BSW Timber invests GBP 6 million ($9.3 million) at Carlisle mill in UK

Oct 07, 2011. /Lesprom Network/. BSW Timber plans to invest more than GBP 6 million ($9.3 million) in its operations at Carlisle, which is set to make it one of the most flexible mills in the UK, as the company said in a press release received by Lesprom Network. The multi-million pound investment will boost capacity and productivity at the site in a bid to meet rapidly increasing customer demand. Overall production at the mill has increased significantly in the last few years as demand for high quality home-grown timber has reached an all time high. The investments include a new planer and grader line, allowing for increased capacity, improved customer service and the ability to provide a wider products range. A biomass boiler will replace gas and oil for heating the kilns, whilst a Kalfass multi-head cross cut machine will increase productivity and operational efficiency to the pallet industry. Other investments, which are set to be installed by late summer 2012, include a new high pressure treatment vessel, supplied by Arch, to aid productivity during the fencing season, and an Airplant dust extraction and Gotland vacuum system. This follows a major redevelopment of the office complex at the site, completed earlier this year, which now provides expanded office space and a new customer/visitor centre. Mill manager Alistair Sommerville believes the increased investment in the Carlisle will develop the mill's key role at the heart of BSW's operational network. "Carlisle is ideally placed as a strategic hub for BSW's UK operation in terms of log supply and transport links to our customers, and also close to our Dalbeattie mill," he says. BSW's GBP 6 million ($9.3 million) commitment at Carlisle will lead to an increase in jobs at the Carlisle site and secure the future of current mill staff. Tony Hackney, CEO at BSW adds: "This major investment underlines BSW's position as a dynamic forward thinking business and reinforces our ambitions to grow the market for British timber.” BSW Timber's Carlisle mill covers a 15 hectare site, operating 78 hours a week with annual input of 335,000 cubic metres of roundwood. It produces 188,000 cubic metres of sawn timber each year and has a turnover of GBP 35 million ($54.5 million). BSW employs 162 people in its Carlisle area and it is estimated that 650 other people are employed locally in related industries to service the Carlisle site.