shift in the employment market, it’s now even more important to engage with colleges to tap those “feeder lanes” when the opportunities present.
There are many ways to do this and a great example is an initiative Conestoga College started called “Jill of All Trades” which works to introduce students Grades 9-12 to the trades. This program is gaining traction and Cambrian College recently started the program as well.
We spoke to Joni Jean, Chair, Schools of Engineering & Technology and Trades & Apprenticeship at Conestoga College, who explained more about the program.
“Jill of All Trades (JOAT) is a Conestoga College initiative, which Conestoga started about 8 years ago. (They were unable to run the event during the pandemic.) The college invites approximately 225 young women from local high schools to participate in the full-day event. This includes a keynote, followed by the opportunity to participate in three hands-on workshops (15 different workshops, including woodworking are typically available) throughout the day, which are led by mentors, many of whom are female. The JOAT videos can found on the following webpage. Be sure to check out the Jill of all Trades video (dated 2018), its a great visual of what takes place.”
“Conestoga recently trademarked the name and logo in both Canada and the United States. With the support of a national sponsor, the college is providing resources so other colleges, like Cambrian, so they can offer their own JOAT event. Conestoga’s goal is to run events across Canada at 25 separate institutions in 2025, so there will be a handful of events this year, ten or so next year, and so on.”
The opportunity lies in the fact the colleges are always seeking sponsors for programs like this as well as people who can assist in delivering these unique programs. In exchange, you get a chance to meet with a demographic you may not otherwise have and you can plant some seeds. While we know students coming from college level are most suitable as employees, we also have to promote our industry to the younger generation who know little to nothing about the trades. Jill of all Trades is focussed on women in the trades, but even so, it’s a successful program you can get involved with.
But that’s not all, many colleges are looking for volunteers to sit on their Program Review Committees as well as participate in their co-op programs and offer placements, plus there are other ways to engage (watch the video presentation with Joni Jean). But one thing you may not have considered is that colleges are suffering from the labour shortage too. Which means they are looking for teachers from the industry. If you can afford a small amount of time on a regular basis to commit to teaching, there’s no better way to meet your future employees.
If you have a local college with programs that can feed your business, reach out to them and see how you can strengthen those ties. Remember, it’s not just woodworkers we need in the industry, so don’t rule out other faculties.
Recently CKCA visited Conestoga College and we met with the Faculty of Design students. It was a great afternoon and whether or not those students knew about kitchen design as a career option – they sure do now!
Founded in 1990, Marathon began with a simple concept; to provide excellent customer service to the woodworking trade by offering affordable high-quality hardware and the best customer support in the industry. Over the last 30 years, we have been dedicated to our customers by creating a company with these cornerstone ideals. Craig joined Marathon in 2011, taking charge of their technology and web, and later all marketing. With extensive operations from BC to Ontario, Marathon takes pride in building long term relationships with its customers. Craig believes that the mission of the CKCA is in direct relation to Marathon’s approach to doing business. By building working relationships based upon trust and mutual respect, everyone moves forward together.
James has been around the cabinet industry his whole life, working in factories as a summer job. His father started Pacific Rim Cabinets in 1997 to manufacture custom cabinets solely for export to Japan. Over the years, while Japan remains an integral part of the company’s history and sales, Pacific Rim Cabinets now deals primarily with the custom home builders, designers and architects around Vancouver and the lower mainland of BC manufacturing custom kitchens, bathroom vanities, entertainment units, closets, fireplace surrounds, offices, among others.
James began working at Pacific Rim Cabinets in 2010 as the company’s accountant, he completed his CMA designation in 2012 and became the company’s President in 2018.
James works with the CKCA President and the Executive Director to manage and monitor the CKCA Finances on a regular basis. What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to James? Click here»
Gerald is owner of Van Arbour Design based in Vancouver, BC. In business for more than 34 years, Gerald is a first generation Canadian with Dutch roots. Gerald loves building and knowing how something works. He is committed to change in an ever changing world and always looks for the best and most effective ways to do things. Gerald’s business is intensively client-driven: quality first, with integrity and honesty and transparency in the process. Gerald has been a presenter at the CKCA National Forum and is now pleased to be a member of the Board of Directors.
What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to Gerald?
Click here »
Chris joined CNC Automation in March 2022 after 19 years at Deslaurier Custom Cabinets where he was a member of the senior leadership group and held the role of manager of supply chain and new product introduction (NPI). As a seasoned operations and supply chain professional, Chris brings tremendous insight and knowledge, both from the viewpoint of a manufacturer and now as a supplier. Chris is results-driven and prides himself on his work. He loves this industry and approaches it with passion and vigor. It is the same passion that has driven Chris to want to be on the CKCA Board of Directors. Chris was elected to the Board on June 15, 2023 to serve his first 3 year term. What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to Chris? Click here»
James McKenna graduated with a business degree from Saint Francis Xavier University. After working in the natural gas industry in Toronto, James returned home to run the new family business Glenwood Kitchen Ltd.
Glenwood manufactures custom cabinetry and has been in business for 50 years. Mr. McKenna was finalist for Entrepreneur of the year award with Ernst & Young and his company has won the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award.
