Matimco is a Philippine wood and building-materials company with roots dating back to 1964. Originally established as Mandaue Timber Company (MTC), it has evolved from a timber-processing business into a diversified provider of wood, architectural materials, doors, flooring, wall and ceiling systems, outdoor products, and other home-construction solutions.[1]

Today, Matimco positions itself as a major Philippine wood company focused on combining craftsmanship, material technology, design, accessibility, and sustainable development. Its products are sold through its own House of Wood showrooms, an online platform, and selected hardware and home-improvement retailers nationwide.[1]

The company describes its mission as being “the country’s best, largest, and most trusted wood company,” with a vision centered on advocating a culture of wood use in the Philippines while supporting sustainable development.

1964: Mandaue Timber Company

Matimco’s history began in 1964, when entrepreneur Lim Liu founded Mandaue Timber Company. The original business differed significantly from the modern enterprise; MTC initially supplied wooden cases used for soft drinks and beer, including supplies for San Miguel Corporation. This early venture established the company’s foundation in timber processing and wood manufacturing.

1968: Expansion into wood processing

By 1968, MTC had expanded operations by working with major exporters and introducing kiln-dried wood processing in the Philippines. Kiln drying became a critical component of the company’s development, allowing timber to be processed to controlled moisture levels suitable for higher-value applications and export markets.

1970: Matimco Incorporated

In 1970, the company adopted the name Matimco Incorporated as it continued to expand its wood business. During this period, Matimco established its first kiln-drying plant and began exporting kiln-dried Lauan lumber to international markets. This marked a shift from its original wooden-case business toward becoming a more sophisticated wood-processing company.

1980s: Architectural wood products

Matimco continued diversifying during the 1980s. In 1984, the company acquired Kingsway Enterprises Corporation, enabling it to enter or expand into mouldings and processed architectural wood products. These products served both Philippine and international markets, including customers in the United Kingdom and Australia.

1990s: MATWOOD

During the 1990s, Matimco expanded its branded-product strategy. Under CEO Charlie H. Liu, the company partnered with Solignum, resulting in the creation of MATWOOD, which serves as its flagship artisanal wood brand. Matwood helped transition the company beyond simply selling timber toward presenting wood as a design and lifestyle material.

2000: ISO certification

In the 2000s, Matimco reached a significant milestone when it became the first Philippine wood-processing and treatment company to receive ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Certification. This certification reflected the company’s emphasis on formalized quality-management processes.

2010s: House of Wood

For its 50th anniversary, Matimco launched the House of Wood concept. The first House of Wood showroom opened in 2013, creating a dedicated retail environment where homeowners, architects, designers, and builders could experience different wood products. Rather than functioning purely as a traditional lumber store, the concept was designed around wood selection, design inspiration, material expertise, and customer consultation.[1] During this period, Matimco also promoted pine and fir lumber as alternatives to traditional local lumber sources.

2020s: Digital retail and broader materials

Matimco entered the digital-commerce era by launching an e-commerce platform, allowing customers across the Philippines to access its products online. Its product portfolio has also expanded beyond conventional lumber into materials such as PVC, WPC, MDF, engineered wood, and other construction and interior products.

2025: Mastercraft and total home solutions

Around its 60th year, Matimco introduced Mastercraft, a premium craftsmanship and custom-built wood-solution offering. The company describes this development as part of its effort to create a more complete “House of Wood” experience, bringing together design inspiration, material expertise, custom solutions, and sustainability.

Matimco’s modern product range is substantially broader than traditional lumber. Its online catalog currently contains more than 150 listed products, spanning doors, flooring, panels, lumber, and multiple branded material systems.[1]

Lumber

Lumber remains one of the company’s fundamental product categories. Matimco offers products such as kiln-dried, S4S (surfaced on four sides) lumber in various lengths and nominal dimensions. Its Ecofor range, for example, includes kiln-dried lumber intended for construction and woodworking applications.[1] Typical applications include furniture, interior construction, framing and structural applications, decorative woodworking, general carpentry, and architectural projects.

Doors

Matimco has developed a substantial door portfolio reflecting its evolution from a timber supplier into a broader interior and architectural-materials company. Offerings include Designer Series Doors, Engineered Doors, Prime Moulded Doors, Solid Doors, Melamine Doors, Veneered Doors, and Door jambs.

Flooring

Flooring is a key component of the company’s home-interior portfolio. Rather than limiting itself to raw wood, Matimco offers products designed to provide finished architectural surfaces for residential and commercial interiors.

Wall and ceiling panels

One of Matimco’s contemporary categories is decorative wall and ceiling systems. Its Likewood line includes PVC and WPC wall and ceiling products such as fluted wall panels, grooved ceiling panels, flat ceiling panels, decorative WPC panels, tubular posts and baffles, Flexiwood panels, and wood wallpaper. These PVC/WPC products are described as lightweight, easy to install and clean, and resistant to termites and water.[1] This demonstrates that Matimco’s interpretation of the “wood” market encompasses materials designed to reproduce or complement wood aesthetics, not just solid wood.

Matwood real-wood panels

Matwood remains associated with traditional real-wood applications. Current products include solid wood indoor panels and Quick Stick real-wood panels made from materials such as reclaimed wood and paulownia.[1] These products are primarily oriented toward interior decoration and architectural feature applications.

