All the best, The Editorial Team We will keep adding business units that enhance our offering and separate us from our competition. “ ” Editor From The Dear Reader, Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Canada, the magazine that highlights the best in building and building products across the country. In this edition, we’ve highlighted builders and developers from across Canada, but we’ve shown our spotlight particularly intensely on Ontario and British Columbia – and in British Columbia, on the Okanagan Valley, specifically. There, some of the most luxurious custom homes and estates in Canada are currently being constructed, and we spoke with some of the people constructing them. Gibson Custom Homes, for example, is an award-winning builder that has been realizing beautiful dream homes in the Okanagan for over 15 years. Founder and owner Darcy Gibson started the company with the goal of building “a new standard” in the region for collaboration, innovation, and efficiency. We spoke to him about that mission, his progress to date, and about some of the award-winning homes he has delivered along the way – including the company’s recently-acclaimed Beacon Hill Showhome. This edition also includes Reico Construction – another awardrecognized builder with a focus on delivering custom homes in the greater Okanagan area. At the 2023 Canadian Home Builders’ Association Okanagan Housing Awards, that focus was focused was recognized in multiple categories. That’s quite the feat, because – according to Daniel Winer, executive officer of the CHBA CO – this year the association received more award entries than ever. “The Okanagan Housing Awards are the pinnacle of recognition for residential construction within the Central Okanagan,” Daniel Winer told us. “Central Okanagan builders are a unique breed because of our mountains and our lakeside living. We see a lot of beautiful, beautiful homes. The winners of our awards regularly go on to win provincial awards and regularly go on to win national awards – and it all starts at the local level. It’s really impressive the work that’s being done in the Central Okanagan.” For more on Reico Construction’s contribution to that impressive Okanagan landscape, we spoke to another Dan – Daniel Reichelt, Reico’s founder and owner. Switching gears, this edition also features a look at Daequip, a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative and high quality heavy equipment attachments, based in nearby Abbotsford. They recently applied for their first ever patent, for a new hydraulic wedge coupler, which they hope will help change the industry perception of hydraulic wedge couplers moving forward. To learn more, we caught up with Daequip founder and owner Ed Lingel. For those stories, and many more like them – about more awardwinners builders and industry-leading innovators – just keep reading.
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THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA With a readership exceeding 145,000 senior executives, The Construction Source takes immense pride in providing an enticing platform to amplify your message to the most pivotal audience – your valued customers. Whether your aim is to promote an exciting new condo development, attract crucial financial investments for upcoming projects, or establish a commanding brand presence, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. To explore opportunities for featuring your company or showcasing your latest project in The Construction Source, please reach out to our Group Publisher. Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.ca The Costruction Source Canada 202 - 1200 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5R 2A5 E: info@theconstructionsource.ca Executive Publisher Jermaine Poulsen COO Alexandra Box Editor in Chief Zach Janes Vice President of Sales and Business Development Dan Jovanovic Director of Operations Cathy Ditchburn Jacqueline Van Belois Director of Business Development & Marketing Tamara Breen Business Development Managers Mary Ann Taylor Mike Turenne Scott Carter Production Manager Natasha James Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa Administration Manager Belyn Quijance-Dorero
FEBRUARY 2024 GIBSON CUSTOM HOMES A new standard REICO CONSTRUCTION A promise of quality DAEQUIP Superior service and superior support HOMESTEAD WOODWORKS Specializes in Quality Cabinetry and Millwork ZEN LIVING Cutting out the middleman RECOVER A new solution ELEGANT BATHROOMS A proven process NAUSS HOMES Building homes… not houses LITTLE RED RIVER GROUP OF COMPANIES Setting an example RENO DUCK Changing the game MONDEV Building bigger and better INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUE FEBRUARY 2024 MONDEV RENO DUCK
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA LITTLE RED RIVER GROUP OF COMPANIES
FEBRUARY 2024 Industry INNOVATIONS MODERN & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TOILET SOLUTIONS
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Water connection not required Requires little space No odour Easy installation No frost protection needed Secure for children ash to be emptied No waste handling, only and more Bunkies, For Home, Cottages, Shops, 3 - 4 visits per hour High capacity Propane&Electric models ABOUT CINDERELLA ECO GROUP Cinderella Eco Group is a family-owned company located in the north-western coastal community of Midsund in Romsdal, with deep roots in the beautiful Norwegian fjord-landscape. We have more than 20 years’ experience with the Cinderella Incineration Toilet, a water-free, ecological solution for the management of toilet waste. Cinderella, the natural first choice for those who place high demands on quality and functionality. HIGHLIGHTS OF INCINERATION TOILETS:
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A new standard
