The Prince of Wales has opened BSW Timber plc’s £12m sawmill in Riga, Latvia.
Prince Charles said he was delighted the mill was a Scottish investment in state-of-the-art sawmilling technology and praised what he called BSW’s responsible attitude to sustainable forestation in the region.
The opening gives BSW seven mills in Europe, enabling the company to meet increasing demand for timber products from the construction industry.
Material produced by the Latvian mill increases BSW’s product portfolio and gives it the capability to supply longer lengths and higher grades of timber – expected to be of particular interest to merchants and the garden products sector. BSW says it will help improve service to key UK customers.
Vice-chairman of the BSW Group John Brownlie said: ‘This is an exciting and challenging time for BSW. The Latvian operation represents a substantial investment for BSW, and will help us to strengthen our UK position and provide a strong presence in continental Europe.’
