Over 60 Years of Experience
Founded in 1957, Columbia Forest Products is North America’s leading manufacturer of hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer products, which are used to create high-quality cabinetry, fine furniture, architectural millwork and commercial fixtures. Columbia’s products are sold through a network of wholesale distributors, mass merchandisers and original equipment manufacturers.
Our Purpose Statement: Significant Service
“To significantly serve our customers, employee owners and their families, our communities and natural resources.”
Hardwood Plywood
Columbia maintains a strong market presence in every plywood species, core and size category, including veneer core, medium density fiberboard (MDF), combination core and particleboard core. Wood species include ash, birch, cherry, hickory, maple, red oak, alder, walnut and many others.
In 1999, Columbia’s Klamath Falls, Oregon, plant began producing its plywood using logs harvested from Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®) certified forestland. Today all of Columbia’s plywood and veneer mills hold FSC chain of custody certified by Rainforest Alliance, an independent, non-governmental organization with the published aims of working to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. By buying products with an FSC label you are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide.
Read MoreHardwood Veneer
Columbia veneer is created using Northern Appalachian hardwoods such as birch, red oak, maple, ash, poplar, cherry, hickory, pine, walnut and others. Columbia’s rotary cut veneer ranges in thickness from 1/30 to 1/42 inches and is supplied throughout the decorative plywood, furniture, cabinetry, door and profile-wrap industries.
Columbia Forest Products Timeline
1957
- Klamath Hardwoods hardwood plywood mill started with 43 employees.
1963
- Klamath Hardwoods sold to Columbia Plywood Corporation.
1966
- Columbia Plywood Corporation purchased Indian Head hardwood veneer operations in Presque Isle, Maine and Newport, Vermont.
1976
- Columbia Corporation sold to the current owners (ESOP), who changed the name to Columbia Forest Products.
1982
- Built the hardwood plywood manufacturing plant in Old Fort, North Carolina.
1986
- Acquired two hardwood plywood plants in Chatham, Virginia and Trumann, Arkansas.
1989
- Acquired Laminated Products Division in Thomasville, North Carolina.
- Acquired hardwood veneer manufacturing mill, Rutherglen, Ontario, Canada.
- Acquired half-round slicing operation in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.
1990
- Built Craigsville, West Virginia poplar core veneer plant.
1996
- Acquired two hardwood plywood plants in Danville, Virginia and DeQueen, Arkansas.
- Acquired two hardwood plywood plants in Canada – Hearst, Ontario and St. Casimir, Quebec.
- Converted Laminated Product Division to Columbia Flooring.
1997
- Acquired hardwood plant in Cuthbert, Georgia.
- Purchased the veneer raised panel and door insert plant, Columbia Wood Components, Corpus Christi, Texas.
- Launched corporate website.
1998
- Closed DeQueen, AR, hardwood plywood plant.
1999
- Columbia Flooring subsidiary converted Danville plywood plant to produce engineered hardwood flooring; acquired equity position in Arkansas-based Century Flooring.
- Closed New Freedom, PA, slicing plant.
2000
- Expansions underway at Trumann, Arkansas; Craigsville, West Virginia; Klamath Falls, Oregon; and Hearst, Ontario, Canada hardwood plywood plants.
- Acquired hardwood veneer manufacturing mill, Mellen, Wisconsin.
2001
- Sold Thomasville, NC, laminate flooring plant to Belgium-based Unilin.
- Sold Corpus Christi, TX, veneer raised panel and door insert plant.
- Partnered with West Virginia-based International Industries in constructing Holden, WV, solid-strip hardwood flooring plant.
2002
- Closed Manchester, KY, plywood plant.
- Acquired Nipigon, Ontario, Canada, hardwood plywood underlayment plant.
2003
- Acquired Millwood Specialty Flooring (solid strip hardwood flooring), Ellijay, Georgia; completed equity buyout of Century Flooring, Melbourne, Arkansas.
2004
2007
- Sold Columbia Flooring division to Mohawk Industries.
2008
- Corporate office relocated to Greensboro, NC; Brad Thompson named CEO.
2009
- 35 million panels made with PureBond technology milestone met.
2011
- 50 million panels made with PureBond technology milestone met.
2012
- Joins GreenWood Resources and The Collins Companies to use specially planted FSC®-certified Pacific Albus from a tree farm in Boardman, OR.
2013
- Re-brands with new logo, mission statement and tagline.
- Built Boardman, Oregon veneer plant.
2014
- Launches new corporate website.
- New consumer-facing PureBond hardwood plywood website launched.
- Columbia Forest Products named a winner of the FSC®Leadership Award in the Forest Stewardship Council US’s Conservation Champions for 2014.
- Columbia’s MPX® panels used in GreenWood Resources (GWR), office expansion, which resulted in the seventh U.S.-based Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Project Certification.
2015
- DesignEdge™ Columbia’s newest, lighter weight, multi-ply panel launched.
- Columbia Forest Products recognized as a 20 year supplier member by the North American Building Material Distribution Association.
