Aurora Timberland Expands Customer Base And Geographic Reach
In 1980, in the small town of Angliers, Quebec, Cardinal Equipment was founded by the three Berneche brothers. The three brothers wanted to start a sawmill business where they were able to implement newer technologies and build better machines to produce high quality hardwood products.
Starting as a very small company in a very small town of no more than 400 people, the company grew and continued to be an innovative force within the forest products industry. In 1999 they produced the first electric carriage installed in North America. “That carriage ran for two shifts over the course of 20 years, and it is still running,” said Pascal Labranche, president and owner. “The facility was recently bought by another sawmill. We went in and made some minor modifications by adding a new scanner and making sure that it was up to date, and it is still running extremely well.”
4/4 Northern White Oak staged for delivery.
Pascal Labranche was one of six shareholders before he bought out the then president and shareholder of the company, nine years ago. “My wife Karie Berneche, who was a shareholder, and I managed to buy out the other four shareholders and the one trust fund shareholder,” Pascal noted. There is now a third generation of the family learning and growing the business as Pascal’s son, Dannik Labranche, has entered the business as vice president and owner.
“We are a recognized name throughout Quebec, and no one starts a project that includes a carriage without asking about us,” Dannik said. “We wanted this brand recognition to reach further, so we began in France about 15 years ago.”
Cardinal Equipment manufactures carriages for hardwood and softwood companies that want to custom cut their logs efficiently while maximizing their productivity.
A mixed truckload heading to distribution customers in New York from the Aurora Timberland headquarters in Alexandria, ON.
Founded in 1989 by Ted Rowe Sr., Aurora Timberland, headquartered in Bradford, ON, began as a wholesaler specializing in Northern and Appalachian hardwoods. From its early days, the company established a reputation for offering a wide selection of premium hardwood species, including Red and White Oak, Ash, Poplar, Cherry, Walnut, Red and Hard Maple, Aspen, and Birch. Over the years, the company has grown into a major player in the hardwood distribution sector, sourcing 22 million board feet of lumber annually to meet the diverse needs of its customers.
Aurora Timberland’s growth trajectory has been nothing short of impressive, particularly during the 1990s, a decade that saw the company expand its product offerings and operational capabilities. By 2003, Aurora recognized the increasing demand from woodworking and millwork facilities across Ontario and began shipping out of a distribution center in Aurora, ON. This move allowed the company to serve its expanding customer base more efficiently while ensuring quick access to quality hardwood products.
Timberland stocks over 1 million board feet for quick shipment to Aurora Timberland’s
distribution customers.
In 2006, as part of a strategic partnership with sister company Royal Woodworking, Aurora Timberland moved to a modern, 75,000-square-foot facility in Bradford, ON. This cutting-edge location provided enhanced capacity for distribution and further solidified the company’s position as a leading supplier of hardwood lumber. It was also during this time that Aurora Timberland began expanding its reach beyond Canada. The company began exporting hardwoods internationally, quickly identifying this segment as one of the fastest-growing areas of its business. By 2012, the company was acquired by Alexandria Mouldings. Today, Aurora Timberland is headquartered in Alexandria, ON.
In recent years, Aurora Timberland has seen continued success, with growth across both its customer base and geographic footprint. The company has made concerted efforts to adapt to the evolving needs of the industry while expanding its reach to new regions. Clay Miller, the vice president of the North American Forest Foundation who also handles sales and purchasing at Aurora Timberland, provided insight into this ongoing expansion: “Our move from Toronto to Alexandria, ON, has enabled us to broaden our service reach across eastern Ontario, and now we’re able to serve areas like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Maritime provinces. Just two years ago, we took another significant step by extending our distribution network into New York State and Pennsylvania. We now regularly ship from our Ontario facility to the Eastern parts of New York and northern Pennsylvania.” The company recently expanded to serve their customers with hardwood lumber distribution yards in New York and Pennsylvania from their Alexandria Moulding facility in Pittston, PA.
A full load of 4/4 Soft Maple heading to a cabinet shop in Toronto, ON.
