Instagram Story Save

Building one of the world's largest projects by volume of wood comes down to one thing for the owner's representative who led it: "It felt like working with someone you'd already worked with before."

That's the kind of relationship we try to build into every job we take on.

The 'Timber Titan,' as we call it, holds 200,000 tons of potash, and potash is corrosive enough that a steel structure this size would have meant a shorter lifespan and more maintenance over time for the owner.

Mass timber solved that.

Wood is able to withstand the corrosive properties needed in this type of structure, making it the best structural choice.

Freestanding mass timber at this volume also gave the facility the column-free interior it needed: 164-foot curved glulam beams clear-spanning 233 feet across just under 7 acres.

We handled the complete design and supply of the structure above the foundation, along with early design assistance. This is the biggest one we've done, but it sits in a 75-year history of over 50 large-span storage facilities like it. That track record is why the client trusted us with the timeline.

Think about what a structure like this makes possible at scale: data centers, distribution warehouses...mass timber is ready for all of it. The industry is ready for it.

If you want to explore mass timber at scale, shoot us a message.

#MassTimber #Glulam #BuildBright

The best mass timber builds start with the right erection crew.

This was a big topic at International Mass Timber Conference back in March. Our own Mark Wigston, CET joined Coby Foust of FOUST Fab & Erectors , Meghan Reilly, Jake Allen, and Brandon Brooks, MBA, PMP to discuss the importance of early collaboration between the erector, manufacturer, and GC on hybrid steel and timber projects.

And we've seen this partnership in action. We supplied the glulam for a 128,000 sq ft hybrid steel and mass timber project for a high-tech client in Redmond, Washington, with Foust handling the erection (pictured).

There's a lot of crossover between what ironworkers do on steel and what glulam erection demands.

We've been manufacturing glulam for 75 years, and ironworkers are one of the best-kept secrets in mass timber. Ask our Mike Ware, he's seen it play out more times than he can count.

Iron Workers International Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust #masstimber #buildbright #glulam

Happy #AlbertaForestWeek! Thank you @loveabforests for this lovely tree-t that arrived at the office! Thanks to everyone working in Alberta forestry. Cheers to another great Forest Week!

#BuildBright

In 1911, the builders of 837 Beatty Street designed the warehouse to carry 4 more storeys. Those storeys never got built until now...with mass timber.

The original Edwardian warehouse in Yaletown is 3 storeys of load-bearing masonry and heavy timber, part of Vancouver's Block 68 collection. The 1911 builders sized the structure for a vertical expansion that never came.

More than a century later, our team, Reliance Properties Ltd., Office of mcfarlane biggar, Fast+Epp, Entuitive, and ETRO Construction finally completed it, funded through BC's Mass Timber Demonstration Program.

Four new storeys of glulam post-and-beam with nail-laminated timber floors, plus a steel and concrete shear wall hybrid that seismically upgrades the original masonry while carrying the new load above. Mass timber is light enough to make this work. Seven storeys total, with the 1911 masonry and heavy timber preserved underneath.

Mass timber additions on top of existing structures, such as this, are a relatively new design solution. 837 Beatty is one of the reasons that's starting to change.

We were proud to supply the glulam for this one alongside our partners Kinsol Timber Systems. Western Archrib has spent 75 years helping teams figure out what's possible in mass timber, glad to do the same for yours.

If you're at The Royal Architectural Institute Of Canada 2026 conference, let's talk.

We're sponsoring the 837 Beatty tour at RAIC 2026 today. Bryan Lemos Beça and Rocio Huertas Garcia from mcfarlane biggar are leading it with Timothy Wong from Entuitive.

Photo courtesy of ETRO Construction

Glulam: Western Archrib
Architect: office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers (omb)
Engineer: Fast + Epp
General Contractor: ETRO Construction
Installer: Kinsol Timber Systems

#MassTimber #RAIC2026 #Glulam #BuildBright

Patrick Geers, our Senior Structural Designer & Head of Quality Control, is giving the Tuesday morning keynote at the 3rd NextGen Wood Conference in Edmonton (May 3-6). We're looking forward to what he'll share with the researchers and builders in the room.

We're also proud to be sponsoring the evening reception, with Alberta's Minister of Forestry and Parks, Todd Loewen, in attendance. The program includes two full days of technical sessions and a Wednesday workshop on Building Envelope and Energy Performance.

If you're attending, come find the Western Archrib team. After 75 years in this industry, we still find the best conversations are the ones where we listen.

