President Moila Jenkins and her husband and partner Brian Jenkins at Longhouse Specialty Forest Products
PARKSVILLE – In the male-dominated forest industry sector, Moila Jenkins leads the way as President of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, a value-added operation that manufactures high quality softwood products, specializing in custom cut and pre-stained cedar, throughout B.C. and around the globe.
Moila and her husband, partner Brian Jenkins, who handles sales and purchasing, started the company 43 years ago, in 1982. They’ve adapted and expanded and grown into an award winning family business where they’re joined by their daughter Paula Wallace.
While they currently manufacture products In Western Red Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Douglas Fir and Hemlock that include Soffits/Fascia, Custom Profiles, cedar siding, decking and Heavy Timbers up to 50-feet long. They offer Clear and Select Grades that are shipped throughout the province and across the globe, but that’s not where the company started out.
Brian had been laid off from helicopter logging job: ”I put an ad in the paper for firewood and the phone ran off the hook, so we started delivering firewood. We soon had all the parks contracts in the area, and added residential customers, and from there, we got into logging, then sawmilling, then value-added products.”
By 1985 they were shipping pre-finished, pre-stained siding all over Vancouver Island, and now, they ship all over the world.
“We’re one of the few companies that really has its eye on the value-added sector,” says Moila. “Our company is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified, and we’re actually one of the last few remaining FSC value-added companies in the province.”
Approximately two-thirds of their products are made from cedar, but they do work with all B.C. softwoods. They have 10 employees, as well as another mill in Prince George.
Julie McAdam was hired recently to look after Contract sales and marketing in Victoria.
They also have outlets in Prince George and Parksville, and are looking to open in Revelstoke, Jasper, Alberta and Lahaina, on the island of Maui in Hawaii, which suffered horrific fires two years ago.
“A lot of BC softwoods have been used in construction in Hawaii,” Moila states.
Under the guidance of Moila, Longhouse has twice been named Manufacturer of the Year by the Vancouver Island Construction Association.
They have also successfully navigated the waters of working as a close family unit within a company.
“How many people husband and wife have worked together for 40-50 years, every single day?” Brian asks. “Obviously there have been some challenges and market shifts, and some years are better than others. But you learn to take it all in stride and work together to make it work. It’s been great.”
The family is based in Qualicum Beach (their granddaughter is a seventh-generation Qualicum-ite) and the Jenkins’ look towards retirement, the plan is to have employees join the ranks of ownership and continue to grow the company.
“This is a strong company, with long term employees and we have a solid customer base, also many opportunities for more employees,” Moila says. “I am still intrigued by the wood business. The thing about lumber is that it comes with thousands of years of science, and there seems to be something to learn every day.”
Longhouse has seen other operators come and go, but sticking to serving contractor clients has been the company’s strength.
“If you serve contractors right, they’re very loyal people,” she states. “Almost half of our production goes into the Victoria area, and we’re excited to have Julie representing us there.”
