Business Beyond Borders: East Mountain Forest Products is Building a Global Business Through Trusted Partnerships

In the Business Beyond Borders series, RBC speaks with businesses across Canada about how they are seizing opportunity in the global landscape, growing their businesses strategically and navigating the realities of expansion.

For East Mountain Forest Products (EMFOR), global growth hasn’t followed a traditional path.

Although founded in 2024, the company is built on decades of experience in the lumber industry, with founders Phil Hsieh and Greg Stewart drawing on third-generation expertise and long-standing relationships across international markets. From the start, the business was designed to operate globally. East Mountain Forest Products is strategically positioned – with both its team and its inventory – to support customers across Canada, the U.S, South America and Asia.

Rather than entering markets one by one, the company activates an existing network of trusted buyers, sellers and vendors who ultimately fall under a single category: partners.

It’s a model shaped by the realities of the lumber industry, where relationships often carry more weight than contracts and where trust is built over years – sometimes decades. “We are a new business, but have a legacy mindset,” says Hsieh during a recent conversation.

At the centre of that mindset is a simple idea: “We don’t think about doing business with countries – we think about doing business with companies.”

Trusted relationships form the foundation of a global business model

For EMFOR, relationships are the foundation of their business. Long before the company was formally established, Hsieh and Stewart had built a global network of partners across Asia, South America and Europe. Those relationships, developed over decades in the industry, became the starting point for the business itself.

As the business took shape, those connections evolved. Customers became suppliers. Suppliers became strategic partners. Over time, the traditional boundaries between buyer and seller gave way to something more collaborative. “We are creating a community within the market,” explains Hsieh.

It’s a model rooted in the industry’s handshake culture – an environment where trust functions as a form of currency and reputation carries real weight. “In this industry, people will commit to agreements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars – even over a million dollars – without a signed contract,” says Hsieh. “It’s a verbal promise, and the deal gets done. That’s how it’s worked for decades.”

That level of trust may seem unconventional, but it creates resilience. Because relationships are built over time, EMFOR is able to navigate shifting geopolitical conditions, supply chain disruptions and changing market dynamics with greater flexibility.

Reinventing the supply chain through partnership

This relationship-driven approach has led the team to rethink the traditional supply chain. Rather than operating within a linear system – where goods move from supplier to buyer – the company works within a more interconnected ecosystem of partners, where value is created across multiple points.

At the centre of this approach is what Hsieh describes as a “win-win-win” philosophy.

In traditional trade models, success is measured by whether both buyer and seller benefit. But in today’s environment, marked by supply chain disruption, tariffs and shifting demand, that’s no longer enough.

For East Mountain, the goal is to create value across a broader network. That might mean helping a customer become a supplier, redistributing volume across markets or connecting partners they wouldn’t access on their own.

“A win-win solves the transaction,” says Hsieh. “A win-win-win strengthens the whole system.”

This model also allows EMFOR to remain highly adaptable.

As tariffs shift, trade relationships evolve or supply constraints emerge, EMFOR can adjust its sourcing strategies, drawing from different regions, suppliers or partners to meet changing conditions. Rather than being locked into a single supply chain, the company operates across a diversified network.

It’s an approach that reflects a shift in thinking away from simply moving commodities and toward creating value through how products are sourced, positioned and delivered.

How East Mountain Forest Products evaluates and enters new markets

While East Mountain’s model may differ from traditional expansion strategies, its approach to entering new markets is, in fact, both deliberate and disciplined.

Start with relationships

Market entry begins with people, not places.

Rather than targeting specific geographies, the company builds outward from its existing network of trusted partners. These relationships provide both a foothold and a source of insight into new markets.

“I think about the company I’m dealing with first,” says Hsieh. “Are they trustworthy? Do they have strong business practices? Will they be around for 20 or 30 years? This is what matters.”

Look beyond the product to business practices

Evaluating a partner goes well beyond the product itself. In markets such as Brazil, for example, where both legal and illegal harvesting exist, selecting the right partners requires careful due diligence.

EMFOR looks at not only forest management practices, but at how companies operate more broadly – how they treat their employees, their approach to health and safety, their commitment to environmental sustainability and their overall business integrity.

