Jeanette Corner, MD of Mike England Timber, handed over the reins of the company in June. Here she shares her thoughts with Stephen Powney on 49 years of service in the timber trade
Jeanette Corner has seen a lot in her near half-century of service in the UK timber trade.
From starting as a teenage girl in a wood yard of the family timber merchant Mike England Timber in the 1970s to today 49 years later, she has seen significant changes in the structure of the industry, how trade is conducted and how women are viewed.
Jeanette, whose retirement in June saw her pass the baton to her sister Liz Butterworth as new MD, has met a host of challenges over the decades and seen Mike England Timber grow and diversify into new products.
The seeds of the business were started in the late 1960s when her father John Hardman had a conversation with friend and neighbour Mike England, a professional football player with Blackburn Rovers at the time.
John was working for timber merchant Alfred Hulmes in Brinscall, but Mike encouraged him to set up business on his own with a promise to back him.
So, Mike England Timber was born in 1969 near Preston, (still the same site today) as a traditional independent timber merchant, later adding joinery manufacturing.
John went out to Sweden in the early 1970s to set up supply relationships, visiting numerous mills still supplying the business today. This includes AssiDomän (now Setra), Martinsons (now part of Holmen) and various northern Sweden mills via UK agent Gill & Robinson.
“We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the same mills for over 50 years,” explained Jeanette.
“I joined the company from school on June 6, 1976,” she explained. “I did not have any inclinations as to what I wanted to do [career-wise].
“My father, being old school, said you have to go into each department to understand the trade and get a feeling of how each department is run.
“I started in the yard at the age of 16. At that time everything was handled manually, there were no sideloaders. We received timber in from Preston docks (and Hull) which was open in those days. All stock was checked in using tally sheets and a batten was used as a measure.”
She then went into the sawmill, working with the machinists.
“Eventually I came into the office where I trained and went to night school and college for typing, shorthand and went to the local BT for telephone reception training.”
“With a background in the yard, sawmill and office, it gave me some insight into product knowledge making it easier to put the orders on, but my great desire was to go into sales because I loved meeting people. But that was unheard of at the time for a woman to go on the road selling.
“There were not many women in the trade at that time. I can remember there were three ladies that had significant roles in the timber industry – Miriam Iverson worked at Viking Timber, Grace de Courcy who worked for Montage L Meyer, and a lady called Carol who worked for Iggesunds.
“My father was not very keen at that point and encouraged me to go down the finance route rather than the sales role, which I did including credit control, and later bookkeeping”.
Her father died in 1987, with her mum Margery becoming MD and Jeanette the company secretary. Her brother John was working on production.
Footballer Mike England, who went on to play for Tottenham Hotspur and manage the Wales national football team, was bought out in the 1980s.
Several challenges over the years tested their resolve. One involved an employee who had formerly worked for Mike England Timber setting up on an adjacent site, taking several staff and customers with him. The rival business eventually moved off the site, but it did cause problems. The rival business later went into liquidation.
A major fire in 1991 proved a further test. The blaze destroyed the sawmill, offices and part of the warehousing. A lengthy and complicated reinstatement process followed.
“We had to find another sawmill to process orders for us. We managed to save the wagons and luckily backed data up so we could start up again from a portacabin. This lasted for two years before we could reinstate the buildings which was a great cost to us.”
But thanks to loyal staff and the support from customers and suppliers, the rebuild was completed.
“We decided to machine more bespoke timber products including premium softwood doorcasing frames and linings and started priming as an additional service.”
Further Factory coating operations saw Mike England Timber work with Remmers and Sikkens as approved coaters.
Product diversification was targeted as it was difficult to compete with mass producers of skirtings and architraves who ran 24/7 factory operations and selling at much cheaper prices.
In 2019, the company’s largest customer went into liquidation – a “huge blow”, said Jeanette. This was followed in March 2020 by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“We had lost money with the bad debt. Credit insurers reduced our credit, suppliers were nervous. But we have always been a very honest company and had worked extremely close with our loyal customers and suppliers who have over many years supported us tremendously.
“We managed to get the confidence back and had to look in depth at our strengths and weaknesses if we wanted to improve our efficiency.”
By June 2020, all staff had returned to work and the company was back to full strength.
“We were asked by two key customers who supplied frontline institutions like the new Nightingale hospitals, to supply door casings/linings which was great as that did put us in good stead with our customers.”
A partnership with a local haulage company gave Mike England Timber good logistics, enabling the company to complete backloads opportunities from Hull docks to Preston.
“Stock was hard to get hold of, but we had good stock holdings. The demand meant that timber prices were increasing week on week. Customers accepted price increases so you could make some significant profit which was really encouraging.”
The business was shortlisted in the BIBAs – Lancashire’s premier business awards – in 2022 for the most resilient company in Lancashire. “It gave our staff a real boost because everyone had worked so hard.”
Improvement efforts at the business included input from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) including the University of Sheffield. “They assisted us in improving processes, better utilise space and improve factory layout“
“We totally transformed the way we did processing, and it improved the bottom line. We upgraded several machines, made product improvements, and also updated the coating line. In addition, we expanded our customer base to include architects and end users.”
Reflecting on her journey in the timber trade, Jeanette pinpointed some of the changes she’s seen. Digital communications have made the job easier, she says, but laments less personal involvement today.
“I would much rather pick the phone up and have a conversation with someone,” she said. “But people seem to be extremely busy, and so you get less people wanting to see you as they would prefer to email instead.
“It is sad a lot of companies are no longer around. They have either been bought up by investors or larger groups or just retired. It has always been a very personable industry, you got to know people you dealt with and their families, sometimes third or fourth generation with some customers. We are one of the few family-owned companies in our area.
“I love nothing more than networking and sharing ideas. When you speak to people about your experiences it may not always be for your own benefit, but passing on your knowledge could help some else which I find satisfying.”
“It’s been a fascinating industry to have worked in. Visiting the forests, seeing the logs harvested, processing at the sawmills, transport through to Hull and arriving in our yard. I have never understood how such a fantastic natural commodity could be so undervalued.”
Jeanette believes that the prevalence of companies selling timber at bargain basement price isn’t helpful, especially as costs are increasingly rising and regulations add extra pressure.
“We have to pass on cost increases to customers, we need to understand that as an industry we need to survive and prosper.”
Another change has been more women working in the timber trade and she applauded current efforts to boost networking and support among those currently working in the industry.
“Networking opportunities and support were not there in the early days. It was difficult to be accepted [in a male-dominated industry]. My father said I would have to have a lot of timber knowledge and know exactly what I was talking about with confidence.
“I found it particularly challenging dealing with accountants, solicitors and the banks, any other form of business that you had contact with who were all rather surprised when the business was headed by a woman.
“You have to be extremely strong, confident, and knowledgeable to get your position across.”
Jeanette said she has enjoyed working in the timber industry, despite the many challenges.
“I think dad would have been proud where we are today. I am leaving the company in a great position. The journey has made me a much better and stronger person, and I’ve met some fantastic people along the way, some becoming friends.”
Jeanette now plans to travel, spend more time with her family especially her grandson, and reignite her passion for flower arranging and walking. As well as her sister Liz running Mike England Timber, her brother-in-law and nephew also work in the business together with a loyal longstanding workforce.
