SmartLam is reorganizing as SmartLam North America to better serve the needs of the rapidly expanding mass timber market via cross-laminated timber (CLT) and mass timber building solutions. The company said it will “significantly expand” its sustainable model of timber harvesting, mass timber manufacturing, and project delivery model to establish a strong position in the North American mass timber and building industries, according to a news release.
CLT has rapidly gained traction within the past decade in North America among builders, engineers, and architects because of its durability, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with building codes. In the past week, Katerra opened a CLT factory in Spokane Valley, Wash., and LignaTerra pledged $31 million toward opening a CLT facility in Lincoln, Maine.
“We are thrilled to launch SmartLam North America to evolve the role that mass-timber products has in transforming the building industry, and to ensure that North America plays a dominant role in the movement” SmartLam founder Casey Malmquist said in a prepared statement. “Mass timber just got a whole lot stronger. Combining SmartLam’s historic presence in the mass timber market, an accomplished leader like Brian Fehr, and a significant investment in the enterprise, we welcome the work that needs to be done in solidifying North America’s place in the global mass timber market.”
SmartLam North America established its headquarters in Columbia Falls, Mont. and acquired a facility in Dothan, Ala. The company will begin operational production at both facilities and estimates an annual CLT production of 6 million cubic feet.
SmartLam is already planning for additional CLT manufacturing facilities located in “major wood baskets” from coast to coast. The company plans to open three more facilities by 2022, targeting plants in the northeast, west coast, and southeast. With the three additional facilities, SmartLam aims to produce over 17.2 million cubic feet of annual CLT production.
