Kalesnikoff Plans Mass Timber Plant

Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. announced it intends to build North America’s most advanced, fully integrated, multi-species mass timber manufacturing facility in South Slocan, BC, which will create 50 jobs.

Kalesnikoff’s $35 million mass timber investment will encompass construction of a 110,000 sq. ft. building, and the purchase of state-of-the-art processing equipment and technology from leading companies including Denmark-based Kallesoe Machinery and Canadian-based Conception RP.

“We see mass timber as a natural and exciting innovation and next step for our company and team,” says Chris Kalesnikoff, Chief Operating Officer of Kalesnikoff Lumber. “We’ve done extensive research to ensure our new world-class equipment will create exceptionally high-quality cross-laminated timber and glulam beams. Our focus will be on full integration from the forest through cutting, drying, and manufacturing to the final finished and delivered products.”

Cross-laminated timber and glulam, also known as mass timber, are well established and widely used in Europe. Leading architects, engineers, designers and project managers around the world, including in North America, are increasingly seeking high-quality, custom mass timber products to create sustainable, stunning and energy-efficient buildings, according to Kalesnikoff.

This facility is scheduled to open in late 2019 with a full product line by the summer of 2020. To mark this significant evolution, the company has rebranded, including a new logo and tagline “Timber Inspires” that reflects the endless possibilities of wood, and the intersection of design, engineering and construction using Kalesnikoff mass timber products.

Kalesnikoff Lumber was founded in 1939 in the West Kootenays and has practiced sustainable forest management for 80 years. The company currently has 150 employees and manufactures specialty wood products across various local species.