Keith Fryer, co-director and joint owner of the London timber merchant and importer T Brewer & Co, has joined the TTJ team as a consultant and writer.
While continuing to work for his company, Keith will write feature articles and analysis for TTJ, bringing the magazine the benefit of 25 years’ experience in the industry.
In his own words, Keith has ‘timber in his genes’. Leaving school after O-levels, he started work with the family business in Norfolk which made wooden furniture frames.
In the early 80s he joined the Mallinson Denny group, working for Stantons in King’s Lynn, starting on the sheet materials desk before moving in to merchant management. This was followed by a stint in the hardwood division.
When Wickes bought the group, he became hardwood product manager for its merchanting arm, Malden Timber, then a regional director for the latter.
After a period with an international consortium set up to make fully-finished window components, Keith moved to Crosby (now Premdor) where he developed joinery sales to national housebuilders.
Finally, in 1994 Keith joined the management team which bought out the T Brewer business from Wickes (TTJ January 20).
‘I hope that my background in timber, particularly merchanting, will help to provide information and opinion in the TTJ that’s of interest to small- and medium-sized timber businesses. After all, they’re the heart of our trade,’ he said.
