<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Wood Products &amp; Services Archives - Construction In Focus</title>
	<atom:link href="https://constructioninfocus.com/category/wood-products-services/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/category/wood-products-services/</link>
	<description>Focus Media Group</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:04:26 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://constructioninfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cropped-CIF_icon-32x32.png</url>
	<title>Wood Products &amp; Services Archives - Construction In Focus</title>
	<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/category/wood-products-services/</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>How a Modern Company EXCELS with an Age-Old ProductMadison Wood Preservers</title>
		<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/how-a-modern-company-excels-with-a-product-thats-50000-years-old/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Pauline Müller]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2024 18:32:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[October 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wood Products & Services]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://constructioninfocus.com/?p=41307</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Delivering top-notch pressure-treated lumber and fence posts at speed, Madison Wood Preservers, Inc. is a modern, future-focused company that knows that remaining relevant means embracing change. To support its team in staying ahead on all levels, the company invests in relationships with its people as much as it does in its infrastructure.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/how-a-modern-company-excels-with-a-product-thats-50000-years-old/">How a Modern Company EXCELS with an Age-Old Product&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Madison Wood Preservers&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Delivering top-notch pressure-treated lumber and fence posts at speed, Madison Wood Preservers, Inc. is a modern, future-focused company that knows that remaining relevant means embracing change. To support its team in staying ahead on all levels, the company invests in relationships with its people as much as it does in its infrastructure.</p>



<p>Based in Madison, Virginia, this multi-generational firm has served its area of the country for 65 years, delivering prompt service, quality pressure-treated lumber, and outstanding customer service.</p>



<p>With a big heart for people along with fine business acumen, this family-oriented business has the attitude that continuity and consistency lead to longevity. Now, after nearly seven decades in the industry, it is still run by a multi-generational team committed to making the company the best in pressure-treated lumber supplies throughout the area. Its business strategies are proving to be successful.</p>



<p><strong><em>Purposeful growth</em></strong><br>Expanding its output by 20 percent over the past two years, Madison Wood Preservers is now working on improving efficiency by further developing its logistical operations. Implementing new infrastructure and systems that will allow trucks to move through its facility faster, the team will shore up fiscal growth and create opportunities to expand its market share for the future.</p>



<p>To achieve this, the current vision entails establishing an additional, easily accessible footprint to handle higher volumes of trucks moving in and out of its gates efficiently carrying treated lumber and agricultural fencing products to more retailers than ever—all in all, a considerable project.</p>



<p>However, company leadership sees the gains outweighing the hassle of construction, as the outcome will set the company up operationally and infrastructurally for decades to come.</p>



<p>For Madison Wood Preservers, continuously reinvesting in the future is a key aspect of their vision. “We don’t want to be the biggest; we want to be the best. For us, quality is the key. That’s what we’re after,” says John Michael Price, Chief Executive Officer and fourth-generation owner.</p>



<p>“Second to quality comes speed and efficiency. We will have to master both through this expansion and our technological efforts if we want to achieve our goal of maximizing our facility output,” he adds. With over 100 trucks already crossing its grounds daily, that plan must be watertight if continued development of its capabilities and capacities is what they are after.</p>



<p>The outlook for change is positive. As it happens, eight undeveloped acres of land perfectly situated on the corner of Oak Park Road and Highway 29 are available for expansion. As well as increasing capacity, construction on this land will also improve current loading conditions. Where loading in rain can currently pose a challenge as unload times are delayed, new, sheltered loading will protect the product while making things faster and safer for staff.</p>



<p>“We are looking at redirecting all trucks through a logistics hut which will provide specific direction on where each truck should go with the help of our new radio, camera, and communication system,&#8221; says Price, pointing out that recent investments in advanced technology, originally centered around management, will also be used to enhance the experience of incoming and outbound trucks entering Madison Wood. At this stage, the project is approved and awaits final bids before starting construction.</p>



<p><strong><em>New tech, new systems</em></strong><br>Beyond vision-boarding its possible new project, the company is also developing cutting-edge maintenance and production software to support its expansion and maintain efficiency. Automation plays a key role here, together with streamlining its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software performance to ease the load on employees by freeing up supervisors to focus more on their teams.</p>



