A massive upturn in business has led WestBank Timber Ltd to open a second port facility at Jamaica terminal, Newport and a third, in the north-east, is on the cards.
The company has operated from its Ipswich terminal for the past seven years but managing director Brian Griffiths explained: “There was no room there for further expansion.”
The company also wanted to be closer to its west coast customer base.
WestBank started life as agricultural fencing importers and distributors. Mr Griffiths said: “Three years ago we developed into value added products such as garden buildings and manufactured European fencing made at our dedicated factory in Lithuania which we opened in November 2000.
“Three years ago WestBank was appointed sole distributor for the UK and Eire for Dastra, which is possibly the largest fencing manufacturer in Lithuania. Since then demand has increased such that the factory has quadrupled in size and now employs 112 people.
“In the first year we had a turnover of about US$10,000 with Dastra and last year it was US$1m, so it has been a dramatic growth.”
This year WestBank Timber introduced curtain sided containers to protect product and Mr Griffiths said this has led to damage being reduced from 10-14% to nil as pallet handling is mimimal.
WestBank’s Ipswich site at the Associated British Ports port is around four acres with treatment facilities. Turnover last year was £8.5m, accounting for 90,000m3.
The new Newport site is about eight acres. A 90mx40m shed will be built to house new treatment facilities and storage for treated products – an investment of some £200,000.
Mr Griffiths expects turnover at Newport to reach the same level as Ipswich quickly. He added: “We will be developing further manufactured product lines and increasing treatment facilities at both Ipswich and Newport.”
