A unique synergy

Revelstoke and lumber company Downie Timber have been supportive of each other—to the advantage of both

1 of 2An aerial view of Downie Timber demonstrates its location in Revelstoke. — Photo courtesy Downie Timber

2 of 2An employee operates the Double Length Infeed, a vertical saw that produces cants. — Photo courtesy Downie Timber

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To say that Downie Timber plays an important part in the industry of Revelstoke would be an understatement. Turns out that the community of Revelstoke is also an important part of Downie Timber. Such a positive relationship could be considered unique, but for Downie Timber and Revelstoke, it’s been almost essential. The mill is located right in town and is a major employer in the area.

“I don’t think you could find a community that would be more supportive of us as a business,” said Ron Gorman, president and CEO of Gorman Bros. Ltd., which owns the mill. “Revelstoke has been very clear that they’d like both business and recreation to be objectives of the city. Everyone has been very supportive of us. The mayor, the council—everybody. There’s no community that works with the local plant like Revelstoke does.”

Sensible changes lead to growth

Gorman Bros. recently acquired the Federated Co-operatives plywood mill located in nearby Canoe, B.C. As Downie Timber is a relatively remote mill, the purchase will help get the right log to the right place. Also located at the Revelstoke site is Selkirk Cedar, a value-added and finishing operation, which is owned by the same company. This is a very big part of the business and it works exclusively with cedar. Additionally, the forests of the Kootenays, said Gorman, are especially diverse and feature four or five dominant species. All this explains why simplified log trading makes sense for the company. It will also mean that a larger volume of timber will be processed through Revelstoke, a positive spinoff for the community.

The company emphasizes other important aspects. Local employment is key and Downie Timber has found that hiring locally is a benefit to both the city and to the business itself, as employees are both dedicated and an integral part of the company. Consequently, Downie Timber strives to provide stable jobs that locals can count on. Sustainability and safety are very important to the company too. With steep terrain in the area, and processing taking place right in the community, Downie takes steps to go above and beyond the basics. Another key philosophy of Downie Timber is to continually reinvest in the business.

Positive steps

“We really believe in technology and the need to continuously upgrade and improve,” said Gorman. “Our industry is very capital intensive—you have to put money back into it all the time. We try to be abreast of the very best technology out there—partly because we can recover much more from the tree as it improves. One of the main objectives is to be able to reinvest in the business, to keep it very competitive and a better work environment.”

With Gorman Bros.' focused goals in safety, stability and quality, it’s no surprise that Revelstoke is happy to work with Downie Timber and Selkirk Cedar.

“It’s not just the employees, but the community and the employees as part of the community,” said Gorman. “We’re very fortunate to have their support.”