Calgary AB – Star Building Materials Calgary has found a way to innovate and grow even amidst a global pandemic. When Star Building Materials Calgary heard the news that one of its competitors, D&B Lumber, was closing its doors in May, Ken Crockett, Vice-President, and his team saw an opportunity to purchase D&B’s prefabricated wall panel line, which would ultimately expand the business unit’s share of the building materials market.

“When D&B announced that they were closing their doors, we saw it as an opportunity to secure customers we otherwise would not be able to,” said Ken. “Being able to produce wall units greatly expands our product offerings and sets us apart as a one-stop-shop for our current and future customer base. This type of opportunity does not come around very often and we wanted to ensure that we didn’t miss a beat.”

Prefabricated wall panels improve on-site efficiencies, shorten the construction process, and reduce costs to homebuilders. In addition, the pre-built panels reduce material waste and ensure the accurate placement of beams and posts.

The team responsible for the prefabricated wall panels is the duo of David Klassen, EWP/Truss Manager, and Richard Tunnicliffe, Operations Manager. Within six weeks, the two were able to reconfigure their North Star warehouse, install the complex wall panel system, and successfully ship out the first load of wall panels.

Because of the unwavering commitment to finding competitive advantages even in the face of hardship, the team at Star Building Materials was able to secure Shane Homes, a major homebuilder in Calgary, as a new customer. Star Building Materials will not only be supplying them with prefabricated wall panels, but also the engineered wood products, loose lumber, and trusses.

“During a difficult economic time, securing a large new customer is extraordinary,” said Ken. “Not only is Shane Homes a well-respected builder in Calgary, but they are loyal to their supply partners. We are excited to build on this relationship with Shane Homes, as they are currently building in the Qualico community of Redstone and are a joint venture partner on a number of upcoming projects.”

The goal with the wall panel line is to be able to offer this service more widely in the future. For now, Star Building Materials is looking forward to perfecting the processes in its new division and increasing the business unit’s share of the Calgary building materials market.