The boom in demand for timber frame housing has prompted Hereford-based Taylor Lane to make a multi-thousand pound investment to double its production facilities.
Managing director Barrie Lane said: ‘In the past 18 months or so we have seen the larger developers and housing associations switch to timber frame in a big way. They have all come round at roughly the same time to a fairly small timber frame industry which is having to keep up – and I don’t think the bubble will burst.’
Taylor Lane’s sales are running at an all time-high. Current turnover is £5.5m which is set to rise to £10m over the next two years. This prompted the company to buy a 20,000ft² factory just half a mile from its 25,000ft² Rotherwas industrial estate site which has reached its capacity.
Mr Lane estimates that once the factory is fitted out and offices built, the company will have invested more than £750,000.
‘We import stud timbers from Sweden and manufacture wall and floor panels. Currently we are doing a lot of four-storey flats nationwide – and we can do as much or as little as the client wants.’
Future innovations could include I-beam floors and wall panel systems. Mr Lane said: ‘It is really up to customer demand. As an industry we are now able to stand up to the senseless knocking of our products. People are beginning to realise that we are not going to be kicked around any more and have a product to be proud of. System built – whether it be steel or timber frame – is here to stay.’