<p>“We’re so data-rich that we are able to scrutinize different aspects of our business really well. We’re developing technologies and designing things to help us do everything faster,” says Price.</p>



<p>Having both a bird&#8217;s-eye view of the big picture and the ability to drill deep into company data gives management an edge in developing systems that are robust and profoundly sophisticated. In fact, vision has always been part of Madison Wood’s leadership style. Take the example of the main warehouse which, at 180,000 square feet, came to life as a real opportunity to increase capacity while minimizing environmental impact with an advanced treating system. The company’s initiative was recognized with awards it later received for being ahead of its time in the 1990s, when such an approach was groundbreaking and rare.</p>



<p>Madison Wood focuses far beyond just data and communication. The team recently upgraded an unused space into a 4,000-square-foot employee break room called the MadHouse. While this state-of-the-art building launched shortly after the tragic loss to the team of a beloved and dedicated co-worker of 25 years, Lucio Weaver, it quickly became the heart and hub of gatherings within the company. Many staff members choose to spend their breaks here, providing downtime together while getting to know one another.</p>



<p>The center was built as a token of heartfelt thanks to staff members who put so much time and dedication toward the company. Today, this awesome space is kitted out with many creature comforts, including a selection of gaming centers, computer stations, televisions, a kitchen, and washrooms. Considering that, due to the company’s structure, staff members from various departments do not often get the chance to mingle during the workday, this facility has brought an even greater feeling of cohesion to the team.</p>



<p><strong><em>All for the team</em></strong><br>Building team strength is central to the MadHouse&#8217;s purpose. It has become a place for everyone to spend time away from work, communicating and laughing over a meal or a game or two. “It gives this informal atmosphere that humanizes and equalizes all employees to be on the same team, the same page, which I think is the most important aspect of it,” Price says of the lively atmosphere in the MadHouse.</p>



<p>The result is that people make an effort to spend more time together, adding even more fun to it all. “It’s been great to see people using the space, spending time with each other outside their regular shift,” says Price.</p>



<p>Moreover, the team is excited to see events hosted here, like the supervisors’ night out where spouses join in the fun. This is also where employees now share Christmas lunches, forklift competitions, and other events. “It gives us a place to meet, so we don’t have to go offsite. We are also offering it to the community as a rental space on the weekends to provide a clean and modern area for those interested,” he adds.</p>



<p>As is evident, this company values its teams highly. Maintaining and expanding growth means having an ear close to the ground while keeping a finger on the pulse of market trends. “We have a unique employee base. They’re very dedicated and loyal to this company,” Price says, noting that the group acts as a family, supporting one another through personal and professional life events. As a result, ownership and employees engage one another with reciprocal support and genuine care.</p>



<p>Indeed, Madison Wood Preservers is accustomed to making decisions <em>as</em> a group <em>for</em> the group, rather than passing all plans through its leadership only. To achieve this, people know that it is acceptable and encouraged to express their ideas and concerns openly. Thanks to this mature approach to doing business, Madison Wood’s people feel secure in a healthy work environment where they know their voices are heard and ideas are taken seriously.</p>



<p>Rolling with the changes of ever-evolving market trends, Madison Wood Preservers remains strategic about how it positions itself within the industry—all while balancing its growth and expansion plans accordingly. Within this context, continued investment in its people remains non-negotiable, however. Maintaining culture and continuing to cultivate depth of expertise are top priorities.</p>



