West Fraser Timber Co. history, profile and corporate video
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. is a diversified wood products company headquartered in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. It has more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
West Fraser produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips, and renewable energy.
HISTORY
West Fraser was founded in 1955 when three brothers – Sam, Bill and Pete Ketcham – pooled their resources to buy a small planing mill in Quesnel, British Columbia.
In 1963, Brownmiller Bros. Lumber Co. was acquired.
In 1967, West Fraser acquired the Atlin Sawmills. The same year, West Fraser ventured into home retail and building supplies with the purchase of Garner’s Building Supply Store in Quesnel.
In 1975, Pacific Inland Resources was purchased.
In 1976, Fraser Lake Sawmills Ltd. was acquired.
In 1978, West Fraser acquired Northern Wood Preservers in Dawson Creek.
In 1979, Chetwynd Forest Industries was acquired.
In 1981, West Fraser acquired a 40% interest in Eurocan Pulp & Paper, and in 1993 acquired the whole company.
In 1988, Revelstoke Building Supply Stores was acquired.
In 1989, West Fraser, together with Whitecourt Newsprint Co. Ltd. Partnership and its partners, formed Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC) to construct and operate a newsprint mill at Whitecourt, Alberta.
In 1995, Blue Ridge Sawmill, Ranger Board MDF, and Slave Lake Pulp Mill were acquired.
In 1999, Zeidler Forest Industries (a plywood plant in Edmonton and a stud mill and veneer plant in Slave Lake) was acquired.
In 2000, West Fraser expanded to the U.S. with the purchase of two sawmills in the southern United States from Plum Creek Timber Co. The same year, Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd.’s sawmill was acquired.
In 2001, Revy Home Centres and retail home improvement operations were sold to RONA Inc.
In 2002, West Fraser increased its ownership in Quesnel River Pulp to 100%.
In 2004, Weldwood of Canada was acquired.
In 2006, Burns Lake and Decker Lake sawmills were sold to Hampton Lumber.
In 2007, West Fraser completed the acquisition of thirteen sawmills in the southern United States from the International Paper Company.
In 2012, Edson Forest Products was acquired.
In 2014, Mansfield sawmill (formerly known as the Travis Lumber Company), High Prairie Forest Products (previously known as Buchanan Lumber) and Russellville sawmill (previously known as the Bibler Brothers Lumber Company) were acquired.
In 2015, Manning Forest Products was acquired.
In 2021, Norbord Inc. was acquired.
PRODUCTS
- Lumber (made from spruce, pine, and fir (or SPF) and southern yellow pine (or SYP);
- Oriented Strand Board (or OSB);
- Engineered Wood (Plywood, MDF, Particleboard, LVL)
- Treated Wood (Pulp & paper (NBSK and BCTMP), Newsprint, Furniture, Wood chips, Other residuals, Energy)
With more than 11,000 employees, West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. is considered one of the largest softwood lumber producers in North America. According to Forbes, it is considered one of the Largest Public Companies in the World.
*Information from Forbes.com, Wikipedia.org, and www.westfraser.com.
**Video published on YouTube by “West Fraser“.
