Premium plywood hits Canadian market

September 6, 2023


Garnica plywood showcased at the International Woodworking Fair. | Garnica

A new composite plywood developed in Europe is now on the Canadian market.
Purchased in 2022 by U.S.-based Carlyle Group for $725 million, Garnica, a Spain-based manufacturer of premium sustainable plywood using various wood species and even waste wood, is now selling its products through four Canadian distributors.
Among its offering is plywood using poplar trees, which have one of the highest CO2 (carbon dioxide) absorption rates of all wood species, according to the company. One of its new products combines popular core plywood with Eucalyptus, a sustainable species that adds density and strength to the panel while the poplar face is ideal for painting and covering.
Garnica also recently partnered with Woodoo, a biotechnology startup that transforms discarded wood into alternatives for construction material, including plywood.
“Woodoo’s technology takes low-grade and even diseased wood products and uses its proprietary engineering platform to transform them into premium high-tech materials. Discarded wood, once overlooked, is now gaining prominence as a valuable resource and Garnica has positioned itself as a leader in this evolution,” according to Garnica.
Alex Wagenberg, managing director of the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, said: “Garnica has a strong position in the premium plywood market and is highly regarded as a best-in-class manufacturer by its customers across a diverse range of attractive and growing end markets.”
Garnica has been showcasing its plywood products made from sustainable European plantations as well as its newest line-up of products for the North American market including Naturbind, Performance Ultra-Smooth, Performance Poplar HPL, Fireshield, Ultra-light Poplar and Duraply.
A half-inch natural finished Garnica 4-foot by 8-foot sheet sells in Canada for around $91—higher than standard similar-sized pine plywood at around $66 per sheet, or maple plywood at around $84 per sheet at Home Depot outlets.
Garnica, marketed as a premium plywood sourced from sustainable forests, is available at 15 locations from Atlantic Canada to B.C., through Commonwealth Plywood, Mercury Wood Products, Robert Bury & Company, and Upper Canada Forest Group.