ForestOne
ForestOne is Australia's largest independent distributor of wood-based panels, plywood, timber, and decorative surface materials, serving architects, designers, builders, and joiners through seven national warehouses and its own DESIGNER ONE, PLY, and GROOVE brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1884
- HeadquartersAbbotsford, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ForestOne does
ForestOne (legal entity: Forest One Group Proprietary Limited, ACN 004 560 605) is Australia's largest independent distributor of wood-based panels, plywood, timber, and decorative surface materials, operating for over 140 years since its founding in 1884 as Gunnersen. The company was rebranded to ForestOne in 2015 through the integration of four legacy businesses — Gunnersen, Australian Forest Products, Crown Timber, and ForestOne International — and is headquartered in Abbotsford, Victoria, with a national network of seven warehouses and distribution centres across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, and Townsville, plus a manufacturing facility in Benalla. ForestOne serves B2B trade customers — architects, designers, builders, and joiners/cabinetmakers — through an enterprise field-sales model staffed by specification managers and area managers in each Australian state, supported by showrooms in Melbourne and Cairns and a digital trade-account portal.
The product portfolio spans structural plywood (marine-grade, bracing, formply, F-rating structural grades), OSB, decorative boards, laminates, compact laminates, worktops, solid surface, flooring, basins and sinks, and linings and cladding. ForestOne distributes three proprietary brands — DESIGNER ONE (Australian-made, PEFC Chain of Custody certified), DESIGNER PLY, and DESIGNER GROOVE — alongside exclusive or core distribution rights to partner brands including EGGER (Austria), MEGANITE, Austral Plywoods, Selex, Weathertex, and WallART. The company also markets a dedicated RV/caravan plywood range (RV Lite, RV Elegance, RV Floor) targeting recreational vehicle manufacturers. All products carry FSC or PEFC chain-of-custody certification, and the range includes 100% crystalline silica-free surfaces for occupational health applications.
Revenue is generated through B2B trade distribution of building materials on one-time transactional terms, plus sales of proprietary Australian-made brands. ForestOne does not sell directly to the public, routing consumer demand through hardware resellers and referring customers to certified fabricators. Pricing is quote-based for trade accounts, with sample-kit retail pricing ranging from A$49 (DESIGNER ONE Colour Range) to A$249 (The Responsible Specifier Complete Collection). The company supports its sales motion with multi-channel marketing — website, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, email newsletter, and showroom design consultations — and provides a BIM library, technical data sheets, specification guides, and project gallery resources to support the architect/specifier workflow.
ForestOne firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ForestOne
- Legal name
- Forest One Group Proprietary Limited
- Website
- https://forest.one
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1884
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ForestOne is Australia's largest independent distributor of wood-based panels, plywood, timber, and decorative surface materials, serving architects, designers, builders, and joiners through seven national warehouses and its own DESIGNER ONE, PLY, and GROOVE brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ForestOne industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials Distribution
- NAICS
- Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Wood Product Manufacturing (321), Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Plywood & Panel Products Distribution (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Particleboard) (IMAMAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT) (IMAMAIAD), Forest Products Import/Export & Commodity Merchants (IMAMAIAM), Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI)
Keywords
Where ForestOne is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Abbotsford
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices7 records
Markets served
ForestOne business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Building Materials Distribution: ForestOne generates revenue through distributing wood panels, plywood, timber, and decorative surface materials to trade customers including architects, designers, builders, and joiners across Australia.
- Proprietary Brand Sales: Revenue from sales of owned brands including DESIGNER ONE, DESIGNER PLY, and DESIGNER GROOVE, which are manufactured in Australia.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DESIGNER ONE Colour Range Sample Kit - A$49.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EGGER Decorative Collection - A$79.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | MEGANITE Decorative Collection - A$89.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Responsible Specifier Complete Collection - A$249.00 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
ForestOne product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ForestOne is Australia's largest independent B2B trade distributor of wood-based building materials, supplying plywood, OSB, decorative board, laminate, compact laminate, worktops, solid surface, flooring, basins and sinks, and linings and cladding. The company distributes proprietary Australian-manufactured brands (DESIGNER ONE, DESIGNER PLY, DESIGNER GROOVE) and partner brands (EGGER, MEGANITE, Austral, Weathertex, Selex, WallART) to architects, designers, builders, and joiners across Australia through seven warehouses and dedicated specification managers.
