About Us
MLB BRIEF HISTORY
Quality is never an accident. Quality is always the result of high intentions, sincere efforts, and skillful execution. Quality represents the wise choice of many alternatives. The members of the Maritime Lumber Bureau have an abiding commitment to providing our valued customers, world wide, quality products and services.
Our quality begins with our abundant natural resources from which we will continue to prosper with our on-going environmental correctness and our quality culminates with the first class wood products we send to the marketplace – domestically and internationally.
In the Maritimes sawmilling continues to be an established tradition and way of life. Our industry encompasses whole communities which are linked together by our investments and returns generated from our forests. We are unique in that we are bound together by a network of primarily family owned operations. We are unique in that our geographic location ensures early delivery opportunities for our customers in the United States, Europe, and other offshore locations. We are unique with over two thirds of our productive forests being privately owned. We are unique in our unity of purpose, which has been maintained since 1938 with the establishment of the Maritime Lumber Bureau. We are unique in that our “lumber producers” collective commitment to quality and unity spans all Atlantic Canadian provinces and into the Eastern United States.
For centuries, quality products have been produced in the Maritimes and delivered to our customers throughout the world. For decades, the Maritime Lumber Bureau has assisted producers with standardized quality and marketing techniques. We have a proven record. Our collective goal is to continue to supply the “consumers’ products of preference” as we utilize the latest technology, continually improving our production techniques, recovery, and sustainability of our valued resource.
Success for us comes from satisfying our customers with the highest quality products and services. Success that will ensure the future viability of our industry – our way of life.
The strength, durability, and flexibility of our lumber products have withstood the test of time…
Since the golden age of the Tall Ships, our forests have provided a source for quality products. First as masts and spars for our founders’ ships, later as a material for crafting our own world renowned vessels. Our communities, with almost all houses and commercial buildings built from the lumber of our forests, have stood proudly for hundreds of years.
Timeless quality has been our hallmark. The utilization of wood as a high quality building material originated with the log homes of the early settlers was maintained in the large dwellings constructed during the industrial age, and has continued to supply the most desirable components of modern construction techniques. The applications of Maritime produced wood products are countless.
The longevity and appeal of our wood products have prevailed time and time again!
The Maritime Lumber Bureau quality control mark is your guarantee that the product meets the applicable standards….
The quality of grade stamped products is controlled and supervised to ensure that the end products meet minimum specified standards.
Product quality is the commitment of every member of the Maritime Lumber Bureau. From the beginning, the MLB Quality Control system was – and remains today, over half a century later – the basis of our professionalism. Membership in the association is voluntary, but members number over 100 sawmills and are required to adhere to published standards. Producing members are located in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and the State of Maine.
S-P-F (Spruce-Pine-Fir) and Eastern White Pine are the primary species grown and manufactured under the authority of the Maritime Lumber Bureau. Production of additional species such as Hemlock, Tamarack, and Eastern White Cedar provide available supplies for consumer preferences.
Products produced from eastern species are known for their strength and easy handling. Maritime solid wood products have been and continue to be the choice of builders and craftspeople throughout the world
Members of the Maritime Lumber Bureau are firmly resolved to hand down to future generations an abundant, high quality resources and are continued to respecting the environment, essential for the conservation of our forests…
Future production requires long term planning. Future generations, as with those who came before us, will prefer “wood” as the most desirable building material. Our ability to supply anticipated consumer demand in the future, and maintain our ability to supply the Consumer’s Product of Preference, requires a commitment to modern sylviculture and wise forest stewardship.
Spruce-Pine-Fir is by far the largest species group in Eastern Canada. It provides an important supply of high quality construction lumber. Because of the five species – Jack Pine, Red Spruce, White Spruce, Black Spruce, and Balsam Fir – have similar strength properties, they are grouped and marketed together as S-P-F. As strength, stiffness, and color are the primary qualities of this species group, its manufactured products are often preferred by builders, architects, and engineers.
Maritime sawmills produce a variety of sizes and grades which are completely in accord with building code requirements in North America, Europe, and other offshore markets. Both kiln-dried and unseasoned lumber are ready available. Unseasoned lumber, which is lumber exceeding 19% moisture content at the time of manufacture, is dressed to a slightly larger size than dry lumber.
The Maritimes produce an abundant supply of Eastern White Pine. Because of its value for ship builders, this versatile species was once exclusively harvested with Royal consent. White Pine’s great value rests with its soft, even texture and good mass to strength relationship. Eastern White Pine is prized for its workability in mouldings, pattern stock, architectural designs, and other millwork. It is prevalent in door and window components due to its dimensional stability and excellent ability to hold finishes and glues. Our Eastern White Pine also functions well in general construction sheathing and framing components, where its distinctive beauty and warmth is called for.
Canadian lumber grades conform to the National Grading Rules for Dimension Lumber and are identical to those published by rules-writing agencies in the United States. Canadian grades are recognized internationally.
The Maritime Lumber Bureau is an accredited quality control agency. Authority for the application of specified standards has been extended by the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board, the American Lumber Standards Committee Inc., the British Standards Institute, and the Japanese Ministry of Construction.