What Canoe Forest Products does

Canoe Forest Products Ltd. is a privately held Canadian plywood and veneer manufacturer operating as a division of the Gorman Group of Companies from its headquarters and main mill on the shores of Shuswap Lake near Salmon Arm, British Columbia. The company produces Douglas Fir Plywood (DFP) and Canadian Softwood Plywood (CSP) as its foundational structural sheathing products, supplemented by a specialty portfolio that includes Good One Side (G1S) sanded plywood, JONA-Ply® and ULTRA-lay underlayment, Douglas Fir Select Oiled & Edge-Sealed (O&ES) concrete forming panels, and Select/Plug & Touch Sand (PTS) plywood for industrial uses. Manufacturing is supported by 175+ employees, an annual production capacity of approximately 145 million square feet (18,000 sheets per day), and consumption of roughly 245,000 cubic metres of fibre annually sourced from BC interior forests (Douglas fir, hemlock, spruce, larch). The technical backbone includes XY line-scanning laser sensors at the lathe, automated veneer grading, computer-controlled pressing at 175-200 PSI, heat conditioning of logs at 60°C for 12-14 hours, and natural gas drying at 177°C. The company is Canada's first plywood mill certified under Japan's JAS standards and holds SFI, PEFC Chain of Custody, CSA 0121/0151, PS-1, APA, and NAUF certifications. Since being acquired by Gorman Bros. Lumber from Federated Co-operatives Limited in 2012, more than CAD $50 million has been invested in modernizing the mill.

The company sells plywood products through a hybrid go-to-market: a dedicated commercial developer team provides technical support and specification guidance directly to builders, developers, architects, designers, and installers bidding on commercial and multi-family projects, while a dealer/retailer network with an online locator serves mid-market and retail customers across Western Canada. International markets include the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan (where JAS certification is a prerequisite). Primary customer segments are construction (professional builders, contractors, and construction companies using structural sheathing), industrial and manufacturing (furniture, crating, pallets, materials handling), commercial developers (large-scale retail and multi-family projects), and retail/homeowners (through dealer networks). Revenue is generated through hardware sales of plywood panels and by-product streams (chips, peeler cores, hog fuel). The company also sources peeler logs through the BC Ministry of Forests official program and from major licensees, BC Timber Sales, woodlots, and private timber holders, with close working relationships with multiple First Nations communities and a reforestation program that plants 800,000 to 1.4 million trees annually — nearly double the government requirement. The company is preparing for a 2026 CEO transition, with Ashlee Cribb assuming the CEO role from Nick Arkle on July 1, 2026.

Name

Canoe Forest Products

Legal name

Canoe Forest Products Ltd.

Website

https://canoefp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Canoe Forest Products is a privately held British Columbia plywood manufacturer producing Douglas Fir and Canadian Softwood plywood plus specialty panels for construction, industrial, commercial developer, and retail customers across Western Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan, operating as a division of the Gorman Group of Companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineered Wood Products / Structural Plywood Manufacturing

NAICS

Softwood Veneer and Plywood Manufacturing (321212)

SIC

Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Softwood Plywood Manufacturing (IMAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plywood & Panel Products Distribution (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Particleboard) (IMAMAIAC)

Keywords

• Structural plywood manufacturing
• Softwood veneer production
• Construction sheathing products
• Douglas Fir plywood
• Engineered wood panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Salmon Arm

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plywood Product Sales: Sale of Douglas Fir and Canadian Softwood plywood products including structural sheathing, sanded plywood, underlayment, and specialty panels. Products are sold to construction companies, builders, developers, industrial manufacturers, and through dealer networks.
2. Log Purchase and Sales: The company purchases peeler logs throughout British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests official program and sells processed wood products including chips, peeler cores, and hog fuel as by-products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canoe Forest Products manufactures and sells a portfolio of softwood plywood and veneer products under the CANOE brand, including Douglas Fir Plywood (DFP), Canadian Softwood Plywood (CSP), sanded and underlayment panels, oiled and edge-sealed forming panels, and Plug & Touch Sand panels. The company sources logs through the BC Ministry of Forests program and operates an advanced mill in Salmon Arm, BC with XY scanning, automated grading, and computer-controlled pressing to produce approximately 145 million square feet of plywood annually.

