The NEWBeamery has been full of finishing touches, though we’ve been running jobs through the Oikos X for the last few months. Timber frames plus fabricate & finish jobs for partners in the mass timber space. Now we’re taking a moment to celebrate some smaller things on the non-production side that make the shop feel like home.
Timber Frame Entry
It wouldn’t be a New Energy Works space if it didn’t have a timber frame greeting. Back when we moved to McMinnville in the early 2000’s adding a truss to the front door was one of our first to-dos.
Same here, as The NEWBeamery gets an official raising of a timber frame entry and porch. It sets the stage for what’s to come inside and gives a taste to visitors of our roots. Though not visible from the road as a greeting, it certainly adds warmth and suggests respite for the mostly industrial complex.
Siding
What is a timber frame entry without a little bit of wood siding to go with it? (Have you read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"? Yeah, we can relate). Our sister company Pioneer Millworks made shou sugi ban for us -- both in Douglas fir and Larch. The color is Toasted and we love how it warms up metal cladding.
Office Space
The NEWBeamery will house our craftspeople in production, and also our front-end office. Stephanie, who handles greetings and logistics will be the first to say “hi!” when you come through the doors. Engineers, our Shop Manager, and other office staff will also have a space to work when they’re on the computer-end and out of the woodchips.
Additionally, the offices will provide a place to gather with conference rooms for client and partner visits, a team breakroom, plus outdoor space for eating alfresco, and (of course) bathrooms.
The Dust Collector
You can’t have a wood shop without dust collection. And as Oliver and Jonathan Taylor (JT) went looking for one that could serve our needs and fit out budget a call came in from our friends at the town of McMinnville letting us know that a 2-year model was about to go on the market from a local business who was closing operations. Oh, and it was in our budget. And by the way it was a mile down the street.
So the team, as they do, mustered the trucking and went to reclaim the system, parade it a mile down the street, and erect it back in our campus. A good day(s) work for SURE and quite a moment to stand back and say “we did it!”
Paving
“We’re pretty well out of the chaos from a production standpoint – and the paving is really a cherry on top to this latest push,” shared Oliver Ogden, New Energy Works West Coast General Manager. The team is pretty happy to be past the muddy jobsite stage and while paving doesn’t seem like a big deal when you’re building such a special production facility – it really makes a difference to the day-to-day. The logistics of trucks and moving material, parking and staff, even the tying together of the Pioneer Millworks buildings to The NEWBeamery is more seamless now that the area is smooth.
We hope to bring you all to celebrate the official opening of The NEWBeamery this spring. Stay tuned for final updates and invites that are sure to come
