Woodworking Technology Days (WTD 2020)

Three-day industry event sponsored by the CWMDA (Canadian Woodworking Machinery Distributors Association).
A combined effort of a variety of 9 machinery distributors in the GTA will open their doors with live demonstrations over a 3 days.

All done respecting the regulations around Covid-19.

Press Release here.

Invitation to attend here.

2019 CKCA – Webinar with Bridgit

Attention Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers!Get the control you always wanted and proof you never had before

Here’s a recording of our webinar from June 18, 2019  with Bridgit and Laurysen Kitchens

Listen here
What’s is all about?

CKCA has partnered with Bridgit, a proudly Canadian owned and operated software company that provides construction projects with simplified communications across all people, increases accountability and visibility, and improves quality.

How does it work?
Kitchen cabinet manufacturers get visibility on installations, decrease open service items and return visits, and get PO from clients sooner. This program improves relations with your builders and saves you money and time by having proof of how your product looked when you left the job site.

What our members say:
“We have seen a remarkable decrease in open service items and return visits, along with an increase in billable work now that we have photos of every install. We track when the order is shipped, who installed it, complete with a deficiency report and photos of every room installed, showing that the area is clean and tidy before the installer left. We use this app so that the installers need to send pictures along with their billing in order for us to process their invoice.” – Caroline Castrucci, Laurysen Kitchens

CKCA Members get more
CKCA and Bridgit have partnered to offer CKCA members a 20% discount!

 

Canadian innovation for Canadian manufacturers!

 

Richelieu Trends Event – POSTPONED

Due to recent changes with COVID-19 this event has been postponed and new dates will be announced in the future.
 

Be sure to mark Richelieu’s bi-annual Trends Event in your calendar.

Spend a day at Richelieu’s office and showroom in Mississauga seeing what’s new.

But that’s not all, Richelieu invites it’s many partners to show their products too and CKCA will be there too!

National Roundtable Discussion #2

Thank you for attending CKCA’s second national roundtable discussion.

Facilitiated discussion

Guest Speaker: Ted Mallett, Chief Economist and CFIB Vice-President

Topic: COVID-19 has upended the operations and plans of businesses across the country and around the world. Along with pushing governments for measures to help offset the negative impacts, CFIB has been tracking and monitoring how Canadian businesses are reacting and responding. Ted provided an overview of the major trends to date and the possible pathways to recovery.

get presentation slides

A recording of this presentation will be made available soon.

 

Watch for our next national discussion – date/topic TBA

 

Thanks to our Sponsor:  CKCA Medical Benefit Group Provider

Postponed – 2020 CKCA Fall Eastern Regional

We’re moving this event to 2021

Dates to be announced

Waterloo, ON

CHECK OUT OUR LINEUP OF PLANT TOURS, GREAT PRESENTATIONS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,

LOTS OF TIME TO NETWORK.

 

 

Another great CKCA event is coming your way and this time we’re headed to Ontario

Full Program Details – Coming Summer 2020

Sponsorship Opportunities: Coming Summer 2020

Registration: Coming Summer 2020

Member Rate – $415 (full package)              Member Rate – $315 (one day rate)

Non Member Rate – $595 (full package)      Non-member Rate – $495 (one day rate)

Note: Suppliers must be members of CKCA to be eligible to attend.

Accommodation: 

To Be Confirmed
Waterloo, Ontario

2019 CKCA National Forum – Calgary, AB -RECAP!

Thanks to all our sponsors!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who took time from your busy schedule to attend – we thank you and hope you enjoyed this forum.

CKCA believes that when you share information and ideas with others, the entire industry grows and evolves.

 

Scroll down for the recap and links to presentations.

Also, thanks to our plant tour/showroom hosts and sponsors for making this event a success.

CONNECT – LEARN – PROSPER

 

Presentations from industry experts!

 

Thumbs up on great plant tours!

 

Roundtable discussions about topics that matter!

View the full recap with photos and links to presentations here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all our sponsors!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2019 Ligna & Interzum – What manufacturers saw, what they learned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hear what manufacturers who attended Ligna and interzum thought of THIS “mega tour” program!

CKCA took a group out of their shops for 8 days to see what’ going on internationally. It appears it was time well spent. Read on!

In partnership with Hettich and Venjakob – 8 days in Europe attending Interzum and LIGNA shows plus amazing plant tours!