Beyond regular product offerings, Aurora Timberland also specializes in custom services. The company provides specialty width-sorted materials for stair manufacturing and offers services such as S2S, width sorting, and custom ripping. With 1.2 million board feet of lumber consistently inventoried at all times, the company is well-positioned to meet immediate distribution needs. According to Miller, these services have become an integral part of the company’s value proposition: “Our inventory is always ready for immediate distribution. This allows us to respond quickly to customer needs and ensure that we can meet any special requests.”
Miller credits Alexandria Mouldings with being instrumental in helping Aurora Timberland expand its distribution capabilities.
“Before we relocated, we had a limited distribution capacity with just two, 20’ curtain side trucks. Since our move, we’ve gained access to Alexandria’s large fleet of trucks, enabling us to reach virtually every city across eastern Canada. This expanded distribution network has significantly enhanced our service capabilities and allowed us to meet the growing demands of our customers.”
When asked about the keys to Aurora’s continued success, Miller pointed to the company’s commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs. “In the lumber industry, there’s no reinventing the wheel. Our structure is very flat, which means the same person who purchases the lumber is also involved in marketing and customer service. This streamlined approach allows us to provide tailored solutions for our customers. We don’t just sell lumber—we focus on understanding the customer’s specific needs and then align our inventory and purchasing decisions accordingly.”
Pre-packaged, half packs for custom stair and railing makers.
Along with Miller, key personnel include Shantae Hodge who also handles sales and purchasing, logistics and is an integral part of the company’s daily operations. “Shantae handles a multitude of responsibilities and is critical to ensuring everything runs smoothly,” Miller added. “Her ability to juggle sales, purchasing and logistics allows us to remain agile and responsive, meeting customer demands quickly and efficiently. Her expertise helps ensure that every piece of lumber we deliver is exactly what the customer needs, when they need it.”
This hands-on, multi-faceted approach has proven effective, enabling Aurora to foster strong, long-term relationships with its clients while continuing to grow in a competitive industry. Miller further explained how Aurora’s ability to accommodate special requests sets it apart in the industry. “We frequently receive requests for specialty items, which has become one of our trademarks. Customers know that we have the means to find and supply these unique products. Instead of selling inventory from a catalog, we work closely with customers, sourcing lumber that matches their exact specifications and needs.”
Miller’s background in the lumber industry has been an asset to the Aurora Timberland’s growth. “My family has been involved in the lumber industry since 1889 and we had our own concentration yard, RA Miller Hardwood, which closed in 2010. When I first joined Aurora Timberland, we focused on building lift lot distribution in Southern Ontario. Over time, our reach expanded to include international markets, particularly Vietnam. Our ability to purchase premium hardwoods from North American mills and market it in Vietnam has proven to be a key competitive advantage.”
With the company’s growing success, Miller and the team at Aurora Timberland are always planning for the future. “We are consistently implementing new initiatives. Right now, we’re focused on expanding our presence in non-traditional markets like Eastern Canada. While we’ve built a solid reputation in the Greater Toronto Area, we’re still working to introduce Aurora Timberland to customers in the Maritimes and other new markets. A big part of our work involves learning what these customers need and figuring out how we can help them achieve their goals.”
The Alexandria Mouldings headquarters located in Alexandria, ON.
Aurora Timberland’s reach now extends across seven time zones, six provinces, and three countries, underscoring the company’s robust operational network. Miller emphasized that the key to success in this global marketplace is maintaining consistency and quality in both products and services. “We have the flexibility to work with customers across North America and beyond. It’s not about providing generic solutions—it’s about building custom business models with the right customers. We are in an economic climate where customers are increasingly looking for challenging products, and that demand will only continue to grow.”
What truly sets Aurora Timberland apart in a competitive industry, according to Miller, is its dedication to hardwood lumber and customer relationships. “We are exclusively focused on hardwood lumber, and we take great pride in that. We don’t sell plywood or other add-ons—our focus is solely on hardwoods. We believe that by nurturing long-term relationships with our customers and providing consistent, high-quality products, we create value that goes beyond making a sale.”
Aurora Timberland is a member of several industry associations, including the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association, and the Penn-York Lumbermen’s Club. Additionally, Clay Miller currently serves on the board of the North American Forest Foundation.
