Message from the President: May, 2011
We have weathered the storm. After a few years in survival mode, both filers and vendors have successfully navigated back from the edge. Please join me in thanking our outgoing executive who held the ball of responsibility for the B.C.’s Sawfiler Association for three of the most difficult years in our history. After a disappointing meeting, last year, 2010, in Kelowna, and our inability to meet quorum at the AGM, it was great to turn the page and see the overwhelming response by all those in attendance this year.
The B.C. Saw Filer’s Association Conference at the Tolko Armstrong mill, on April 30, 2011, was a complete success and was attended by 75 filers, 18 vendors and 36 vendor representatives.
Congratulations to all those who attended and to the mills that supported filer attendance. Big thanks to Tolko Industries for allowing us to meet on site in their conference center. We enjoyed a full day with an AGM, filer forum and presentations by Bruce Lehmann (FP Innovations), Larry Richardson (Resource Training Organization of British Columbia) and lunch provided by Simonds International. Each of these provided an opportunity for good discussion and exchange of information and innovation to take back to our mills.
Larry gave us an update on the work that has taken place on the rebuilding of our Trade program and there's good news: There will be a new Saw Filing Trade program.
Excellent discussion was generated with regards to what is needed to keep the apprenticeship program effective. Larry will now use your input to assist his RTO team in program development going forward.
Stay connected with our website now back on line. Visit www.bcsawfilers.com for information regarding:
- B.C. Saw Filer’s Association events and meetings
- Job boards
- Trade Program development
- Filing Room Survey for R.T.O. (Trade Program)
This is our tool to communicate with one another. Make use of it! I encourage every filing room to complete the trade program survey and submit, by fax to RTO. Your input and feedback will assist us all. With this momentum we will surely use this to our advantage, we will be planning a full two-day conference up north next year. The destination and dates are yet to be confirmed.
Going forward, we can only learn from what has taken place in our industry, learn from it and become stronger. Several mills did not survive these severe market conditions and that is a tragedy for all those affected. The flip side is this: the surviving mills, filers and vendors, are a stronger group.
I’ve noticed, when filing rooms were asked to increase performance on the leanest of margins and with little to no room for error, we stepped up and applied our skills as filers like never before. Adversity builds character. The strength of our skill has made a difference in our mills.
Change is difficult but inevitable. As your president, it will be my focus to navigate The B.C. Saw Filer’s Association through this next chapter. From the delivery of our trade training program to the re-tooling of our industry, change will force us to be adept in applying our skill and knowledge to remain profitable and successful.
The BCSFA executive is committed to continue to work hard for the overall success of our filing association. Thank you to all our members for your support. I look forward to working with you in the upcoming year.
Stay sharp!
Garry Ponipal
President: B.C. Saw Filer’s Association.
