Summary
¦ WJ Components moved into timber treatments in 2008.
¦ It offers BASF/Wolman treatments, including Firestop.
¦ It achieved ISO 9001 accreditation at the end of 2010.
¦ It treats fencing products to Highways Sector Scheme 4.
Hull-based WJ Components has treated 45,000m³ of timber since branching out into timber treatments in July 2008. And it’s about to use its four millionth litre of BASF/Wolman chemical.
It’s now hoping that the latest addition to its timber treatments portfolio, Wolman’s Wolmanit Firestop fire retardant, will bring in even more business as the timber construction sector becomes increasingly proactive in reducing the risk of fire in its developments.
WJ Components managing director Mark Eggleston sees the introduction of Firestop as another opportunity to develop a business that has already shown itself to have a broad skills base and to be willing to diversify.
The company initially set up as a components manufacturer for the caravan industry – 80% of static holiday homes made in the UK are produced in Hull – and makes nail-plated roof trusses, steel furniture and water heater flues for the sector. It is also a licensed manufacturer of Wolf Systems’ easi-joist metal web joist.
The move into timber treatments was to mitigate against the “ups and downs” of the caravan sector and WJ Components was well placed to take advantage of the thousands of cubic metres of timber arriving at the Port of Hull every year.
Customer service
The company’s treatments division, WJ Timber Treatments, is based on Alexandra Dock, so timber can be treated as soon as it makes port in one of the company’s two high-pressure vacuum tanks or two low-pressure double vac vessels. The timber can then be delivered direct to the customer.
Companies taking advantage of this quick turnaround include shed manufacturers and local businesses, along with major merchants and importers such as International Timber and James E Smith. The latter has had a facility on Alexandra Dock since 2009 and the decision of another customer, Stora Enso, to move its stevedoring operations there from Immingham in 2010 was one of the reasons WJ doubled its low-pressure treatment capacity by installing its second double vac tank at the end of last year.
“Stora Enso’s CLS and redwood timber is stored in a shed right next to our treatment tanks,” said Mr Eggleston. “If one of its customers wants a pack of vac pac-treated timber, it can go straight from the rack to the treatment tank. When Stora Enso was in Immingham the timber was coming over the bridge to Hull to be treated, then going back to Immingham before going out to the customer. There was probably up to a week’s lead time whereas now it’s a day.”
Treatments offered include the inorganic copper and boron-based Wolmanit CX, for garden timbers as well as interior and exterior construction purposes; the water-based Wolsit KD-20 for constructional timbers; and now Wolmanit Firestop.
Accreditation
Mr Eggleston knew from the outset that the key to success was quality control and accreditation. “Prior to our involvement in timber treatments the sector was dominated by CCA,” he said. “There have been many changes since then and now that the chemicals are water-based it [their efficacy] is very much more down to the way in which the treatment company uses them.”
WJ and Wolman have worked together to ensure repeatability and have established a good testing regime, he added.
Since December last year WJ’s quality control has been supported by ISO 9001 accreditation and it is this that has allowed the company to move into fire retardant treatment. With the application of an epoxy coating and some changes to the pipework, one of its high-pressure tanks has been modified and is now dual purpose for either CX or Firestop treatments.
Dedicated Firestop tank
When demand for Firestop takes off, the plan is to install a dedicated tank. At present the treated timber is kiln dried back down to its required moisture content by a third party, so a kiln is also on WJ’s shopping list – possibly within the next six months. “We’ll then be able to offer a one-stop shop,” said Mr Eggleston.
As WJ is one of only a few facilities in the UK to offer fire retardant treatment and the only one offering Firestop, demand is eagerly anticipated. The company has already treated several hundred cubic metres of scaffold boards and is hopeful that other sectors of its target market – joinery and timber frame manufacturers – will soon come knocking.
“Wood is becoming an increasingly popular material in the construction sector,” said Mr Eggleston. “With this popularity comes an increased requirement for high quality fire retardant timber solutions.”
The relative lack of facilities offering fire retardant treatment thus far has resulted in extended lead times, he continued. “Hopefully the availability of Firestop from WJ will help to develop a new market for the company and offer specifiers of fire retardant timbers more choice.”
? The ISO 9001 accreditation has also enabled WJ Treatments to treat fencing products to Highways Sector Scheme 4 standard, giving a 30-year service life for timber in permanent ground or freshwater contact.
