Dive Brief:
- Portland, Oregon-based mass timber provider Timberlab reached an agreement to acquire the assets of American Laminators, a manufacturer of glue-laminated timber, or glulam, a critical mass timber component.
- As part of the deal, Timberlab, which is owned by Concord, California-based builder Swinerton, will continue operating American Laminators’ two Oregon-based facilities in Drain and Swisshome beginning June 10, 2024. The firm will also upgrade the factories.
- American Laminators provides products to the North American market and has supplied projects that include the Autzen Stadium at the University of Oregon; LeMay – America's Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington; and The Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California.
Dive Insight:
Timberlab and American Laminators have a business history — the Swinerton-backed company sourced glulam for the new 95,000-square-foot Multnomah County East County Library in Portland, Oregon, from the firm.
The move also builds on Timberlab's other initiatives in the Pacific Northwest. In March, the builder announced plans to create a cross-laminated timber manufacturing facility in Oregon's Mid-Willamette Valley, which Swinerton will help fund via an investment, per a news release. The company anticipates the factory will have an annual output of 100,000 cubic meters of finished CLT products.
"Following our announcement in March to build and operate a cross-laminated timber manufacturing facility in the Mid-Willamette Valley, acquiring American Laminators is another leap forward to advancing our capabilities and services in the mass timber industry,” said Christopher Evans, the president of Timberlab.
Swinerton has called on its subsidiary’s mass timber technology for various projects, including Oxbow, the $98 million mixed-use multifamily development in Charlotte, North Carolina. The project will heavily feature mass timber components, as 50% of the structure will have exposed ceilings made of the product.
“By combining our strengths and expertise, we are well-positioned to expand in the mass timber market while continuing to provide superior service, quality, and craftsmanship,” said Dave Anderson, the president of Diversified Wood Resources, which does business under the American Laminators brand name.
