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Polly Bedford Director, UK Hardwoods
I joined UK Hardwoods in 2018 and now run the company along with my husband Tom. I moved away from working with commercial property in London and back to my countryside roots, but have kept my interest in buildings and design throughout. I have a keen eye for interior details and appreciate working with natural raw materials, advising clients on the appropriate species of timber for their project. Aesthetics is one thing when it comes to wood, but it needs to be practical and durable for use too.
I really enjoy working with people and getting involved with a project. I believe there is such a gap of knowledge when it comes to the use of timber and many people are therefore scared of using it. It is a natural material yes, but it is also a predictable and understandable material. Passing this knowledge to clients in a consistent and concise manner is so satisfying. I’m also a huge advocate for using UK- grown timbers and we were shortlisted in the 2022 Wood Awards for our drying shed – the largest UK-grown glulam shed in the UK. We only ever buy in trees that have been grown in Britain, and are in the process of becoming Grown in Britain-accredited – an exciting chapter for us here.
Our business has been drawn in two directions – one focusing on the sawmill and architectural timbers of projects, and two, the luxury bespoke flooring that we offer. We’re just in the process of launching our new website for our flooring alone, Coppice & Crown which will be much more focused on the lifestyle and interiors side of our business. Give us a search and I hope to make contact soon. ■
I have a keen eye for interior details and appreciate working with natural raw materials, advising clients on the appropriate species of timber for their project
Tabitha Binding Head of education and engagement, TDUK
I joined the Timber Trade Federation in November 2019 having previously worked at TRADA from January 2018 to lead on university engagement. When the two organisations merged in 2022, becoming Timber Development UK (TDUK), I became head of education and engagement. We have a strategic partnership with NMITE in Hereford where I am lead for external engagement and partnerships. If we are to build anything new, then it should be lean timber construction that lasts longer in use than it took to grow. For timber to be sustainable it must last longer in use than it took to grow. The building should be able to be disassembled and the timber components be reused – multiple times. The building should be to a Passivhaus Plus standard, producing more energy than it consumes. It should be certified so that we know what it has been built from, and how, and that it will perform.
I’ve now been in the industry almost 40 years, starting out with coppicing and first and second thinning’s, sawmilling and manufacturing before working on supply- chains for Welsh timber, volumetric offsite construction, strength grading, modification of timber, certification of new products, building performance and post occupancy evaluation, retrofit and housing policy. This accumulated first-hand knowledge enables me to engage with the students, lecturers, professionals and the whole supply chain, encouraging collaborative, cross- disciplinary and cross-sector working. If we understand and use timber better, it will bring multiple benefits from forest to finished products.
The timber sector is coming of age as we decarbonise construction. Most of us need to gain knowledge on why, when, and how to build or retrofit with timber. If you want to learn to use timber wisely and well why not join us on one of our timber TED courses which are designed to upskill and create a collaborative knowledgeable network (see p14). ■
Amanda Chesson Marketing manager, Arxada
My career in the timber industry began in 2002, when an opportunity opened at John Brash & Co via a graduate placement scheme. At the time, John Brash had its roofing batten, cladding (cedar shingles and shakes) and scaffold board business, as well as HLD specialising in timber landscaping products and the Archadeck franchise. It was such a fantastic opportunity, and working under the guidance of Christian Brash, I learnt so much about timber-related B2C and B2B marketing. As a young marketer I tried my hand at different sectors – education, finance and food retail, which was great for learning about customer journey planning and automation, as well as compliance. All skills which I brought back to the world of timber in 2013 when I took a position at George Barnsdale – timber window and door manufacturer. What I loved about Barnsdale’s was the passion and energy to make not just a beautiful product, but a precise timber engineered product with sustainability at its heart. This opened up an opportunity for me to contribute to the Wood Window Alliance, which eventually led to me joining the British Woodworking Federation as I wanted to contribute more to the wider timber industry. Whilst I loved working for the BWF, I felt removed from hands-on product marketing so joined Arxada’s Wood Protection business in 2021. My current role has opened my eyes to the science that drives innovation across wood products. Having worked in a number of roles across the industry, my advice to any aspiring timber marketer would be to keep being curious, don’t be afraid to question and take opportunities that come your way. The best training is hands-on product training. For example, to learn about scaffold boards I went on a grading course and whilst incredibly daunting, I was able to confidently market the product. ■
My role has opened my eyes
to the science that drives innovation
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2021 | TTJ
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