Gibson Custom Homes is an award-winning builder of custom homes and luxury estates in Okanagan Valley. Over the past 15 years, they have worked with hundreds of families, providing them not only with beautifullyrealized dream homes, but also unparalleled home building experiences along the way. According to Darcy Gibson, the company is able to achieve both aims through “thoughtful planning, innovative design, attention to detail,” and by employing a “passionate team of employees, trades, and suppliers.” “Our goal is to create homes that are built to the most exacting standards with constant communication and transparency, resulting in aesthetically striking, functional homes that suit our clients,” Darcy says. “At Gibson we see every project as an opportunity to create a new standard for collaboration, innovation and efficiency. Our approach is to not redefine the construction experience, but rather build a new standard.” Darcy’s quest to build a new standard in the construction industry goes back almost 25 years, to when he started in the industry as a framer. Eight years after that, he decided that building custom homes was his calling and he incorporated ‘Gibson Framing Ltd.’, which was at first framing company. After earning a few years’ experience as a company owner, he began taking on full custom home projects and hired his first office staff in 2013. From there, he transitioned the company to ‘Gibson Contracting’. Following that transition, he was able to expand his office and site team and the company began building approximately 15 custom homes per year. Fast forward to 2023, and the company has rebranded once again to ‘Gibson Custom Homes,’ in order to more FEBRUARY 2024
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closely align with their product offering. Along with that rebrand, the company also adopted a new logo, which Darcy says “symbolizes our evolution while maintaining the values and principles that have made us successful over the years.” Today, Gibson Custom Homes’ office is located in central Kelowna on Glenmore Road, and they operate a show home which is located in Lakestone. They are also building a North Okanagan show home located in Coldstream at Morningview on Middleton, which is slated to open spring 2024. Currently, the company has projects spanning from Coldstream, Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna and all the way to the South Okanagan in Keremeos. As a custom home builder, they don’t specialize in any one style of home. Instead, they customize their offering based on their clients and their clients’ dream home inspirations. Occasionally, they will also do tenant improvements and commercial construction – their most recent commercial project is a cidery in Keremeos which they are expecting to complete in 2024. According to Darcy, the company’s steady growth in recent years is a credit to the commitment and dedication of their team. He describes the culture at Gibson Custom Homes as being characterized by “accountability, teamwork, respect and collaboration.” “These values instil a sense of responsibility and ownership among our employees, promoting a collaborative environment where individuals work together towards common goals,” Darcy explains. FEBRUARY 2024
“Respect is a fundamental value, ensuring a positive and inclusive workplace culture.” “This company culture contributes significantly to the success of Gibson Custom Homes,” he adds. “Our core values create a positive work environment which puts our company in a position to deliver homes that not only meet our high standards, but also reflect our dedication to client satisfaction.” By abiding by their core values, Gibson Custom Homes has also been able to forge strong relationships with their extended team of subcontractors and suppliers. According to Darcy, establishing and maintaining trust with those partners is one of Gibson’s “top priorities and integral to the company’s success. “ “Trustworthy subcontractors and suppliers contribute to the reliability and consistency of project timelines, ensuring timely delivery of materials and services. The commitment to high-quality workmanship and materials from trusted partners enhances the overall quality of the homes we build.” “Maintaining open communication and understanding with subcontractors and suppliers aids in identifying and addressing potential risks early in the project, mitigating the likelihood of disputes,” he adds. “These relationships also foster collaboration, promoting efficiency in project management and adaptability to changes.” “Ultimately, the trust built with subcontractors and supplier positively influences our reputation, attracting clients and contributing to the company’s overall success in THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
this competitive industry.” Another factor that’s contributed to the company’s ongoing success, Darcy believes, is their willingness to innovative and to adopt new materials and technologies. For example, they recently partnered with BarrierTek, a supplier of advanced fire resistant wood products. “For decades, the Okanagan Valley has been concerned with wildfires each year due to a combination of environmental and climatic factors,” Darcy says. “Just this year, we were devastated by a wildfire in West Kelowna that unfortunately was able to jump the lake into Kelowna and Lake Country. “With so many people affected by this devastation, we needed to find a solution that started with the construction of a home. Now, we have partnered with BarrierTek to offer clients the option to build their home with fire resistant lumber. We are building our first home with this product in West Kelowna. You will soon be able to see it from Okanagan Lake – it will be the bright green house in early 2024!” “We welcome anyone who is considering building a home in the Okanagan to reach out to us and ask us about the product and how we can incorporate the benefits into their new home project.” FEBRUARY 2024
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Industry recognized Over the past few years, Gibson Custom Homes’ high standard of construction excellence has not only been recognized by clients, but also by industry bodies. Since 2017, the company has been featured in several prestigious industry publications, they have received several ‘Best of Houzz’ awards for their service, and they have won or been nominated in numerous categories at the CHBA Central Okanagan Housing Excellence (OHAE) Awards – to date, they have won at least 11 Gold Awards, including Builder of the Year in 2019 and 2021. “That’s huge for us,” Darcy says of that recognition. “We are grateful to have been considered for many awards over the years. But our favourite time of year is always attending the Okanagan Housing Awards. Those are well known awards in the industry and the community. Whenever you win one it’s a great accomplishment and it speaks volumes of your team and how FEBRUARY 2024