📅 May 3–6, 2026
📍 Château Lacombe, Downtown Edmonton

#BuildBright #Glulam #MassTimber #StructuralEngineering

The team, Barbara Murray and Andre Lema, are at the Alberta Association of Architects Banff Sessions today and tomorrow. Come find us at Booth 16! The earlier we're in the conversation, the more value we can add. Stop by to talk through your early design decisions on #masstimber

A small bonus: we've been building in the area for nearly 75 years. Some of those projects are close to the conference. We mapped them so you can take a look between sessions or before you head home.

See the map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/viewer?mid=19vJ6vGNwUt_SameaXvMe_sh0ZXwH1M4&ll=51.07354647468407%2C-115.35130675889859&z=13

See you at Booth 16
#Glulam #BuildBright #BS2026 #BanffSession2026 #OriginStories

The team, Barbara Murray and Andre Lema, are at the Alberta Association of Architects Banff Sessions today and tomorrow. Come find us at Booth 16! The earlier we're in the conversation, the more value we can add. Stop by to talk through your early design decisions on #masstimber

A small bonus: we've been building in the area for nearly 75 years. Some of those projects are close to the conference. We mapped them so you can take a look between sessions or before you head home.

See the map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/viewer?mid=19vJ6vGNwUt_SameaXvMe_sh0ZXwH1M4&ll=51.07354647468407%2C-115.35130675889859&z=13

See you at Booth 16
#Glulam #BuildBright #BS2026 #BanffSession2026 #OriginStories

Mass timber in a high-humidity pool environment, how does that work?

Our team is leading an architectural tour of the Hillcrest Aquatic Centre at the RAIC Conference in Vancouver.

We'll walk through how mass timber differs from conventional structural systems in practice, why early engagement with design and supply teams matters, and how fire performance, acoustics, and detailing were handled for a building that lives in moisture every day.

The tour is led by our team, Stephanie Kullman, Giulia Natalini, Andre Lema, and Barbara Murray.

📅 May 5, 2026 | ⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
📍 Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near Registration Desk)
🚐 Shuttle provided | Walking distance under 1km | No PPE required

Spots are limited - register now through RAIC → https://conference.raic.org/en/architectural-tours

#glulam #masstimber #buildbright

What's going on in the shop? This project in particular features steel embedded directly into glulam, with rivets securing the connection between the two materials.

What you’re seeing in the video is one half of a block-glued brace, with 400 rivets per end. That’s 800 per half, and 1,600 per fully assembled member.

We’re pre-installing and block-gluing in-house to support fast on-site installation for a just-in-time delivery. This approach is essential for a tight downtown construction site where space and time are limited.

#glulam #masstimber #sustainableconstruction

Custom steel connections for mass timber...when do they make more sense than off-the-shelf, and how do they actually work? Our Senior Structural Engineer Patrick Geers' upcoming webinar with WoodWorks answers both questions, step by step.

In this webinar, Patrick shares his over 24 years of mass timber engineering experience! He'll walk through how forces travel through a custom steel hanger assembly, what eccentricity means for the surrounding structure, and how fire protection and wood shrinkage are handled in real projects.

📅 Thursday, April 16 | ⏰ 10:00 AM PDT / 1:00 PM EDT
Register free → https://events.zoom.us/ev/Av6-3D8s1MmbEu_ePwfkJzEQcghHkhZi4o4FiSU4d4ZlKuyjisUV~AgCs3HEq0aeH-xS4vpNGu4cD7Etnj8JTC6maznoFi1z6_DQppDCkt1X-VA

@cdnwoodcouncil #glulam #masstimber #structuralengineering

The beams are nearly all up at Frog Lake First Nation's Horse Healing Centre. Curved spruce glulam spanning the open arena. GLT roof panels following the arc. A design inspired by horses' manes and the ribbons of Frog Lake spiritual expression.

This one is progressing very well. Great work team! @reimaginearch @fastepp @genmecacl

Glulam Beams+Panels: Western Archrib
Architect: Reimagine
Engineer: Fast + Epp
General Contractor: Genmec ACL Inc

📷️ : Courtesy of Fast + Epp

#glulam #masstimber #architect #sustainableconstruction

We're at the LBMAO Buying Show this week at the Toronto Congress Centre, April 9–10. We carry stock glulam inventory, which means our straight beams or billets are ready to ship when you need them.

Come find us at Booth 705 and let's talk about getting material to your jobsite quickly! #BuildBright #glulam #masstimber #billets

Nearly 100 years of combined mass timber experience, all in one photo. Andre Lema, Roger Halbgewachs, and Mark Wigston, CET are on the floor at International Mass Timber Conference. Come find them at Booth 502 with your questions!

#masstimber #glulam #masstimberconference @masstimberconference