Timber and Tech: Shaping a Sustainable Future

Nestled in the rugged beauty of northwestern Montana, the Flathead Valley has a rich and evolving history of manufacturing and innovation. From its early days as a timber hub to its current role in advanced manufacturing, the region has continually adapted to economic and technological shifts. 

In recent decades, the Flathead Valley has emerged as a player in Montana’s advanced manufacturing. The valley is home to companies like Weyerhaeuser that contribute to a growing ecosystem of innovation, supported by the Kalispell School District, Flathead Valley Community College, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and a skilled workforce. 

Innovation comes in many forms — everything from building a new tool or process, to finding new applications for an existing product or technology. At Weyerhaeuser, innovation has always been fundamental to the company’s success, and it is embraced as a core cultural value. Whether it’s enhancing safety practices or transforming operations through cutting-edge technologies like robotics, automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence, drones, remote sensing and more. These innovations are reshaping the wood products industry and redefining what’s possible in construction, design, manufacturing and environmental sustainability. 

When Weyerhaeuser’s three Montana manufacturing facilities teamed up to improve their energy efficiency in 2022, they set an ambitious goal: reduce energy usage by 2% annually. Thanks to teamwork and innovation, they more than doubled their savings, reducing usage by 4% and saving enough electricity to power 187 homes for a full year. Their work was rewarded earlier this year when Flathead Electric Cooperative named Weyerhaeuser its inaugural Energy Partner of the Year, recognizing the outstanding participation of the Kalispell and Columbia Falls teams in its Energy Smart Industrial Strategic Energy Management Program, offered in partnership with the Bonneville Power Administration. 

Today’s wood product manufacturers are deeply rooted in environmental responsibility and sustainability. As the ultimate green building material, wood can be produced on an endlessly renewable cycle that both protects the environment and sustains Montana’s rural communities. The production of wood products consumes less energy, emits fewer greenhouse gases, releases fewer pollutants and generates less water pollution compared to other building materials, like concrete and steel. Wood products also sequester carbon from the atmosphere and then store carbon indefinitely; they are safe, durable, beautiful, and renewable. 

Investing in the wood products industry means investing in a future that values innovation and sustainability. Ensuring its growth in the Flathead Valley means jobs and healthy rural communities where timber traditions and innovation work hand in hand both now and in the future.  

For more information about innovation at Weyerhaeuser watch the video on YouTube by searching Weyerhaeuser: Innovative to the Core. 

Jared Richardson is the Kalispell Complex Manager for Weyerhaeuser.