James volunteers with numerous charities and was awarded the Paul Harris fellowship award. Recently, he was recognized by Junior Achievement as volunteer of the year and by NB literacy coalition for his corporate responsibility
Rick has more than 45 years of industry experience and has been an active voice and advocate for the evolution of kitchen cabinets in the Canadian market. From the euro conversion of cabinets replacing face frames to the various evolution of drawers, hinges, lighting, accessories, and motion technology, Rick has seen and also led a lot of the big events that drive consumer demand and have pushed the industry in an upscale direction. Himself a passionate woodworker with his own home workshop, Rick offers the unique skill combination of understanding the industry and cabinetry from sales to design to innovation, right down to the nuts and bolts of making a cabinet hardware solution work.
Rick was previously a member of the CKCA board for 27 years, serving on all CKCA committees during his tenure. Rich has also served as a board member of AWMAC (approximately 10 years) and the NKBA (approximately 5 years) as well as 10 years in his homeowner’s association, including 3 as president.
Born and raised in Calgary, Heidi learned the ins and outs of the custom cabinetry industry at a young age, her passion in business management makes Heidi a perfect fit as General Manager and co-owner at Denca for the past 15 years. Her education includes Finance, Business Management and Marketing. Denca manufactures custom kitchens, vanities, entertainment units and cabinetry for any room in the home/office. Also a supplier for many appliances and plumbing fixtures. Denca is an active member of the Calgary community, proud to have donated kitchens to non-for profit organizations in Calgary and supporting many local charities and events. What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to Heidi? Click here»
Trevor has been in the trades for more than 26 years, starting off with 10 years in the tool and die industry in the Toronto area. After moving to Haliburton Highlands, Ontario in 2007, he started a small cabinetry company. Since then, they have grown to be the largest cabinetry shop in their local area. Trevor and his wife Angela understand the dynamics of starting, building and running a cabinetry shop in today’s time, while raising three children. He has always had a passion for woodworking, designing and building things. After joining the CKCA as a member in 2016, he was enthusiastic about what they were doing and had to offer. Trevor has a keen interest in seeing the Canadian cabinetry and manufacturing industry learn, grow and thrive. What’s the biggest advantage to CKCA membership according to Trevor? Check it out here»
Giuseppe is Vice-President Marketing, Sales at Laurysen Kitchens in Ottawa where he works with his wife, Caroline Castrucci who has previously served on the CKCA Board and most recently served as President of CKCA. Laurysen Kitchens was established in 1970 and began as a business operating out of the garage of John Laurysen with just 1,200 square feet. With more than 55,000 square feet of manufacturing space this family run business continues to thrive and a third generation is now very actively involved in the business. Giuseppe brings a wealth of experience having served on various Boards over the years including currently President of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association, Chairman of the Kitchen & Bath Program at Algonquin College Business Advisory Board, Chair of the Design Excellence Awards Committee for NKBA Ottawa. Giuseppe has a passion for cars and is also Chairman of the FCA Ottawa Ferrari Festival. He was Knighted by the Royal House of Savoia Charity and also by the Ethiopian Order of the Lion Charity.
Joerg Brauns is part of the Manufacturing Team at 2020. In 2001, Joerg moved to Canada to open an office for a Germany Software Company. Acquired by 2020 Technologies in 2005, Joerg held several leadership positions at 2020. With over 20 years of experience in the woodworking industry around the world, Joerg has managed ERP implementations and led a team of professional engineers and consultants, before managing new and existing manufacturing accounts around the world. Joerg is also a member of 2020’s worldwide Factory leadership team.
He is a strong believer that the collaboration between like-minded people will allow all of us to grow.
What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to Jeorg?
Click here »
Sandra has worked in the not-for-profit sector for more than 30 years. Having worked for many different associations in education, medical and now wood sector. Sandra brings a universal perspective based on hands-on experience. She is passionate about not-for-profits because they work to support their members and the industry. Sandra enjoys “connecting the dots” and facilitating strong networking opportunities to engage members. She believes Associations are about fostering strong business relationships fueled by an empathic and sound business approach. She is an experienced public speaker, writer and has served on various Boards as a Director. She brings a well rounded perspective to CKCA.
Pete is an experienced entrepreneur – he started his first company at the age of 19 and has held a managerial role for 20 years. After finishing his degree in Wood Products Processing at the University of British Columbia, he joined the Triangle Group in 2000, where they currently employ more than 100 staff. Pete is responsible for all aspects and functions of new business development, product development, facility expansion and new markets. Pete previously served as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Wood Manufacturing Council, was President of the Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association and is also an independent Board Member for a private Nano technology company called Metamaterials Technologies Inc.
What’s the biggest advantage to being a member according to Pete? Click here »
Luke has been in the industry for more than 30 years and only loves his family more than his pursuit of advancing technology in business. Luke is passionate about technology in manufacturing and in 1989 started implementing computer hardware and software to improve office to shop communications. Early on Luke invested in cutting and optimization software and invested in a 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 having output three times the industry average. Luke believes the key to survival and growth is through integration of processes and automated sharing of information within the organization.