well you work together.” Last year, at the 2023 OHAE Awards, Gibson Custom Homes was awarded Gold for ‘Excellence in Show Home $750,000 & Over’ as well as ‘Excellence in Decorating + Style under $75,000.’ The award-winning project was the company’s ‘Beacon Hill Showhome,’ which Darcy says included a lot of features and design elements that the company had never implemented before. “We always like to take the opportunity to try new and different things on show homes,” he says. “We give ourselves a budget that we want to stick within, but within that budget we like to step outside of our comfort zone and do some things we’ve never done before.” “We’ve done multiple show homes that way and we’ve had multiple award winners in different categories,” he adds. “So it seems to work. We haven’t changed our approach and we’re not going to.” In the case of Beacon Hill, the home was designed with a “modern edge,” as the company has found that’s the direction a lot of customers have been moving in. Special features included a floating staircase, interior steelwork, and interior concrete walls. “Those are things we typically don’t do unless a customer requests them, which doesn’t happen very frequently,” Darcy explains. Obviously, the finished product was received well by the company’s peers in THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Moving forward, Darcy says his vision is to continue building those desirable custom homes, as that’s what he and his team are most passionate about. He says the company will continue to offer tenant improvement and commercial building services, but he expects to stay active on the custom home side, as it’s a busy time in the Okanagan with “a lot of nice homes being built.” “We want to be a part of that,” Darcy concludes. “We want to keep building the industry, but Darcy says the home has also received some extremely positive feedback from the customers who have toured it. He says a lot of the company’s customers have seen it and been inspired by the design elements, and they have used some of the ideas in their own homes. He also believes that a number of customers made their final decision to build with Gibson Custom Homes after visiting that home and seeing the quality on display there. Darcy is also personally very proud of how that home turned out: “I think it’s amazing,” he says. “It’s a very entertaining house. I would live there in a heartbeat.” Currently, Gibson Custom Homes is working on their next show home, which will be located on Morningview Drive in Coldstream. There, they are building within more of an “entry-level community,” so the home they are building won’t have quite the same level of finishing as Beacon Hill, but Darcy says it “will still be very desirable.” BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE IN CIVIL AND GEOTECHNICAL SOLUTIONS WHERE PRECISION MEETS INNOVATION EVERTEK ENGINEERING CIVIL.GEOTECHNICAL 101-2493 Montrose Ave, Abbotsford, BC V2S 0L5 really high quality homes and we want to maintain our customer service. That’s what is important to us. We’re interested in growing at a moderate pace, but we’re never going to grow so fast that we lose sight of the quality and service. We’re going to stay focused.” FEBRUARY 2024
For more on Gibson Custom Homes, their process, their past projects, and the communities in which they work – and to get in touch with Darcy and his team today – visit www.gibsoncustomhomes.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
A promise of quality
Reico Construction is a fullservice, award-recognized builder with a focus on delivering custom homes in the greater Okanagan area. Led by founder and owner Daniel Reichelt, they are a company driven by a clear mission – “to redefine excellence in the construction industry.” “We consistently raise the industry bar through innovation and precision, reshaping spaces and building legacies,” Dan says. “Reico Construction is not just a name; it’s a promise of quality, one project at a time.” “Our dedication lies in bringing our client’s unique vision to life,” he adds. “Whether the client is crafting their forever home, conceptualizing a serene vacation retreat, or enhancing their current residence, we are committed to transforming their dreams into reality.” In recent years, that dedication and commitment has resulted not only in client satisfaction, but also recognition from industry bodies, such as the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). At this year’s 2024 CHBA Okanagan Housing Awards, for example, Reico Construction is a finalist in two categories for their recent Sunset Boulevard home. “I value that tremendously,” Dan says of the industry recognition. “That’s recognition not just for me, but for everyone associated with Reico Construction. It shows how hard we all work.” Dan – a Red Seal-certified journeyman carpenter with a wealth of experience in the construction industry – first started Reico Construction in 2010. Since then, the company has progressed at “an organic rate,” with slow and steady growth driven largely by repeat business and word of mouth. Project-wise, Reico Construction has done everything from small bathroom renovations, to kitchen remodels, flooring, fireplace design, custom made FEBRUARY 2024
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stairways designed to your exact specifications, custom sheds, foundations, full exteriors, framing, finishing, and flooring. These days, however, their focus is mainly high-end new homes, with sizes of 5,000 square feet or more and values of $2 million and up. According to Dan, clients within that high-end niche tend to choose Reico because of the company’s reputation. Over the last few years, especially, he says Reico has become renowned in the region for delivering projects that are “above and beyond the average.” “How are we gaining work? Well, we’re doing homes that are special and people are recognizing that,” Dan explains. “The clients we’re working with now tend to come to us because they want something really nice and really unique, and that’s what we’re known for.” That reputation, Dan adds, is in large part a credit to the company’s team, which includes some very experienced people. One key manager, for example, has a background building $10 million-plus homes in Fernie and used to run a crew of 25plus guys – he moved to the Okanagan in order to simplify his life, and Dan says that Reico is “very lucky to have him.” He says the company is similarly lucky to employ the other members of their managerial team, and he says they don’t take that good fortune for granted: “We do profit sharing with our main guys, and I think that makes them feel motivated to give their all to the customers,” Dan says. “I think that’s been one of the keys to our success. They end up caring about the company as much as I do. They take care of our customers FEBRUARY 2024
