The Wigan-based company, which last year re-launched as Prowood (formerly Oregon-Canadian Europe Ltd), has also extended its range of species on offer.
Investing in a Palmer Primer vacuum priming and staining machine allows the company to prime, paint and stain (also apply surfaced-based fire retardants) timber components, including joinery sections and cladding profiles. Morrells Wood Finishes have partnered on the project.
The first order of primed FSC-certified joinery components was processed on May 31.
"We have done quite a lot of priming and finishing with fire retardant treatments using outside contractors, but we decided the time was right to bring it in house and make a brand out of it," said Prowood director Peter Burns.
Previous outsourcing created delays and added costs, he added.
The new ProPrime brand joins existing brands ProClad, ProDeck, ProLam and ProStair.
Prowood has also added an adjoining 35,000ft2 warehouse and manufacturing space and a second Taylorpress laminating machine for stairparts.
The expanded space allows Prowood to stock an increased range of species, sizes and qualities.
One of the new species is western larch from the US, which Mr Burns described as moderately durable and clear like Douglas fir.
"It’s a really new species to the UK and we hope it will compete with species like Siberian larch," he said.
"Business is more or less on a par with last year and I’m very optimistic about the rest of the year.
"We have worked really hard in consolidating and expanding our customer base over the last couple of years and it’s stood us in good stead.
"If there is any upturn this year, we are well-placed to benefit from it."
Mr Burns said changing the company’s banking facilities to a supportive Swedish bank had helped the business.
