National timber importer Crown Timber has relocated its southern distribution depot as part of its positioning for the upturn.
Crown managing director Stuart McIntyre said the new Port of Sheerness facility provided much better facilities for the company than the previous site at Ridham, with more hard standing (15,000m³), undercover storage, better layout and investment by Crown in three new treatment facilities – two low pressure and one high pressure.
“Demand is quite good at the moment, it’s been improving each month throughout this year and we see the south as one of the key regions. We want to make sure we have appropriate facilities for that upturn when it comes,” he said. “We can have higher stocks and turn business round better.”
Mr McIntyre reported that business in the national housebuilding sector had picked up well and he foresees capacity for significant increases in timber import levels.
Products imported to Sheerness include the company’s TR26, CLS and merchant product ranges.
Crown began switching its emphasis from coping with the downturn to repositioning itself for the upturn around the middle of last year.