Sector Focus: British Timber | 29
SUMMARY
■ There is strong demand across all products
■ British-grown timber is competitively priced against imports
■ Sawmills are committed to planting programmes
■ Investments and acquisitions have continued
DEMANDING TIMES
British-grown timber is in great demand and sawmills are rising to the challenge. Sally Spencer reports
Eighteen months on from the first lockdown of 2020, British sawmills have become used to working within the health and safety guidelines. And although none would exactly describe operations as “normal” – as in the pre-Covid definition of “normal” – all are working at full capacity. They are also united in praise for their teams, both on the factory floors and in the offices. “As a business and individuals we have observed and adhered to government guidelines and responded to the various challenges this has presented across the group, factoring in the nuances in approach north and south of the border,” said Graham Blyth, sales director of James Jones & Sons Ltd. “We must applaud the efforts of our staff, whose endurance and resilience has enabled us to continue working through the Covid crisis.” Similarly, Tony Hackney, chief executive of BSW Timber Ltd, said the support received from colleagues “who have been key to the continuity of our operations has been outstanding”.
At John Gordon & Son Ltd (Gordon Timber), joint managing director Scott Gordon said he “genuinely values what the staff have done”.
“It’s been a tough period for everybody and people have got right behind us, both in terms of sticking to the regulations to keep instances of Covid away and in reacting to this very, very strong level of demand. They’ve done what they can to maximise the output.”
Above: Boarding going through the sorting system at Gordon Timber
He added that as well as the systems in place at the sawmill, such as temperature check points, employees have been encouraged to take lateral flow tests. ►
www.ttjonline.com | September/October 2021 | TTJ
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