News Release Archive
ECONOMIC RENEWAL--LUMBER COMPANY PLANS MAJOR EXPANSION
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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.
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Contact: Linda Laffin 902-424-6810
trp Oct. 25, 1995