This year marks a special milestone for our company. In 1938 co-founders and brothers-in-law John G. Prentice and L.L.G. “Poldi” Bentley formed Pacific Veneer, a furniture and paneling veneer company on the banks of the Fraser River. The company was on a steady path for growth and eventually was renamed to Canadian Forest Products Limited in 1947.
We are proud of our history and what the company has become today; this includes the rich past that each of our acquisitions have brought to the One Canfor story. While we remember where we came from, we also look forward to the future, and celebrate our 80th anniversary.
The biggest change we’ve seen in the last five years since our 75th anniversary is in regards to our significant growth in the US South with the acquisitions of Southern Lumber, Beadles and Balfour and Anthony Forest Products Company. Our presence in the US South now spans 14 operations across six states.
In British Columbia, we acquired Wynndel Box and Lumber Ltd. in Wynndel, BC and opened two additional pellet plants in Northern BC.
Continuing our interests in growth and expanding our clean energy business stream, we signed a joint venture agreement with Licella Fuels in 2016 to investigate whether Licella’s technology can economically convert wood biomass and pulp mill streams into biocrude that can be used to produce next generation biofuels and biochemicals.
I wish to thank all employees, both past and present, for their dedication to Canfor. It is only through teamwork, determination and steadfastness that we are where we are today. I am very proud of this company and look forward to further growth and success in the future.
Learn more about our company’s first 80 years in the Our History section of our website.