the same way I would, as the owner. They go above and beyond because they know that the work they put in is going to come back to them financially.” Dan also credits Reico Construction’s extended team, including their roster of subcontractors and suppliers – who he calls the “highest quality sub trades that the Okanagan has to offer.” “We have really, really great relationships with our subcontractors,” he says. “We use the same ones over and over. Most of those relationships go back about 10 years. That creates a sort-of family atmosphere. Everybody knows each other and trusts each other.” The company’s relationships with subcontractors are so good, in fact, that Dan says they end up receiving a lot of referrals from them. Those referrals are particularly valued, he explains, because as active participants in the local construction industry, subcontractors have informed opinions on who the best builders are – so it means a lot when they recommend Reico to their family and friends. “We take a lot of pride in those relationships,” Dan says. “Everyone we work with has a lot of experience in their field, and we only work with subcontractors who really care about what they do, so their opinion means a lot to us.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Pinnacle of recognition As previously mentioned, Reico Construction’s commitment to quality has recently been recognized at the Okanagan Housing Awards, as hosted by the Central Okanagan branch of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association To be recognized by that body is pretty prestigious, as the Okanagan is home to some of the most spectacular homes currently under construction in Canada. Also – according to Daniel Winer, executive officer of the CHBA CO – this year the association received more award entries than ever. “The Okanagan Housing Awards are the pinnacle of recognition for residential construction within the Central Okanagan,” Daniel Winer says. “Central Okanagan builders are a unique breed because of our mountains and our lakeside living. We see a lot of beautiful, beautiful homes. The winners of these awards regularly go on to win provincial awards and regularly go on to win national awards – and it all starts at the FEBRUARY 2024
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local level. It’s really impressive the work that’s being done in the Central Okanagan.” At this year’s awards, Reico Construction is a finalist in two categories: ‘Excellence in Primary Suite (New Home or Renovation),’ and ‘Excellence in Decorating & Styling (New Home or Renovation) – over $75,000.’’ Again, Dan says that recognition means a lot to him – though he admits he didn’t always feel that way: “We’ve done so much beautiful work over the years, but we’ve never been big on social media or even big on taking pictures,” he says. “But this year a flip switched. I realized we were doing some homes that were above and beyond what anybody else was doing and we should be entering for awards. And obviously, I’m glad we did. I believe there are over 200 entrants per category, so it means a lot that we’re a finalist in two of them.” In both categories, Reico Construction was nominated for a project they call ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ which was designed by the company’s frequent partners at Copper + Oak Design. Initially, the home was going to be a spec home, so Dan himself was responsible for the initial brief. Not long into the planning stages, however, a client stepped in and purchased the home, but that client still allowed Dan and the team at Copper + Oak a lot of freedom. “We wanted to do something really special, and fortunately the client had a budget that allowed for that,” Dan recalls. “They told us the kind of style they wanted, but then they trusted us to take the reins – and it just turned out incredible.” FEBRUARY 2024
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Elements that stand out to Dan include: the plaster fireplace; the lighting; the kitchen cabinets; the butler’s pantry; and the “very custom” master ensuite, which features penciledged tiles that required a special tile saw to cut. “There are so many fine details that really make that home special,” Dan says. “When you go into the master ensuite, for example, you just don’t want to leave. It’s incredible.” The finished product was not only received well by Reico’s peers in the industry in the form of the award recognition, it was also well-received by the clients – according to Dan, they were “ecstatic.” “They love it,” he says. “Now we’re doing the house next door for their friends. That tells you all you need to know about the state of the relationship.” In 2013, Dan says that actually all of Reico Construction’s work was referral-based. Moving forward, they want to keep that up as much as possible. They want to keep building those kinds of loyal relationships with clients who care about quality and value the calibre of service that their company provides. Ideally, Dan says that they would like to keep doing high-end new homes for those clients, but he says they are open to doing some smaller-scale renovations as new home building in the region slows down. “We’re going to evolve and adapt with the market,” he says. “Sometimes that’s going to mean taking on smaller projects – but those projects are still going to be special. They’re going to feature the same kind of quality and attention to detail that we’re known for. We have a reputation and we never want to compromise on that reputation. No matter what size project we’re building, we’re going to keep going above and beyond.” FEBRUARY 2024
