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Above left: One of James Jones’s new biomass boilers Centre: Mills are committed to planting PHOTO:BSW/MAELOR FOREST NURSERIES Above right: The yard at James Jones’s Lockerbie mill, seen from the new visitor centre
servicing and supporting our existing customer base has remained a key priority,” said Mr Blyth.
BSW reports that its ability to replenish stock levels is currently being restricted by demand.
“It has become evident that communication between our customers and suppliers is key in forecasting demand and replenishing stock levels effectively and efficiently,” said Mr Hackney. “We’re seeing an increase in demand for construction timber products,” he continued. “The government emphasis on revival in construction, combined with the increase in the RMI sector, has meant this sector in particular has seen real growth in demand.” BSW has experienced the same fencing and landscaping products bonanza as other mills but anticipates a decrease in this. “It is traditionally seasonal and we expect demand to reduce slightly as we enter Q4,” said Mr Hackney. “If demand continues at the current levels until Christmas, like last year, this will affect our ability to rebuild stock ahead of next season. “As we are continuing to see the economy racing to recover, the demand for pallet and packaging products is constantly on the rise. The movement of material is vital to this, and we are seeing this market return at levels higher than pre-Covid levels.” Investments and acquisitions have continued in the sector, despite the pandemic. “Our capex programme, whilst disrupted, was completed in 2020 and a significant capex investment programme continues through 2021,” said Graham Blyth. “We acquired GT Timber on March 1 this
year (ttjonline March 1), which increased annual sawn output to 800,000m3
and thereby
consolidated our position as the UK’s largest privately owned sawmill, timber engineering and pallet manufacturing company. The early stages of integrating GT Timber into the group have gone exceptionally well.
emissions by 17,200 tonnes per year.” Mr Blyth added that the company works closely with its customers to collaborate on bringing new ideas, product improvements and concepts to market.
BSW has also expanded, acquiring SCA
Wood UK – now called BSW Timber Solutions – at the end of last year (ttjonline December 1), shortly after acquiring the UK’s largest timber harvesting company, Dick Brothers Forestry (ttjonline November 16). And Bayram Timber was acquired this summer (ttjonline June 4).
“The acquisition of SCA Wood, Bayram Timber and Dick Brothers enhances BSW Group’s supply to customers and are focused on adding value to our established product range,” said Mr Hackney. “What we have identified is our need to be more circular in our approach to the supply chain, enabling us to engage with both our customers and suppliers on multiple levels. These
“We developed the Fence Master app (ttjonline March 25) to guide the end users through an easy step-by-step process, from choosing the fence design to working out an exact specification of the fencing components needed and creating a 3D model of their fence, through to listing their nearest James Jones & Sons stockist,” he said. “Further enhancements and improvements of the app are in the pipeline. “We launched a new version of JJI Design software in July (ttjonline July 2), which was the most advanced release to date with a number of enhanced design features,” continued Mr Blyth. “JJI Design is the design software platform created by our Timber Systems Division to support customers in specifying and designing JJI-Joists. “And we completed the installation of two new biomass boilers at Mosstodloch and Aboyne with a combined investment of £5.4m (ttjonline February 23). We operate biomass plants across the group operations and the combined biomass energy for kilning reduces CO2
acquisitions enable us to add to the security of the supply of timber to all markets.” In other investments, BSW recently installed a new cross-cutting line at its Newbridge-on-Wye mill (ttjonline July 1) and Mr Hackney said the company is “continually investing in our sawmills in order to increase capacity and improve efficiency.” In terms of product brands, IRO Timber and Alchemy WPC (composite decking) are both reported to be doing well and new products for both brands are expected to be launched in 2022.
The new autoclave Gordon Timber installed last year (ttjonline October 30, 2020) has stood the company in very good stead. “We’ve been able to cope with the level of demand for treated material that we have experienced, so it’s gratifying that we did the right thing there,” said Mr Gordon. He added that the company is committed to £1m of capex per year and that more investments will follow next year. Looking ahead, the growing demand for timber and timber products as a sustainable material choice is seen as presenting a number of opportunities for the sector. “It’s still an evolving picture so I think there will be more merchants and end users who will be seeing and using British timber for the first time and that has got to be good for the long term,” said Scott Gordon. “I guess the challenge is that it doesn’t
feel like it can go on forever and we would all like a nice soft landing, a period of stability and that we can maintain the proper value of timber,” he continued. “Timber prices have rocketed up but it was amazingly cheap before. I am hoping that there has been a correction just to reflect what is involved in terms of long rotation times for the growers, the investments that the sawmills have made and what we are all doing as an industry to make it an excellent product that is great value to the country.” ■
www.ttjonline.com | September/October 2021 | TTJ
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