Element5, a St. Thomas-based producer of mass timber products, has completed a $107-million expansion of its manufacturing facility, which will double its production capacity and add 150 jobs to the workforce.

Invest Ontario is supporting Element5’s $107 million investment to expand its mass timber operations in St. Thomas, Ontario. The project will double the site’s production capacity, boosting domestic supply of sustainable building materials to meet the rising demand for affordable, modular housing.

The expansion features a new facility equipped with a fully automated Glulam (glued-laminated timber) production line. The investment will create 150 new jobs, with the company’s workforce expected to surpass 300 employees.

Mass timber construction has been gaining popularity in both housing and non-residential projects in North America. It offers a low-carbon, renewable alternative to concrete and steel used in building structures, while enabling faster construction speed.

Element5 has been a key supplier for affordable housing projects, having completed nine projects across Ontario to date. A notable example is a four-storey, multi-unit supportive housing building in Kitchener that took only one year from design to completion. The company’s portfolio also includes commercial, industrial and municipal projects such as North America’s first mass timber-constructed warehouse in Brampton.

Ontario’s rich forest resources, combined with its skilled workforce and advanced manufacturing expertise, make it the natural home for Element5’s continued growth. Forests cover nearly two-thirds of the province’s land area, providing a reliable supply of sustainably sourced lumber.

By increasing production of Glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT) made of lumber sourced in Northern Ontario, Element5’s expansion contributes to strengthening the province’s forestry sector and regional economies, while reducing the reliance on imported building materials.

Founded in 2015, Element5 is a homegrown manufacturer and leader in the design, fabrication and assembly of mass timber buildings. Last year, it received a strategic investment from parent company the HASSLACHER group, an Austrian-based timber producer, that helped fund this expansion.

The investment will be supported with a loan of up to $8 million through the Invest Ontario Fund, subject to reaching a definitive agreement.

Source: investontario.ca