Aug 14, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. A Scottish timber firm battling the housing downturn has announced plans to axe staff. Oregon Timber Frame in Selkirk has made 10 people redundant and expects this number to rise to 17. Earlier in the year it axed 37 jobs, Contract Journal reported. Oregon managing director John Merry said: “The current market situation is such that we have to continually review and adjust our overhead to ensure that the business remains strong and well positioned to take advantage of future opportunities. “This strategic cost-cutting exercise will ensure a stable business model, which will allow us to expand relatively rapidly when the market returns to normal. “The intention going forward is to preserve as many jobs as possible to maintain the skills we will need in the future.” Earlier in the year Oregon employed about 100 people. It said it still had a strong forward order book for the year.