Outdoor products

Through Nuwood, Matimco offers outdoor products such as deck tiles, outdoor decking, and wall cladding. The company currently lists multiple Nuwood decking and outdoor products in its catalog.

Alternative and engineered materials

Matimco’s portfolio includes materials such as MDF, PVC boards, WPC, laminated veneer lumber, engineered wood, and decorative panels. This broad material portfolio allows the company to address varying combinations of cost, durability, appearance, installation requirements, and application.

Matimco operates a portfolio of brands rather than presenting everything under a single product name. Its website identifies the following brands: Matwood, Likewood/Gudwood, Nuwood, Ecofor, Mastercraft, and Duraboard.[1]

Matwood

Matwood is closely associated with Matimco’s traditional and artisanal wood products. It encompasses real-wood panels, mouldings, and lumber, representing the company’s emphasis on the natural characteristics and craftsmanship of wood.[1]

Likewood / Gudwood

Likewood focuses on contemporary architectural and decorative materials. Its portfolio includes PVC and WPC wall/ceiling panels, flexiwood, and wood-wallpaper products. The name communicates the concept of materials that provide a wood-like appearance or design language while offering characteristics distinct from conventional solid wood.

Nuwood

Nuwood focuses on outdoor applications, particularly decking, deck tiles, and wall cladding.

Ecofor

Ecofor is associated with lumber and wood products, including kiln-dried S4S lumber.[1]

Mastercraft

Mastercraft represents Matimco’s premium and custom craftsmanship direction. It was introduced around the company’s 60th anniversary as part of its broader total-home-solutions strategy.

Duraboard

Duraboard is part of Matimco’s broader building-material portfolio and includes PVC-board products.

A distinctive aspect of Matimco’s retail strategy is House of Wood. Developed to allow customers to physically experience wood and related materials rather than simply purchasing lumber from a conventional hardware counter, the first showroom opened in 2013.[1] These spaces enable customers to explore products and consult with wood specialists. The concept serves homeowners, interior designers, architects, contractors, builders, furniture makers, and developers.

Matimco products are also sold through selected hardware stores and home-improvement retailers nationwide, including Wilcon Depot and Savers Home Depot.

Matimco’s evolution mirrors the broader development of the Philippine wood and construction-materials market. The company progressed from a straightforward timber-related manufacturing business toward a vertically broader materials and design ecosystem:

Timber → kiln-dried lumber → processed wood → mouldings → architectural products → branded wood products → retail showrooms → engineered/decorative materials → digital commerce → custom home solutions

Its current positioning is that of a wood and architectural-materials company serving the intersection of construction, interiors, furniture, architecture, and home improvement.

Sustainability is part of Matimco’s stated corporate positioning. Its vision specifically refers to promoting a culture of wood use in the Philippines “for sustainable development.” The company has highlighted alternative lumber sources and materials, including the reintroduction of pine and fir to the Philippine market, as well as products using engineered and non-solid-wood materials.

It is important to distinguish between Matimco’s sustainability positioning and independently verified environmental claims about individual products, as different products have varying materials, manufacturing processes, and environmental characteristics.

Matimco identifies four core values:

• Integrity: Doing the right things and doing things right.
• Teamwork: Working with colleagues, business partners, and the environment.
• Agility: Remaining relevant through responsiveness, adaptability, and innovation.
• Performance: Striving for excellence and delivering results.

These values correspond with the company’s broader attempt to combine a traditional material—wood—with modern manufacturing, design, and retail practices.

Matimco occupies several positions simultaneously within the Philippine market:

• Traditional wood company: Its history is rooted in timber, lumber processing, and wood craftsmanship.
• Construction-material supplier: It supplies lumber, doors, flooring, mouldings, panels, and other building materials.
• Interior-design brand: Its wall panels, ceilings, flooring, mouldings, and decorative wood products target finished interiors.
• Home-improvement retailer: Through House of Wood and e-commerce, Matimco interacts directly with homeowners and consumers.
• Architectural-materials company: Its product range includes engineered wood, WPC, PVC, MDF, and other materials for architectural designs.
• Craftsmanship/custom-solutions brand: Mastercraft represents its move toward higher-end and customized wood solutions.

Matimco is notable for its longevity and transformation. From a company founded in 1964 to supply wooden cases, it has developed over six decades into a diversified Philippine company covering raw lumber, processed wood, architectural products, doors, flooring, decorative panels, outdoor systems, and alternative materials.[1]

Key milestones include:

• 1964: Mandaue Timber Company founded
• 1968: Kiln-dried wood processing introduced
• 1970: Matimco Incorporated name adopted
• 1984: Kingsway acquisition expands architectural wood products
• 1990s: MATWOOD developed as flagship artisanal wood brand
• 2000: ISO 9001:2000 certification milestone
• 2013: First House of Wood showroom
• 2020s: E-commerce and expanded material portfolio
• 2025: Mastercraft introduced as part of total home solutions

Matimco is best described as a long-established Philippine wood and architectural-materials company that has evolved from timber processing into a broad, design-oriented home and construction-materials business. While its identity remains strongly tied to wood, its modern portfolio extends well beyond conventional solid lumber into engineered, decorative, synthetic, and outdoor materials.[1]

1. Matimco