Company Background
Founded in 1957, Columbia Forest Products is North America's largest manufacturer
of hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer products. Columbia's decorative interior
veneers and panels are used in cabinetry, fine furniture, architectural millwork
and commercial fixtures. Employee owned and headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina,
Columbia has over 2,000 employees and operates plants throughout the United States
and Canada, with an operational network that spans the globe.
Columbia's products are sold through a network of wholesale distributors, mass merchandisers
and original equipment manufacturers through three distinct business units: Plywood,
Veneer and International.
Hardwood Plywood
Columbia markets a full line of plywood species, core type and panel size options.
Decorative veneer species range from Alder to Zebrawood. Newer proprietary products
from Columbia include PureBond® Formaldehyde-Free Hardwood Plywood Technology;
Lyptus® hardwood plywood, Teragren® Bamboo hardwood plywood; Appalachian
Traditions™ - premium plank look hardwood plywood; CustomColors™ - pre-finsihed
custom stained panels; UV Wood™ - clear, no VOC prefinished plywood panels;
UV LabCoat™- SEFA certified lab-grade pre-finishing option; Beaded Panels
- tongue and groove look plywood; FirstStep™ - pre-primed plywood panels;
CFP60"s™ - 60" wide plywood panels and Certified Wood™ - FSC-Certified
hardwood panels.
In 1999, Columbia’s Klamath Falls, Oregon, plant began producing its plywood using
logs harvested from Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®) certified forestland.
Today, Columbia facilities in Presque Isle, ME (veneer); Chatham, VA; Hearst, ON;
St. Casimir, PQ; Old Fort, NC; and Trumann, AR produce certified products as well.
SmartWood, a not-for-profit subsidiary of the Rain Forest Alliance, certifies Columbia
Forest Products to FSC requirements.
Hardwood Veneer
Columbia veneer is created using Northern Appalachian hardwoods such as birch, red
oak, maple, ash, poplar, cherry, hickory, pine, walnut and others. Columbia's rotary
cut veneer ranges in thickness from 1/30 to 1/42 inches and is supplied throughout
the decorative plywood, furniture, cabinetry, door and profile-wrap industries.