The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough visited a long-established timber firm, operating for 65 years, to hear about its role in the construction sector.
On August 29, Paul Bristow visited David Smith in St Ives to learn how the company supports both new and existing housing, as well as commercial and public buildings.
He was greeted by managing director Tim Wilson, operations manager Tony Maxwell, and Brett Amphlett of the Builders Merchants Federation.
During the tour of the firm’s eight-acre site, Mr Bristow was shown a range of products manufactured for housebuilders, contractors, and developers, including fire door sets, staircases, roof trusses, and floor joists.
He said: “It was a pleasure to visit David Smith St Ives to see a shining example of British manufacturing and gain a better understanding of their contribution to modern, well-designed and long-lasting buildings.
“I would like to thank Tim, Tony and the team for giving me the opportunity to see their contribution to Cambridgeshire’s economy and throughout East Anglia.
“It was great to see the £3 million investment they have made in new machinery and upgrading their premises.
“Generating over half the energy they use onsite from rooftop solar is an impressive achievement and reflects their strong commitment to being a forward-looking, low-carbon manufacturer.”
Mr Wilson said: “We were happy to welcome Paul today and show him how David Smith St Ives has evolved since we began in 1960.
“It’s encouraging to see the Mayor take a genuine interest in local manufacturers like ours and offer support to help timber engineering businesses succeed.
“With significant house building planned in the county, we believe timber-engineered products have a much greater role to play.”
