The Innovators: Structurlam Mass Timber creates the pieces for wood skyscrapers

Tall buildings made of wood are having more than a moment–the number of such construction projects worldwide has taken off over the past five years, with no sign of stopping. And one of the leading global mass timber suppliers is Penticton-based Structurlam Mass Timber Corp. After nearly six decades developing proprietary...

Credit: Structurlam Mass Timber Corp.

The Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George

After nearly six decades developing its engineered wood products, the Penticton company’s time has come

Tall buildings made of wood are having more than a moment–the number of such construction projects worldwide has taken off over the past five years, with no sign of stopping. And one of the leading global mass timber suppliers is Penticton-based Structurlam Mass Timber Corp. After nearly six decades developing proprietary products like glue-laminated and cross-laminated timber, Structurlam’s time appears to have come as builders seek less carbon-intensive alternatives to steel and concrete construction.

Unlike a sawmill, which produces a highly standardized commodity out of the best timber, the company uses raw material from timber harvested from certified sustainably managed timberlands to create super-strong, custom-measured and -shaped pieces that can be quickly assembled at the building site like Lego. Already operating three plants in the South Okanagan employing 290 staff, this year Structurlam plans to open its first U.S. facility, in Conway, Arkansas.