COLUMNS

There is a point on almost every architectural woodwork project when the manufacturer looks at the drawings and sees something everyone else has missed. Maybe the material will not behave the way it appears on paper. Maybe the hardware…

An assembler is looking for a missing part. A production manager gets interrupted with questions about a job. Someone searches through paperwork for special instructions. A customer calls for a status update, setting off a chain of people…

Lee Welch started building cabinets in his garage in 1989. More than three decades later, Greystokes Millwork operates from Vernon, B.C., but still works in a part of the market where a kitchen is often only the beginning of the job.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are changing how employers are making decisions and managing their workforces. As AI becomes increasingly integrated in the day-to-day operations of the modern workplace, used for recruitment, performance…

Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy. They make up more than 60 per cent of private sector enterprises, account for nearly half of private sector gross domestic product, and employ millions of people across the…

Employee recruitment, engagement and retention are among the hottest topics in business today – and for good reason. Surveys by Gallup show only 30 per cent of North American employees are engaged at work, while a staggeringly low 13 per…

Whatever you sell, you must constantly work to improve every part of your business or you’ll fall further behind until you become irrelevant and fade away. Here are four steps to fix what needs fixing in any business.

Cyber threats are more sophisticated than ever, and the construction industry is no exception. While firms focus on physical job sites, cybercriminals are exploiting digital vulnerabilities in project management software, IoT devices, and…

One of the most common issues in cash flow for construction companies is poor accounts receivable management. Losing grip of your receivables can bleed any company dry, leaving business owners to depend on cash reserves to stay afloat.

In woodworking and millwork obtaining accurate measurement information is essential, as moisture content often determines material performance. If a device is not properly calibrated, the wrong correction factor is applied or measurements…

The British Columbia construction industry is undergoing a period of sustained stress. Dramatically decreasing market demand has resulted in an erosion of project equity across the province. As equity positions deteriorate, the viability of…

Statistics Canada reports that 2025 marked the fifth consecutive year of increasing workforce participation among seniors. Participation rates now exceed pre-pandemic levels and are the highest recorded since tracking began in 1976.…

For many woodworking shops, there comes a point when manual production methods begin to limit growth. Lead times increase, labour becomes harder to find, and production bottlenecks start appearing throughout the shop. At that stage, many…

A specification is read differently by two stakeholders. A hardware expectation is assumed rather than defined. A project team references different versions of the same standard. An estimator interprets a requirement one way while…

CKCA recently hosted our Spring Regional event in Hamilton, Ontario. The province has been feeling the effects of housing slowdowns, tariffs, and the ongoing market pressures caused by increasing imports. CKCA President Amrita Bhogal…

The term and awareness of Emotional intelligence (EI) came into my life about ten years ago and quietly became the sharpest tool in my kit for dealing with humans (and humans who make cabinets). EI is simply noticing your feelings, managing…

In custom millwork, repeat customers often tell a deeper story than any showroom could. Interior Woodcraft Designs in Oshawa, Ontario, has been building custom kitchens and millwork for homeowners for four decades, with many clients…

The threats and implementation of tariffs have sent a shockwave of uncertainty through market predictions, forcing many companies to realign their business strategies and seek trading partners in foreign markets. Now, with another Middle…