Planar Creations

It's 8am on an otherwise ordinary looking February Morning, except that today (Feb 13) is Planar Creation's grand opening. I was thinking on my way in about how having a grand opening presents today as a beginning. That's true in a way, but like most 'beginnings', there are deep roots that go back a long way.

Planar Creations' roots are firmly planted in a company called Protocase (www.protocase.com). At first glance, the connection is probably not obvious, as Protocase makes electronic enclosures for engineers and designers, a subject far removed from tile art. However, Protocase works in a highly creative part of engineering. Its customers begin with visions of the electronic devices that they are creating, and, simply stated, Protocase is in the business of turning their creative thoughts into real physical objects, as quickly and simply as possible.

We've become very successful at the process of making physical copies of creative thoughts, and, after a while, we began to see other places where we could apply what we've learned. I have one foot planted in another fascinating creative field, architecture (through my role as founder of a company called Advanced Glazings Ltd.)  This made me aware of the challenge that architects face in turning their creative visions into reality. They are always constrained by the availability of products and contracting services. There is no point designing something that can't be built. Also, there is no point designing something that is too expensive for their client to pay for, or something with a lead time too long to fit the construction schedule.

The final part of the inspiration comes from living on the island of Cape Breton, surrounded by artists and musicians. These people create beauty on a daily basis, but I'm often struck by how difficult it is for many of them to make a living.

Then came our own creative leap: what if we could harness this largely untapped sea of creativity, and turn it into reality through our own advanced manufacturing processes? Could we make it practical and cost-effective for ordinary people to integrate art in their homes and businesses?

Well, it's now opening day, and we're actually up and running. Stay tuned to see how the story unfolds.

Doug Milburn