Foshan Prefabricated WFC seminar a success

By: Lance Tao

Communications Manager, Canada Wood Group

Canada Wood China (CW China) held another successful inbound mission in Foshan Guangdong province on December 11. It was based on the theme “Exploration of Prefabricated Wood-Frame Construction (WFC).” The event was co-organized by CW China and the Guangdong Provincial Construction Sustainable and Prefabricated Industry Association (GDCSDA), an organization promoting green and prefabricated development under the Guangdong Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (Guangdong MOHURD).

The activity was fully supported by Guangdong MOHURD, the official government department that oversees the province’s construction industry. Some local construction entrepreneurs also joined the mission, visiting the prefabricated WFC projects representative of Foshan Gaoming District’s hybrid applications and prefabrication advancements.

A seminar during the mission made a strong case for using prefabricated WFC in the resort sector. Associations and industry experts shared views that wood is an ideal material for prefabrication, as it is fast to construct and install. Wood constructions are ideal in realizing ultra-low energy and green development.

To further recognize wood as a solution for the prefabrication target in the province, the GDCSDA started setting up a sub-association, Prefabricated Wood Construction. It’s expected to acquire high-quality industry information to build a complete green construction chain and introduce financing in the booming Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the Bay Area).

CW China approached the GDCSDA in December 2018, inviting the association to attend a seminar on wood in manufacturing. Inspired by the seminar’s topics, the GDCSDA introduced, Foshan Yiyuan Company, a manufacturer of handicraft, to CW China. The company was invited to join the “Try Canadian Wood” Campaign and produced 19 pieces of furniture with hemlock provided by CW China in 2019. The photos of the furniture pieces will be included in a catalogue for the campaign, reaching out to more potential trial partners.

Convinced by the applications of Canadian wood in manufacturing and also an outbound mission to Canada in June 2019, the collaboration with the company has extended from wood in manufacturing to wood in construction with prefabrication and energy efficiency.


One of the highlights during this Foshan inbound mission was visiting Yiyuan Company’s showroom and office. The showroom displays the company’s capacities and wood carving techniques for interior decorations.

Currently, the company is considering switching its planned museum building from concrete to hybrid structure (concrete + wood). Once the new museum building is completed, the furniture they produced with Canadian hemlock will be displayed, showcasing how Canadian wood can be used in both construction and manufacturing.

The Bay Area is one of three strategic regions in China in addition to Bejing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The Bay Area’s 11 cities account for 13 percent of China’s overall economy. It is also a prioritized area for CW China due to its fast-growing economy and advancements in manufacturing and construction.TwitterLinkedIn