When laying the groundwork for his inaugural business, Domenic Gurreri knew choosing the right name was crucial. It was 1994, and as a civil engineering student, Domenic had secured some contracting completing interlock and soft landscaping work for residential clientele. With the positive responses he received, he soon realized it was something he could build a successful career on. To reflect his vision of rejuvenation and growth, Domenic landed on “Forest Contractors” for his company name, laying the foundation for a growing entrepreneurial pursuit.

Domenic knew owning his own business was going to be tough—at least at first—but he was familiar with commitment. His Italian father had instilled the ethos of dedication and commitment into him from an early age, and his summers were spent working for the family business, a janitorial company. Although Domenic had no direct connection to the construction industry, many of his friends did. He was fascinated by the processes involved with construction and, through some contacts, was able to take his first steps towards working in the industry.

He soon found that much of his profit was eaten up by the cost and delay of using equipment rentals. To be competitive, he knew he needed to own the machinery outright. While still a student at Toronto’s George Brown College, he made arrangements for a bank loan. He was quickly denied—in fact, the bank manager laughed at him—but undeterred, Domenic returned with the backing of his parents who agreed to act as co-signers.

Innovative Equipment Acquisition

With the money in his pocket, the company acquired key pieces of machinery including a Combination Roller, a piece of equipment used for compacting asphalt. The machine was not yet being used by competitors in a patch and repair setting and was considered an innovative move in the commercial and industrial sector. Fun fact: you can find the Combination Roller displayed in the second-floor foyer at the Forest Group head office. Along with the Combination Roller, Domenic acquired a dump truck, doolies, back hoes, mini excavators, skid steers, rollers, small spreader, and a trailer to move the equipment from one job to another. Just two years into their inception, Forest now could take on a larger volume of jobs and move into the commercial industrial arena. They now had the control over quality needed to ensure seamless project completion.

In those first years, every dollar earned was put back into the business to allow it to establish itself and grow. And it grew considerably.

Beginnings of Forest Group

In 1997, Forest Contractors Ltd. found its first office location with an attached shop. In 2004, he owned his first office facility with a yard, and in 2012, Forest opened their own asphalt plant strategically located at the junction of two major highways to conveniently serve customers across the GTA and beyond. With five storage silos for various hot-mix asphalt types and updates made to the acquired asphalt plant facility, Forest Paving Ltd. was born, marking the beginning of the Forest Group! In 2017, Forest winterized the asphalt plant, allowing the plant to produced hot-mix asphalt all year round for our clients.

Now aligned with their own asphalt plant, Forest Group were able to be more competitive on municipal projects. Forest was able to successfully bid and work with municipalities by providing low and competitive pricing to clients and was not only able to supply itself with high quality asphalt but serve as a supplier to other asphalt companies. The asphalt plant also serves as a recycling division, whereby waste concrete is crushed and reused as a gravel base approved by MTO standards.

In 2015, Forest acquired A. Wesley Paving Ltd., further expanding their capabilities in providing high-quality paving and asphalt services.

With over three decades of experience, Forest Group employs over 250 dedicated professionals and maintains a fleet of over 450 machines. Forest Group has headquarters in Vaughan, a paving division in Concord, and equipment yards in both Brampton and Burlington. With an emphasis on sustainability and resource management, Forest has earned the trust of top-tier clients including Canadian Tire, Rogers, CIBC, York University and CN Rail, along with many other satisfied clienteles.

Welcoming Forest Ready Mix

In 2023, the company expanded further with the introduction of Forest Ready Mix to the group of companies. Forest Ready Mix provides premium concrete mixes direct to customers and upholds the company’s core values of excellence and innovation.

It doesn’t stop there. Forest has been recognized as a Platinum Club member of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Vaughan Business Achievement Award, ICCO Business Excellence Awards, and the BOMA Canada Pinnacle Award promoting service excellence in the Commercial Real Estate Industry.

Forest Group continues to expand and grow. Recently, the company introduced the SmoothRide solution to Ontario. Originally engineered for large road and highway paving, Forest Contractors Ltd. have adopted the technology for use in parking lot paving. SmoothRide enhances the removal of old asphalt, significantly minimizing the disposal of millings and reducing the use of excess asphalt. This approach extends the asphalt’s lifespan, eliminates deficiencies, and optimizes efficiency, resulting in less overall waste per project. The SmoothRide solution is an environmentally responsible option for property owners who value sustainability and cost savings.

As they did years before by using the Combination Roller, Forest Group have once more proved themselves as initiators of innovative technology in the paving and asphalt industry.

Celebrating Thirty Years

Forest Group recently celebrated their thirty years of service with family, friends, and clients in Vaughan, sharing many success stories from the past three decades. Domenic and his team recognize that the unwavering support of their employees, clients, partners and community are the backbone of Forest’s continued success. The anniversary celebration was an incredible evening that re-ignited the flame of future ambitions, and gratitude for past achievements.

The question for Domenic Gurreri is, what comes next?

Specializing in asphalt paving and concrete construction, the Forest Group offer extensive and diverse services and solutions for initial construction, maintenance and repair. Results-driven and client-focused, Forest Group builds strong, sustainable foundations to protect our client’s investment for today and for the future.

To book a visit with a site representative, or to find out more, please contact 416-951-2159 or visit www.forestgroup.ca