<p>“As a company, we feel very lucky to be supported by people who understand that growth matters here, and that we have room to grow,” says Kari Gaviria, President. “We work for owners who truly care about what we are doing and the safety of our operations. “What a pleasure it is,” she notes, “when a company’s owners have the insight it takes to look—and move—forward in support of the next generation.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/how-a-modern-company-excels-with-a-product-thats-50000-years-old/">How a Modern Company EXCELS with an Age-Old Product&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Madison Wood Preservers&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Legacy Company With a Modern EdgeBishop Cabinets</title>
		<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/a-legacy-company-with-a-modern-edge/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Ferlaino]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2024 18:31:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[October 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wood Products & Services]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://constructioninfocus.com/?p=41084</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Family-owned for over 60 years, Bishop Cabinets is a hometown manufacturer that has steadily expanded its market reach while maintaining the core values upon which it was founded. The company’s commitment to a simple ideal has been unwavering: to be the trusted source of exceptional cabinetry, framed and frameless, at a reasonable price point.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/a-legacy-company-with-a-modern-edge/">A Legacy Company With a Modern Edge&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Bishop Cabinets&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Family-owned for over 60 years, Bishop Cabinets is a hometown manufacturer that has steadily expanded its market reach while maintaining the core values upon which it was founded. The company’s commitment to a simple ideal has been unwavering: to be the trusted source of exceptional cabinetry, framed and frameless, at a reasonable price point.</p>



<p>That’s a straightforward enough ambition, but the difference has been in Bishop Cabinets&#8217; day-to-day commitment to continuous improvement. For more than half a century, Bishop Cabinets has continued to invest in its ability to meet all its customers’ functional and aesthetic needs and stay on the leading edge of trends while offering unvarying service and support.</p>



<p>With a wide range of offerings which includes a variety of styles, paints, stains, and finishes, Bishop Cabinets manufactures semi-custom framed and frameless cabinetry, the latter gaining great popularity in Europe and now becoming equally popular in the United States. While its frameless line is not new, Bishop Cabinets is relaunching it this fall featuring the latest styles and trends, including a white oak offering that will tempt its customers with a high-end option.</p>



<p>“We’re now doing white oak, and we have plain sliced available, and we also have our rift cut door option available. Those are the two most popular. Rift cut is more expensive and out of our normal price range, but we felt like we should offer it,” says President Jeff Gulledge.</p>



<p>Vice President Eric Williams also notes, “Within the white oak offering we have a quick-ship semi-custom product line, and we have a longer, more custom lead time product, so we have a lot of flexibility within the new offering.”</p>



<p>To capitalize on the ever-changing market where trends evolve every 12 to 18 months, Bishop Cabinets uses any lulls in demand to invest in product development and process improvements, hiring key talent to take these advances to the next level.</p>



<p>“In the past, we didn’t have anybody to put a real focus on the frameless cabinets, so we brought someone on board to not only revamp our offering in frameless but also to go through our manufacturing process,” Gulledge says, a confirmation of Bishop Cabinets’ reputation for hiring well and developing and utilizing talent to the fullest.</p>



<p>As part of its revamp, Bishop Cabinets is also investing in major process improvements with a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and significant investments in new equipment and capabilities.</p>



<p>“We’re installing a completely new ERP that runs our manufacturing business and since our frameless cabinet offering is smaller than our framed—simpler and with fewer components—we’re launching it in September in the frameless operation,” Gulledge shares. “In the next 30 days, we’re looking to spend half a million dollars on machinery that will improve our product line and increase some efficiencies in the production process.”</p>



<p>Currently, the leadership team is meeting with its production staff to ensure that the new machinery will address their needs. This employee buy-in is an important part of any investment decision the company makes to ensure that the money is well spent.</p>



<p>Protecting institutional memory is also an important part of investing, making sure that legacy knowledge isn’t lost through attrition. Recently, two employees with over 75 years of collective experience retired, and the unexpected passing of an employee was a stark reminder to the leadership team of how easily and suddenly trade secrets can be lost.</p>



<p>“It’s made us realize that we need to take some of the knowledge that our long-term people have and put it on paper, so we can reference it when somebody new takes their place. We’ve done that in the past, but we just never kept that updated. But it’s something that we’ve got to do based on the product that we’re building today and not the product that we were building three to four years ago,” Gulledge explains, and this resolve should go a long way toward the training of new hires and maintaining the value proposition the company offers.</p>



<p>Despite experiencing a slower-than-average market over the last several quarters relative to the massive growth experienced during the post-pandemic years of 2022 and ’23, the company is still as busy as can be. On the back end of that demand, Bishop Cabinets’ strong financial position enabled it to shift gears when business slowed, invest in its capabilities, and so position the company to grow its impact in the markets it serves across the eastern half of the U.S., with an emphasis on its southeastern territories where there’s a growing demand for frameless products.</p>



