Element5 plant in Ontario, Canada

Nestled in Southwestern Ontario, sits St. Thomas. A fast-growing city situated between Toronto and Detroit, it is the home of HASSLACHER group's North American production facility, and is operated by Element5 - a member of the HASSLACHER group.

The HASSLACHER group has been active in the North American market for over ten years with its timber products and mass timber construction solutions. Through the joint venture with Element5, the full portfolio of the HASSLACHER group has been available in North America since early 2024. This joint partnership provides the North American market with shorter lead times, increased capacity and comprehensive engineering expertise.

To meet the soaring demand for mass timber construction, the HASSLACHER group has funded a major expansion of the existing Element5 plant, increasing its footprint from 13.000 m² (135,000 ft²) to 33.500 m² (360,000 ft²). Built with a striking combination of structural steel and mass timber, the new state-of-the-art facility was completed after just 12 months of construction. The expanded facility has an impressive annual capacity of 50,000 m³ of glued-laminated timber (glulam) and 50,000 m³ of cross-laminated timber (CLT), doubling Element5’s production output and reinforcing its role as a North American leader in sustainable building solutions.

The project added a major extension to the existing 13,000 m² (140,000 ft²) facility, providing an additional 24,000 m² (260,000 ft²) for shipping, assembly, and a new Glulam production line. The expansion was constructed with structural steel and features a beautiful Glulam canopy integrated into the main structure. A new two-storey, 1,700 m² (18,000 ft²) mass timber office completes the expansion, and underscores the HASSLACHER group’s commitment to sustainable innovation and the North American market. To support the expanded production capacity, the existing kiln was expanded by 2,300 m² (25,000 ft²). In addition, a 5.300 m² (57,000 ft²) prefabricated steel structure was erected adjacent to the main building to house a new lumber sorting line equipped with the multi-sensor quality scanner Goldeneye by MiCROTEC©. A new two-storey, 1,700 m² (18,000 ft²) mass timber office completes the expansion, and underscores the HASSLACHER group’s commitment to sustainable innovation and the North American market.

In total, 602 m³ of glued-laminated timber and 229 m³ of cross-laminated timber were produced at HASSLACHER group’s facilities in Hermagor (HASSLACHER Holzbausysteme) and Stall (NORITEC Stall). The mass timber used in the project absorbed 625 tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere during its growth. The carbon it contains remains stored in the wood mass over the long term.