What Element5 does

Element5 is a privately held Canadian mass timber manufacturer specializing in the design, fabrication, and assembly of engineered wood structures, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Toronto with primary manufacturing operations in St. Thomas, Ontario. The company produces Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels up to 3.5m wide and 16m long, Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) beams and columns, nanoCLT for interior applications, Cross-Laminated Insulated Panels (CLIPs) for building envelopes, and Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT) as a cost-effective alternative. Manufacturing is conducted at a 137,000 sq.ft. automated facility using CNC 5-axis technology from Ledinek, with capacity scaling to 100,000 m³ annually by mid-2025 following HASSLACHER Group's February 2024 strategic investment.

The company operates a B2B business model selling directly to architects, developers, general contractors, and government/institutional clients across commercial, institutional, educational, affordable housing, and industrial segments in Ontario and select US markets (Michigan, New York). Revenue is generated through project-based custom contracts encompassing both physical product sales (CLT, Glulam, nanoCLT, CLIPs, NLT) and professional services including cost consulting, design consulting, timber engineering, and assembly assistance — packaged as a single-point integrated solution. Pricing is quote-based on project specifications with multi-year contract cadence.

Element5 holds ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019 and FSC Chain of Custody certifications required for institutional and LEED-certified projects, and is partially owned by Austria-based HASSLACHER Group since February 2024. Notable completed projects include the TRCA Headquarters (85,000 sq.ft., LEED Platinum), Prologis Evergreen (North America's first mass timber warehouse, 62% embodied carbon reduction vs steel), KRESA Career Connect Campus ($85M project value), and multiple affordable/supportive housing developments. The company has received cumulative provincial funding exceeding $16M through Ontario's Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan and employs 200+ people following recent expansion.

Name

Element5

Legal name

Element5 Limited Partnership

Website

https://elementfive.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Element5 is a Canadian mass timber manufacturer (founded 2015) producing CLT, Glulam, nanoCLT, CLIPs, and NLT panels for architects, developers, general contractors, and government/institutional clients in Ontario and select US markets, with integrated design, engineering, fabrication, and assembly services delivered as a single-point solution from its St. Thomas, Ontario facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mass Timber / Engineered Wood Products

NAICS

Engineered Wood Member Manufacturing (321215), Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992), Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212)

SIC

Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Timber & Structural Engineered Wood (CLT, Glulam, NLT/DLT) (IMADADAC)

Keywords

• Mass timber manufacturing
• Cross-laminated timber
• Engineered wood products
• Prefabricated timber construction
• Timber structural engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mass Timber Product Sales: Element5 generates revenue through the sale of prefabricated mass timber products including CLT panels, Glulam beams and columns, nanoCLT, and CLIPs. Products are manufactured to specification based on project requirements and sold as components for construction projects.
2. Engineering and Consulting Services: Provides cost consulting, design consulting, timber engineering, and 3D modeling services. Connection design and structural engineering services are offered either in-house or through their network of third-party mass timber service providers.
3. Assembly Services: Offers assembly assistance for mass timber projects, providing coordination of transportation and on-site assembly support as part of their integrated customer-oriented approach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Element5 manufactures prefabricated mass timber building components, including Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glulam beams and columns, nanoCLT, Cross-Laminated Insulated Panels (CLIPs), and Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT), at its automated St. Thomas, Ontario facility. The company complements manufacturing with cost consulting, design consulting, timber engineering, fabrication, and on-site assembly assistance, delivering mass timber projects as a single-point solution for architects, developers, owners, and general contractors.

