About
The year was 1989 and Jim Young had found an opportunity. Located in Abbotsford, British Columbia was a company called Woodtone that provided custom coated exterior wood siding. Jim bought the business with a vision to grow Woodtone beyond its traditional roots and to develop a full solution of building materials to be used across North America.
It didn’t take long for Jim and his team to notice significant gaps in the exterior finishing industry: products that didn’t exist, didn’t last and weren’t easy to install. The team began to innovate. By the early 1990s, the bright and enthusiastic team had added new products that had never before been offered in the industry. Woodtone was making people’s lives easier and their homes more dependable – and the industry took notice. Woodtone became known for its outstanding people and their unmatched commitment to providing innovative, game-changing products.
In a short time, Woodtone had amassed a solid, experienced team that became a carefully chosen family. They had become known as the company that suppliers and builders wanted to work with. The Woodtone people could always be counted on, and they weren’t afraid of taking challenges head-on.
The combination of outstanding products and talented people paved the way for future Woodtone success. In 1995, Jim met with the owner of Quality Machine Staining – a complementary business in Everett, Washington. There was great compatibility between the two businesses and when Woodtone acquired QMS, great opportunities in the Pacific Northwest opened up.
In 2003, the acquisition of Pacific Custom Stain in Surrey, British Columbia added to Woodtone’s already-impressive product lines. PCS specialized in custom coating and gave Woodtone the flexibility that was needed to expand its presence in that segment of the market.
The phenomenal growth and industry excitement compelled Jim’s two oldest sons to join the company. Kevin started in sales and eventually took over the US plant in a leadership role, further adding to his strong skill set in operations management. A few years later, Chris joined the team. His MBA and personal experience in acquiring and running businesses proved to be extremely valuable for the Woodtone brand. Jim couldn’t have been happier as the company was now a family business in every sense of the word.
The third acquisition in 2016 brought Synergy Wood Products of Armstrong, British Columbia into the Woodtone family. For over two decades, Synergy produced industry-leading engineered wood products, sold by Woodtone across North America. With Synergy as part of the Woodtone Group of Companies, the engineered wood products became proprietary and the service offering enhanced.
Over the years, Woodtone has built and maintained four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and further developed both its equipment and product expertise. The company has also added several new products and furthered its range of services. Woodtone continues to value time spent on the job-site, understanding customers needs and building trustworthy, long-lasting relationships.
Woodtone’s vision is to grow and develop their people and systems to ever increase the value they are delivering. They strive to design, manufacture and market the finest building products in home interiors and exteriors. Throughout the company, there’s a strong commitment to building a sustainable future while carrying on the proud family business and legacy that Jim started so many years ago. It’s a legacy of excellence and innovation that respects the past yet inspires the future. It’s a story about family and community. It’s about building homes that aren’t just beautiful, but they’re also built to last.