Nicholson and Cates

What Nicholson and Cates does

Nicholson Cates Limited is a privately held Canadian manufacturer and distributor of lumber and building materials, founded in 1908 in Burlington, Ontario and currently operating through an integrated manufacturing-and-distribution model. The company controls two lumber mills — in Ohsweken, Ontario (approximately 20 million board feet annually) and Peel, New Brunswick (approximately 22 million board feet annually) — producing dimensional lumber, furring strips, pallet stock, industrial hardwood, and custom-milled components, alongside a 30-acre distribution centre in Caledonia, Ontario that is among Canada's largest lumber and building products distribution facilities. The Caledonia site combines indoor and outdoor storage with rail and container re-load capabilities, and the company operates its own truck fleet for just-in-time delivery, vendor-managed inventory, and managed logistics services for customers across North America. The company is also an authorized distributor of third-party premium brands including TREX, James Hardie, Ready Pine, Cape Cod, MiraTEC, Extira, Fusion Stone, Light Trim, Benjamin Obdyke, FastenMaster, Atlas EnergyShield, Arauco, Georgia Pacific, and Weyerhaeuser TimberStrand, offering a broad portfolio across lumber, plywood, specialty panels, siding, trim, decking, fastening, insulation, and infrastructure products.

The company serves five primary customer segments: prefabricated home manufacturers, retailers, infrastructure projects, industrial packaging manufacturers, and cabinet and furniture manufacturers, with secondary export partnerships. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with the company offering custom order management, mixed-load shipments, kiln-drying, finishing, and grading services. Certifications include FSC C109634 (chain-of-custody), ISPM-15, IPPC-HT, LEED, CARB ULEF/NAF, OSHA, CSA, and ANSI compliance, enabling access to export markets and green building projects. The company is family-rooted with long-tenured employee ownership: after the 1969 employee-led buyout from the Nicholson family, the Livermore family led the company for decades, and in 2022 a Management Buy-Out transitioned ownership to a broader group of longstanding employees. Morgan Wellens was appointed President in 2024, with Jim Livermore serving as Chairman and CEO.

Name

Nicholson and Cates

Legal name

Nicholson Cates Limited

Website

https://niccates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nicholson Cates is a privately held Canadian manufacturer and distributor of lumber and building materials, operating two mills producing 42+ million board feet annually and a 30-acre distribution centre, serving prefab home manufacturers, retailers, infrastructure, industrial packaging, and cabinet/furniture customers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Lumber and Building Materials Distribution: Nicholson Cates generates revenue through distribution of lumber and building materials including plywood, specialty panels, decking, siding, trim, and millwork products. The company serves as a distributor for premium brands including TREX, James Hardie, Ready Pine, Cape Cod, and others.
2. Lumber Manufacturing: Revenue from in-house lumber milling operations at Ohsweken, Ontario (20+ million board feet annually) and Peel, NB (22+ million board feet annually). Products include dimensional lumber, furring strips, pallet components, and industrial products.
3. Logistics and Delivery Services: Integrated logistics and delivery services using company-owned truck fleet. Services include just-in-time delivery, rail and container re-load capabilities, and vendor-managed inventory programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Nicholson and Cates is a Canadian lumber and building materials manufacturer and distributor. The company produces and supplies lumber and related wood products to prefab manufacturers, retailers, infrastructure projects, industrial packaging manufacturers, and cabinet and furniture manufacturers.

Product overview

Nicholson Cates is a Canadian manufacturer and distributor of lumber and building materials operating an integrated business model that combines in-house milling operations with broad distribution of third-party brands. The company operates two lumber mills in Ohsweken, Ontario and Peel, New Brunswick producing approximately 42 million board feet annually, alongside a 30-acre distribution center in Caledonia, Ontario. The product portfolio spans seven core categories: (1) Lumber including dimensional lumber, furring strips, pallet stock, timbers, industrial hardwood, fire retardant lumber, and custom milling services; (2) Plywood covering softwood, marine grade, fire rated, OSB, Baltic birch, and hardwood plywood; (3) Specialty Panels including particleboard, MDF, fire rated panels, Timberstrand LSL, thermally fused laminates, and FSC-certified products; (4) Decking & Railings featuring Trex composite products and FastenMaster fasteners; (5) Siding encompassing James Hardie fiber cement, Cape Cod prefinished wood, Ready Pine, Cedar, St-Laurent, Fusion Stone, Light Trim, and Benjamin Obdyke weather protection systems; (6) Trim & Millwork including Extira composite panels, Razor PVC, and MiraTEC trim boards; (7) Infrastructure products such as concrete forming panels, lagging/shoring/timbers, custom engineered products, and scaffold planks; and (8) Insulation featuring Atlas EnergyShield continuous insulation. The company distributes well-known industry brands including TREX, James Hardie, ReadyPine, Cape Cod, and others while maintaining proprietary NC Premium grade specifications for cedar products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dimensional Lumber Standard cut lumber products in various dimensions for construction, framing, and general building use; supplied to prefab manufacturers, retailers, and infrastructure projects.
• Engineered Wood Products Manufactured wood products engineered for structural strength and consistency, used by construction and prefab manufacturers.
• Industrial Packaging Lumber Lumber supplied to industrial packaging manufacturers for the production of pallets, crates, and shipping materials.
• Cabinet and Furniture Wood Products Lumber and panel products supplied to cabinet and furniture manufacturers for millwork and finished product manufacturing.
• Building Materials Distribution Distribution of lumber and building materials to retailers and infrastructure projects across Canada.

