George Schreiber, who spent his life in the timber trade, has died.
Mr Schreiber started his career in the family business African Woods in Cocking, Sussex and Kumasi, Ghana. He was later managing director of Vitak Timber Imports Ltd, until the family sold the business in 1986, and he served on the committee of the London Sawmillers’ Association. Vitak had a sawmill for imported hardwoods at Lawrence Wharf, Bermondsey, thought to be the last remaining sawmill in London until it closed in 1986, and a large-scale kiln-drying and storage facility at Belvedere, Kent.
Mr Schreiber then joined the British Standards Institution (BSI) as the UK representative on timber standards for the building industry, a role he held until his retirement at the age of 80 in 2003. During this time he attended many meetings in Brussels on European harmonisation of standards and worked closely with TRADA and The Timber Trade Federation.
Mr Schreiber is survived by Kitty, his wife of 55 years, his daughters Sue and Caroline and his grandsons, Richard and Peter.
