Yuri Spiridonov, the general director of Russian timber supplier Zapkarelles, led the toasts to importer KDM International plc at the official opening of the company’s new £1.35m offices in Ipswich.
At the event Mr Spiridonov was among 160 guests, including suppliers, customers and KDM’s 21 staff.
Zapkarelles has supplied KDM for 10 years and, said Mr Spiridinov, was able to compare it with its other customers worldwide.
“KDM is among the most aggressive, but also most active, reliable and professional companies we deal with,” he said.
KDM was previously based in nearby Kesgrave. It’s new base, which was opened by mayor of Ipswich Bill Wright, is a brand new two-storey building on Ransomes Europark just off the A14.
“It’s a big improvement for us,” said KDM chief executive John Grave. “And the move also ties in with other developments in the business. As well as our established product range in planed goods from Scandinavia and Russia, pallet boards and carcassing and sawn and round fencing specifications, we’re also now offering products to complement the core business, including fencing panels and garden accessories and Svenskabin timber cabins from Sweden.”
KDM chairman Andrew Walshe also used the office opening to make a presentation to his predecessor Keith Richmond, who established the business 30 years ago and has now retired from the board.
Mr Richmond, who continues to run the TimberWeb online trading and information business, wished his successors well. “The baton of KDM has been handed to very reliable people,” he said.
