A wider range and greater volume of Scandinavian timber products will be the result of Holmen Timber and Martinsons Trä forming a joint sales company in the UK from next year.
The partnership in the UK market, which will result in the formation of Holmen Martinsons Timber Ltd, will take effect on January 3, 2011.
Both companies said the move would strengthen their position in the UK market.
The strategy is to provide a product portfolio that spans a wide range which will include: northern joinery redwood, construction grade whitewood, glulam beams and components from both species.
“With Holmen Martinsons Timber Ltd, we will be able to offer our customers a more complete specification, something which will be demanded even more in the future,” said Martinsons Trä managing director Kenneth Wallin.
“This co-operation enables us to supply an interesting product mix in volumes that increase delivery frequency while keeping the logistics costs down.
“Our aim is to take advantage of the product – and volume – synergies to become a strong and reliable partner to our current and future customers.”
News of the partnership comes as Holmen Timber announced that trial operations have started at the firm’s new whitewood sawmill in Braviken.
The trial operations are scheduled to run until the end of December.
Production will begin at the sawmill in January 2011, starting at 260,000m³ in the first year, before gradually rising to 550,000m³. The mill’s capacity is 750,000m³.
Holmen and Martinsons are also part owners in Uni4 Marketing AB, a sales and marketing company focused in the Middle East and North African markets.
