Liverpool-based Vincent Murphy & Co Ltd is in the final stages of plans to increase its milling facility by some 60% – a move led by an increase in demand for cedar cladding. Softwood director Simon Thomas said the company has been a victim of its own success – as demand for cedar orders has grown it has found it difficult to prepare and deliver within an acceptable time frame.
Explaining the thinking behind the company’s latest investment he said: “We simply looked at the demand for cedar sections over the past five years and projected that over the next three years – and it made the decision very simple.”
The company is spending a “substantial sum” to extend facilities. A Swagebeam system metal shed is being erected to house three new Wadkin moulders – a 6x12in, a 4x9in and a 4x5in. These, along with a new multi-rip saw, will double production capacity, reduce delivery time and increase flexibility.
Cedar has been a main stock item for the company almost since its establishment 106 years ago.
Mr Thomas said: “About five years ago we recognised the increase in demand for cladding and so increased the range of specifications to allow for almost any enquiry.
“Currently we stockhold a minimum of 15 different roughsawn sizes in both shipping dry and kiln-dried material to allow us to satisfy just about any reasonable approach.”
More recently the company decided to develop its market place in the belief that it was important to try to standardise its sizes in cladding and try to establish some kind of national identity.
Promotional push
Mr Thomas said: “This has been entirely successful for we keep in stock nine different sections and have invested quite considerably in producing literature and presentation displays to show both visually and by touch what is possible.
“Some of the national merchant groups have identified with our range of cladding sizes and have adopted them for their own stockholding.”
Mr Thomas said that when enquiries are received for a new cladding section the requirements are fairly predictable. “Usually a considerable volume of the material is required and the order has a very short lead-in time, so to be successful it is important that we have spare capacity that we could divert to these types of orders to provide a ‘just in time’ service.
“By increasing the size of our mill an additional benefit will include having a moulder purely and simply to stand by to cope with such demanding orders.”
Vincent Murphy supplies the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland as well as the Channel Islands. Past contracts have included the supply of a substantial quantity of material prepared to the most exacting standards for a Prince’s palace in Saudia Arabia, upmarket dog kennels, and celebrity swimming pool ceilings and wall cladding.
Mr Thomas said: “We take the ecological issues associated with cedar very seriously and, in an endeavour to be as responsible as possible, only trade with those exporters who have sound reafforestation policies. Importantly, our main cedar supplier achieved full Forest Stewardship Council chain of custody accreditation last year and is working towards a more comprehensive supply of FSC-accredited raw material.
“It is our belief that a lot of the interest in cedar has come from both the public and architects, who appear to have rediscovered the appeal of natural products, helped in no small way by the media coverage on home improvements.”
