BSW Timber, James Jones & Sons and Glennon Brothers announce the establishment of a unique partnership, as they join forces to promote UK timber and reduce reliance on imported materials.
In an industry first, the UK’s three largest sawmillers – BSW Timber, James Jones & Sons, and Glennon Brothers – have joined forces in a landmark collaboration to promote the use of domestically grown and manufactured timber.
Backed by leading trade bodies Confor (Confederation of Forest Industries) and Timber Development UK (TDUK), the initiative is a call to action for a more sustainable, economically sound future for the UK construction sector.
Despite the UK having a world-class sawmilling industry, it is the second-largest net importer of forest products globally, with 80% – worth £9 billion – of its requirements imported annually.
This over-reliance on imported timber not only weakens our domestic industry, but also undermines environmental progress, contributes to unnecessary carbon emissions, and reduces the potential for rural job creation.
At the heart of the campaign is C16 graded timber – grown and manufactured in the UK. C16 is suitable for most standard construction applications, offering strength, versatility, and lower embodied carbon than many imported alternatives, such as C24 timber. It is a renewable, biophilic material that supports wellbeing and contributes positively to the built environment, which currently accounts for around 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions.
This collaboration supports the UK Government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap and aligns with national goals for decarbonisation, economic growth, and forestry expansion.
The three sawmillers, who collectively produce the vast majority of the UK’s C16 sawn timber, are working with Confor to support an industry-wide rebalancing of supply chains, focussing on domestic timber production to help futureproof the UK’s timber requirements.