For more on Reico Construction, their capabilities, their full-service approach, and examples of past projects – and to get in touch with Dan and his expert team – visit http://reicoconstruction.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Superior service and superior support
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Daequip is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of innovative and high quality heavy equipment attachments. Since forming in 1989, the company has grown steadily in size, reputation, and capability – they now offer a variety of attachments for all makes and models of compact, excavators, wheel loaders, crawler dozers and articulated dump trucks. They also manufacture and install machine guarding and hydraulics such as thumb installs, cab guards, cat walks, rock guards, and belly pans for all makes. Not only do they offer clients a wide variety of alreadyengineered attachments, they can also design and build to their clients’ specifications. All of their products are made in their plant – currently located in Langley, British Columbia, and soon to be located in Abbotsford – and can be shipped anywhere in North America. “We have over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing of attachments and accessories,” says Ed Lingel, president of the company. “We have decades of experience working directly and indirectly in these industries and we have the ability to bring clients expert advice, products and services, which will save them time and money.” “By working closely with our clients, each of our products are developed and expanded to meet the growing needs of many industries today,” he adds. “We have a high quality, innovative product range that is backed by a Daequip one-year warranty so customers can be assured that they are covered for their purchases.” “Our products are designed for clients who want a high quality yet cost-effective investment to add significant value to their equipment, projects and their business, which will help increase their efficiency and create high end results.” FEBRUARY 2024
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Daequip was originally founded by Dean Edwards in 1989. For the first decade or so, the company was a small shop based in Mission, before moving to Maple Ridge and eventually to Langley. In 2012, they expanded and moved to their current location in Port Kells Industrial Park. Throughout their history, Daequip has serviced the local market primarily through contractors and small dealers, with their leads generated primarily by referrals and word of mouth. In the spring of 2015, Ed Lingel purchased the company with a vision to grow and expand the product line and customer base. Ed began his career working in a family precast concrete business. After selling that company, he was headhunted by a large attachment manufacturer, where he worked as a sales rep for several years, travelling the United States and selling attachments to dealerships. When that company was sold, he decided to move on and take a position with a large OEM equipment distributor. Daequip was one of that company’s suppliers, and over his 13 years there, Ed formed a relationship with them. “That relationship started when I got a call from one of my customers and they demanded that I had to buy Daequip products for their machine,” he recalls. “From there, over the course of several years, I became one of Daequip’s biggest supporters, because the quality was so good and the service was so good.” When Dean decided to sell the company, Ed was his first call, as he had previously expressed FEBRUARY 2024
interest in the business on multiple occasions. It was a risk for Ed, because he was coming from a secure job as a major accounts manager at a large company, and he didn’t have any debt – but he believed in Daequip so much that he secured several different loans and went all in. Fortunately, his bet paid off, and under his leadership the company has grown by leaps and bounds. When he took over, the company had five employees – now they have 40, and they have grown service markets all across Western Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and throughout the US. “When I purchased the business, it was like an older house that needed a good renovation,” Ed recalls. “The bones were solid, the foundation was there, but it really needed to be gutted and rebuilt – and that’s what we did.” Later this year, Daequip growth streak will continue as the company expands into a much larger facility located in Abbotsford on Queen Street, just off the Mt Lehman Exit. Ed says that move will enable the company to offer more services on their larger property. Today, Daequip’s customer base is predominantly OEM equipment dealers outfitting new machinery with Daequip products. At the same time, the company also services and supports large contractors, small contractors, and end users. Ed believes that all of those customer types are drawn to Daequip by their reputation: “The Daequip brand has grown to be recognized as a premium product and is often requested from equipment owners by name when they are purchasing new machinery,” Ed says. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
“We have worked very hard at establishing ourselves as a premium business partner to all of our customers large and small. Often we hear that our service and support is superior to that of our competitors and we work really hard to maintain that.” Ed credits that feedback to Daequip’s proactivity when it comes to product development, relationship building, and customer service. He says that in his time there, they have have never been a company that rests on their laurels – instead, they have always strived to get better at every facet of what they do. “Having been in this business for over 30 years, we rely on product development, relationships, and customer service,” he says. “This industry is very demanding and fast paced, but the reality is that most of customers just want to be treated fairly. Over the years we have continually strived to improve our products, listen to our customers and support the products and services we sell, and with that our customers have come to expect good service, good support, and a good product. In return they reward us with continued business and lots of referrals.” Over the years, Daequip hasn’t just formed longstanding relationships with customers – they have also formed lasting relationships with employees, subcontractors, and suppliers. Currently, as previously mentioned, the company employs roughly 40 people, and Ed says many of those people have been with Daequip for over a decade. He also says many of their suppliers have been working with them just as long. FEBRUARY 2024
