Jun 26, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. Howarth Timber Engineering Ltd has offered voluntary redundancy to staff at its Bury St. Edmunds site as the private housing market continues its downturn, The Timber Industry Magazine reported. Figures from the National House-Building Council show that private housing starts fell by 56% year-on-year in May to 6,890, while the public sector remains fairly buoyant. Howarth managing director Roger Smith said this had signalled a shift in the company’s business and the need to reallocate staff. “We have successfully redeployed many of our staff to reflect this shift in our business,” said Mr. Smith. “At this time we have invited voluntary redundancies from some sectors of our workforce to address this change in our workload.” Howarth Timber Engineering is a timber engineering business that is part of the Howarth Timber Group, a privately owned timber company established in 1840.