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Feature Story

 

Ian Wight, president of Pacific Western Wood Works Ltd. (PWWW) pauses with son Dennis, sales/operations manager for the company.
Product Diversity Propels 
Pacific Western Wood Works Ltd.

By Wayne Miller

Delta, B.C.—All three acres of Pacific Western Wood Works Ltd.’s (PWWW) location here is paved asphalt, one of many product control practices this small Western Red Cedar product manufacturer utilizes to maximize quality for its North American customers.

PWWW sells a variety of milled WRC lumber products, including CLR decking, CLR siding, lattice, spa and sauna patterns, handrails, spindles, newels, 2 x 2, special order timbers, fence rails, nailer strips, fence boards, poles, balusters, pre-finished garden arbors, planters, post caps and ball tops.

PWWW also has four different pergola packages, arbors, folding picnic tables, garden/utility stakes, custom Colonial railing components, deck posts and even Western Red Cedar planks for grilling.

 PWWW’s lines of clear or STK-grade lattice are available in four thicknesses, four spacing patterns and a wide range of
Kate Acton handles all shipping, receiving and general office work at PWWW.
panel dimensions from standard  to custom. They also supply lattice framed or unframed.

PWWW’s lattice is stapled and glued at every single intersection, adding substantially to the quality and stability of the product. PWWW is one of only two companies in North America that produces lattice by these standards.

“With these measures, quality is sustained and every sheet is saleable,” said
Ian Wight, PWWW president.

“Our product stays clean with the paved site,” he added. Other quality control features at this family-owned and operated company include custom designed lattice bags for packaging, a clearly legible sticker identifying the bag’s contents, unit tags with tickets numbers and convenient bar coding for the retail customer.

PWWW also utilizes plastic chain throughout the facility to prevent marking of the Cedar. “We don’t have marking because from input to output, it’s all rubber or plastic,” said Ian. “Any steel strapping is with protective cardboard corners to preserve the wood without blemish,” said Ian.
Dennis Wight stands by packaged product at PWWW, which employs up to 25 people during peak summer months.

Despite the fact that Western Red Cedar is acknowledged throughout the industry as seasonally unpredictable in its availability, PWWW specializes in this preferred species, having left treated product manufacturing a number of years back.

Most of the Western Red Cedar used at PWWW is purchased in British Columbia from as many as 10 different mills, then dried for particular purposes as needed. Most PWWW products are marketed primarily by wholesale distribution companies to box stores, independent retailers or contractor yards.

“We have a large range of Cedar products that can compliment any Cedar sales program and best of all it’s available from one source” said Dennis, Ian’s son who has been with the company for 15 years and is PWWW’s sales/operations manager.

PWWW routinely loads freight on flat decks, intermodal vans and overseas containers. In addition to its 24 ye
PWWW uses custom designed lath saws for manufacturing lath that is made into lattice.
ars of supplying North American customers, PWWW also loads and ships to worldwide destinations, including the UK, Japan, Spain, Germany, Korea and China. A recent trip to China resulted in a reciprocal relationship where Chinese companies are buying PWWW by-products and PWWW is also importing some Chinese products for sale to its customers in North America.

“We keep up-to-date with market trends and are always looking for something new,” said Ian, who noted that it is proving cost-effective for PWWW to import products that are labor intensive.

Packaging from PWWW includes waterproof tally tickets marked with meticulous inventory control specifications, right down to the piece-count per load. PWWW also offers laminating and custom profiling for large and small runs.

Such a diverse inventory requires extensive equipment, including a 54-inch McDonough resaw, two lattice machines, two lath saws for manufacturing lath, a double-end tenoner for precision end trim, a four-saw multi-trimmer and an 8-head Jointed Weinig moulder that is supported by a new Wei
At PWWW, this 8-head Jointed Weinig moulder is supported by a Weinig grinder.
nig grinder. PWWW also has woodworking equipment in its research and development division for making new products.

PWWW’s staff of 20 to 25 employees increases in springtime to accommodate seasonal demand from February to June, a period that accounts for 60 percent of business. PWWW usually operates a 40- to 48-hour work week with a second shift operating for two or three months of the year.
 
As a family-owned company, PWWW’s staff also includes Ian’s wife Pat, who is vice president. Additionally, Kate Acton recently joined the staff to handle shipping, receiving and general office work.

Pacific Western Wood Works sustains memberships in the North American Wholesale Lumber Association and B C Wood. For more information visit the company’s website at www.pwww.com.

Pictured is a sample of PWWW’s 54x6 CLR VG Decking.


This moulder outfeeder is one of several pieces of equipment utilized by PWWW.















Western Red Cedar Lattice is a popular product at PWWW.

 
 
 
     
 
 

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