FAMILY BRANDS & SUBSIDIARIES

Our story begins over 100 years ago with the formation of California Cedar Products Company (Cal Cedar) in Stockton, California in 1917. Cal Cedar manufactured wood slats, which look like flat, rectangular slices of wood, from California incense cedar wood. They sold this raw material globally to the pencil industry for the manufacture of wood case pencils. 

The first wood-wax firelog was created after a multi-year R&D project at Cal Cedar. The largest manufacturer in the western world of wood slats at the time, the company was looking for ways to recycle the tremendous volume of sawdust by-product from its wood manufacturing operations. The research department developed a mixture using the sawdust with petroleum wax, and invented a specially designed extruder to make a new type of fireplace fuel, the firelog.

By 1970, Cal Cedar incorporated the firelog business as a separate subsidiary, California Cedar Firelog, Inc., and released the new product under an eponymous brand name, the “California Cedar Firelog”.

A year later, Cal Cedar changed the name of its subsidiary to Duraflame, Inc.

The new brand of wood-wax firelogs quickly revolutionized what people burned in their fireplaces. The firewood alternative struck a chord with consumers with its convenience and cleaner burning benefits compared to firewood.

From 1978-1982, Cal Cedar produced duraflame® firelogs and firestarters for a national consumer packaging goods company who sold and distributed the products until 1982. By 1986 Duraflame, Inc. was established as an independent corporation, no longer a subsidiary of Cal Cedar, and began direct sales of the duraflame® brand.

In 1997, Duraflame, Inc. acquired Toronto based Monto Industries, Ltd and its flameglo brand, and renamed the company to Maple Leaf Firelog, Inc. Two years later, it acquired Canadian Firelog, Ltd in British Columbia and the Hearth-fire brand, expanding their production capacity and market base.

To serve the growing market for fireplace fuels and to improve logistic efficiencies in the United States, Duraflame kicked off the 21st century by building an Eastern firelog factory in Somerset, KY.

Duraflame, Inc. acquired Cowboy Charcoal Company in Kentucky, to expand its brand and product offerings to the grilling fuels market. Cowboy operates wood and charcoal manufacturing facilities in Albany and Monticello, KY.

In 2008 Duraflame looked to diversify its product offering portfolio, and began licensing its brand name to Twin-Star International for electric fireplaces and heaters.

Duraflame, Inc. acquired Timberland Forest Products, Inc. to expand operations into wood products.

Duraflame, Inc. continues to grow its position in the cooking woods market by acquiring W W Wood, Inc. in Pleasanton, TX in 2016, Barbeque Wood Flavors, Inc. in Ennis, TX in 2017, and B&B Charcoal in Waelder, TX 2021.

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the duraflame® brand. Since 1972, duraflame® has become a household name, bringing people together and resounding the company’s commitment to convenience, quality and innovation. To commemorate the event, retro edition packaging pays homage to the legacy and nostalgia that still resonates with the brand today.