Product overview

Canoe Forest Products operates as a single-brand manufacturer producing a comprehensive portfolio of plywood and veneer products under the CANOE brand. The product lineup centers on structural and specialty plywood variants including Douglas Fir Plywood (DFP) and Canadian Softwood Plywood (CSP) as foundational sheathing products, supplemented by value-added offerings such as Good One Side (G1S) sanded plywood for finish applications, JONA-Ply® and ULTRA-lay underlayment panels for flooring preparation, Douglas Fir Select Oiled & Edge-Sealed (O&ES) panels for concrete forming, and Select/Plug & Touch Sand (PTS) plywood for industrial uses. All products share a common manufacturing platform utilizing sustainably sourced BC interior fibre, phenolic resin adhesives, cross-laminated engineering, and automated grading/scanning technology, differentiated primarily by veneer quality, thickness, sanding, and edge treatment specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Douglas Fir Plywood (DFP) Premium structural sheathing panel engineered for high-performance construction, featuring cross-laminated veneer engineering and phenolic resin adhesive bonding for a permanent moisture-resistant bond. Manufactured to CSA-0121 and US PS-1 standards for residential, commercial, and industrial construction use.
• Canadian Softwood Plywood (CSP) High-performance unsanded structural panel built to CSA-0151 Canadian Softwood Plywood standards, featuring waterproof phenolic resin adhesive bonding and cross-laminated engineering for two-way strength, dimensional stability, and moisture resistance in construction applications.
• Good One Side (G1S) Sanded Plywood Premium sanded panel characterized by a high-grade face veneer that is repaired and sanded to a smooth uniform surface, with D-grade or better veneer on the back. Designed for applications where appearance and paintability are priorities.
• JONA-Ply® Underlayment Supreme underlayment panel engineered to provide a smooth, stable, and durable base for finish flooring, with puncture-resistant solid-core construction, no voids, a factory-applied non-staining nail grid, and NAUF certification. APA certified and CSA compliant.
• ULTRA-lay Underlayment High-quality underlayment panel for residential and commercial flooring projects, featuring calibrated thickness precision and a fine-sanded face that eliminates grain telegraphing through thin vinyl or resilient flooring.
• Douglas Fir Select: Oiled & Edge-Sealed (O&ES) Concrete forming panel manufactured from premium interior Douglas Fir veneers with a factory-applied release agent and edge sealing. Engineered for below-grade foundations, footings, and structural forming projects requiring high strength-to-weight ratio at an economical price point.
• Select / Plug & Touch Sand (PTS) Plywood Structural panel featuring curated face veneers with open defects plugged before precision sanding, providing a solid tight-knot appearance and snag-free surface. Suited for industrial, material handling, construction, and agricultural applications.
• Log Purchase and Sales Program Sourcing service that purchases high-quality peeler logs from major licensees, BC Timber Sales, woodlots, and private timber holders, managing approximately 245,000 cubic metres of fibre annually. Also sells processed by-products including chips, peeler cores, and hog fuel.

Quantifiable outcome

• 145 million square feet of plywood produced annually, enough to build over 22,000 homes
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FortisBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Canoe Forest Products joined FortisBC's SEM program in 2023, continuing to drive energy awareness throughout all operations at each community as part of the Gorman Energy Management Program.
• BC HydrocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Canoe Forest Products participates in BC Hydro's Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program since 2010 as part of the Gorman Group's commitment to improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout operations.
• Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLPminorOthersProfessional certification and registration services provided by PwC auditors for forest management and sustainability certifications.
• First Nations CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanoe works closely with multiple First Nation communities ensuring sustainable forest management from harvesting to replanting. The company is committed to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and maintains respectful, collaborative relationships.
• Ministry of Forests (British Columbia)coreOthersOfficial program partner for log scaling and procurement throughout British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests' official program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tolko Industries: Major Canadian softwood plywood, veneer, and lumber producer operating mills across BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan with a similar Douglas fir and softwood product mix, making it the most direct Canadian comparator for Canoe's specialty softwood plywood business.
• Ainsworth Lumber (now Conifex Timber / merged assets): Canadian softwood plywood and OSB producer historically focused on value-added engineered wood panels in BC, sharing Canoe's specialty softwood plywood positioning and North American construction customer base.
• West Fraser Timber: One of North America's largest integrated forest products companies producing softwood plywood, OSB, lumber, and engineered wood across BC and Alberta, directly comparable in geography, fibre mix, and end-market exposure to Canoe.
• J.D. Irving (Irving Forest Products / JDI Woodlands): Major Canadian forest products group producing softwood plywood, OSB, and engineered wood for construction markets, with similar product breadth, customer mix, and sustainability certification profile as Canoe.

Regional players

• Western Forest Products: BC-based forest products company producing specialty lumber and veneer products for North American and Asian markets, with a coastal fibre base and similar export orientation to Japan, comparable to Canoe as a BC forest products specialist.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia-Pacific Wood Products: Large US-based manufacturer of plywood, OSB, and engineered wood products for residential and commercial construction, an established incumbent competing with Canoe in commodity and specialty structural panels across North America.
• Weyerhaeuser Company: One of the world's largest integrated forest products companies producing softwood plywood, OSB, and engineered wood, with US and Canadian operations, competing with Canoe in the broader structural panel market though with vastly larger scale and product breadth.
• Louisiana-Pacific Corporation: Large publicly-traded US-based engineered wood products manufacturer producing OSB, siding, and specialty panels for residential and commercial construction, a broader incumbent that competes with Canoe in structural sheathing and underlayment end-markets.

Peers

• Boise Cascade Company:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/canoefp
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanoeForestProducts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canoe-forest-products-ltd.

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Canoe Forest Products