Hawthorne Timber Fabrication was established in 1984 and today the Newtownhamilton-based factory produces around 1,500 roof trusses a year.
“Everyone thought I was foolish to enter the timber frame market but I could see the advantages of the superior build method and the control element,” said company director David Hawthorne.
He said the public are aware of the benefits of timber frame construction and are driving the market.
Hawthorne Timber Fabrication is an important end user of Norbord’s Sterling OSB3 and is supplied by Haldane Fisher.
“The housing market in Northern Ireland differs from other regions in the UK as around 30% of the 12,000 new builds each year are self-build – the advantages of timber frame ‘kit’ houses are especially attractive to this sector,” said Andrew Cully, a director of Haldane Fisher.
