Finlay Forest Industries

Finlay Forest Industries was a Canadian forest-products company based in Mackenzie, British Columbia. Established in 1970, it began as a joint venture involving Cattermole Timber and the Japanese companies Jujo Paper and Sumitomo Forestry. Its business was centered on integrated forest-product manufacturing in the Mackenzie region, including sawmilling, planer-mill operations, paper production, and supporting steam and power generation. The company changed ownership several times. In 1980, its operations were purchased by British Columbia Forest Products. In 1994, Slocan Forest Products Ltd. and Donohue Inc. acquired Finlay Forest Industries as equal co-owners. Donohue subsequently took full control through an $80 million takeover completed in 1999. The following year, Donohue's operations, including its Mackenzie holdings, became part of Abitibi-Consolidated through a reported $7.1 billion acquisition. Finlay Forest Industries was dissolved as a separate company in connection with that transaction, and its facilities operated under the Abitibi-Consolidated name. Abitibi-Consolidated continued operating two sawmills and their associated planer mills, as well as the paper mill and steam and power plant. Manufacturing operations were shut down in 2008 during the global recession. In 2010, Conifex Timber purchased the assets associated with the former operation and later operated one sawmill at the site. Finlay Forest Industries therefore represents a historical operating company and industrial brand rather than a currently active standalone business. Its significance lies in the development and successive consolidation of Mackenzie's integrated forest-products capacity, and in the way ownership passed from a Japanese-Canadian joint venture through regional forest-products companies to larger international pulp and paper ownership.

Finlay Forest Industries was established in 1970 in Mackenzie, British Columbia, as a joint venture between Cattermole Timber and two Japanese companies, Jujo Paper and Sumitomo Forestry. The venture reflected the international character of the Canadian forest-products industry and was organized around an integrated manufacturing base in the Mackenzie region. In 1980, British Columbia Forest Products purchased the company's operations. A further ownership transition took place in 1994, when Slocan Forest Products Ltd. and Donohue Inc. acquired Finlay Forest Industries as equal co-owners. Donohue later consolidated its position, completing an $80 million takeover of Finlay Forest Industries in 1999. The company was absorbed into a much larger corporate structure soon afterward. In 2000, Abitibi-Consolidated acquired all of Donohue's operations in a transaction reported at $7.1 billion. The Mackenzie holdings were included in that deal, and Finlay Forest Industries ceased to exist as a separate company. Its facilities continued under the Abitibi-Consolidated brand. The operating complex included two sawmills with associated planer mills, a paper mill, and a steam and power plant. This combination made the site an integrated forest-products operation rather than a single-purpose sawmill. Abitibi-Consolidated continued operating the facilities until manufacturing activity was shut down in 2008 during the recession. The closure ended the operation's role under the Abitibi-Consolidated structure. In 2010, Conifex Timber purchased the assets connected with the former Finlay operation and later operated one sawmill. The asset sale marked a later phase in the site's industrial history, but it did not restore Finlay Forest Industries as an independent company. The Finlay name consequently belongs to a defunct Canadian forest-products company whose facilities passed through several rounds of consolidation before being closed and partially reactivated under a successor owner.

• 2010

  Conifex Timber acquires the assets

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  Conifex Timber purchased the former operation's assets and later operated one sawmill.

• 2008

  Manufacturing operations shut down

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  The former Finlay manufacturing complex was shut down during the 2008 recession.

• 2000

  Operations move into Abitibi-Consolidated

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  Abitibi-Consolidated acquired Donohue's operations, including the Mackenzie holdings, and Finlay Forest Industries was dissolved as a separate company.

• 1999

  Donohue takes full ownership

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  Donohue Inc. completed an $80 million takeover of Finlay Forest Industries.

• 1994

  Slocan and Donohue become equal owners

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  Slocan Forest Products Ltd. and Donohue Inc. acquired Finlay Forest Industries as equal co-owners.

• 1980

  Operations acquired by British Columbia Forest Products

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  British Columbia Forest Products purchased the company's operations.

• 1970

  Company established

  [1]Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org

  Finlay Forest Industries was established in Mackenzie, British Columbia, as a joint venture involving Cattermole Timber, Jujo Paper, and Sumitomo Forestry.

A regional, vertically integrated Canadian forest-products operator serving the Mackenzie industrial base through lumber, paper, and supporting energy operations.

• Lumber

  Sawn lumber

  Lumber produced through the company's sawmill operations in Mackenzie. The sawmills formed the primary solid-wood manufacturing component of the integrated forest-products complex.

• Lumber processing

  Planed lumber

  Further-processed wood products made in planer mills associated with the Mackenzie sawmills. These facilities prepared sawn material for more standardized downstream use.

• Paper

  Paper products

  Paper manufactured at the company's Mackenzie paper mill. The paper operation complemented the lumber businesses within the broader integrated forest-products site.

• Industrial utilities

  Steam and power

  Steam and power generated by a supporting plant for the industrial complex. This was an enabling operation for the sawmills, planer mills, and paper mill rather than a consumer-facing product line.

• 2000

  Abitibi-Consolidated acquires Donohue's operationsM&A

  Background

  Donohue's Mackenzie holdings were part of a broader corporate transaction involving all of Donohue's operations.

  Action taken

  Abitibi-Consolidated acquired the operations in a reported $7.1 billion takeover and continued operating the Mackenzie facilities under its own brand.

  Aftermath

  Finlay Forest Industries was dissolved as a separate company.

  Acquisition value. $7.1 billion (2000)

  Source

• 1999

  Donohue completes the Finlay takeoverM&A

  Background

  After acquiring Finlay Forest Industries jointly with Slocan Forest Products in 1994, Donohue moved to consolidate ownership.

  Action taken

  Donohue Inc. completed an $80 million takeover and became the company's sole owner.

  Aftermath

  The takeover was followed by the inclusion of the Mackenzie assets in Abitibi-Consolidated's 2000 acquisition of Donohue's operations.

  Takeover value. $80 million (1999)

  Source

1. 1Finlay Forest Industriesen.wikipedia.org