WC Wood started in 1930 designing small electrical equipment for farms, later expanding into hardware, military equipment, farm equipment, and home appliances between 1950-1974. By 1980, WC Wood became Canada's largest manufacturer of chest freezers, upright freezers, and single door refrigerators, and later the second largest freezer manufacturer in North America. The company focused on increasing production capacity and reducing costs globally by sourcing more components internationally and opening a new plant in Mexico. Problems arose from faulty packaging design that led to increased damaged products and customer complaints of scratches and dents.