Brexit may have hit the buffers, but Chrexit, as the momentous occasion became known, went ahead as scheduled. At the end of March, after 40 years at the company, several of them as managing director, Chris Sutton retired from James Latham.

“I don’t think it divided opinion as much as Brexit,” joked Chris. “I think if we’d put it to a vote, there would have been a landslide in favour of leave!”

Our interview was full of typical Chris Sutton humour, but also not without emotion. After spending two-thirds of his life at Lathams, and all his career in timber, leaving was clearly going to be a huge wrench. He was, he said, going to miss the business, the trade – all of it. From working in the yard as a teenager, to heading up one of the biggest players in the industry, and one of the oldest companies in the UK, it’s been quite a ride.

“I’ve been on an incredible journey and enjoyed it all, every minute,” he said. “I’ve got a huge passion for timber and the trade is just a great business. It’s been a privilege to be a part of it. I’ve loved working at Lathams and most important of all I’ve loved working with the people, both at the company and in the wider industry. This is above all a people business and that’s really what has made it for me. Even now, I still find it amazing that we can knock lumps out of each other sealing a deal, but then meet over a beer, a laugh and conversation. I’m not sure there’s another business quite like it. All in all, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had this career.”

Chris was born in Northampton and spent his childhood there, in Blackburn and Leicester as his father, a refugee from Nazi Germany, moved to various jobs in shoe manufacturing. He was clearly a mentor and lasting influence on his life. “He had an incredible work ethic, but at the same time family was important to him,” he said. “I always looked up to him and phoned him every day for a chat, to tell him what I’d done and to ask his opinion, right until the end. I still miss him and wear the Star of David every day in his memory.”

Chris started work after netting four O-levels and eight GCSEs. School, he admits, didn’t suit him and he clearly didn’t suit school either as, he confesses they ultimately invited him rather firmly to leave.

His first job, in 1976, was with timber merchants Horsley Smith, which had branches in Leicester, Hull and Beverley. He was a trainee, working with timber and building products. The business was then taken over by Jewson and in 1978 he decided to move on.

“I saw an advert for Latham’s Wigston branch in Leicester, which was just five minutes from the house,” he said. “I was offered the job and started on the 5th of June 1978 at precisely 9 in the morning – so it was 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. I always remember that!”

Lathams started him as a trainee and put him on the two-year Institute of Wood Science course.

“As well as the academic side, I got a real practical grounding,” said Chris. “I started in the warehouse, which I saw as an opportunity to learn about the products, from mahogany, to birch plywood. Then I went into transport, admin and finally sales – which is what the school’s career master recommended for me as I had the gift of the gab! It was sink or swim. General manager Rod Martin just said, there’s a car, go and sell!”

And sell he clearly did, as he went on to be depot assistant manager, then in 1984 panel manager aged 26. He subsequently became director of Advanced Technical Panels, then director of James Latham (Midland and Western) Ltd, with overall charge of Wigston and Yate depots.

“For the next eight years I was seconded by chairman Michael Latham to Yate three days a week,” said Chris. “We had young kids and it was a strain. But you didn’t argue with Michael Latham! And it was also a great responsibility. ”

This was also the time he started travelling for the company.

“My first overseas trip was a veneered board factory in Belgium, which I remember partly because the duck we had in a casino in Ostend was so rare a good vet could have got it back on its feet,” said Chris. “I’ve pretty much been in trains, planes and automobiles ever since. It’s been another privilege of working for Latham. It’s a business based on personal contact and I’ve met some great people, visited some fantastic countries and got a real insight into the whole supply chain, forest to factory, which I still find fascinating.”

Chris’s career continued to develop and in 1997, James Latham appointed him to the board. He also developed a strong connection with David Latham, chairman of the Group.

“We often used to chat, and I think he respected that I was forthright about what I thought the business should do, even if it jarred with the perceived Latham way,” he said. “Next Roger Latham took over. He put some great structures in place and like David really challenged me, then he was succeeded as managing director and chairman by Peter Latham, who was also incredibly supportive.”