“Because we are family owned and operated business we really focus on good work culture at Daequip,” he says. “We offer a supportive and positive workplace that is built on meaningful work, open communication, core values, and most importantly health and safety. We encourage all employees and management to engage in positive and open communication, along with a good work life balance.” “We also have a great network of suppliers whom we work with on a daily basis,” he adds. “We rely on the suppliers to help us succeed so we do everything we can to maintain those relationships. Most of our core suppliers have been with us for 10-plus years and even some as long as 25 years. One example of a longstanding supplier is Terra Nova Steel, a company that has been servicing the steel industry in the Pacific Northwest for almost 40 years, and working with Daequip for more than 25 of those years. In that time, they have developed an extremely knowledgeable and skillful team of machine operators, technical sales and support staff, and they have been continuously learning and embracing new processes and technologies in order to get better at what they do. These days, they are known for their quick turnaround times, their material availability, and their ability to help customers like Daequip get their jobs done right the first time. They exemplify the kind of reliability and flexibility that Daequip prioritizes for in their partners. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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Constant striving Recently, Daequip applied for their first patent, for which they have received ‘patent pending’ approval. That patent is for a new hydraulic wedge coupler, which they hope will help change the industry perception of hydraulic wedge couplers in general. For over 25 years, Ed explains that the hydraulic wedge coupler has been the standard style of coupler system in Western Canada, as dealers prefer that design due to its versatility. Over the years, Ed says manufacturers have consistently been trying to iterate on that design and make it stronger and more robust, but an issue has always been how unforgiving the design was when it came to operator error. With their new patent-pending design, Daequip has strived to finally solve that issue and thus mitigate downtime and expensive repairs. “We are exceptionally proud of this new coupler,” Ed says, “as THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
the industry has struggled for years in offering a new design that is easy to use and forgiving of operator error. The project was challenging because we were stuck working with an existing design that cannot be changed or altered for compatibility reasons so coming up with something new really took some brainstorming and overcoming traditional thought process.” “Over the course or trial and error, and several design changes, we all agreed on a design that we think will hopefully become the industry standard,” he adds. “We currently have several prototypes out working successfully and will be moving all future orders to the new design.” “This project has been extremely rewarding and we are looking forward to introducing the product to the market place.” Moving forward, Ed says that Daequip will continue “constantly striving” – not just for innovation, but also for growth and expansion. “With the acquisition of our new facility, we expect that over the next decade our business levels should double or even triple as our product line and customer base grows,” Ed concludes. “Having secured a long-timehome with room for growth will ensure that the Daequip brand will be around for years or decades to come.” “Our growth plans include expanded product lines and with the new larger facilities and we will focus on developing a market strategy to target a new audience and expanding even more into our adjacent markets. There is no limit on the size that we would like to be.” “Our vision is to continue to grow and become a major player in North America and become one of the preferred attachment suppliers in Canada and the United States.” FEBRUARY 2024
For more on Daequip, their story, their complete range of products and services, and their latest news – and to contact their expert team today – visit https://www.daequip.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Specializes in Quality Cabinetry and Millwork
Homestead Woodworks offers a one-stop-shop for the design, manufacture, and installation of cabinetry and millwork. Since forming over 35 years ago in the small village of Hawkesville, Ontario, they have consistently provided clients with high quality millwork, delivered in a timely, courteous, and professional manner. Throughout their history, their company has evolved significantly in terms of size and capacity – they started with only a few employees working in a 3,000-square-foot shop, and they now have a much larger team with a 27,000-square-foot facility – but their values have remained steadfast. From the start, Homestead Woodworks has believed in providing clients with excellent value and in treating all of their stakeholders with fairness and respect – and those values continue to power the company today. “We say what we do and we do what we say,” says Clare Martin, president of Homestead Woodworks, and the son of company founder Orlan Martin. “In today’s marketplace, we tend to shine above the crowd because there are too many people who don’t do what they say.” Homestead Woodworks traces its heritage back to 1981, when Orlan started a construction company called Country Lane Builders. Later, he decided that having a mill shop would be a good compliment to the construction company, and he founded Homestead Woodworks in 1987. Orlan himself had a background in millwork, as he used to build cabinets with his uncle, so the evolution was a natural one. Clare, for his part, joined the family business in 1991. At that point, Homestead Woodworks was “just a four-man shop, an auxiliary company to the construction company,” he recalls. As the years progressed, however, Homestead continued to grow into its own. In 2005, that growth culminated in Homestead Woodworks becoming its own corporation. FEBRUARY 2024
