The deal does not include John Boddy Timber’s current 11-acre site in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, which has been sold by the company’s former owners for redevelopment into housing.
Leicestershire-based ATS will eventually move the John Boddy business from the current site to a location 26 miles north in Brompton on Swale, where a bespoke machine shop will be created along with a retail outlet.
ATS will retain the John Boddy Timber name and workforce and is looking at adding a range of additional products and species to the operation.
Andy Lodowski, ATS managing director, told TTJ that the acquisition would double the company’s turnover. He said it was a bold move by a growing company which was bucking the trend of diminishing UK hardwood sawmilling capacity.
Frank Boddy, managing director of John Boddy Timber, is now retiring. He said he was delighted that the name of John Boddy Timber would live on and that staff, many of whom have worked for the company for over 20 years, would be transferring under the new ownership. For more on this story see the next issue of TTJ.
