About
West Fraser was founded in 1955 when three brothers – Sam, Bill and Pete Ketcham – pooled their resources to buy a small planing mill in Quesnel, B.C.
The sweat and hard work of three young men, along with a founding group of pioneering employees, have laid the foundation for the Company, West Fraser, that thrives to this day. More than six decades later, the Company has grown from the original 12-person crew at Two Mile Flat to be the largest lumber producer in North America.
West Fraser's heritage is a story about people who came together to build so much more than those three young men imagined was possible. Today, we remain anchored by these early core beliefs that stand the test of time:
cost control in all aspects of the business
efficient, modern mills
responsibility and leadership in environmental performance
the active involvement of employees in the business
a relentless pursuit of excellence in everything we do
Environmental mission and strategy (ESG)
Sustainably managing our forests is more than planting trees. Our commitment to the environment is a promise to use our resources responsibly and to take ongoing steps to reduce our environmental impact.
We harvest a renewable resource in an environmentally responsible manner and through forest management. We aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and chemicals, monitor energy and material consumption, and recycle oil products and other materials. West Fraser’s staff supports research and work with experts to find better ways to manage the forest for wildlife habitat and different forest values. We are proud of our reforestation record of nearly two billion trees planted. We are exploring new ways to improve our reforestation and silviculture practices.
Our manufacturing plants have superior systems in place to treat and filter water and air discharges from our facilities, but we are always improving. Read more about our operations and our efforts in reducing our environmental impact in Manufacturing, Air & GHG’s and Water.