Western Archrib Background & overview
Western Archrib is part of the Alberta based and family-owned Northland Group of Companies.
Founded in 1951 by Cecil Fargey, Western Archrib evolved from predominantly catering to farm buildings, hockey rinks, and storage facilities to a wide array of construction projects across North America.
As Western Archrib continued its evolution, it rapidly gained recognition for its instrumental role in establishing a national manufacturing standard for Glulam. Today, Western Archrib continues to maintain its role as an innovator and industry pioneer. As such, Western Archrib is not only celebrated for its expert craftsmanship but also its seasoned technical staff, many with 30 to 40 years of service, who contribute an immense foundation of industry knowledge, experience, and unwavering commitment to quality.
In June 2021, Western Archrib joined the Northland Group, marking a new era of growth and expansion. Since joining the Northland Group, Western Archrib has grown from 125 employees to 197 employees across 2 locations with construction of a third location currently underway.
The company's bold vision of being synonymous with premium mass timber products across North America has propelled a strategic investment of $82 million in Sturgeon County to construct a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. This facility will triple Western Archrib’s glulam manufacturing capacity, create 100 jobs, and further solidify Western Archrib's market significance.
Central to the Northland Group’s philosophy is a comprehensive seedling-to-structure approach. This is embodied in the Northland Group's Vision: Stewarding Sustainable Forests and Crafting Nature's Strength into Marvels.
Western Archrib provides a significant contribution to this holistic vision. As its sister company, Northland Forest Products, contributes to stewarding Alberta’s forests, while Western Archrib contributes significantly to carbon sequestration and environmental stewardship within the communities they serve. Proud holders of FSC® certification, the companies remain committed to biodiversity, forest longevity, and sustainable practices that ensure the resilience and enjoyment of Alberta's forests for future generations.
The strategic collaboration between Western Archrib and Northland Forest Products, as part of the Northland Group, signifies a synergistic blend of craftsmanship, industry leadership, sustainability, and vision. The group's growth is not limited to Canada, with a successful marketing strategy paving the way for expansion in the US market. As a seedling-to-structure business, Western Archrib, with the Northland Group, is poised to transform forests into wonders, embodying a commitment to sustainability and quality in every structure they craft.
Northland Forest Products (www.northlandforestproducts.com) operates a sawmill in Fort McMurray, with a history dating back to the 1950s. Having undergone numerous upgrades since 2016, the sawmill can produce 450,000fbm per shift. The company employs 60 full-time employees and up to 225 seasonal contractors, depending on the season. In addition to dimensional lumber, the sawmill's output includes hog fuel, woodchips, shavings, sawdust, and trim blocks, ensuring that every part of the logs is utilized and turned into productive materials.
Mass Timber, including Glulam, has long been recognized as the product that allows unique and innovative designs to be realized. No other engineered wood product offers the same variety of shapes and versatility as glulam.
Find out how we tailor services and products for a wide variety of projects.
Western Archrib manufactures a full range of quality products in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and lengths. Our product line includes Spruce Pine, Douglas Fir and Alaskan Yellow Cedar Glulam beams as well as Westdek GLT and CLT panel products.
Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) is a structural engineered product, created by laying dimensional lumber together and bonding them with structural adhesives. This allows for the manufacture of an endless variety of creative shapes and sizes that will always maintain structural integrity.
Made to the highest specifications and standards in a regularly-inspected environment focused on quality, Western Archrib’s Glulam products have proven longevity across hundreds of projects.
Applications for Douglas Fir GLULAM
Floor Beams, Roof Beams, Headers, Purlins, Trusses, Arches, Pitched-Tapered Beams
Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) is a structural engineered product, created by laying dimensional lumber together and bonding them with structural adhesives. This allows for the manufacture of an endless variety of creative shapes and sizes that will always maintain structural integrity.
Made to the highest specifications and standards in a regularly-inspected environment focused on quality, Western Archrib’s Glulam products have proven longevity across hundreds of projects.
Applications for Spruce Pine GLULAM
Floor Beams, Roof Beams, Headers, Purlins, Trusses
Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) is a structural engineered product, created by laying dimensional lumber together and bonding them with structural adhesives. This allows for the manufacture of an endless variety of creative shapes and sizes that will always maintain structural integrity.
Made to the highest specifications and standards in a regularly-inspected environment focused on quality, Western Archrib’s Glulam products have proven longevity across hundreds of projects.
Applications for Alaska Yellow Cedar GLULAM
Exterior Use, Bridges, Beams, Purlins, Trusses, Arches
Westdek is manufactured to the same high standards as Glulam, and is guaranteed to possess the same long-standing history of durability. This product combines structural capacity with an attractive finish, which can be used as a roof or floor panel.
Available in Douglas Fir or Spruce Pine, with multiple profiles and finishes, WESTDEK GLT is an ideal decking product for many applications.
Finishes
Planed and factory sealed with additional factory finishes available.
Consisting of alternating layers of lumber glued together under pressure, CLT panels are an important mass timber product used as floor and wall components. Panels can be produced in various sizes and cut and framed using CNC technology to provide a highly accurate building material.
learn more about cross-laminated timber
We combine our in-depth Glulam expertise and industry knowledge to create cost-effective solutions to your design challenges. In-house engineering allows us to ensure a precise, accurate fit every time, creating an efficient and attractive product.
Specialty fabrication:
Spruce Pine, Douglas Fir or Alaskan Yellow Cedar Glulam, Westdek GLT, CLT, steel connections, and custom finishes.
Handling:
Delivery should be coordinated between the manufacturer and the contractor to ensure that the necessary off-loading and lifting equipment is available on-site. Padded or non-marring slings should be used to lift the beams.
Storage:
Glulam material needs to be stored on-site with the same care as millwork. The best storage plan is to minimize storage altogether. Deliveries can be coordinated between the fabricator and the contractor to coincide with erection time lines.
Kiln-dried lumber is used in the fabrication of Glulam, thereby reducing checking. According to CSA 0122, laminations are glued with a moisture content of 7-15%, which is standard for most applications. However, some seasonal checks may occur when members are installed under conditions that require rapid adjustment to a much lower equilibrium moisture content.
learn more about surface checking
With expertise and experience in a multitude of different sectors, Western Archrib is ready to help with any and all parts of your projects.
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Western Archrib is a leader in the design, manufacture, and custom fabrication of glued-laminated structural wood systems. Our product line includes Spruce Pine, Douglas Fir and Alaskan Yellow Cedar Glulam beams as well as Westdek GLT and CLT panel products. We are certified to manufacture in accordance with the national standards of Canada and the United States.
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