<p>“When we’re not busy with production sales, we’re very busy with innovation, updates, and changes, implementing a lot of these new things and updates because we didn’t have time to do that in the last two to three years, and then with the slowdown you recognize that parts of your business need attention,” says Williams.</p>



<p>While the slowdown in the market wasn’t a major blow to Bishop Cabinets, the team understands that that might not be the case for others and extends a helping hand where possible, which goes a long way to securing relationships for the long term. When Bishop Cabinets talks about being a family-owned company, that familial bond extends to its employees, distributors, and customers, all of whom play an important role in the company’s success.</p>



<p>“When we see slowdowns in the market like we’ve seen since September of last year, it allows us to partner with our dealers when they experience issues like building delays. This gives us a chance to strengthen those relationships as we work together for favorable results,” says Gulledge.</p>



<p>At the core of Bishop Cabinets is a deeply rooted Christian faith and this ethos is the foundation for the company’s dedicated service. The support the team offers before, during, and after the sale continues to set it apart in the market.</p>



<p>For Williams, “Long-term relationships with our dealers and our reps matter to us as we’re able to partner with them and help them through some of the struggles they may be experiencing.”</p>



<p>Through its various process improvements and investments, Bishop Cabinets continues to bolster its capacity to serve its growing market, and in doing so it is doubling down on its culture, which is the thread that runs through all its successes. Today, the company is doing even more to diffuse that culture through its relationships with its distributors and customers alike—take the website overhaul that better meets them where they are through stronger digital ties.</p>



<p>“That culture is a part of the company,” Gulledge says. “It’s amazing; some of the team members we’ve added have been like, ‘Man! This culture is unlike any I’ve ever worked in. I’m so happy to be here.’ It’s collaborative and everybody working together is part of it. It hasn’t changed, but it’s part of making these improvements and part of everybody wanting to have some buy-in and have that ownership mentality. Let’s grow and develop and innovate together.”</p>



<p>Looking ahead, as the company builds on its capabilities and adds to its fleet of equipment, the need for space is ever present in the minds of the company’s leadership, who must balance the cost of space with the need.</p>



<p>The ERP will certainly alleviate some of the strain, but it continues to be on the minds of management. The goal is to get back to steady, sustainable growth through the company’s strategy of evolving its offerings, its capabilities, and its roster of talent. There’s really no choice: Bishop Cabinets must do this to remain on top of industry trends while staying steadfast as a partner to distributors and customers across its ever-expanding market footprint.</p>



<p>Indeed, Bishop Cabinets is committed to continuous improvement to ensure it remains operationally efficient and delivers value long into the future. “This is what we continuously do,” says Williams: “The continuous improvements of fit and finish; of the machinery, the personnel, the daily long-term goal of continuous improvement; that’s all a mindset to reach our goals.”</p>



<p>This sentiment, the one at the heart of the company, is succinctly captured by Gulledge with a quote from Mark Twain: “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/a-legacy-company-with-a-modern-edge/">A Legacy Company With a Modern Edge&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Bishop Cabinets&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Inner Strength and Outer Beauty – Doors and Windows for High-Performance ProtectionAmbico</title>
		<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/inner-strength-and-outer-beauty-doors-and-windows-for-high-performance-protection/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Pauline Müller]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2024 18:30:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[October 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wood Products & Services]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://constructioninfocus.com/?p=41215</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Serving customers across North America and as far afield as Manila, Philippines, Ambico Ltd. offers customers around the globe unique, highly-engineered door, frame, and window assemblies—and there is precious little this formidable team has not achieved in setting the production standards of bespoke, safety-focused doors, frames, and windows. Supplying its products through local specification division 08 distributors focused on serving general contractors, Ambico ensures that its products reach every corner of the continent.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/inner-strength-and-outer-beauty-doors-and-windows-for-high-performance-protection/">Inner Strength and Outer Beauty – Doors and Windows for High-Performance Protection&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Ambico&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Serving customers across North America and as far afield as Manila, Philippines, Ambico Ltd. offers customers around the globe unique, highly-engineered door, frame, and window assemblies—and there is precious little this formidable team has not achieved in setting the production standards of bespoke, safety-focused doors, frames, and windows. Supplying its products through local specification division 08 distributors focused on serving general contractors, Ambico ensures that its products reach every corner of the continent.</p>



