Mr Hodge brings with him a wealth of experience gained from over 30 years in the European timber and wood preservation industry. He is a well-known figure in the industry and has a Masters degree from Henley Business School, along with advanced qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Wood Science.

Mr Hodge will head up the Lonza marketing activities and will aim to work with the technical and operational resources to introduce new and existing technologies across the market as well as supporting and enhancing innovative relationships with the current and potential customer base.

"Lonza has an excellent team and product range and I look forward to working with our customers to fully leverage our current brands and technologies and co-operate to find the gaps that can add value for our customers," said Mr Hodge.