ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JULY/AUGUST 2024 23 materials, coated with paint, will last 20 to 25 years. There’s not another bench out there right now that lasts that long. In addition, the materials are incredibly maintenance free. The epoxy paint and the PAR pieces are coated with a material that’s graffiti resistant, so it can be power washed off. The composite lumber and rubber can be power washed once or twice a year and kept looking new for a long time. This gives cities with our installations an advantage from a maintenance standpoint as well. And finally, our products are fully assembled when they leave the plant to be delivered. A purchasing community only needs a forklift and a few straps to remove the Canvus finished piece from the truck and place it where it’s going to be for the rest of its life. What is your current capacity and is it scalable? Scalability was one of the driving factors behind creating Canvus. We didn’t want to be a one off. And we didn’t want to be a science fair project that made a few cool benches but couldn’t really make an impact beyond that. We do believe it’s scalable. We have excess capacity at our current manufacturing location, room to expand at that location, and the option to expand across the country. The hardest part was developing the footprint for new locations. We had to create a method for determining the facility size, equipment, and staff needed to run a specific location. Now that we have that figured out, we could have a new facility up and running within 4-6 months. Our current capacity right now handles about 2000 blades per year upcycled into furniture. What are the future plans and goals for the company? We would like to continue to make as large an impact as we can on this problem that has plagued the industry for years, create as many amazing and epic products as we can to go out to communities and inspire citizens, and continue to work with the industry and communities to be part of a solution that betters everyone. That’s a win for everyone. ~AM&P For more information: Savannah Kowalski, senior director of brand, Canvus, 18500 Lake Rd., Rocky River, OH 44116, 216.340.7500, info@gocanvus.com, gocanvus.com. A cra sman smooths the recycled rubber cushion for a bench seat. Examples of finished benches are showcased in the company’s gallery. Multiple PAR pieces are ready to be shipped.
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