<p>Supplying the fast-changing worlds of architecture, engineering, and construction mainly in Canada and the United States with specialized performance-rated and decorative doors, frames, and windows made from a range of sophisticated materials including steel, stainless steel, bronze, brass, and wood, Ambico Ltd. has its work cut out. But as the employer of around 115 people, over 30 of them engineers, in a firm creating custom, high-performance solutions to tough window and door opening challenges, the company has firmly established—and is supremely confident in—its &#8220;Winning Aspiration: to be the leading supplier of opening solutions that keep people, information, and property safe.”</p>



<p>Ambico offers products and solutions in a number of verticals: Acoustic; Safety &amp; Security (blast, bullet, attack, radio frequency, lead-lined); Climate (flood and tornado); and Decorative (bronze- and brass-clad, stainless steel, recessed panel).</p>



<p><strong><em>Partners in performance</em></strong><br>Founded in Ottawa, Ontario in 1955, Ambico still shines after almost seven decades in the industry. Serving some of the biggest corporate names in the world, this second-generation family-owned and operated company treats its customers like part of the family.</p>



<p>In addition to its North American operation, Ambico has licensing agreements with like manufacturing firms in other countries where North American specifications are required. In such cases, licensees fabricate products in their countries according to Ambico specifications and directions. To ensure that installation of its products is fully supported, it also offers free installation certification courses to train installers on the best installation methods to ensure that products are correctly installed at the jobsite.</p>



<p>“I don’t know any other door manufacturer in North America that has that number of engineers on staff that work toward creating the best tested and certified solutions for this type of product,” says Steve Peterman, Director of Marketing.</p>



<p><strong><em>Meeting new needs</em></strong><br>With a marked increase in the need for environmentally resilient design driven by climate change, the company relieves the pressure designers face in finding precisely the right doors, frames, and windows by providing quality products that match their aesthetic and performance goals. This is no small contribution to an industry under severe pressure to pivot and adapt at blinding speed during trying times.</p>



<p>Ambico’s climate-sensitive engineering includes meeting FEMA 361 standards, which define door assemblies so capable they are typically installed in tornado safe rooms. These are tornado-resistance tested to the International Code Council’s ICC-500 standard which outlines the requirements for impact resistance, pressure, and windspeed, which all help determine the safety of hurricane and tornado shelters.</p>



<p>“The need for these products is increasing. It’s at levels we’ve never seen before,” Peterman says, emphasizing that the regions traditionally prone to tornadoes across the continent are experiencing an increase in the number of events and surface areas affected.</p>



<p>Flooding of all types is also on the rise. To ensure that the door assemblies it supplies are resistant to the hydrostatic loads of flooding, the company must adhere to another range of unique requirements and tests. As these phenomena are not new, they are occurring with growing frequency and intensity and Ambico has cornered a niche part of the market populated by few competitors. “There are very few companies out there looking to develop products for these types of climate challenges,” Peterman says.</p>



<p>Indeed, Ambico’s high-performance products remain its open-market all-stars. Enhancing its offering further are capabilities that support the value-added, next-level requirements of its customers, such as leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED), where life-cycle analysis plays a key role in environmental product declarations. In addition, for wood products, ensuring responsible and renewable techniques are used for harvesting wood, AMBICO offers Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.</p>



<p>All these Ambico products go above and beyond, doing much more than simply meeting the head-on challenges presented by changing weather patterns or demanding performance requirements. The company significantly enhances its customers’ ability to provide project owners with superior solutions that meet the most challenging demands of discerning architects.</p>