Chris continued to challenge what Lathams did and to try and think outside the box. The 2003 introduction of solid surface at the then dyed-in-the-wool timber company was an example. It raised eyebrows, but was a huge success.

“I think the perception of Latham was very much the traditional timber business; great product, great service, perhaps a bit pricey; all the things you’d expect from a longestablished company,” said Chris. “I hope I’ve played some part in making it more innovative and forward-looking, by saying to the board ‘let’s just have a go at this’. But it wasn’t my way or the high way, or me saying ‘look how good I am’. Sure, I have an ego. But my outlook was not Chris Sutton first, company second. It was, if the company benefits, we all benefit.”

As Latham’s continued to grow, it became increasingly clear that the roles of chairman and MD could no longer be invested in one person and Peter passed the latter position to Chris in 2015. It was the first time in 258 years a non-family member had headed the trading arm of the business.

“Taking over a company established the year after Mozart was born was intimidating. But I was honoured they had that trust in me,” he said.

So, what has his leadership brought to the company?

“First and foremost, I hope I’ve upheld the morals of the business; honesty and integrity,” said Chris. “We’ve also maintained the momentum of the business, even tried increase it. We’ve continued to grow organically and through acquisition. As we speak Lathams is investing in Gateshead, Thurrock and Purfleet and most recently we acquired Abbey Woods in Ireland. We achieved turnover of £214m last year, and the target is £350m in the next seven to eight years. And Latham’s will get there.

“I’ve also tried to ensure the business continues to look to the future and, to an extent, take risks. Launching show rooms in London and Manchester was another case in point. These target construction professionals, particularly architects, designers and other specifiers. It was a gamble, but paid great dividends. Critically we’ve also continued to invest in people, including launching the Lathams Timber Academy. We want trainees to experience the whole business and take responsibility early on. That includes sending them to see suppliers worldwide. It might not do much for our carbon footprint, but makes all the difference dealing with customers from that basis of knowledge.”

Chris has also striven to keep Lathams a team-based business. “I’ve always had an open-door policy and made time to talk to people,” he said. “The Leicester depot opens until 10.30pm and I’ve often dropped in for a chat with the chaps on the way home. You learn as much about what’s happening in the business that way than from a dozen spreadsheets.”

Another bedrock for Lathams is its environmental performance. It’s a commitment that Chris, if anything, has tried to deepen. Lathams was an early signatory to the Timber Trade Federation’s (TTF) Responsible Purchasing Policy and a staunch advocate of the EU Timber Regulation and the EU FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement initiative, supporting supplier countries to establish legality assurance systems.

“Sustainably and legally sourced timber is the most sustainable raw material we have and we must make the most of that resource for the trade, our children and ultimately the planet,” said Chris.

He has also been deeply involved with the TTF. He was chairman of the National Panel Products Division and a central figure within the TTF in the creation of the wider umbrella body, the Confederation of Timber Industries.

“My key aim working for these various organisations has been to communicate the real worth of timber. My one criticism of the trade is that some elements still don’t appreciate what they’ve got in this incredible material. They make the business purely transactional rather than capitalise on the true value of wood,” he said.

Given his passion for the business, it’s no surprise Chris didn’t step away from Lathams immediately. Current chairman Nick Latham asked him to stay a couple of months to work on key projects and he will continue to support the company. “Although I’m absolutely clear I won’t be stepping on the toes of my successor Andrew Wright, who will want to run the business his way and, I’ve no doubt, do so very successfully.”

He isn’t quite retiring either. “I’ve started a consultancy with my wife Deborah and will be working with another natural resourcebased company, Tensei, which makes performance fibres from agri residues.”

It will not, however, be 24/7 work as it’s sometimes been with Latham. He and Deborah will spend more time at their place in Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk and seeing son and daughter Charlie and Beth, who work respectively in horse racing and for Topps Tiles.

He will also be indulging his passion for cricket – and he was dashing off to Lords straight after our interview.

But if he could sum up his feelings about 40 years with Lathams?

“Contentment is the best word,” he said, without hesitation. “Looking back at all that’s happened to me and the company, I feel truly content.”