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Prince George, B.C. – A Prince George technology entrepreneur has put his talents to use to help with economic development in Likely, B.C.

John Makowsky, owner of Vector Finesse, says he was there earlier this month to help the Likely-Xat’sull Community Forest make use of its dowell machine to proto-type wooden knitting needles and manufacture them locally.

“So basically to kind of give them an extra layer on top of their value added wood products they have coming out of there,” says Makowsky. “The other offshoot I see from conducting workshops there is bringing more self-sufficiency to the area.”

For example manufacturing customized goods like locally made phone cases or souvenir models of the hydraulic monitors from the old Bullion mine just outside of town.

3D Printer

“It also ties in to the creative problem solving and rapid prototyping too,” says Makowsky.

“They can decide if they want to monetize their ideas, and either take their prototypes to be mass produced, or manufacture small amounts locally to sell.”

Through the use of two 3D printers he took with him, he says prototyping also allows them to make little wooden pieces they would usually have to pick up in nearby Williams Lake.

Makowsky says the local school was excited by what they saw.

“They’re interested in figuring out a way to integrate that into some of the teaching they’re doing and allow the kids to put together projects that they will then design.”

Makowsky says it was exciting to see the locals catch on so quickly.

“The biggest thing for me is they’re off the beaten path but now they have this tool that allows them to compete with other people who are in maybe a larger centre with better access to tools like the one they now have,” he says.

“The whole project was about accessibility, the localization and the self-sufficiency to kind of add to their economic development.”

Makowsky says the project was the result of a partnership between Two Rivers Gallery and the Likely-Xat ‘sull Community Forest.

He says Vector Finesse was called on to provide 3D technology integration expertise.