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Uniboard invests in Val-d’Or plant

Feb. 6, 2015 - Uniboard has announced an investment of over $53 million at its Val-d'Or particleboard and thermally fused laminate facility.

The investment will increase the productivity of the plant in addition to modernizing key production areas of the Val-d'Or facility allowing Uniboard to better service our customer base in Canada and the United States. The investment will continue to position the Val-d'Or facility as one of the preferred particleboard and thermofused laminate producers in the North American panel industry. It will strengthen Uniboard's overall network of particleboard, MDF and thermofused laminate facilities, which are located in Sayabec and Mont-Laurier, Quebec. Uniboard employs a skilled workforce of 186 at its Val-d'Or site and over 800 people within the entire Corporation.

Uniboard's Val-d'Or facility has seen significant growth since its origins dating back to 1976. In 2010, Uniboard invested into a new thermally fused laminate short-cycle press in Val-d'Or to complement its value-added products. In 2012, Uniboard further solidified its position in the industry when it was acquired by Kaycan, a leading manufacturer of building products in North America, with its Head Office located in Montreal, Quebec. The Kaycan Group of Companies offers a full array of products for both the exterior and interior of the home, including vinyl, aluminum and engineered wood siding products, PVC windows & patio doors, particleboard, MDF, thermally fused melamine and laminate flooring.

James N. Hogg, President and CEO of Uniboard Canada Inc. stated, "With today's announcement this important modernization project confirms Uniboard's leadership position in the North American composite panel industry and allows Uniboard to further enhance its offering of engineered wood and value added products. Over recent years, Uniboard has invested heavily into product development, launching new colour collections including North America's first registered embossed thermofused laminate panels as well as expanding our successful NU Green range of low and no-formaldehyde products. We greatly appreciate the strong commitment of the Kaycan Group, the engagement of our employees and the community and the financial support of both provincial and federal government agencies, Investissement Quebec (IQ) and Economic Development Canada (EDC), allowing Uniboard to move forward with this project while securing quality employment in Quebec's Abitibi region."

February 6, 2015  By  Andrew Macklin