The new mill is part of a £1m investment behind a company initiative to boost volumes and prices for its softwood products for both its 18 branches and contract customers.
A Weinig Powermat 2400 with automated infeed and outfeed plus tally system was installed at the company’s mill in Erith, Kent. Alsford retained an older Weinig machine for specials and large sections, and has relocated that and other machinery to the new mill. Extraction systems and tooling capabilities were also enhanced to improve productivity levels.
Alsford Timber is the largest independent merchant in the South East, with branches covering Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The new mill has the capacity to service twice the company’s present needs.
Alsford relaunched softwood PAR and mouldings and says it is the only timber specialist in the UK to offer contract, standard and premier grades. The work was previously outsourced to Metsä Wood.
“We found ourselves in a price-driven market with people moving to MDF, and we were losing the battle for margin and volume. PAR and mouldings represented 22% of our profits, so this was really important to us,” said commercial director Finbarr Doyle.
“We put together a marketing initiative that included training everyone in the product; quality and growing sales and that we found also meant bringing the product back inhouse. We continue to work with Metsä Wood for raw material and we still buy their mouldings and products.”
