Rilco Laminated Wood Products

Rilco Laminated Products was a prominent mid-20th-century manufacturer based in St. Paul, Minnesota, widely recognized for pioneering the use of structural glued laminated timber. The company became an architectural fixture in the 1940s and 1950s by producing pre-fabricated wooden arches, trusses, and beams that allowed for expansive, column-free interiors in churches, gymnasiums, and industrial buildings across North America.

The 2021 publication from Creative Media Partners serves as a modern archival reproduction of historical Rilco catalogs and technical literature. By reissuing these documents, the publisher preserves the design philosophy of mid-century industrial wood engineering, offering a window into an era when laminated wood was marketed as a revolutionary, cost-effective, and aesthetically warm alternative to steel for large-scale structural projects.