The Ruthin-based manufacturer, which specialises in FSC-certified machined timber rounds, peeled stakes and laminated timber products, said the addition of incising technology from Tweddle Engineering, in partnership with Lonza Wood Protection, would improve penetration of Tanalith E pressure treatment to its spruce, pine and larch round timber post products.
Managing director Keith Corbett told TTJ that both Sidewinder incising units were being installed and would be operational within several weeks. A new building at Ruthin has been constructed to house one of the machines.
“It will give us confidence to offer a warranty of up to 15 years,” he said. Mr Corbett said the issue of premature post failures in the UK in the post-CCA treatment era had made the market suspicious of the effectiveness of treated timber posts and it was necessary to take extra measures to boost market confidence.
“We want to make sure we do not leave ourselves open to future claims [of premature fence post failure],” he said.
The Sidewinder machines are capable of incising seven posts a minute and feature a scanner which identifies round timber diameters and allows intelligent adjustment of the incising heads.
“We may have to buy another one if they become popular,” Mr Corbett added.
Clifford Jones Timber has also been offering a premium coated fence post called Poly Posts, which features spray coating of the timber to protect against rotting.
Meanwhile, the company has picked up a major Welsh government business award for growth through innovation in recognition its £1.2m investment in a laminating facility.
The laminating facility, which means the company does not need to import laminated products, uses radio frequency glue-setting for super fast and effective laminating operations.
