MDF mouldings manufacturer W Howard has been coming to the TTJ Awards for most of the event’s 21-year history. It is also one of the longest-running sponsors of the event, being the regular sponsor of the Plywood Trader of the Year Award.
This year, on its 60th anniversary, the company further cements its backing of the timber industry’s leading Awards event by becoming the Headline Sponsor of the 2018 edition at the InterContinental Hotel, Park Lane, London on September 21.
For W Howard’s group chief executive, Jonathan Grant, being the Headline Sponsor at the TTJ Awards will be a high-profile opportunity to highlight the company’s trusted and long-established brand. Mr Grant, whose family association with the timber trade goes back to the 1870s, said he was looking forward to this year’s event.
“We have always enjoyed the TTJ Awards because of the lunchtime aspect to it, as well as the fact that it is trade-oriented, which we have found is one of the most valuable features about the luncheon,” he said. “The event has many suppliers, customers and other stakeholders to talk to whilst also being able to enjoy good food in a great surrounding whilst listening to a speaker who has something interesting to share. The formula works, and with a fresh approach each year people always want to go, and find it most enjoyable.”
W Howard will again take three tables at this year’s event and will be bringing customers and key staff. “We usually find that everyone we ask who is available is delighted to attend and we try and make a full day and evening of it!”
Mr Grant was particularly pleased to see MDF Recovery win the Innovation Award at last year’s event. Mr Grant is an investor in MDF Recovery and the ground-breaking technology has pioneered a commercially viable process to recover waste MDF so it can be used again in the manufacturing process.
After the trial plant proved successful, MDF Recovery is working with many interested parties in order to bring the technology to market.
“There is currently a scarcity of logs, so using the recycled fibre gives the industry a reliable source of supply for a percentage of the board, a more valuable use of waste and used MDF as well as the ultimate goal of having a closed loop manufacturing system.
“We would like to produce our own range of MDF mouldings using a board with recycled fibre. It’s the whole idea of being able to sell our product and at the end of its life cycle it can be made into MDF again,” said Mr Grant. “More and more people are looking for greener, more environmentally friendly product.”
W Howard Expansion
The Manchester-based business has been expanding recently and now consists of W Howard Ltd (Manchester & London), Polyco Ltd (Powys) – producing foil-wrapped and veneered MDF profiles – and W Howard Kildare Ltd in the Republic of Ireland, where the fully-finished KOTA product is manufactured.
Significant investments have recently been made in distribution and manufacturing operations, with a new 100,000ft2 central storage facility in Manchester to distribute its full range of products.
“We are moving to the next level,” said Mr Grant. “The extra space means we can store more products from our Kildare operation as well as raw mat, thus reducing lead times. We need to hold a larger buffer stock to make sure we do not have supply issues.”
W Howard is also expanding its joinery shop into an additional unit, as it invests in its doorset business, involving CNC routing for lock and latch recesses. Further investment in fully finishing means that any stock or bespoke primed item can be finished to any RAL colour specified in any profile, any quantity and any size.
Mr Grant said he was optimistic about the future. “We need to get on with what we are doing and not think too heavily about Brexit.
The problem that Brexit causes is uncertainty in the economy and the knock-on effect on the building trade.
“New build housing is holding up but the government needs to release more public land and free up planning regulations. There is a lot of talking and they need to get on with it. It is an ideal opportunity for offsite manufacturers and we are very interested in working with them through our valued customer base.