Here’s what attendees told us about their experience:

“Really enjoyed entire trip.  Ligna and Interzum are bigger and better than their North American counterparts and the technology of the hardware and machinery is definitely ahead of what we have here.  One thing in particular that we really liked was the new Hettich mechanical push to open drawer slides.  We have used a few different brands of currently available mechanical push to open hardware and nothing has really worked the way we would like it to and we actually try to encourage customers not to go with push to open mechanical slides. 

From what we could tell testing out the new Hettich ones though they seem like they will be exactly what we are looking for so we are really looking forward to those coming to Canada.The pace of the trip was excellent with lots of planned tours and activities and the whole group was a lot of fun to hang around with.  Claudia and Hettich did a fantastic job as our hosts and they added a lot to the experience. 

I think you should for sure continue to offer these programs and partnering with the German hardware and machine manufacturers worked really well.Thanks for all the planning and effort that went into making it a great experience.  It really was an awesome trip and I hope you continue to offer it!” – Cougar Cabinets. 

“So many companies that sell product or machinery than you never hear of in Canada. Amazing amount of technology used already and more for the future.” – Adora Kitchens

“I had the most wonderful experience in Germany. The country was so beautiful, the food was delicious, and I met with many kind and resourceful people. I truly feel as though I learned so much on this trip. I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to Hettich and Venkajob for their warm hospitality. Also a big thank you to CKCA in helping to coordinate this program. I really appreciate the opportunity to meet with so many kitchen manufacturers and

I felt so inspired by all of the amazing kitchen design and solutions, and thrilled to see such spectacular innovations at Interzum and Ligna. I look forward to participating in programs like this in the future. – Basaltic Kitchens

“What we have seen at both Interzum and Ligna are things we are able to seen online. That said, there is nothing like seeing it live, and in the scale (grandiose) it was presented. There is nothing like being there live and being able to touch and feel. The quality and quantity…of just “everything” was just overwhelming!

The level of automatization at Ligna was mind blowing, it is something you can only truly appreciate in these sort of environments.  I did notice while touring the various plants… it’s how relaxed the work environment seems to be. Employees were going at what seemed to be a slow and relaxed pace…and things were getting done. This to me is a reflection of true efficiency!I came back with a such a long list of innovations and integrations I want to look into. There are so much opportunities in the cabinet business…but you sometimes need to step away from the daily routine of your own shop to really see it.

I didn’t truly see the value of it before this trip. It really has changed my view. These programs / trips are great food for the mind, and living it with fellow colleagues from the industry from across the country adds to the experience with all the great debates and discussions.  Hettich and Venjakob did a tremendous job!!! – Potvin Kitchens
CKCA and Hettich once again partnered-up for anther successful 2019 Interzum and Ligna tour in Germany and this time Venjakob joined in the program! The trip spanned 9 days, with members spending 1.5 days at Interzum, 2.5 days at Ligna, 1 Day at Hettich’s Head Office and production facilities as well as a guided tour of Venjakob’s state of-the art manufacturing facility and a tour of Nobilia’s showroom.Mixed in with this was some leisure time, including Hettich’s customer appreciate party, Volkswagen plant tour, city tours and night time dinners as well as free-time to tour some of Germany’s most iconic attractions. Overall, the event was another success and the CKCA members connected with one another, sharing stories, ideas and experiences. We are looking forward to the next Interzum and Ligna shows in 2021 and hope even more members come out and join in the experience.

Still not sure if that much time out of the shop is worth it?

Here’s even more comments received by those who attended:

“So we are back at work after a simply AWESOME trip in Germany. I cannot describe how amazed we were by all there was to see. We are coming back with our heads filled with ideas than we cannot wait to try out….where to start?!!!

“We were very fortunate in getting to meet all other CKCA members in the group…great people!”

“I had a great time for the last nine days, thank you  for sharing your fountain of knowledge, hope we will all keep in touch and continue to build our friendship.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you all and getting to know you ,we are taking back with us some great additional knowledge as well as great connections / friendship.”

“We had a great time in Germany with all of you and it was nice to get to know you a little. Hope to see you again at an event or at our shops.”      

“We had a great time wearing out our shoes at the shows and the plant tour’s were an absolute eye opener for us.”  

“Being newer to the industry it was an incredible opportunity for me to meet fellow peers.”
https://www.interzum.com/news/blog/innovative-and-inspiring-a-look-back-at-interzum.php

Hope we’ll see you in 2021