Thursday, February 12, 2026
In the heart of Quebec’s gold-mining country, a different kind of treasure is being minted. Uniboard has officially announced that its Val-d’Or production team has successfully pressed its first panel on a brand-new, world-class particleboard production line. This milestone isn’t just a win for the company; it’s a seismic shift for the North American woodworking industry.
The completion of this project marks the end of an ambitious three-phase journey focused on a total rebuild and modernization of the plant. While Phase 1 and 2 laid the groundwork, Phase 3 is the “crown jewel,” introducing a state-of-the-art continuous particleboard press and finishing line that brings the Val-d’Or facility into the future.
What sets this facility apart isn’t just the sheer scale of the machinery, but the “brains” behind it. These new lines are fully automated and driven by the latest manufacturing technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). By integrating AI, Uniboard is able to optimize processes in real-time, boosting productivity and ensuring a level of precision that was previously unattainable.
For the craftsman and the industrial manufacturer alike, this means more consistent panels and a more reliable supply chain. To support this massive uptick in production, Uniboard also expanded its warehousing by over 300,000 square feet. This expansion cements their “ONE-STOP-SHOP” strategy, allowing them to ship raw and laminated particleboard and MDF by rail and truck with unprecedented efficiency.
The numbers behind the modernization are staggering. The new 10-foot continuous press line boasts an annual capacity of 272 million square feet, a massive leap from the 170 million square feet produced by the previous line.
This capacity hike makes Uniboard the largest producer of particleboard in Canada, the Northeast US, and the Midwest. More importantly, it allows for a level of product diversity that the North American market hasn’t seen before.
“The vision for the Val-d’Or modernization project was to be the benchmark in particleboard production in North America,” says James Hogg, President and CEO of Uniboard. “What has been put into operation this week in Val-d’Or is a marvel of technology and will be the reference point for North America going forward for the next 50 years. The new line will offer the ultimate flexibility in terms of grades, sizes, thickness, and the ability to produce an ultra-thin particleboard, a first for North America.”
With a total investment exceeding $350 million, the Val-d’Or project is a clear signal of Uniboard’s dedication to its customers and the environment. By focusing on “bio-composite” panel products and high-tech optimization, they are proving that the wood industry can be both high-tech and sustainable.
“With a total project investment of over $350 million, the Val-d’Or project reflects Uniboard’s ongoing customer commitment to support growth, offer exciting new bio composite panel products and be at the forefront of technology,” says Hogg.
For over 40 years, Uniboard has lived by the mantra of “Redefining Wood®.” With the Val-d’Or facility now fully operational, they aren’t just redefining it—they are setting the standard for the next half-century of North American design and construction. Whether you are building kitchen cabinets, office furniture, or modern home renovations, the panels coming out of Val-d’Or today are the foundation of tomorrow’s interiors.
Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates.
Tags: continuous press line, North American manufacturing., particleboard production, Uniboard Val-d’Or, wood engineering technology
