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Mercer Mass Timber to receive $7M to modernize and expand glulam production
July 18, 2024
By CFI Staff
Photo: Annex Business Media Mercer Mass Timber (MMT) will receive up to $7 million from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to modernize its Okanagan Falls facility and increase glulam production by 25 per cent.
The funding will enable MMT, a subsidiary of Mercer International, to purchase advanced manufacturing equipment and upgrade its facilities. These enhancements will improve production efficiency and expand the variety of mass-timber products manufactured, including cross-laminated timber and high-quality glulam used in multi-tenant buildings.
Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, Brenda Bailey, emphasized the importance of this investment, stating, “Supporting innovative manufacturing projects helps secure good, local jobs and reinforces B.C. as a global leader in the production and use of mass timber.”
MMT plans to rehire employees previously laid off when the former business closed, creating 28 local jobs. Senior vice-president Brian Merwin expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, “This support strengthens our ability to lead in sustainable mass timber, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.”
In a statement, the provincial government said this investment aims to support sustainable forestry jobs and bolster British Columbia’s leadership in mass-timber innovation.
The initiative is part of a broader provincial strategy to support sustainability in B.C.’s forestry sector, with 72 per cent of BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund projects focusing on transitioning to high-value products and protecting over 2,500 forest-sector jobs.
Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, highlighted the investment’s impact, noting, “This investment helps get more value out of every tree harvested while strengthening our local economy and reinforcing the Okanagan’s resilience and potential.”
Jagrup Brar, Minister of State for Trade, added that expanding B.C.’s mass-timber production supports economic growth and sustainable innovation, positioning the province as a leading innovator and supplier of low-carbon building materials.