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Today, both Country Lane Builders and Homestead Woodworks are owned by the Martin family, but are run independently. Homestead still does a percentage of their work for Country Lane, but a higher percentage they do for external contractors. These days, that work includes a variety of project types, including custom homes, luxury condos, and high-end offices. Again, Clare says, those clients are typically drawn to Homestead Woodworks because of their founding values, and the high quality that results from those values: “Everyone here is passionate about what they do,” he says. “We’re craftsman. We care about doing a good job. We’re not chasing down the bottom dollar or trying to be the cheapest on the market, because if you do that then you are forever compromising quality. All of our guys are passionate about making sure their quality stands out.” “Our goal is to achieve the best quality we can with the best efficiency we can,” he adds. “Our bottom line is that whatever we deliver, it has to be good quality and it has to be good value.” Over the years, Homestead Woodworks has delivered a wide variety of high quality wood products, including built-in cabinetry, custom furniture, architectural millwork, front entrance systems, staircases, timber work, and more. According to Clare, supplying this variety has necessitated a specialized workforce: “Because we’re diversified, we have specialized people. Some of our people specialize on the commercial side, some on cabinetry, and others in the front doors.” In recent years, Homestead Woodworks has THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Clare Martin Bryan Gingerich
actually come to be particularly well known for their front doors. All of their doors are custom designed using wood species, and they are installed with construction techniques designed to withstand harsh Canadian winters. Several years ago, the company even received national certification for their door system. “The warmth and beauty of a wooden front door adds charm as it provides a first impression of your home’s character,” Clare says. “Our front doors make a great statement.” Also in recent years, Homestead Woodworks has earned recognition for their work with New Horizon Development Group. That work includes finishing interior lobbies and trimming suites in towers. According to Bryan Gingerich, sales and project manager, the relationship with New Horizon resulted from a referral given by a designer, who spread the word about the value of their work. Bryan has been with Homestead Woodworks for about eight years, and has personally seen the company make great strides in the commercial sector. “We’re seeing quite a bit of interest in the commercial condo world,” he says. “We’ve been just stepping into that briefly in the last couple of years. That’s where I spend most of my time, in luxury condos.” Once again, Clare credits Homestead Woodworks’ burgeoning success in that sector – and the company’s success in general, with all their clients, in all sectors – to the values his father instilled in FEBRUARY 2024 Castle Kilbride Heritage Project
the company right from the beginning. Clare says that Orlan “set the tone,” and the company still operates on the same note to this day: “Orlan was well-known in the community for being a solutions person, and that has driven us at Homestead,” Clare says. “Part of our company creed is that if we can’t service a customer, we actually want to find a solution for them elsewhere, because we want to remain being a solutions company.” That solutions-orientated mindset has been rewarded with client loyalty, Clare says. “At any time, about 30 percent of our current client list is repeat customers.” Earning that loyalty is a process, Clare explains, and that process almost always begins with bringing clients to their showroom. He describes that showroom as warm-feeling, and says it showcases lots of wood samples and stain colors. “We spend a lot of time with the customers there to find out what they want and understand how they live, so we can them give good options.” In a lot of cases, client loyalty is also a natural result of employee loyalty, as workers that are engaged in their work and care about the company they work for tend to service clients better. According to Clare, that’s definitely the case with Homestead Woodworks, a company with a lot of employees who have been there for a long-time. Many employees, Clare says, have been Homestead for at least 10 years, while others have been there as long as 20-to-25 years. Clare explains that because employees spend so much time together, they’ve become like family. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Murray, Tim, Clare, Gerald
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“Beyond woodwork, they become friends, and they become a resource for each other - in times of need. That’s what the family relationship is. I believe that’s why people enjoy coming to work. That, and the fact of having the fun of working with wood.” Bryan adds that there are a number of reasons why he personally considers Homestead Woodworks a good place to work. One of the main reasons being, he sees the ownership “care for their employees in multiple ways.” “If you need time off for family, it’s granted to you without any questions asked. The value we place in family is very, very high.” Bryan also appreciates the team environment, and always being surrounded by interesting custom woodworking projects. “So I’d say it’s a well-rounded package.” Moving on to the company’s relationship with subcontractors, suppliers, and vendors, Bryan says, “It’s been really great. They really appreciate the punctuality of how we deliver our product, and the quality of what we produce. Also, they can rely on the schedule that we give them. There’s just a really good trust there. We’re blessed to have so many good suppliers, and I think that’s reciprocal with their feelings toward us. They also enjoy the teams that we can give them to do the work.” “As a salesman, it’s really nice to know that we have capable guys that are also going to be building your product. It’s one thing to sell it, but it’s another thing to follow through with what you’ve sold.” “Suppliers are extremely important to us to make us successful,” Clare points out. He says the company has solid, long-term relationships with suppliers, and one of the reasons is that they pay their bills on time. It’s not uncommon, he says, for suppliers to express appreciation for the longstanding relationship. “They really come on board when we have special requests, which allows us to service our customers better.