<p>Improving the end-user experience in all areas, Ambico’s diverse range of solutions allows the team to lead the industry with novel solutions that stand out from other products on the market. “Our products offer building owners and designers options to meet some of the changing demands like acoustic abatement, safety and security demands, and climate change,” Peterman says.</p>



<p><strong><em>The highest quality</em></strong><br>Typically hitting the ground running with its products, the company’s speed to market is driven by its impressive engineering capabilities supported by collective expertise to match. These skills are in especially high demand in high-security fields like the U.S. DoD and DoS, as well as other government departments. As a result, Ambico delivers a large percentage of its output to the government, adding an extra layer of trustworthiness to the already sterling reputation and high demand for its products.</p>



<p>Designers also enjoy working with the team as its engineers are seasoned in collaborating across disciplines, providing doors, frames, and windows that aesthetically blend into their designs. High performance does not automatically mean prosaic products with the look and function of practicality above all else; Ambico’s products are strong, durable, and highly engineered, but also beautiful when appropriate. And, because its products are labour-intensive to the core, all units receive the same level of personal attention to detail.</p>



<p>Due to these high standards, this labour-intensive process prevents the company from becoming highly automated, demanding that it retains its human knowledge and artisanal craftsmanship at all costs. The outcome is knowledgeable employees with lengthy tenures at the company, as leadership creates a pleasant working environment where people enjoy coming to work every day.</p>



<p>“We emphasize the artistry some of our factory workers can produce. The quality they produce is at the leading edge of manufacturing in our space,” Peterman says. Naturally, adding a high level of repeatability to the equation also adds to the level of craftsmanship and precision demanded by these products.</p>



<p>As the engineering of these designs can become quite complex, doors that may appear to be ordinary wood doors from the outside—complete with hardwood edges and crossbanded veneer finishes—contain complex fortified steel cores, undetectable to the naked eye. One of Ambico’s proudest projects includes a blast-resistant entrance door assemblies with wide, arched historic design requirements installed at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Achieving outstanding results on this project remains a moment of great pride for the entire team.</p>



<p>Then there are the recessed panel door and frame assemblies at the Bronx Community College in New York. A retrofit project intended to spruce up the building from circa 1959 into the 21st century, the team employed modern technology to bring the makeover to life, while meeting today’s demanding building and accessibility codes.</p>



<p><strong><em>Finding passion in the puzzle</em></strong><br>With Peterman describing most of his colleagues, including himself, as “not setting out to be in this industry,” it is impressive to see the power of bringing such a diverse range of professional backgrounds together in such a focused niche—and its effect on the success of a company like Ambico as a result.</p>



<p>As there is, to date, no specialist post-secondary trade training program to prepare prospective employees specifically for this field, much of the knowledge is shared inter-generationally, on-the-job, and through dedicated industry-specific education courses. Despite the industry being an unlikely field for many working in it, Peterman describes it as one that challenges and rewards people who find enjoyment in problem-solving. Firm in the belief that doors are one of the only elements with high safety ratings that <em>move</em> on new constructions, the team understands its mandate. To deliver doors, frames, and windows that not only function optimally and are durable, but also keep people, information, and property safe, means that everyone on the team takes great pride in the importance of their work.</p>



<p>With the most recent non-residential construction trends pointing toward continued annual growth, the year ahead is focused on continued customer support through reduced lead times and on-time and complete shipments, as well as continued R&amp;D to enhance and expand the company’s product offering. “There’s a high demand for these products in the marketplace. Often, we are leading their development,” Peterman says of the company’s reputation for being the first to introduce many products over its history.</p>