Product overview
ForestOne is Australia's largest independent distributor of wood panel, timber, and decorative surface materials, operating for over 140 years. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products across multiple categories: Plywood (including structural, marine, and decorative grades), OSB, Decorative Board, Laminate, Compact Laminate, Worktops, Solid Surface, Flooring, Basins and Sinks, and Linings and Cladding. ForestOne distributes both proprietary brands (DESIGNER ONE, DESIGNER PLY, DESIGNER GROOVE) and partner brands (Austral, EGGER, MEGANITE, WallART, Selex, Weathertex). The company sources from FSC and PEFC certified forests and operates distribution centers across major Australian cities including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, and Townsville. ForestOne serves trade customers including architects, designers, builders, and joiners through an extensive distribution network of seven warehouses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plywood Engineered wood product made from layers of timber veneer with alternating grain directions, providing strength, stability, and resistance to warping. Used for flooring, ceilings, furniture, and structural applications across residential and commercial construction.
- OSB (Oriented Strand Board) Oriented Strand Board - an engineered panel made from compressed wood strands bonded with adhesive, used for structural applications in construction and joinery.
- Decorative Board Decorative board products featuring various finishes and surface materials for interior applications, including the proprietary DESIGNER ONE Australian-made colour range.
- Laminate Laminate surface materials providing durable, decorative finishes for furniture and interior applications, distributed through ForestOne's partnership with EGGER and other laminate brands.
- Compact Laminate Compact laminate sheets offering high-density, durable surfaces suitable for countertops and wet area applications in commercial and residential environments.
- Worktops Pre-finished surface materials for kitchen and bathroom counters, available in various styles for residential and commercial fit-outs.
- Solid Surface Solid surface materials including acrylic-based options from MEGANITE brand, offering seamless installations for benchtops and wet areas with 100% crystalline silica-free options available.
- Flooring Flooring solutions including decorative and structural products for residential and commercial installations, including EGGER flooring collection.
- Basins and Sinks Basins and sinks for bathroom and kitchen applications, complementing solid surface and benchtop offerings in residential and commercial fit-outs.
- Linings and Cladding Interior and exterior wall cladding solutions including Weathertex Australian-owned cladding and Shadowclad plywood panels for residential and commercial projects.
- DESIGNER ONE Proudly Australian-made colour range including laminate and decorative boards, PEFC Chain of Custody certified and made on recyclable particleboard. Designed for residential and commercial surface applications with silica-free options available.
- DESIGNER PLY Decorative range of plywood specially selected for visual impact, suitable for wall panelling, joinery, and ceiling panels in architectural and interior design applications.
- DESIGNER GROOVE All-purpose wall lining product enabling various design possibilities from period styles to contemporary looks, serving as proprietary grooved plywood panelling solutions.
- Austral Plywoods Leading Australian manufacturer of premium-grade plywood panels, distributed by ForestOne for high-quality plywood solutions for joinery, marine, and structural applications.
- EGGER International wood-based materials manufacturer headquartered in Austria, providing decorative and structural panel products. ForestOne distributes EGGER products in Australia across decorative collections, flooring, and panel ranges.
- MEGANITE Leading solid surface brand innovating with acrylic solid surfaces, providing solutions for benchtops and wet areas. Distributed by ForestOne across Australia.
- WallART Versatile and durable tile alternative for indoor spaces that collect moisture, simple to install. Distributed by ForestOne as a partner brand for bathroom and wet area applications.
- Selex Hallmark of well-finished, resistant plywood panels of high visual quality, structurally certified according to FSC and PEFC international standards. Distributed by ForestOne for joinery, lining, and structural applications.
- Weathertex Australian-owned and manufactured cladding from high-quality materials using environmentally conscious practices. Products are termite resistant with zero added silica, resins or formaldehydes. Distributed by ForestOne for exterior cladding applications.
- Hoop Pine Bendy Ply Flexible hoop pine bendy ply in 4mm thickness for curved joinery, wall lining, and ceiling lining with low VOC. Available in short-grain 1200 x 2400mm and long-grain 2400 x 1200mm sheets.
- Hardwood Marine BS1088 BS1088 hardwood marine plywood in 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 25mm thicknesses at 2440 x 1200mm for high-performance joinery and wet environment applications.
- Hardwood Container Floor Ply Heavy-duty hardwood plywood for structural flooring, container floors, warehouses, and industrial environments. 28mm thickness in 2440 x 1220mm and 2385 x 1200mm formats.
- Selex CpD Non-Structural Plywood Selex CpD non-structural plywood in 7, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 25mm thicknesses at 2400 x 1200mm for cost-effective joinery and wall/ceiling linings with low VOC.
- F22 Hardwood Brace Ply F22 high-strength structural panel for flooring, subfloor systems, structural bracing, and commercial construction with superior load-bearing performance.
- Black Stallion Formply F17 Structural Black Stallion F17 formply in 17mm at 1800 x 1200 and 2400 x 1200 (including textured sheet) and 12mm at 2400 x 1200 for structural and formwork applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% Crystalline Silica-Free surfaces available for benchtop applications
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ForestOne
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ForestOne technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ForestOne partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- EGGERcoreEGGER Group, with head office in Austria (St. Johann in Tirol), is one of the leading international wood-based materials manufacturers. ForestOne distributes EGGER products including decorative collections and flooring in the Australian market.
