TTJ deputy editor Sally Spencer has retired after serving for 31 years reporting for the journal on the UK and international wood industries.
Sally, who was also deputy editor of TTJ sister title Wood Based Panels International, was known for her knowledge, good contacts, writing skills, and expertise, with a particular special interest in the British and Irish sawmilling sectors, wood preservatives and treatment, plus materials handling.
“I joined the magazine on January 16th, 1995, when the publishing house was Benn Brothers,” Sally explained.
“The editor at the time was Audrey Dixon and our publisher was David Wildman. The magazine has gone through several incarnations since then, under different editors and different ownership but the main changes of note over the last 30 years have been within the timber industry itself.
“For me, the most striking of these has been the acceptance of timber’s environmental credentials and the fact that these can be used as a very effective marketing tool. When I joined TTJ, the timber trade had a very much ‘us and them’ attitude towards environmental lobbyists and we fairly regularly covered stories of eNGOs invading and boycotting timber yards.
“The other major changes are the almost incredible advances in technology – both on the processing side and on the operational side. News was delivered to the TTJ office via phone or post, for example, and companies in the Baltic states stood out as being the only ones to routinely use email.”
“Sally has been a fantastic part of TTJ for over 30 years,” said TTJ editor Stephen Powney. “She is well liked in the industry, and her depth of experience will be sorely missed, but we wish her well in her retirement!”
TTJ is glad to report that Sally’s name is still likely appear in TTJ on occasions, as she will contribute several articles on a freelance basis.