<p>The team’s love of developing new, quality products that keep people, information, and property safe, means that project owners and end users are guaranteed a steady stream of innovation from Ambico—where the team will surely continue to enjoy meeting such challenges for decades to come.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/inner-strength-and-outer-beauty-doors-and-windows-for-high-performance-protection/">Inner Strength and Outer Beauty – Doors and Windows for High-Performance Protection&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Ambico&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Raising the Wooden Bar: Creativity and Sustainability CombinedArt Massif</title>
		<link>https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/raising-the-wooden-bar-creativity-and-sustainability-combined/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Allison Dempsey]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2024 18:29:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[October 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wood Products & Services]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://constructioninfocus.com/?p=41324</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Whether it’s restaurants, sports complexes, libraries, or residences, Quebec-based Art Massif has been designing, producing, and installing glulam wood structures for a variety of structures since 2010. Driven by excellence and a desire to design and produce unique, high-quality, glulam timber constructions that push the boundaries of what’s deemed possible, Art Massif infuses projects with attractive designs through unwavering focus on optimization and ongoing improvement.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/raising-the-wooden-bar-creativity-and-sustainability-combined/">Raising the Wooden Bar: Creativity and Sustainability Combined&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Art Massif&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Whether it’s restaurants, sports complexes, libraries, or residences, Quebec-based Art Massif has been designing, producing, and installing glulam wood structures for a variety of structures since 2010. Driven by excellence and a desire to design and produce unique, high-quality, glulam timber constructions that push the boundaries of what’s deemed possible, Art Massif infuses projects with attractive designs through unwavering focus on optimization and ongoing improvement.</p>



<p>With wood obtained from Quebec&#8217;s sustainably managed forests and an SFI certification, Art Massif ensures clients are supporting ethical and responsible forestry practices while also helping to preserve biodiversity and natural ecosystems.</p>



<p>“Art Massif was founded by a passionate woodworker and craftsman who really put a lot of attention on details and designs,” says Dave Savard, Sales and Marketing Director. “It started fairly small with a project that was requested by one of his friends, and it had a pretty big impact, which generated more word-of-mouth requests, more demand, and more clients who wanted to have Art Massif as part of their life.”</p>



<p>What began as a very small operation in a garage grew quickly in a short period of time, along with the size and scope of the buildings and the need to use glulam timber.</p>



<p>“Pretty early in the process, innovation was one of the drivers of the company,” says Tristan Gagnon, General Manager. “People were coming to Art Massif and asking for specific things or projects and the mentality, the philosophy we still have today, still always start with ‘Yes.’ We don&#8217;t say no to pretty much any project, and we find solutions to deliver what the customer has in mind or what he dreams for the building.”</p>



<p>The company has continued to expand, moving from residential in the early days to small commercial buildings to larger commercial buildings, and now to very large, innovative structures. This has led to the company rebranding and refreshing its logo and corporate identity to reach a target clientele that has evolved and shifted over the years.</p>



<p>“We started with small residential projects and now we’re into large, commercial buildings and institutional buildings, with the same vision and philosophy of innovation and design that we&#8217;ve created since the beginning,” explains Savard. “Our target market has also expanded; we started locally and now we&#8217;re collaborating on projects through North America.”</p>



<p>The rebranding was also a way to include Art Massif employees and help the company culture evolve at the same time. “The brand agency we&#8217;ve worked with has included the employees from the start in the first consultation and also at the launch,” Savard says. “The production team and the sales and engineering office were invited to an internal launch event where we explained why we were doing this and why this logo was selected. That is really important being a small business—the employees are at the forefront of our success.”</p>



<p>The differentiator at Art Massif is in accompanying clients from the beginning of their project, he adds. “We like when we can be included in the discussion at the really early stage and create a true partnership with our client and their team. We want to be involved at the beginning because we can help our client to imagine an even better project and optimize their structure with Art Massif’s capacity.”</p>



<p>With a large team of engineers on the sales, project management, and engineering teams, who are involved every step of the way, the company helps find the best way to execute the client’s vision. “We&#8217;re doing more and more design-build to make sure we optimize those structures,” Savard says. “We&#8217;re working closely with clients at the conception stage to make it more cost-efficient, but also make it the best design structure we can.”</p>



<p>Art Massif also maintains strong partnerships with installation companies, allowing for optimization and efficiency of installation. “It’s our mission to have a highly efficient way to deliver a structure,” says Gagnon. “We have the installation crew that is working closely with our project manager and shipping department, so the shipping is optimized in the way that the installation crew wants it. We’re looking at the complete process up to the last screw.”</p>



