Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario
  • EVENTS
  • TRAINING & PROGRAMS
    • Cyber Security Program
    • Health & Safety Training
    • Leadership Training
    • Sales Training
    • Digital Marketing Training
    • Lean Training
      • Online Lean Certification
      • Lean Training Events
    • Benefit Program
    • Health & Safety Excellence Program
    • Plant Tour Focus Groups
  • MEMBERS DIRECTORY
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT
    • About Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario
    • What is a Cluster?
    • Watch our Rebranding Announcement
    • How It Works
    • Membership Includes
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Our History
    • Contact Us
  • JOB BOARD
  • MARKET PLACE
    • BUY & SELL
    • PRO’S CORNER
    • MEMBERS SERVICES & PROGRAMS
      • Post your service or program
  • EXPORT RESOURCES
  • RFQ
  • JOIN NOW
    • Why Join
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
    • Join Now
  • LOG IN
Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario
  • EVENTS
  • TRAINING & PROGRAMS
    • Cyber Security Program
    • Health & Safety Training
    • Leadership Training
    • Sales Training
    • Digital Marketing Training
    • Lean Training
      • Online Lean Certification
      • Lean Training Events
    • Benefit Program
    • Health & Safety Excellence Program
    • Plant Tour Focus Groups
  • MEMBERS DIRECTORY
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT
    • About Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario
    • What is a Cluster?
    • Watch our Rebranding Announcement
    • How It Works
    • Membership Includes
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Our History
    • Contact Us
  • JOB BOARD
  • MARKET PLACE
    • BUY & SELL
    • PRO’S CORNER
    • MEMBERS SERVICES & PROGRAMS
      • Post your service or program
  • EXPORT RESOURCES
  • RFQ
  • JOIN NOW
    • Why Join
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
    • Join Now
  • LOG IN
Feb 27

BWA Plant Tour Focus Group Examines Water Based Coatings Attracts 50 Members: Again!

  • February 27, 2017
  • WMCO
  • News, Uncategorized

The strength of the Bluewater Wood Alliance cluster is that it brings into action many inputs from our industry to help members innovate! Not only do manufacturing members get to visit other plant operations and learn from best practices and help brainstorm solutions to shared challenges, but the expertise of Associate Supplier members is also brought to bear on a topic of shared concern for all! To top it off, our educational stakeholders are also involved, and in this case Conestoga College on the topic of water based finish conversion.

BWA plant tour focus groups are focused on Continuous Improvement where the host presents a challenge to the group to help them solve. Associate members are “cherry picked” by the host according to area of expertise to participate in the exercise. These are facilitated so that the host is also able to share their business model and best practices. Solutions to challenges are brainstormed by the group creating a “Kaizen” style of interaction that stimulates insight into visiting member’s own operations back home.

Woodlawn Furniture Market / Ruffsawn / Woodhaven in Guelph is a unique BWA member company with a main process focus on finishing supplied manufactured product. Their new 32,000 square foot finishing facility and showroom is a site to behold, and they are in the midst of assessing the benefits and steps involved in converting to water based coatings. Some visiting BWA members have already converted to water based, but most have not. BWA Associate members attending that supply coatings included Richelieu, Performance Abrasives, Katilac Coatings, Sherwin Williams, and CCI Finish Works. We now call them the BWA finishing Dream Team!

The tour and discussion lead to several themes for consideration by members:

