Harnessing the Wonder of Trees
As the owner of a business based in Connecticut, people are often puzzled about the name of our company: CASCADE PACIFIC WOODWORKS. People will say: ‘You sure are a long way from home’, or ‘Why would you name your company that?’ The name of our company was deliberate; this is a brief look at how we got here.
Although a native of Connecticut, I have spent a good portion of my adult life living, working, and exploring areas of the West Coast, from the Bay Area of California to the Puget Sound of Washington. Every chance we had, I would take my son and daughter to seek out new places and adventures…from the majestic beaches to the snow-covered mountains. The geography, flora and fauna, and the culture are so different from anywhere else. The more we explored, the more inspired we became.
The Fabric of Cascade Pacific Woodworks
Some adjectives that describe the beautiful people and places where these mountains and ocean meet have cemented themselves in my mind: rugged, graceful, diverse, innovative, and caring. These feelings, or descriptors, have woven their way into the fabric of Cascade Pacific Woodworks. We remain closely tied to the west coast; my daughter and several siblings who help comprise the company’s core guidance group live there. My son and I go there as often as we can and we continue to spend time together exploring new areas of the region.
Although officially founded in 2014, CPW’s roots of craftsmanship go back generations. Construction of coastal lighthouses and piers can be traced back to original ancestors from Scandinavia. Family skills in boatbuilding and furniture making can also be traced back to our ancestors from Czechoslovakia and Norway. This passion and skill to build has passed through all generations, and continues to be passed to our family’s youngest.
Made to Last
Much like the majestic and rugged Cascade Mountains, the things we design and build are strong and made to withstand the test of time. Our materials are selected with thought and purpose to ensure generational longevity. Our wood goes through a meticulous yearlong process of preparation to ensure it will survive and thrive the elements of a new life. Our design and construction techniques ensure the joinery and mating of all the components seamlessly work and perform together. We make every piece with the anticipation that the original owner’s great-grandchildren will one day have the piece in their home.
Like the towering coastal redwood tree, our pieces are not only powerful but graceful and refined. Our vision statement, Harnessing the Wonder of Trees, guides our creative conceptualization of each piece. We spend a great deal of time seeking out stunning wood from specimens of trees, knowing that one day it will become a perfect selection for someone’s dream. Oftentimes, we will take in a piece of wood from a client; wood that has historic and nostalgic connections to their family. These hidden gems are all artifacts of the tree's history that can be curated into the piece and showcased for years to come, much like the many hidden gems of the Pacific Northwest.
inspired by Diversity
The confluence of the powerful northern Pacific Ocean with the breathtaking shorelines has been a driving force cultivating the vast diversities of the region, not only the natural flora and fauna diversity but the cultural and socio-diversities of its people as well. Our diverse line of products, services, and capabilities is similarly inspired.
The Cascade Pacific region has a vast history of innovators: going back to the skilled Chinook people who mastered life along the powerful coast. Inspired by the early inhabitants of the area, Cascade Pacific Woodworks subscribes to a growth mindset: that we are lifelong learners who will always seek to learn, grow, and find new and better ways to serve our customers and the community. We employ traditional tools and techniques, but we also regularly are experimenting with innovating new tools and techniques to bring better value to what we make. This is why we often describe our company as a ‘fusion of traditional craft and high-tech production.’
Net Zero Facility
Cascade Pacific Woodworks is a net zero facility: all the energy we use to run our business is renewable energy produced locally on our property. Also, over 90% of the wood we use in our work comes from trees that were felled for reasons such as disease, or storm damage. We do not support supply chains that derive their wood from unsustainable sources such as deforestation or community exploitation. This important company value stems from the most inspiring attributes of people from the Cascade Pacific region is their collective compassion, ownership and care for the place in which they live. They go to great lengths to preserve, to ensure the beauty of the region remains vibrant and thriving in the face of competing pressures. At Cascade Pacific, we proactively take that same philosophy.
Cascade Pacific Woodworks
As you can see, our namesake isn’t just a catchy label. It has deep and deliberate origins that constantly remind us of the immutable character and values we strive for in our mission to Harness the Wonder of Trees.