Over the years, they have grown from operating from a small 2,000-square foot facility on a farm in St. Jacobs, to a 20,000-square-foot facility in Drayton, plus a distribution centre in Muskoka. They have also grown from a team of two – founders Laverne and Emma Martin – to a team of over 50 industry-leading professionals. That team is still headed by Laverne, and still powered by the same beliefs and values that impelled Laverne and Emma to their early success. “Our mission has always been, and always will be, to exceed our customer’s expectations in the quality of our products and service,” Laverne says. “We’ll do that by becoming the leaders in design and production, by using the most cutting-edge technology, and by providing the customer with an exceptional buying experience.” When Laverne and Emma first formed Woodland Horizon, they started production with a few simple machines and tools in one end of a driving shed. They originally focused primarily on providing subcontracted high end custom furniture for retail vendors. By 2009, their dream had expanded beyond the confines of their farm, and they made the decision to move to a new facility in the village of Drayton. That move gave them room to expand, while still maintaining the rural lifestyle that Laverne, Emma, and their family cherished. Unfortunately, in 2012, the company experienced a major setback. Early one morning, Laverne received a call alerting him of smoke pouring out of his building. He rushed to the shop in time to see several fire trucks pulling in. He would later learn that the fire had levelled the entire facility to the ground. They were able to rebuild quickly, however, and later that year they reopened a brand new 6,400-square-foot facility. In 2015, Woodland Horizon added 4,800 square feet to that facility, providing space for them OCTOBER 2023
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=