Turnover has more than trebled at a 96-year-old Huddersfield sawmiller and timber merchant in the past 12 months.

Garrards, which has been subject to more than £750,000 investment since being taken over by Halifax-based James Chambers (Timber Merchants) Ltd in 2002, has seen its turnover rise from about £1m a year ago to more than £3.5m in 2004.

The most recent cash injection, about £500,000, involved the opening in April of a new joinery centre to sell added-value items and a new mill on an adjacent site.

Sean Colleran, director at James Chambers, said: “Garrards had been an old, established company which had gone into the doldrums. But we have put it back on the map and brought some new blood in from other merchants and sawmills.”

The joinery centre, which replicates a similar operation at James Chambers’ Halifax branch, sells added-value items such as doors and windows, hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, staircase components and a selection of Richard Burbidge mouldings.

&#8220Garrards had been in the doldrums. But we have put it back on the map and brought some new blood in from other merchants and sawmills”

Sean Colleran, director James Chambers

The mill improvements include the addition of two six-head Weinig Unimat 1000 Star moulders and a Waco BKL twin resaw for splitting timber.

The technology allows Garrards to expand its machined business to offer a specialist service for customers including small shopfitters, barfitters, housebuilders and carpenters in Yorkshire. Previously, it was just machining its own stock.

An earlier phase of improvements (TTJ February 8/15, 2003) involved new racking, vehicles and materials handling equipment, a new sales counter and office suite, plus signage and staff clothing.