About Us
Savona Specialty Plywood
Located in the community of Savona, BC, at the west end of the Kamloops lake, our Savona mill is one of the largest suppliers of specialty overlaid plywood panels in North America. We are world renowned for our Pourform® line of MDO and HDO panels, specifically for Pourform® 107 and its distinctive trademarked orange edge seal. Our mill also produces industrial products such as slipguard panels, transport trailer decking, paint-grade sign panels, along with structural sheathing products for both the Canadian and USA markets.
The AP Group re-started the world-renowned Pourform® operation in the spring of 2011.
Industry peers and customers alike acknowledge our capability to custom engineer panels with exceptional strength, rigidity and dimensional stability. The Pourform® reputation for dependability, quality and service is reflected by our longstanding customer relationships, many of which extend over 15 years.
Savona’s History
Our Savona Mill has a long history in the B.C. Interior. Originally operated as a specialty overlay plywood mill and stud mill in the 1950’s, the Savona plant mainly processed large fir logs from its Kamloops and 100 Mile House Timber Supply Areas. However, by 1987 these logs had become scarce. Although the stud mill was no longer able to produce full-time, the specialty plywood mill enjoyed success with its incredibly well-received specialty overlay panels- Pourform® 107.
This success became the new focus of the mill and plans were put in motion to increase Savona’s efficiency and upgrade its equipment. In 1988, the Savona mill was almost completely refitted with used equipment from a Weldwood division in 100 Mile House. The refit included extra bracing, new decks, and an additional 20 000 square-foot structure added for dryers, a hot-press and glue-mixing equipment.
The Savona mill soon saw an increase in sales at home and overseas, most notably in Japan. In 1997, the mill was expanded further with a 33 000 square-foot extension that included new veneer-drying and grading equipment, and a new pre-press. This allowed production of panels up to 10 feet in length and expanded Savona’s product line and market reach even further.
The Pourform® concrete-forming panels’ reputation grew even further and became the premier choice for large construction and urban infrastructure projects across the continent. So much so that Savona became North America’s leading supplier of overlaid plywood products used for concrete-forming systems. The mill continued to enjoy a sizable share of the market up until 2009, when the operations were shut down.
Savona Specialty Plywood (SSP) became part of the AP Group family in 2009 and by the spring of 2011, the world-renowned Pourform® operation was back in action. Savona’s operations have always been supported by the local community, which is why we at Aspen Planers are proud to continue this tradition and move forward with our core values of hard work, safety, and integrity leading the way.