Understand the market dynamics

Even with strong relationships, understanding the local market remains essential. This includes how products are used, differences in standards and variations in demand and supply chains. Each market has its own nuances, and success depends on recognizing and adapting accordingly.

Adapt the model to fit

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. EMFOR adjusts its product mix, sourcing strategy and partnership structure based on the needs of each market and relationship. Flexibility is built into the model.

Balancing trust with risk management

A relationship-driven model requires a different approach to risk.

Rather than relying solely on formal contracts, a relationship-first approach addresses risk through a combination of experience, judgment and thoughtful execution. Transactions may be phased, shipments staggered, and financial tools – such as letters of credit or border bonds – used selectively, depending on the partner and the situation.

Long-standing relationships play a critical role in this approach. Working with known, reliable partners – many of whom have been part of the founders’ network for years – adds a level of confidence that complements formal safeguards.

Still, discipline remains essential. Each transaction is approached with care, balancing relationship strength with practical measures to protect both sides.  

That same balance extends to financial partnerships. EMFOR works closely with RBC, building on relationships that predate the business and have continued as the company has grown.

And, as the relationship transitioned from a personal banking to a business-focused partnership, that financial layer of discipline was built over time.

As a newly established company, EMFOR was onboarded with RBC in early 2024 as it prepared to launch operations and expand its export business. With a focus on letters of credit (LCs), the team worked closely with RBC to navigate the complexities of export financing, particularly around LC discounting. While early transactions didn’t immediately meet discounting criteria, ongoing guidance and consistent engagement helped refine the company’s approach. Over time, this collaboration led to successful LC discounting on a regular basis, supporting cash flow while enabling the business to scale confidently across global markets.

“What made the difference was the foundation we built over time,” says Deepthika Gooneratne, Director of Trade Finance Solutions with RBC. “We worked closely with EMFOR to identify the types of counterparties and banks that aligned with our risk appetite and helped them position their business accordingly. That consistency and openness to guidance is what ultimately turned opportunity into traction.”

This relationship continuity provided confidence that the right support would be there when needed, with trust built over time, delivering tangible results.

Why being a Canadian business matters on the world stage

Being Canadian has proven to be a meaningful advantage on the global stage.

The Canadian brand is a valuable asset. Canada is widely viewed as a trusted, neutral and collaborative trading partner. With that kind of reputation, it’s easier to build relationships internationally and open doors in markets where credibility matters.

Government-led trade missions and Canada’s broader trade infrastructure further support this position, helping Canadian businesses establish connections and build visibility abroad.

At the same time, Hsieh believes Canadian companies don’t always fully capitalize on this advantage.

“I find that many Canadian businesses are hesitant to go out and present themselves as Canadian,” he says. “But we should be proud of it. We are known for being fair, respectful and easy to work with – and that matters globally.”

Lessons for companies expanding globally

As the conversation turned to advice for other Canadian companies considering international growth, several themes emerged.

5 lessons East Mountain Forest Products has learned about global growth

1. Choose partners, not just markets

Focus on companies with integrity, strong business practices and long-term alignment. “I always look at the company first,” says Hsieh. “If they’re trustworthy and thinking long-term, that’s most important.”  

2. Build relationships before you need them

Strong networks create flexibility in uncertain conditions. Establishing trusted industry and financial partnerships means support is available when opportunities or challenges arise.

3. Create value across the ecosystem

Look beyond transactions to create long-term mutual benefit across partners. The strongest businesses build communities, not just customer lists.

4. Stay adaptable

Global trade conditions evolve quickly. Business models must be flexible enough to evolve with them.

5. Leverage Canada’s reputation

Trust in Canadian businesses opens doors internationally – as long as companies actively lean into that advantage.

Rethinking global growth in a changing world

As the nature of globalization evolves, success depends less on where a company chooses to operate and more on how it builds and sustains relationships across markets. For East Mountain Forest Products, that means prioritizing trust, adaptability and long-term thinking in every aspect of their business.

It’s an approach that is more human, more connected and ultimately more resilient than traditional models of global expansion. And it reinforces a simple but powerful idea: in global business, who you work with matters just as much as where you go.