The Ahnapee Veneer and Seating Company was organized in May 1892 in Algoma, Wisconsin, as a manufacturer of curved and preformed plywood chairs, chair backs, and settees used in retail stores and railroad stations. Business increased slowly, and in 1903 the company expanded by opening a veneer-cutting plant in Birchwood, Wisconsin, which continued in operation until 1943 when its operations were moved to Algoma. In 1916 the company acquired its first warehouse sales outlet, located in Chicago, and changed its name to the Algoma Panel Company. By then the products manufactured included church pews, desks, sewing machine cabinets, doors, and partition panels, as well as hardwood plywood.
The Algoma Panel Company acquired five more warehouses in 1931 when it merged with the Claus Panel Company of Cleveland, Ohio, and the name was changed once again, this time to Algoma Plywood and Veneer Company. The new, larger company expanded its market base when it purchased the Hamilton Veneer Company of Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 1936. During the 1930's much of the company's work was under contract to United States Plywood of New York, New York, and in 1940 the latter purchased the Algoma firm. United States Plywood greatly expanded its operation in Algoma by building a new warehouse (1953), a new fireproof-treating plant (1955), a finishing plant (1957), and additions to the main factory building totalling over 100,000 square feet of floor space (1959-1963). In 1967 United States Plywood merged with Champion Papers, Inc. to form a billion-dollar forest products company, and continued to manufacture plywood products at its Algoma Division.
In May 1976, U.S. Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc. announced plans to phase-out its operations in Algoma by the end of the year. Under the leadership of Wendell Ellsworth, the factory manager, concerned citizens of Algoma formed Algoma Hardwoods, Inc., on August 5, 1976, and applied for an Economic Development Association loan for the purpose of purchasing the Algoma plant and keeping this important part of the Algoma-area economy in operation. Negotiations for the sale went slowly however and the plant ceased operations as planned on December 27, 1976. An agreement was finally reached on February 22, 1977 and, under the new local owners, the plant reopened and production began slowly on March 1, 1977. Thus the Algoma plywood-manufacturing firm came under local ownership once again and continues (1978) to produce fine door and architectural plywood.
