One of the south-west’s largest timber merchants has announced a shake-up of its business as it tackles challenging economic and trade conditions.
Victoria Sawmills is to close its sales outlet in Merton, with the sale of timber, fencing materials, gates and garden furniture transferring to its Colaton Raleigh site. This will lead to a number of redundancies at the Merton site, with Victoria Sawmills saying it will aid affected employees find new jobs.
Existing stock at Merton will be sold off and the facility will now concentrate on the manufacture of Clinton Gates; becoming a “centre of excellence for locally crafted and sustainably produced gates”.
An online sales facility is also being developed by Victoria Sawmills, allowing customers across the UK to order materials and Clinton Gates.
“Over the past year we have experienced a substantial decline in sales of timber and fencing materials [at Merton],” said John Varley, estates director at parent company Clinton Devon Estates.
“The Victoria Sawmills retail outlet in Colaton Raleigh will now become the regional sales and distribution centre and we are currently developing an online ordering and delivery service to ensure that we can supply customers, not only in North Devon, but across the whole of the UK.”
Victoria’ Sawmills’ sales will switch to the Colaton Raleigh site in December.
