GR Plume Company is sincerely focused on the integration of Sustainable Building practices with the real world demands of the construction industry. In the 1990’s GR Plume led the way for reclaimed timber in the Pacific Northwest. As a Board member of West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, Gordon Plume personally spearheaded a new grading rule for reclaimed timbers in which bolt holes were graded the same as knot holes in new timbers. Since then, millions of board feet of reclaimed timbers have become nutrients for new projects.

Today our focus continues to be on maximizing the timber we use. We believe that conscientious logging and milling practices (for example FSC-certified wood products) combined with thoughtful uses can produce a more than acceptable life cycle assessment (LCA) of the environmental impact of using timber in today’s buildings. When considered over its’ complete life cycle-from extraction to disposal-wood outperforms other building products for overall environmental impact (the Cradle to Grave measurement).   In the past few years we have seen a significant change in stakeholders expectations and sustainable characteristics are now becoming an integral goal of most projects.

To this end we continue to develop processes that maximize our yield while acknowledging the design parameters set by the Design Professional. One of our Manufactured Products, Tetraleaf Veneered Glulam, can combine FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified Glulam cores with carefully chosen sawn veneers. In this fashion, one excellent piece of timber becomes the exterior of many, thus reducing the quantity consumed yet providing the warmth and beauty of wood members. In some cases, it is also possible for the veneer stock to be FSC certified to fully complement the need for sustainability. In addition, our glue of choice is a Polyurethane Emulsion Polymer (PEP) by Ashland which is water-based and has much lower VOC levels than the recommended ceiling for structural wood members per LEED initiative EQ Credits 4.1.

We also believe it is imperative that we practice sound business stewardship. We recycle as much waste as possible: making all the scraps and small pieces free to the public for firewood and small projects. Further, our free wood chips are used in gardens, as animal bedding and even in composting toilets. We also recycle all that we can from plastic film, paper, cardboard, compost, to the bottles and cans.  As a member of Sustainable Connections, a local non-profit network of businesses, we support their vision: “We envision a thriving, collaborative community in which local businesses are prosperous and contribute to a healthy environment and the well-being of all citizens.”

The fear and concern about the impact on the world by the level of consumption and waste generated is legitimate. We are convinced that it is possible to make the necessary changes and still be able to make sound building choices that fulfill both our responsibilities to this earth while enriching the human experience.  We can reduce the environmental impact of our buildings, provide healthy inside spaces  and reduce the long term energy costs by changing our individual expectations and behaviors.

Robin Plume, as a board member of the Northwest Workforce  Council and long time employer, sees first hand the need to focus on Youth and job training.  Drop-out prevention, exposure to the trades, hands-on experiences are all part of GRPC’s committed focus on youth.

As a dedicated craftsman and Rotarian, Gordon Plume participates in many local, community projects. A strong believer in hard work and physical participation, he often offers “on the job training” to other members of the volunteer team when building some of these projects.

Collectively, the Plumes also donate benefit events in Robin’s garden. Filled with structures designed and built by Gordon, surrounded by a lush Northwest garden interspersed with tropicals and hot house specialties, members of the community come together to contribute for the greater good.

We’ve Got Wood! GRPC has sponsored a Ski to Sea Team for many years.  A 90 mile relay race that encompasses seven different sports, Ski to Sea is a favored event in Bellingham, Washington.  GRPC, along with sponsoring a team, has long participated in various ways to help with the reclaimed wood for the team plaques.

As a manufacturer of heavy timber materials, we specialize in the fabrication of innovative architecturally specified timber projects. Honoring the beauty of the wood, each timber is carefully hand-selected for appearance and positioning, then milled to project specifications. Fabrication takes place in a controlled shop environment with precision and skill. Finished packages can include fully jointed timbers, brackets and fasteners, ready for erection by others. The GR Plume Company sets the standard for integrating the beauty of the natural wood into today’s architecture with ingenious solutions, insightful collaborations and a thorough understanding of wood and its applications.

We test and pre-assemble as much as possible the projects in-house before shipment to a jobsite, to ensure the fit of all segments and the client’s peace of mind. Each individual piece is then labeled and carefully packed for shipping. When preparing a project for transport, every effort is made to pack the materials in a fashion that will aid in an efficient assembly process upon arrival. Although we do not install, we offer site visits by our principal, Gordon Plume, to facilitate and consult on the installation process.

What sets GRPC apart from others is our ability to offer precise cutting and fitting done in a shop setting that is a vast improvement over field work.  Working closely with the Design Professional, we help anticipate and overcome many of the problems that occur with complicated design directives.  A boon to the General Contractor, pre-assembly makes actual installation move quickly and efficiently, often saving time and money on the jobsite.

Such a column is fabricated as either solid members or hollow Purforma, and can be made using a wide variety of species and in any shape (square, hexagonal, octagonal, round, etc.) the client desires.

Our solid glued columns have the same strength of standard solid sawn timber and the Purforma (hollow) columns can be filled with sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) to enhance column stability, and with all our other products, glue lines on all products are rendered invisible through the use of a chemically neutral polymer glue and careful sanding. With our process, a hollow channel can be left through the middle of the column, allowing for features such as pipes, wires or steel tie-ins for extra load-bearing capacity to be easily incorporated. Engineered wood columns (which provide additional strength and the peace of mind of APA/EWS certification) are an option. FSC lumber is available upon request (subject to availability restrictions for some exotic species) for sustainability requirements.

We do business with a wide variety of metalworkers, allowing us to provide a wide variety of connectors, from antique to modern. Mounting hardware can be manufactured to the client’s specifications, both cosmetic and structurally functional. Such metal brackets can be finished in any fashion desired, from raw or stainless steel to bead blasted or powder coated.

When the look of metal connections are not desired, “hidden” fastenings can be employed for a clean, poetically simple look and feel. Bolts and brackets are concealed within the joint itself, allowing the natural beauty of wood to express fully within a space.

Although we do not design or engineer any brackets or fastenings, we are happy to work with the client’s design professionals to deliver on the required parameters.

We work with extremely tight tolerances during our shop operations; we do not draw a distinction between “cabinet-grade” and “framing grade” carpentry. Using a precise, highly repeatable system for cutting and joinery, all our trusses are assembled gap-free and exactly to project specifications.

As with all our mill work offerings, trusses are assembled in-house prior to shipping to ensure a perfect fit for all elements. Additionally, trusses can be shipped fully assembled if the customer desires, though extremely large pieces might require special arrangements.