American engineered wood products (EWP) manufacturer Boise has moved to reassure the UK market of its commitment to business over here following fellow US company iLevel’s decision to sell its own British arm.
iLevel sold its European business to Finnforest in January in order to focus on its core North American wood products market, against a background of a slump in the US housing market and closures of several of its iLevel manufacturing plant.
Boise spokesperson Karen Punch told TTJ that the company, which supplies I-joists and Versalam LVL, was not involved in any activity concerned with leaving the UK. “In fact, we have declined recent offers to sell the business there,” she added.
The company also said the recent closure of its White City pine lumber mill in Oregon had “no impact” on EWP operations in the country.
“The company continues to be committed to the timber market in the UK,” added Ms Punch. “Our sales are good and growing and we have a successful partnership with Crown Distribution.”
Boise’s UK sales director Simon Jones said iLevel’s exit from the UK for short- to medium-term economic reasons had created a “shockwave” in the EWP market but thought change brought opportunities and that the sector could only get stronger.
He said Boise had the two largest EWP factories in the world, whereas iLevel had a higher number of smaller facilities. “These plants have huge capacities, so the UK is incremental volume for them.
“We are in a completely different place from a corporate background. Boise is not in the same place in terms of restructuring its cost structure as iLevel found itself in. The UK has proven to be a good market,” said Mr Jones.
