BS&R has certainly evolved over the last 40 years. With a rebranding a number of years ago and an expansion of divisions we have grown to a full fledged carpentry business with a wide range of services and products.
Rebranding was possibly the best thing we’ve done in the past years. Because of our growth we decided to rebrand to better communicate the wide range of products and services we offer, instead of simply being known as “Bermuda Stripping & Refinishing”. Stripping and Refinishing is now considered and internal division along with Antique Restoration and T-Made Custom Carpentry under the umbrella of the BS&R Group.
It’s necessary to grow as a business and keep up with industry standards. Carpentry is no different. There is a lot going on that is pretty exciting and we try to stay on top of what is new. Lumber such as Accoya, synthetic materials, and emerging technology such as 3D printing are all emerging as the newest and more efficient ways to do things.
The general theme is sustainability, which we are huge fans of. More people are requesting FSC certified wood and waterborne finishes and we expect the woodworking industry to pursue sustainable efficiencies moving into the future.
We try to bring those ideas here in Bermuda starting with bringing in Accoya products and materials. After supplying Accoya for over a year it has truly changed the way we do a lot of projects. It’s fantastic to not have to answer many questions regarding rot, sustainability and maintenance. Our client’s typical first questions tend to be about ongoing maintenance, initial and ongoing costs. Reassuring them by offering a maintenance free product with attractive long-term financial savings alleviates any reservations they may previously have had.
Everyone at BS&R has a keen interest in new techniques, and designs and each of us have our own bucket list that we are looking forward to using in the future. For instance one of the founder’s John has a personal interest in hardware features such as lift & slide mechanisms. Contemporary furniture is another market he keeps close tabs on as our traditional furniture business has been dominated by antique sales and restoration. Current consumer demand for furniture is moving more away from antiques, so it’s important to keep up with market trends.
Trade shows, online content, and supplier catalogues are three immediate means of obtaining new information. We have also been fortunate to have clients and Architects with innovative design requests that challenge our fabrication approach and methods. For example, we recently completed a commercial window job with a request specification for low-emissivity (Low-E) laminate glass. We were so pleased with the outcome that Low-E glass is now our standard option for glass due to its UV protection and heat reflection properties. We look for new products and solutions all the time.
Without a doubt there’s a need for these new materials in Bermuda. Worldwide there is progress being made on building smarter and more efficient, particularly energy efficient. One’s budget tends to be the biggest limitation to the adoption of anything new, however we believe we offer favorable options, especially when it comes to long-term financial savings.
We continually look forward to evolving and bringing in new ideas and technologies to give the best possible service and products to our customers. We look forward to 40 more years of growth.