BSL Wood Products (Bois BSL Inc.)

underestimate.” Although not the company’s core product, going green has its commercial benefits. BSL sells its creosote sweeping logs in the United States through a large US partner specializing in this category. Automation is also a critical component of BSL’s operations, with the company investing close to $4 million to upgrade its current facilities. “In this business, automation translates into millions of dollars in investment,” says Emery, “so while we’re not as automated as our European counterparts, we are making steady progress.” Another area of steady progress for BSL is building a pipeline of resale and distribution partners. Since the company does not sell directly to consumers, it supplies specialized dealers and hardware stores, matching each customer to a product that suits its clientele. The company also works with distributors such as wholesalers and stocking agents that sell on to projects or directly to standard retailer channels. These partnerships not only serve BSL in Quebec but further afield too. “In Canada, we cover the Atlantic provinces up to Ontario, and in the U.S., we’re growing in the northeast down to the mid- Atlantic area besides targeting Midwest states like Ohio and western states like Wisconsin,” shares Emery. Covering such a vast market can seem daunting, but BSL has a winning formula. Instead of flooding its target markets with products, it chooses to focus on doing business with a few selected partners in untapped markets. Emery notes, “We are creating a natural market protection by adding key alliances with our partners that protect them by not pitting them against too many competitors.” BSL WOOD PRODUCTS (BOI S BSL INC . )