When TTJ heard that Hardwood Timber Sales had been investing heavily in its Liverpool site and expanding its range of operations we decided to check it out ourselves as part of a Liverpool trade visit. Company directors John McCoy, Tony Collins and John Crosbie, who formed the business in 2006, have a significant amount of hardwood trade experience between them. Operations comprise direct importing from mills worldwide, a bespoke cut-to-size machining service and sales to customers including joinery manufacturers and developers.

The business moved from Kirkby to the nine-acre site on Huyton Business Park in 2013 to give room for expansion and improve logistics. The site, formerly an empty BASF printworks, was cleared and a new warehouse erected.

Touring the premises, John McCoy showed how hardwood stocks were split into different world regions for ease and said an additional £1m stocks were looking to be added. Timber on display included German beech from Pollmeier, supplied to the door manufacturing industry, and products from Italy-based Florian.

“We have a really good customer mix, from joinery companies with just one or two people right up to companies with a staff of 100 plus.”

It is the adjacent machining operation set up in 2016 that excites him about future possibilities.

Previously it had subbed out machining work but wanted to bring control to this process.

“That the side of the business where we see growth,” said Mr McCoy.

Machines installed included a bandsaw, a multirip and two Leadermac moulders, the smaller being an LMC523 Smartmac.

A third moulder – a Weinig – has recently arrived to add greater capacity, sited in a newly erected 15,000ft2 warehouse which is also featuring an additional multirip saw and lacquering facilities.

Next year it is looking to add still further to machining capacity due to high demand for machined timbers. Further moulders and lacquer lines are already planned.

“We have made a total investment in new sheds and machines of about £2m since January 2016,” he added.

“The amount of enquiries and jobs we are getting for machined timber is increasing.

Growth of machined timber sales stems from customers not wanting to do the processing themselves – they want the timber to arrive PAR and machined to section so they do not have to do anything with it.”

“The only way we keep customers happy is by investing in new machines and buildings. “But we need more sales people. We have great people already but we want to build the business.”

A recruitment drive has resulted in additional outside sales people – James Lewin (ex Garrards and Arnold Laver) covering Yorkshire and Russell O’Brien (ex Timbmet) covering the south east.

New interior sales team members include Mark Carter (ex Illingworth Ingham), Joanne Wright, (ex Atkinson and Kirkby) and operations manager John Clarke (ex W Howard Group).

A further four people have also been taken on in the mill and yard.

Typical of projects Hardwood Timber Sales is supplying is high-end contracts in London. Prime oak and poplar have been supplied to The Corinthia and Ritz hotels, while its hard maple, sycamore, and mahogany were selected for use as door frames in the £220m refurbishment of the Savoy Hotel.

A major local project is the Royal Liverpool University Hospital development, with timber supplied to a doorset producer for internal door lippings on the build. “We’re probably working harder now than 12 years ago because customers are more discerning and expect a better service,” said Mr McCoy.

Though total site undercover space is a sizeable 75,000ft2, Mr McCoy gestured to several acres of spare undeveloped land for future growth.

The fact that the company owns the land and is not beholden to a landlord means it has made itself, as far as it is able, master of its own destiny.

Other developments will see a investment in fire-retardant treatments, while a joint partnership has been struck with a local haulier to be able to deliver nationwide within 3-4 days.

“It is a busy time,” said Mr McCoy.