TIMBER
PREMIER LEAGUE R
ecent investments have fast-tracked improvements in operational efficiency and productivity, enhancing the company’s ability to respond to, and capitalise on, oppportunities. That’s according to Joe Walk, managing director of Premier Forest Products, who adds: “Looking ahead, the focus for us will be very much on organic growth and suitable acquisitions.” Premier Forest Group made significant IT investment in 2021, with the company’s first foray into e-commerce for the Mill Timber brand. For the first time, the Mill Timber Direct website, which carries over 1000 products, allows customers the ease of ordering online for delivery direct to site.
New products have also proved successful, Walker says, as has the further development and strengthening of the management team, which has been another core objective. Andrew Francis has recently come on board as UK Sales
Terry Edgell, CEO
Director, and has set some ambitious plans for growth in motion.
Terry Edgell, Founder and CEO said: “The sale of our Irish group, which included Brooks Timber and Building Supplies, Dublin Plywood and Veneer and Premier Forest ROI ltd, was done as part of our wider strategic planning. “Had we not sold our Irish assets, our group turnover for the current year would have been approaching £220million. Our goal now is to
FOCUS ON TIMBER T
imber Focus has become a leading supplier of sustainable timber claddings for timber and builder’s merchants throughout mainland UK in a quick turnaround. The Manchester-based organisation has been trading since 2018, with stockholding sites in Harwich and Staffordshire. Most of its timber is supplied from Scandinavia, Estonia, France and Canada, and all timber supplied is FSC or PEFC certified. The Timber Focus cladding range includes Canadian Western
Red Cedar available in the premium clear grade cedar, Siberian Larch, Thermowood Redwood 118mm and 144mm cladding profiles, Yellow Cedar, Kebony and Accoya. In its warehouse in Staffordshire, Timber Focus now has its own processing capabilities for bespoke profiles, with two new WEINIG planers and moulders due to be installed this year. Timber Focus’ range of branded cladding products offer a variety of factory applied colour and textural finishes, as well as other special treatments. The range includes SERTIWOOD Cedar Screen slats 18x38mm available in a range of colours, DRAGONWOOD Charred Effect Cladding, Internal White Wax and Rustic Claddings, Charred Burnt Claddings SertiWOOD Siberian Larch available in ebony, grey, white and deep charred ebony, PreAged Old Look Weathered Siberian Larch, Protac Factory painted Claddings and Pre-painted Featheredge in black, white and grey in the rebated Dutch profile 200mm and standard 175mm. Andrew Goto, head of sales UK and Ireland, said: “We are proud to be one of UK’s largest Canadian Western Red Cedar Suppliers. We have been fortunate to have some reliable customers who have showcased our products such as the COP26, Love your Garden and Grand Designs. We are looking forward to welcoming new merchant customers as we see the trend for use of timber in construction increasing over the next few years. We will support our merchant customers with promotions and free samples which has been key.”
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BMJ meets a company predicting further significant rises in both turnover and profit, despite the pandemic-driven global supply issues in the timber industry.
replace this lost turnover as quickly as possible through a series of small, strategic acquisitions and with strong under lying organic growth. “We are hoping to close an early acquisition at the start of the year, if we do it will result in a further £30 million growth in turnover for the next financial year, supplemented by the 15- 20% forecasted organic growth.
“I’m optimistic for 2022 and, based on what we’ve seen in the last quarter, I believe the market is looking robust for the new year. The pipeline is stronger than we have ever seen, with stocks as high as they’ve been, which is no small feat given the supply chain challenges we have faced over the last 12 months. “To be frank, the biggest barrier to growth we faced in 2021 was that we could have sold more if we’d had it. Although we worked hard with our supply chain partners to have continuous supply of product wherever possible to support our customers in challenging times, we saw numerous sectors who had to slow down production based on product availability. Hopefully, this is something we’re all in the process of addressing.
“The past two years have demonstrated just how resilient our sector can be and with pent up demand, government funded infrastructural investment and a national housing shortage, all signs point to a serious demand for timber products in the short, medium and long term. “Of course, covid is likely to present an ongoing challenge, especially with the Omicron variant causing issues now and other potential mutations likely in the future, but we have learnt to work smarter, using hybrid working wherever we can. It has been more of an issue on the operational side and in December we were hit hard by cases amongst staff. However, we are doing everything we can to protect the team by reducing contact and making the working environment as safe as possible. “Looking ahead to 2022/23 there is going to be continued focus on climate change and the need for businesses to move towards net zero. Reducing our carbon footprint has been on our agenda for many years now and I like to think that we’re ahead of the game in terms of our environmental impact, but there is always more that we can do and we will be continuing to invest in green technology next year and beyond.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net February 2022
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