Tetbury oak importer and merchant Timberpride has just reported its best annual results in 16 years of trading.
The company said sales increased 16% in the 12 months to September, leading to profitability.
It said the performance was evidence that customers were still willing to invest in high quality oak products such as joinery and flooring during a time of unstable economic activity.
“Due to the economic downturn, many customers are now focused on refurbishment rather than buying and selling their properties,” said managing director Alexander Golesworthy.
“Further to this we’re finding that consumers are seeing oak more and more as a solid investment and as such are willing to pay that little extra.
“This, teamed with added concerns about their carbon footprint, means customers are now choosing to source their materials for joinery and flooring from home turfs rather than ordering from abroad.”
He said joinery oak and seasoned structural sections had led the way over the past 12 months, with air-dried oak seeing excellent growth, because it’s more cost-effective compared to kiln-dried products “and better suited to external joinery like windows”.