- MEGANITEcoreMEGANITE builds off long history and expertise to innovate with acrylic solid surfaces. This leading Solid Surface brand focuses on providing solutions of tomorrow. ForestOne distributes MEGANITE products in Australia.
- WeathertexcoreWeathertex is Australian-owned and manufactured cladding from high-quality materials using environmentally conscious practices. Products are termite resistant with zero added silica, resins or formaldehydes.
- Austral PlywoodscoreAustral is a leading Australian manufacturer of premium-grade plywood, specializing in crafting high-quality panels. Austral Plywoods has built a reputation for delivering exceptional plywood solutions.
- SelexcoreSelex is the hallmark of a well-finished, resistant plywood panel of high visual quality. Selex panels are structurally certified according to several international standards, such as FSC and PEFC.
- WallARTminorWallART is a versatile and durable alternative to conventional tiles, simple to install and perfect for any indoor space that collects moisture.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ForestOne competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wesbeam: Australian manufacturer and distributor of engineered wood products (LVL, I-joists, Glulam) for residential and commercial construction. Overlaps with ForestOne on engineered wood distribution and trade customer base, while also competing as an upstream producer.
- Big River Group: Australian timber and building materials distributor with national branches supplying plywood, structural timber, and panel products to the trade. Highly comparable to ForestOne in product range, channel (B2B trade), and Australian geographic focus.
- Plyco Pty Ltd: Australian specialty plywood and panel distributor catering to designers, joiners, and builders with decorative and structural sheet goods. Directly comparable on product mix, customer base (architects/joiners), and specification-led sales approach.
- ITI Australia: Australian distributor and importer of timber, plywood, and panel products serving the building, joinery, and cabinetmaking trades. Closely mirrors ForestOne's trade distribution model and core plywood/OSB portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Bunnings Trade: Trade-focused arm of Australia's largest hardware and building materials retailer, supplying plywood, timber, and panels to builders and trade customers. Comparable as a downstream channel for ForestOne-adjacent products and a competitive threat in commodity lines.
- Carter Holt Harvey: Major Australasian building products manufacturer and distributor with plywood, structural timber, and panel offerings. Comparable as a large-scale supplier into the same construction and joinery channels.
- Austral Plywoods: Leading Australian manufacturer of premium-grade plywood and a ForestOne partner brand. Comparable as a premium plywood supplier serving the same architects, designers, and joinery customers, though operating upstream rather than as a multi-brand distributor.
- Laminex (Fletcher Building): Australia's largest decorative surface and panel brand (part of Fletcher Building), offering laminate, decorative board, and engineered surfaces. Competes with ForestOne's DESIGNER ONE, EGGER, and decorative ranges across architect and joiner specifications.
Others
- EGGER: Austrian-headquartered international wood-based materials manufacturer and ForestOne's key decorative/structural partner. Comparable as a supplier of the same OSB, laminate, and decorative board categories that define ForestOne's premium range, and the principal upstream dependency.
- Weathertex: Australian-owned manufacturer of natural external cladding and wall panels, distributed through ForestOne. Comparable as a partner brand operating in ForestOne's linings and cladding category, addressing sustainability-driven specification.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ForestOne social profiles
Digital presenceForestOne compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
ForestOne financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ForestOne leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
ForestOne funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ForestOne M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ForestOne
What does ForestOne do?
ForestOne is Australia's largest independent B2B trade distributor of wood-based building materials, supplying plywood, OSB, decorative board, laminate, compact laminate, worktops, solid surface, flooring, basins and sinks, and linings and cladding. The company distributes proprietary Australian-manufactured brands (DESIGNER ONE, DESIGNER PLY, DESIGNER GROOVE) and partner brands (EGGER, MEGANITE, Austral, Weathertex, Selex, WallART) to architects, designers, builders, and joiners across Australia through seven warehouses and dedicated specification managers.
Is ForestOne a public or private company?
ForestOne is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was ForestOne founded?
ForestOne was founded in 1884. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ForestOne based?
ForestOne is headquartered in Abbotsford, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does ForestOne make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Building Materials Distribution is the primary driver. The others are proprietary Brand Sales.
Who are ForestOne's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wesbeam, Big River Group, Plyco Pty Ltd and ITI Australia. Broad incumbents are Bunnings Trade, Carter Holt Harvey, Austral Plywoods and Laminex (Fletcher Building). Others are EGGER and Weathertex.
Does ForestOne have an API?
No public API is recorded for ForestOne.
What industry is ForestOne in?
ForestOne's product category is Building Materials Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAIAC, Plywood & Panel Products Distribution (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Particleboard), with a secondary code of IMAMAIAD, Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT). Its NAICS code is 42331 and its SIC code is 5031.