Clifford Jones Timber Ltd is about to start work on a £3m wood pellet manufacturing plant.
The development, which is moving forward following the granting of planning permission, is designed to produce pellets for commercial and domestic clients. Anticipated output is 35,000 tonnes a year, with virgin timber being used for production.
“There’s a lack of good quality pellets in the UK,” the company’s managing director Alan Jones told TTJ. “There are a lot of pellets coming in from overseas but we are hoping to make high quality pellets for customers.”
Mr Jones said he hoped the plant, which will create 15 new jobs, would be operational by next spring.
The venture is the latest diversification for Clifford Jones, which already makes wood briquettes.
One of its main business areas, machine rounded timber, has seen a 40% boost in turnover this year.
“Our machine rounded timber has benefited from a lack of timber coming in from the Baltics,” said sales director Nigel Bacon. “It’s had a really positive effect on us.”
He said the increased sales had come mainly from customers growing their business rather than taking on lots of new accounts.
Mr Bacon said the company’s products attracted a lot of interest at the recent Glee show, including buyers from France and Greece.
