Uniboard Expands Particleboard, TFL Capacity; $29M Investment
Uniboard-melamine.jpg

Photo By Uniboard

LAVAL, QUEBEC - Uniboard will invest more than $29 million at its Sayabec plant to increase the capacity of its particleboard line. The composite panel and flooring maker also will add a thermally fused laminate (TFL) line at the plant. The investment will be implemented early next year.

Uniboard plans to acquire an innovative wood fiber mat-preheating unit to expand capacity in its particleboard line 2. Also to be purchased is a short-cycle thermally fused laminate press adding capacity for high-end surface structures and finishes.

Earlier this year Uniboard announced a $53 million upgrade at its Val-d'Or particleboard and TFL facility. The company said the investments will allow it to increase productivity and improve  product offerings and service to customers in Canada and the United States.

Uniboard's Sayabac facility

“Thermally fused laminate is seeing a revolution in terms of realism in design and surface structures," stated James N. Hogg, president and CEO of Uniboard Canada Inc. "Uniboard has been leading this trend, following a major modernization of TFL press 3 at Sayabec in 2012/13 and Uniboard’s successful product development, including WoodPrint Technology, North America’s first registered embossed thermally fused laminate panels for the furniture industry in 2013. This new round of investments in Sayabec will allow Uniboard to take the next step forward in terms of product innovation and design."

The company received assistance from provincial and federal agencies including Investissement Québec, Natural Resources Canada through its Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

Uniboard produces particleboard, MDF and TFL from mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval. Uniboard's composite panel products are used in cabinetry, furniture, case goods and flooring. Founded in 1976, Uniboard employs more than 800 people, including 380 at the Sayabec facility.  The company says it has an installed capacity of more than 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard, of which more than 50 percent is converted into value-added TFL and laminate flooring products. Uniboard was acquired by Kaycan in 2012.

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Karen Koenig | Editor

Karen M. Koenig has more than 30 years of experience in the woodworking industry, including visits to wood products manufacturing facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As editor of special publications under the Woodworking Network brand, including the Red Book Best Practices resource guide and website, Karen’s responsibilities include writing, editing and coordinating of editorial content. She is also a contributor to FDMC and other Woodworking Network online and print media owned by CCI Media. She can be reached at [email protected]