Product overview

Element5 is a mass timber manufacturer offering an integrated portfolio of engineered wood products for the construction industry. The core product lineup centers on Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) as the primary structural panel system, complemented by Glulam for beams and columns. The product range extends to specialized variants including nanoCLT for interior finishing applications and CLIPs (Cross-Laminated Insulated Panels) for building envelope solutions. The company also offers NLT as a cost-effective alternative. Element5 provides these products alongside design consulting, engineering, fabrication, and assembly services as a single-point solution for mass timber construction projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Engineered structural wood panels made from multiple layers of dimensional lumber bonded together, used as primary structural components for floors, walls, roofs, and elevator/stair cores in mass timber construction. Element5 manufactures CLT up to 3.5m wide, 16m long, and 380mm thick in 3, 5, 7, and 9-layer configurations, with edge-glued seamless surfaces and ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019 certification.
• Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber) Engineered wood product made from stress-rated dimension lumber bonded with water-resistant adhesives under pressure, used as columns, beams, rafters, purlins, and bracing in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial construction. Element5 manufactures Glulam to CSA 0122 standards with tolerances within +/- 2mm.
• nanoCLT Thin 3-layer Cross-Laminated Timber panels starting at 19mm (¾ inch) thickness, used as interior wall and ceiling panels, exterior soffits, cabinetry, and millwork. Provides bidirectional structural integrity as an alternative to plywood and 2x6 decking, with a quality interior finish.
• CLIPs (Cross-Laminated Insulated Panels) Prefabricated insulated building envelope solution based on CLT, factory-built with customizable R-values and thermal performance (including Passive House standards). Integrated insulation such as wood fiber or expanded polystyrene can include pre-installed windows, doors, and cladding for rapid on-site assembly.
• NLT (Nail-Laminated Timber) Cost-effective alternative to CLT using nail-laminated boards to create panel products with unidirectional span capacity and aesthetic qualities similar to historic brick-and-beam buildings. Used for floors, roofs, and occasionally stair/elevator cores in low-rise commercial, industrial, and mid-rise buildings (3-12 stories).
• Manufacturing Services Automated CNC 5-axis fabrication of mass timber components to project specifications at the St. Thomas, Ontario facility, including precision cutting, edge-gluing, and prefabrication of CLT, Glulam, nanoCLT, CLIPs, and NLT products to CSA and ANSI/APA standards.
• Cost Consulting Early-stage cost estimation and consulting services for mass timber construction projects, helping architects, developers, and contractors evaluate feasibility, total project cost, and cost optimization across structural and envelope elements.
• Design Consulting Design-phase consulting and coordination services for mass timber projects, supporting architects and developers with buildability, constructability, and integration of timber structural and envelope elements.
• Timber Engineering Structural timber engineering services including connection design and 3D modeling for mass timber buildings, delivered either in-house or through Element5's network of third-party mass timber engineering providers.
• Assembly Assistance On-site assembly support for mass timber projects, including coordination of transportation and assembly assistance as part of Element5's integrated customer-oriented approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% reduction in embodied carbon emissions compared to steel skeleton structures
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SCS Global ServicescoreTechnology or Integration · 16 April 2021SCS Global Services provided FSC Chain of Custody certification for Element5's St. Thomas manufacturing facility, verifying responsible sourcing of wood products from FSC certified forests.
• PFS TECOcoreTechnology or Integration · 6 April 2021PFS TECO of Cottage Grove, WI provided certification services for Element5's CLT manufacturing under the ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019 Standard for Performance-Rated Cross-Laminated Timber. This certification is required for CLT products in Canada and the United States.
• LedinekcoreTechnology or Integration · 6 April 2021Ledinek provided the manufacturing equipment and technology for Element5's highly automated, state-of-the-art CLT and glulam production line at the St. Thomas facility.
• WRC Timber Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Element5 formed a strategic partnership with WRC Timber Inc. along with First Nations and local community partners who own two sawmills in Northwestern Ontario and a Sustainable Forest License. This partnership provides vertical integration from forest to finished product, enabling Element5 to control their supply chain and produce exceptional quality FSC Certified lumber in the unique format required for CLT production.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Structurlam: Canadian mass timber manufacturer producing CLT, Glulam, and prefabricated timber building components, serving commercial, institutional, and industrial projects across North America. Closest direct competitor to Element5 in product mix and go-to-market.
• Nordic Structures: Quebec-based mass timber manufacturer of CLT, Glulam, and prefabricated timber structures with deep North American project experience. Competes head-to-head with Element5 on Canadian institutional and commercial builds.
• SmartLam North America: US-based CLT manufacturer with facilities in Montana and Alabama supplying mass timber panels and beams for commercial, industrial, and multi-family projects. Comparable product portfolio and project-based sales model to Element5.
• Mercer Mass Timber: US mass timber operation of Mercer International producing CLT for North American construction markets. Competes with Element5 on large-format CLT supply and engineered wood building solutions.

Emerging players

• Ligna Build: Emerging North American mass timber supplier focused on CLT and Glulam for mid-rise and commercial construction. Comparable product offering and target customer base to Element5, though at an earlier scale stage.

Broad incumbents

• Stora Enso: Global Finnish-Swedish forest products major with a substantial CLT and engineered wood division serving European and North American construction. Operates as a broad incumbent with deeper capital and product breadth than Element5.
• Binderholz: Austrian family-owned mass timber and sawn timber producer with CLT, Glulam, and cross-laminated solid wood deck elements. Competes with Element5 as a European incumbent entering or supplying North American mass timber projects.
• Boise Cascade: Major North American building products distributor and engineered wood (I-joists, LVL) manufacturer with growing interest in mass timber. Overlaps with Element5 in engineered wood components and B2B supply to commercial builders.

Others

• Katerra (legacy): Former US mass timber and prefab construction startup that filed for bankruptcy in 2021; included as a cautionary comparable for capital-intensive, vertically integrated mass timber business models similar to Element5's ambition.
• Rothoblaas: Italian supplier of timber construction hardware, connectors, and CLT fastening systems. Adjacent ecosystem participant supplying tools and components used in mass timber projects similar to those Element5 delivers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elementfiveco
• Facebookfacebook.com/elementfiveco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elementfiveco

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Element5