Our Story

The story of Sinclar starts simply: with two men who wanted to plant roots in a community and help build it. Sinclar’s founders, Ivan Andersen and Bob Stewart, started a legacy that continues to this day. The two started Sinclar as a lumber wholesaler in 1962, navigating market fluctuations and shifting environments, turning change and adaptability into the company’s strength. 

The model was clearly successful. When Ivan and Bob first started operating under the Sinclar name, they were one of 20 lumber wholesalers in the Prince George region. Within a few years, they were the only one. Through strong leadership, constant innovation, and always putting community partnerships at the heart of the business, the Andersen and Stewart families have grown Sinclar into a thriving group of companies rooted in British Columbia’s Central Interior, producing a variety of forest products and sustainable energy. 

Bob Stewart

Ivan Andersen

1962
The Story Begins

Ivan Andersen and Bob Stewart start Sinclar Enterprises in Prince George, BC as lumber wholesalers. 

They decided to name their new enterprise after the town in which they met, Sinclair Mills, BC. 

1969
Sinclar Expands into Manufacturing

Andersen, Stewart, and Dean Shaw buy into Apollo Forest Products in Fort St. James, BC with Buster Irving

Andersen and Stewart buy into Nechako Lumber Co. planer mill in Vanderhoof, BC with co-owners Lloyd Larsen, Mike Manojlovic, 

1972
L&M Lumber

Larsen, Manojlovic,  Gene Scott, Andersen, and Stewart open L&M Lumber sawmill in Vanderhoof, BC

1973
Lakeland Mills

Andersen, Stewart, and George Killy acquire Lakeland Mills in Prince George, BC

1978
Creation of Internal Woodlands Department
1985
Lakeland Mills Energy System

An energy system gets installed at Lakeland Mills

1987
The Pas Lumber Company

Andersen, Stewart, and Killy acquire The Pas Lumber Company

1995
Tl'oh Forest Products

Tl'oh Forest Products opens in Fort St. James, BC in partnership with Nak'azdli First Nation

1996
Spruce Capital Homes

The Pas Lumber Company acquires Spruce Capital Homes

2000
Leaders in the Industry

Apollo installs the first "Finscan" auto-grading system in Canada

2001
Premium Pellet

Sinclar expands into the wood pellets industry with the addition of Premium Pellet Ltd. in Vanderhoof, BC

2004
Winton Global

The Pas Lumber Company name is changed to Winton Global Lumber

Spruce Capital Homes begins doing business as Winton Global Homes Division

2009
Sinclar Group Forest Products

Sinclar Enterprises is renamed to Sinclar Group Forest Products to reflect their group of companies and the wide variety of forest products they produce and sell. 

2011
UNBC Partnership
UNBC Energy System

Lakeland begins agreement with UNBC to supply mill residuals for the university's bioenergy plant

2012
Downtown Renewable Energy System

Lakeland Mills enters agreement with the City of Prince George to provide heat for the Downtown Renewable Energy System

2013
Winton Homes Ltd.

Winton Global Homes Division's name is changed to Winton Homes Ltd. 

2014
Nechako Green Energy

Nechako Green Energy opens as the first Organic Rankine Cycle energy system used in wood processing in North America

2015
Closure of Tl'oh Forest Products
2014-2017
Alignment of Centralized Woodlands Team
2017-2018
Integration of Nechako Lumber Co.

The Andersen and Stewart families acquire full ownership of the Vanderhoof lumber operations (Nechako Lumber and L&M Lumber) and Nechako Green Energy, which are brought together as Nechako Lumber Co.

2019
Celebrating 50 Years

Nechako Lumber and Apollo Forest Products celebrate 50 years of operation

2022
Sinclar Celebrates 60 Years

Sinclar Group Forest Products celebrates 60 years of operation

2024
A New Era for Winton Homes

Winton Homes leaves the Sinclar Group to embark on a new era as an independent entity, wholly owned by the Stewart family

And the story continues...