Honeystreet Sawmills was established in 1810 and has seen many changes since then. John Dunford took over in 1992, having worked there in the 1960s before setting out on his own. Based near Marlborough in Wiltshire, Honeystreet sits beside the Kennet & Avon Canal, supplying timber products to the local market, from fencing and constructional softwoods, to oak and other hardwoods.
“There are six of us working here, looking after everything from sawing and machining, to treatment,” said Mr Dunford. “Finding new staff is never easy and these days young lads don’t seem to want this type of work. What’s more, we’re treated the same as a company with hundreds of employees – legislation is increasing all the time.”
Honeystreet has provided a treatment service for a long time and a pressurised plant was installed in 1993.
“Everyone was asking for it and we were travelling long distances to get treatment done,” said Mr Dunford. “Now of course, there’s the requirement for non-CCA and we’re in the changeover process, which requires a lot of work.”
The main tank remains the same; at 7.5m it’s capable of dealing with most requirements. “It’s a self-contained unit taking up to 6m3 per load and it’s fully automatic, so we can have it running three loads every day if we want,” said Mr Dunford. “Because we’ve been operating a long time, there is not a requirement to cover it over and we operate right through the winter. Ideally we’d like to have it in a shed, but then business rates would cut in and our costs would increase significantly.”
Supplier support
There’s no doubt that the balance between health and safety and reasonable levels of administration creates a high level of work for Honeystreet, adding a large burden onto a small service provider. The chemical provider is a key element of Honeystreet’s service, which is where CSI Wood Protection steps in.
Originally known as Laporte, CSI Wood Protection assists its customers across a range of technical and engineering issues, to make sure they operate efficiently. David Harling from CSI looks after all of these issues for Honeystreet. “Without David’s help we just couldn’t operate,” said Mr Dunford. “They’ve been good to me all along.”
“Honeystreet used to use the Laporte CCA chemical,” explained Mr Harling, “then moved over to the interim 1704 chromated copper formulation. As demand moves onwards and legislation drives out these products, our ACQ Permawood product will take over. That’s why Honeystreet Sawmills is thinking ahead and switching over, as the change is inevitable.”
Rural demand
The customer base for a country sawmill has a high rural mix of products and Honeystreet Sawmills is also involved in some rather unusual requirements. “We treat all manner of items, including larch, Douglas fir and spruce and even some oak for anti-insect work,” said Mr Dunford. “Larch is a big species for us and treatment is really to ensure that the sapwood is protected. It’s a wonderful cladding material that has no surface checking so you get minimal cracking – it looks good for longer.
“The main areas for our sales of treated timber are fencing, for the MOD, County Council, National Trust and other Ministry works. The County Council has a large requirement for Douglas fir, which is used in bridges and roadways.”
Large farms are always requiring a mix of products, and local joiners bring in gates and other items for treatment too. They get a fast turnaround from people who know what they’re doing.
“Landscaping contractors and DIY enthusiasts also create quite a bit of business, which has led to us developing a much larger collection centre and shop, while the canal system has also been a good source of income and, with our position, we’re well placed to service that market,” said Mr Dunford.
