Business View Magazine | September 2022

76 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 9 Village adds to this charm, giving employees an idyllic location with all the trappings of a modern, stimulating, and dynamic work environment. Element5 primarily manufactures CLT and Glulam at its St. Thomas facility, besides lesser quantities of complimentary engineered wood products. It plans to ramp up Glulam and CLIPs production in the new facility currently in design, with additional capacity to manufacture larger members and more comprehensive prefab envelope panels. One interesting thing about the company’s operations is that its production was not affected by supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic shocks. “Surprisingly, the pandemic affected our operations only to a minimal degree,” says Chouinard. “We are fortunate to be in control of our supply chain, from the forest floor to the finished product. Our largest investors are also the largest investors in sawmills in northern Ontario, so although Element5 doesn’t own forests, we still control the entire supply chain.” As the company has grown over the past year, one of the areas it addressed is hiring new staff for its facilities. Although most companies are grappling with labor shortages, especially for skilled trades, Element5 has not, and there’s an excellent reason why. “We’ve built a modern, collaborative and dynamic work environment that appeals to young, talented, highly educated professionals,” says Chouinard. “The people we hire tend to be motivated by the fact that we’re revolutionizing the construction industry in a way that has a huge environmental benefit. In addition, they know mass timber is a great business opportunity and want to get in at the forefront of an industry in huge growth mode and one that’s making positive contributions to communities through affordable housing.” Another aspect of Element5’s corporate culture that attracts talented young professionals is its focus on independence, innovation, and creativity – allowing workers to thrive in their individual capacities within the company. The company’s corporate office location in the swanky Liberty