<p>The company’s attention to efficiency and quality has resulted in a strong reputation in the market along with a sound presence at industry trade shows and conferences. Art Massif also has the knowledge to share with architects, as more wish to build with wood but don’t possess the expertise.</p>



<p>United Therapeutics Airplane Hangar in Concord, New Hampshire is a good example of a relationship Art Massif has forged with the builders directly, adds Gagnon.</p>



<p>“We really take the projects and customers’ needs seriously, and we changed our plan to make the project as it needed to be,” he says. “We really have been supporting our customer in having the project they want… We supported them throughout the building of the hangar, which they appreciated.”</p>



<p>That customer satisfaction has helped generate continual leads and more projects moving forward, adds Savard.</p>



<p>Art Massif’s dedication to sustainability has also helped create a loyal customer base, with a production plan that uses all its waste wood to heat the building and a desire to optimize every part of the lumber such that each project is designed in the most efficient way possible.</p>



<p>“We make all of the efforts on efficiency, using a greater portion of the lumber, and reducing waste,” says Gagnon.</p>



<p>The company is also seeing more demand for glulam projects, and specifically the type of refined design Art Massif excels at, which means the team is always trying to find the right investment at the right time to meet this demand. “This requires investment and growth,” Savard says. “It&#8217;s a positive challenge, and now we&#8217;re investing a lot in new production equipment, we&#8217;re expanding the building, and we&#8217;re investing in people.”</p>



<p>The management team is doing different things to maintain the company culture and attract the right people, particularly the best engineers and those who specialize in wood structures. “We would like to double the team if we can, to double the projects that we take on, but I feel we have the right culture and the right actions in place to attract those people and build a performing team,” says Gagnon.</p>



<p>Those people are needed to help complete more projects like the aforementioned Concord airplane hangar, which was innovative in many different regards, specifically in the shape of the trusses and structure, which allowed Art Massif to do a 210-foot free span, optimizing the floor layout for airplanes without any supporting columns.</p>



<p>“It was an interesting building for sure,” says Gagnon of the structure, completed for United Therapeutics’ medical transport planes.</p>



<p>The project also had a very low carbon footprint, something that wouldn’t have been possible using other traditional building materials. “It was also done in a really, really fast timeline,” says Gagnon. “We had the complete design process; it was a design-build, so the whole engineering team had a blank page to start from. The building uses all of the technology that we have been investing in for the past few years.”</p>



<p>The project wouldn’t have been possible, he adds, “without our CNC machine and without the building space Art Massif has now. I&#8217;m proud to say that our investments are dedicated to serving our clients’ needs,” he says. “The building we’re working in and the kind of structural design and quality beams we can deliver really differentiate us from the others and the complete process in our organization really serves the customer as well as possible.”</p>



<p>The entire company’s commitment to working with clients from beginning to end to create unique, breathtaking buildings helps keep the company on the cutting edge of design and innovation.</p>



<p>Expansion is also an ongoing goal for Art Massif in order to reach as many clients as possible; the team is continuing to expand in Canada and the USA where wood structures are more and more popular.</p>



<p>“We&#8217;ve done some pretty cool design projects over the years locally in our backyard, and we&#8217;re going to continue to be strong in our market for any kind of wood structure project. For Art Massif, our team gets excited when we contribute to creating an interesting design with curved beams and crazy structures. And we are totally happy to help any client to get a wood structure in their building, no matter the size or design!”</p>



<p>Expanding its market reach also provides a better pool of access to the great projects that Art Massif likes to work on—that its engineers get excited to work on—and where the company can really bring value by doing something different, he adds.</p>



<p>“We want to continue to develop our art and sophistication in the design efficiency of the structure, to build bigger buildings, more sustainable buildings, and always to keep design in mind to really raise the bar,” says Savard. “In every kind of project we do, we like to do it differently: to keep developing the product, to keep pushing the industry, and raising the bar of the wood structure overall.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com/2024/10/raising-the-wooden-bar-creativity-and-sustainability-combined/">Raising the Wooden Bar: Creativity and Sustainability Combined&lt;p class=&quot;company&quot;&gt;Art Massif&lt;/p&gt;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://constructioninfocus.com">Construction In Focus</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
