Burnaby lumber giant Interfor shifts corporate functions to Georgia
The longtime B.C. company will establish its Peachtree, Georgia office as the primary hub for executive and back-office work, prompting union concerns about further industry decline.
Sources · local media reports
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Interfor Corp., the Burnaby-headquartered lumber giant founded in B.C., is moving most of its executive and back-office work to the United States. CEO Ian Fillinger announced the decision July 9 in a memo to employees, stating the company will establish its Peachtree, Georgia, office — just outside Atlanta — as the "primary hub for corporate and functional support."
No timeline for the shift was specified, and Fillinger provided no details about which jobs or how many employees will relocate. He said no layoffs are planned and the company will maintain "a continued West Coast presence." Interfor has not responded to requests for comment.
The move comes as B.C. lumber producers remain weighed down by punitive U.S. softwood lumber duties and a difficult business environment. It also marks the latest step in more than a decade of Interfor's expanding U.S. operations. The company now has 58 per cent of its capacity in the U.S. Southeast and Pacific Northwest, while B.C. represents just 17 per cent of its ability to mill 4.4 billion board feet annually, according to a May 2026 corporate presentation.
The union representing about 250 of Interfor's workers at two B.C. mills described the decision as a blow to the forestry sector. "I read it this morning while just camping on vacation at Skaha Lake with my morning coffee," said Jeff Bromley, wood council chair for the United Steelworkers. "it's still a kick in the gut."
Bromley noted the union once represented over 1,000 Interfor workers in the company's coastal operations. Interfor sold those operations in the early 2000s while expanding in Washington State and interior B.C. He expressed concern that other companies may follow suit. "It just gives you that other layer on top of the terrible news that the forest industry in Canada has been over the last decade," Bromley said.
On its website, Interfor characterizes itself as a top three lumber producer in North America with 28 facilities across the continent. According to UBC forestry expert Harry Nelson, the company's remaining three B.C. sawmills have a reputation for top-quartile financial performance and efficiency, so the company "is probably going to hang on to those." Still, Nelson said the move represents a broader industry trend: "We've changed enough now that it no longer makes sense for us to be based out of B.C." Interfor posted a $63 million net loss in its first quarter 2026, compared with a $35 million loss for the same quarter in 2025.
The facts
Where is Interfor moving its corporate functions?
Interfor is establishing its Peachtree, Georgia office, located just outside Atlanta, as the primary hub for corporate and back-office work.
When did Interfor's CEO announce this decision?
CEO Ian Fillinger announced the move on July 9, 2026, in a memo to employees.
What share of Interfor's milling capacity is now in the U.S.?
According to Interfor's May 2026 corporate presentation, the company has 58 per cent of its milling capacity in the U.S. Southeast and Pacific Northwest.
How many workers does the union represent at Interfor's B.C. mills?
The United Steelworkers union represents about 250 of Interfor's workers at two B.C. mills.
