News Release Archive
ECONOMIC RENEWAL--LUMBER COMPANY PLANS MAJOR EXPANSION ----------------------------------------------------------- A long-time Nova Scotian lumber family plans a major expansion of its manufacturing operation and will introduce pressure treated wood products into new markets. The Creelman family is expanding Marwood Limited, a Brookfield wood treatment plant in Colchester County. Marwood plans to manufacture pressure-treated accessory products such as railings, posts and lattice panels for regional and export markets. The expansion will see the company double its full-time workforce, creating 40 new jobs. Fifteen seasonal people are also employed at the Brookfield plant. The Nova Scotia Business Development Corporation has approved a $4.2 million loan to assist Marwood Limited in its major expansion, Economic Renewal Minister Robbie Harrison announced today. The company's expansionary plans include constructing four buildings and buying machinery for separate manufacturing processes. "The Creelman family has been operating sawmills in Nova Scotia since the early 1930's and they've been steadily growing ever since," Mr. Harrison said. "Their expertise in the lumber business, plus their solid management record, and the strong market potential for Marwood's wood treated products makes this an exciting project." The growing demand for pressure treated wood accessory products provides an opportunity for expansion at the Marwood plant in Brookfield. With increasing homeowner demand and the rapid development of the large building supply chain stores, the market for pressure treated wood accessory products is strong in Canada and the United States. Marwood is a dominant player in the pressure-treated wood and accessory market in the Atlantic region, but the majority of its sales result from exports to the U.S. market. "This is exactly the kind of product expansion project the Nova Scotia government is interested in financing," Mr. Harrison said. "Marwood is a traditional resource-based company that is adding value to its existing product line in order to access new export markets. This expansion will produce products of exceptional quality, allowing them to compete in large markets like Quebec and the U.S." Natural Resources Minister Don Downe said he is delighted to see this type of value-added expansion. "Marwood's utilization of spruce, pine and fir in the manufacturing of pressure-treated accessory products is an additional use of these softwood species and that's a plus for our forest industry," said Mr. Downe. "The company will buy lumber from local sawmills and raw logs from landowners presently selling out of Nova Scotia." All raw materials will be sourced within 25 miles of the Brookfield plant. The pressure treatment process utilizes chromated copper arsenate (CCA) which is a non-leaching, water-based preservative. Accordingly, the product is considered much more environmentally friendly than oil based wood treatment processes. The company also operates manufacturing plants at Hammonds Plains, Halifax County, and in Fredericton, N.B. Marwood and its associated companies are major suppliers to large retail building supply companies like Home Depot and Kent Building Supplies. -30- Contact: Linda Laffin 902-424-6810 trp Oct. 25, 1995