Family Ties

FAMILY-OWNED MILLS LED TO A FENCE EMPIRE

The Lau family are leaders in the wood, fence, and railing industries. Jason Lau’s family has operated a sawmill in China for three generations, expanding over time to include several companies in the wood business. Today, Fence Empire encompasses eight companies: ProRail, FeShield, FeDek, Ameritimber, AmeriRail, JapCedar, Americraft and AmeriGuard.

Jason’s grandfather, Zhongshan Lau, started the small family-owned workshop, Lau’s Sawmill, in 1952, to make semi-finished boards.

“After creating basic furniture in our sawmill for many years, my family’s factory expanded,” explains Jason. “In 1980, they obtained a large amount of land to plant trees to secure raw materials. The name of the sawmill changed to Senzi Wood. My father, Quanlai, and my brother, Xiangyang, operated the company after my grandfather passed away. We began making fence pickets, rail, posts, dimensional lumber and tongue and groove in 1996 for US companies through China state-owned import and export companies. In 2009, we applied for export permit and began our international business.”

Thanks to the family’s mills in China, they have access to valuable Japanese cedar, allowing them to manufacture cedar fence pickets to US markets. “Soon, we began receiving orders in large quantities for our Japanese cedar pickets, propelling us to a leadership position in the fence industry,” he explains.

To overcome the time difference and ensure they could serve customers to a high standard, Jason moved to California, and they established Fence Empire in 2017. It is the umbrella company for the family’s wood business and services distributors and building supply stores.

“Our ownership of these companies showcases our commitment to providing a comprehensive range of fencing solutions, catering to the diverse needs and preferences of our customers,” Jason says. “We have always been committed to developing extraordinary relationships with our customers, propelling our expansion. We provide what our customers need. Thanks to our sawmills and manufacturing facilities, we can meet a variety of needs within the fence and railing industries and ensure quality. Our products are from our mills directly to market.”

Product quality is the lifeline of the company. They strictly ensure their product fits the standards and drawings agreed upon so that the customer receives exactly what they need for their project.

“We offer a variety of Japanese cedar grades, each one offering unique characteristics and uses,” Lau says. “Our family is proud of our reputation for quality, and we work tirelessly to ensure each customer’s order is filled accurately and in a timely manner. Quality control is vital to our business; it’s one of the key factors in our success.”

“I am proud of our family-owned company and to carry on our entrepreneurial spirit,” Jason says. “We’re honored to serve the American lumber market.”

For more information, visit fenceempire.com.