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Leaning in In recent years, Homestead Woodworks has made a commitment to revitalizing their culture, and improving their processes. These efforts have really propelled their growth. In particular, Clare explains how they’ve experienced a big cultural shift over the last five years, by implementing lean manufacturing principles – Lean Manufacturing being a manufacturing methodology that focuses on minimizing waste within manufacturing systems. “Lean is basically where everybody is empowered in the company to make improvements. The bottom line is, we want to make sure whatever we’re doing is adding value to the customer. That has resulted in many improvements within the shop and out on site, in finding ways to improve processes, quality, and speed of things. Our employees are even saying now they are taking the lean approach home because it’s made their life so much easier. They are leaning out their home.” FEBRUARY 2024
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When looking at what the future holds for Homestead Woodworks, Clare says it’s not so much about size and numbers, but about maintaining the company’s reputation, and keeping the quality of their products intact. “My goal is not to double the size; my goal is more about making sure we are still a good company.” However, when Clare does consider his projects and plans, he says growth is on the company’s horizon in the near future. “We’ve got drawings now for doubling the size of our shop in a phased approach. Probably half of that will be in phase one, which is the third time we’re growing in the shop size.” “When we look at the growth that we’ve had, we see a slow and meaningful growth. That means we do have to expand the shop at some point.” Shop expansion also means enlarging the workforce with properly trained employees, to make that growth possible. “We are landing some people from other companies, but we also grow a lot from within,” Clare concludes. “We have a lot of very young help, and put a lot of energy into taking the young help and training them.” Clare points out that plans for the future also include a management changeover spanning a 10-to-15-year period. During that period, the company will bring in third generation of managers. “Our goal is to have a well-run reputable business with the third generation in full leadership.” FEBRUARY 2024
For more on Homestead Woodworks, their process, their range of products, and examples of past projects – and to get in touch with Clare, Bryan, and the rest of the team – visit https://www.homesteadwoodworks.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Cutting out the middleman
Zen Living is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of cabinets and cabinet products in Canada. Since establishing in Calgary over 15 years ago, they have built up one of the most experienced teams in the industry. To date, the company has successfully executed thousands of projects in the region. They boast state-of-theart manufacturing facilities that cover an expansive 500,000 square feet. These facilities incorporate cutting edge technology and machinery, complemented by meticulous handcrafted craftsmanship. Today, Zen Living offers an extensive array of European contemporary and traditional cabinet solutions, all available in a great assortment of colors and finishes to suit the client’s taste and budget. Zen Living extends its expertise to crafting cabinetry for an array of spaces, such as laundry rooms, entryway mudrooms, living rooms, bars, closets, and various other types of custom cabinetry. What distinguishes Zen Living within their industry is their unique infrastructure, setting them apart as a vertically integrated entity. By manufacturing and supplying their own materials, Zen Living can provide these products at a competitive price. The cost savings attained from eliminating intermediaries are passed on directly to their clients. “When they started the company, the founders of Zen Living saw a unique opportunity,” says Amy Ford, Vice President, Operations. “Every other cabinet company at the time had extreme mark-ups because they didn’t manufacture their own products, and there are a lot of costs associated with going through a middleman. The founders of Zen Living wanted to find a way around that. They wanted to provide premium FEBRUARY 2024
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quality cabinets at a fraction of the cost.” According to Amy, the founders of Zen Living were a “maverick group of designers, woodworkers, and cabinet makers.” In addition to providing cabinets for a lower cost, she says they also wanted to “bring design expertise to kitchen design using modern technical execution, inspired by an international catalog of unlimited finishes and selections.” Being vertically integrated has allowed Zen Living to maintain control over the quality of their products from inception to completion. They procure their materials from suppliers globally and process them inhouse at their two production facilities. In both facilities, Zen Living adheres to rigorous North American quality control standards. Amy emphasizes that manufacturing in Vietnam provides access to an outstanding talent pool of generational cabinet makers and craftsmen. Their sister factory has the capacity to manufacture 50 kitchens a day, enabling swift turnaround times for large-scale and multifamily projects. That quick turnaround time is important, Amy adds, because these days multi-family projects are Zen Living’s specialty. Those projects can range in size anywhere from 10 to 1,000 units. Amy says they generate most of those projects through word of mouth and repeat business, and she believes what those clients love about Zen Living is their combination of quality and efficiency: “We can manufacture, supply, and service our clients with FEBRUARY 2024
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