Upper Canada Forest Products marks 40 years with updated brand identity

Upper Canada Forest Products is marking 40 years in business with an updated brand identity, including a new logo, as the company enters what it describes as a new chapter in its history.

The Canadian hardwood, panel and decorative surfaces distributor announced the milestone this week, saying its visual identity is changing while its focus on customer success, long-term partnerships and trusted guidance remains the same. The company framed the anniversary around its long-standing message of “Delivering the Difference.”

Upper Canada Forest Products was founded by Warren Spitz on May 26, 1986. According to the company’s history, UCFP began with one truck, a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and a three-person team focused on serving customer needs. Spitz started the company at age 28 with two objectives: to bring a higher level of professionalism and care to the industry and to build an organization where people felt they belonged.

Over the following decades, UCFP expanded across Canada. The company opened locations in Vancouver and Kelowna, B.C., in 1995, then added Calgary and Edmonton locations in 2001. It earned FSC Chain of Custody certification in 2003 and says its supplier base has since grown to include more than 140 FSC-certified suppliers.

The company’s Ontario headquarters also became a significant part of its growth story. Around its 10-year anniversary, UCFP moved into a 100,000-square-foot warehouse at 7088 Financial Drive in Mississauga, Ont. In 2016, the company marked 30 years in business and opened a Victoria location on Vancouver Island.

UCFP has also expanded through acquisition. In 2021, it acquired Richmond, B.C.-based Pioneer Distributors Ltd., a supplier serving cabinet, furniture and millwork manufacturers in Western Canada. The company has also been recognized through Canada’s Best Managed Companies program, earning Gold Status in 2020 after six consecutive years of designation.

In its anniversary message, UCFP said the new logo represents an evolution of the brand rather than a change in direction.

“While our visual look is changing, what matters most remains the same: our commitment to your success, our belief in long-term partnership, and our dedication to providing trusted guidance every step of the way,” the company said.

Looking ahead, the company said it will continue investing in products, expertise and service to support customers. For Canada’s secondary wood manufacturing sector, the milestone underscores the long-term role UCFP has played in supplying cabinet, furniture, millwork and architectural woodwork manufacturers with materials and product guidance across regional markets.