Comment | 3
COMMENT
Jeanette Corner, the retiring MD of Mike England Timber, has faced her fair share of challenges in working life. From starting in the timber
yard as a 16-year-old girl in 1976, she had to prove herself in what then was an extremely male-dominated industry. Along the way, a major sawmill fire, a competitor company setting up
opposite the business, and the Covid pandemic all had to be confronted. Interviewing her as she looked back on 49 years of
service in the timber trade yielded some interesting and profound observations of the industry and I would encourage you to check it out on pages 72-73. The need to better value timber as a commodity and
not undersell it is one of the points Jeanette highlights. While economic dynamics play an important role in industry pricing, she is right to point out that companies that are quick to offer bargain basement timber prices have a tendency to drag the market down. In an age of increasing costs and regulation, this is heaping pressure on operators’ financials. Jeanette readily admits that she had to work extra
hard to establish herself as a woman leading a timber company. There were not many women in the trade at that time.
Dealing with banks, solicitors and accountants also proved challenging. Our second Women in Timber feature on pages 64-
71 gives a comprehensive platform to a number of women working in the timber industries to share their story and experiences of the trade, covering importing,
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TTJ – the voice of the timber Industry
manufacturing, shipping, as well as industry stakeholder groups. Timber Development UK is organising a conference
in Leeds on September 5 dedicated to celebrating, connecting and empowering women across the timber industry. The day will include panel discussions, interactive workshops, networking opportunities and spotlight stories. The hope is that all these efforts will help support and
inspire women working in the timber sector – something that Jeanette Corner says she applauds heartily. Also, in this issue of TTJ we have a comprehensive look
at the French timber sector, covering statistics from the country, an update from several sawmillers and a preview of the biennial Carrefour International du Bois (CIB) in Nantes next year. CIB has a very high exhibitor return rate and the next
show looks like being no exception, with nearly 90% already confirming their intention to be back in 2026. Two major areas for timber companies – software and
materials handling – are also covered. Our software sector focus shows how timber
companies, such as James Latham, are making operations more efficient by embracing digitalisation platforms like Epicor’s BisTrack.
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