Just 12 months after starting to manufacture Trus Joist TJI-Joist sets, Harlow Bros Ltd has doubled production at its Loughborough factory.

Initially the company was running one production line but it has now invested in a second, increasing TJI-Joist cutting volumes from 15,000-20,000m per month to 35,000-40,000m per month.

The investment has cost £70,000 to date and the company anticipates having to install a third line by the end of 2003 to keep pace with demand.

Richard Jarvis, manager of the TJI department, said: “As a company we manufacture timber frame buildings for agricultural purposes and this has been our first engineered timber interest.

“We were aware of the product in the market place and a number of our key accounts were going that way. We realised that if we stood still we would miss out in a very big market.”

The line was installed in a new-build extension alongside an existing 120ft shed and Mr Jarvis says there is plenty of room for further expansion on the 15 acre site.

&#8220We were aware of the TJI-Joist in the market place and a number of our key accounts were going that way. We realised that if we stood still we would miss out in a very big market”

Richard Jarvis, manager of Harlow’s TJI department

The second cutting line was installed in May and the venture has already created six new jobs at Loughborough, some in an in-house design studio.

Mr Jarvis said: “Initially our sales came from national house builders, but we are now receiving local interest from our five depots based in Leicesterhire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

“We are holding builders’ evenings and advertising campaigns and we are looking to service local builders on one-off jobs and promote the product around the area.”

Harlow Bros bought H&S Timber Systems Ltd last year and is looking for further acquisitions. Mr Jarvis said: “We want to increase our engineered timber market share. Everything we are doing is on top of our core business – we are not reducing turnover in one department and replacing it with this – it is all additional turnover for the Harlow Group.”