  • Water based issues shared with various types of wood: “Sugar Popping” when sap in white hard maple leaves the wood traveling through the finish, creating white spots. “Blooming”, “Clouding”, “Fog” – found under the topcoat, which remains after curing. Oak wood – trouble with colour ‘pop’ across surface. Members have found that oak needs to be soaked or misted with water before staining, watched for colour variations across a panel and may need retouching by hand. Wetting wood can raise the grain of the wood causing issues.
  • Associate members stressed that a dry environment and control of humidity are key factors to prevent issues, including the ones listed above: air movement, conditioning of wood pre-finishing, misting of wood with good quality water or methyl hydrate when using water base and have two different set-ups for water and lacquer-based finishing.
  • It was suggested to stick with one system/one supplier to easily trouble shoot issues as they come up.
  • Avoid mixing water base coats with oil base, although combining water base topcoat with oil stain has worked for some members. This allowed them to claim that they used a water base finish for marketing. However, associates believed there is a high risk of peeling.
  • An Associate suggested that if you’re thinking about changing over, work it in gradually, buy a new spray system with new pump and allow employees to work with the water base gradually because water based does feel different when spraying.
  • Some members were concerned about the colour depth of water based stains and matching existing stain. Associate members were confident that water based has improved. After wood furniture is finished and cured it is nearly impossible to tell if the finish is water based or not.
  • Images 2000 – Converted to water base and developed a drying system that takes 4 minutes that works very well for them. They emphasized that the key is control over the environment – air movement, temperature and humidity.
  • Water base: = No ‘off gassing’, which is good for customer perception and work environment.
  • Issue of drying/curing time for lacquer base: New drying technology are available in the market (Richelieu) – Microwave Unit – Thermal reactive pads – Wall mount
  • Some members believe that it is the long-term obligation to their employees – movement to water base will directly improve their quality of health.
  • Conestoga College can help facilitate R+D with water based conversion, as a non-bias alternative engaging multiple suppliers to find the right “fit”.

If you would like to attend a BWA Plant Tour Focus group, you will need to learn more about membership by contacting BWA Executive Director Mike Baker: manager@bluewaterwoodalliance.com

Next event: April 5th hosted by Humber College in Toronto! Stay tuned for details!

BWA members take a tour of Woodlawn Furniture Market’s plant.

Their new 32,000 square foot finishing facility and showroom is a site to behold

Not only do manufacturing members get to visit other plant operations and learn from best practices and help brainstorm solutions to shared challenges.

Our Plant Tour Focus Groups are also great networking opportunities.

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • E-Mail

Related Posts

  • WMCO Plant Tour Focus Group – Archmill House – LIVE STREAM & IN-PERSONJanuary 5, 2022
  • WMCO Live Stream Plant Tour Focus Group @ Best Damn DoorsNovember 9, 2021
  • Virtual Plant Tour Focus Group – CCW Architectural Millwork Inc.December 4, 2020
  • Bluewater Wood Alliance at Doma Doors Mfg. Ltd.October 16, 2019

Comments are closed.

Member Login

Forgot password?

-

Do you have suggestions for topics and events?

Tell us what’s on your mind! Click here to send us your thoughts!

Don’t Miss Out on WMCO Events & News!
Click here to join our mailing list!

Click here to join WMCO.

Recent Posts

  • WMCO’s Toyota Cambridge Plant Tour Focus Group – February 22nd, 2023
  • WMCO Networking Event: Lean for the Office (Woodland Horizons Case Study); Economic Forecast/Financial Business Mgt Strategies
  • Happy New Year, Everyone!
  • Membership Inquiry/RFQ: Sensory Resonance Healing Chamber
  • WMCO Newsletter: Lean Yellow Belt; Buyers Guide to Tech & Shop Tour

Social

Facebook
LinkedIn

Do you have suggestions for topics and events?

Tell us what’s on your mind! Click here to send us your thoughts!

Don’t Miss Out on WMCO Events & News!
Click here to join our mailing list!

Login

Forgot password?

-

Facebook
LinkedIn

© Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario 2022
Wood Manufacturers are recognizing how eliminating waste is key to staying competitive and adaptable to change in our evolving industry!

BWA Plant Tour Focus Group @ Woody's Manufacturing Ltd.

Bluewater Wood Alliance Benefit Plan

 

Hear what members are saying about Bluewater Wood Alliance.

Hear what members are saying about Bluewater Wood Alliance.

Great, you're interested in contributing to the BWA Blogs!

Login to the BWA site.

In the member drop down menu select post a blog to get started.

When you’re finished

Video Summary of the BWA Sandler Training Sales Training Events

BWA Career Hub – Making Connections

 

BWA Career Hub – Making Connections

 

Wood Manufacturers are recognizing how eliminating waste is key to staying competitive and adaptable to change in our evolving industry!

BWA Plant Tour Focus Group @ Woody's Manufacturing Ltd.

Video Summary of the BWA Sales Training Events

Great, you're interested in contributing to the BWA Blogs!

Login to the BWA site.

In the member drop down menu select post a blog to get started.

When you’re finished