Quantifiable outcome

• Consistent quality across every shipment with same high standards for grain, moisture, and finish
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TREXcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNicholson Cates is an authorized distributor of TREX composite decking and railing products. TREX offers composite decking with warranties up to 50 years, available in stylish collections with grooved or square-edge deck boards and matching fascia.
• James HardiecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of James Hardie fiber cement siding and trim products, including lap, panel, and shingle options with complementary soffit and trims. Products available in primed or prefinished with ColorPlus technology.
• Ready PinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Ready Pine prefinished tongue and groove pine products for ceilings and walls. Products include V-Groove, Nickel Gap/Shiplap profiles in 6" or 8" widths with 14 beautiful finishes.
• Cape Cod SidingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Cape Cod prefinished solid wood siding, shingles, and trim products. Cape Cod offers the beauty, warmth, and tradition of real wood siding with factory-applied finishes.
• MiraTECcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of MiraTEC wood composite trim, the first and only wood composite trim to earn an evaluation report from ICC-ES (ESR-3043) and CCMC (14015-L). Offers industry-best 50-year limited warranty.
• ExtiracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Extira panels for exterior applications. Extira performs better than wood and MDF with moisture, rot, and termite resistance, backed by a 10-year limited warranty.
• Fusion StonecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Fusion Stone innovative easy-to-install stone veneer products backed by Shouldice Stone's 70+ years of experience. Patented clip system enables installation in any weather on virtually any surface.
• Light TrimcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Canadian distributor of Light Trim aluminum trims designed for fiber cement siding. 100% Canadian aluminum available in standard and custom colors including James Hardie Statement Collection matches.
• St-LaurentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of St-Laurent fiber cement and engineered wood siding products from Quebec. Dual-tone finish options combining beauty, strength, and durability with weather and UV resistance.
• Benjamin ObdykecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Benjamin Obdyke weather protection systems including Slicker Classic rainscreen, Cedar Breather ventilation mat, HydroGap drainable housewrap, and InvisiWrap SA for building envelope protection.
• FastenMastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of FastenMaster deck fasteners including Cortex hidden fastening system, TrapEase 3 for PVC/composite decking, and Tiger Claw hidden deck clips. Offers complete line of exterior fastening solutions.
• EnergyShield (Atlas)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Atlas EnergyShield continuous insulation boards with closed-cell polyiso foam core. Available in foil face or coated-glass face options providing thermal, air, moisture, and vapor control.
• AraucocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Arauco Prism TFL thermally fused laminates and related products. Offers design-forward aesthetics with commercial-grade durability and sustainable compliant cores.
• Georgia PacificcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Georgia Pacific fire-rated MDF and plywood products for construction and manufacturing applications requiring fire-retardant materials.
• TimberStrand (Weyerhaeuser)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of TimberStrand LSL (Laminated Strand Lumber) door components offering consistent performance without knots, wane, or dimensional defects with proven screw and nail holding ability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Interfor Corporation: Western Canadian lumber producer with a growing U.S. footprint manufacturing dimension lumber and specialty wood products—comparable to N&C as a value-added lumber manufacturer targeting construction and industrial markets.
• Tolko Industries: Privately held Canadian manufacturer of lumber, plywood, and engineered wood products operating mills across Western Canada—comparable to N&C in product mix and private-company profile, though at much larger scale.
• Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP Building Solutions): U.S. manufacturer of engineered wood building products including siding, panels, and trim—directly comparable to N&C's distribution of premium siding and trim brands like James Hardie, MiraTEC, and Extira.
• Boise Cascade Company: U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of engineered wood products, plywood, and lumber with broad building materials distribution—comparable to N&C in combining manufacturing with downstream building products distribution.
• Weyerhaeuser Company: Large U.S. timberland owner and manufacturer of wood products including lumber, panels, and engineered wood serving construction markets—comparable to N&C's FSC-certified lumber and engineered wood offerings at far larger scale.
• Canfor Corporation: One of Canada's largest lumber and pulp producers with extensive U.S. and international distribution, operating integrated sawmills and panel plants—comparable to N&C as a major Canadian lumber manufacturer with North American reach.
• West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. Diversified Canadian wood products company producing lumber, panels, and engineered wood serving North American construction and industrial customers—broadly comparable to N&C's lumber and specialty panel offerings at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Hardwoods Distribution Inc. North American distributor of hardwood lumber, specialty panels, and related building products serving industrial and construction customers—closely comparable to N&C's distribution business and reliance on premium brand representation.
• Goodfellow Inc. Canadian-based distributor and value-added processor of lumber, specialty panels, and building materials serving construction, industrial, and manufacturing customers across North America—closely overlapping with N&C's integrated manufacturing-and-distribution model and customer mix.

Regional players

• J.D. Irving, Limited: Privately held Eastern Canadian conglomerate with substantial forestry, lumber manufacturing, and building products operations in the same geographies (New Brunswick, Ontario) where N&C operates its Peel, NB mill—making it a key regional comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NicholsonCates
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Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Nicholson and Cates