Sat within the Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions division, as part of a group of companies that aim to provide a solutions-based focus to our customers. International Timber (IT) prides itself on having years of expertise in the timber industry and are ideally placed to help its customers navigate the often-complex world of timber. The timber material supply chain has been under pressure for some time and the Ukrainian conflict has added to this – is it stabilising and where have the pressure points been?
“We work hard to ensure that we keep our customers safe through the work we do in sustainable sourcing, says Paul. “Our aim is to be more than just a supplier of timber, but to offer a full-service approach, working with our customers to really understand their needs and develop a solution to fit. Unfortunately, it’s a very difficult time for the timber industry as a whole. The challenging mix of high demand and disrupted logistics which began with the pandemic have been exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine. But this isn’t a regional problem – every corner of world supply has been affected, from Asia to West Africa and from North America to Europe.
“Other issues being contended with are lack of labour, geographical issues, weather and even forest fires. Any one of these can affect timescales or even stop supply routes in their tracks. But the good news is that we’re finding an overall healthy ebb and flow of timber supply. We are still receiving shipments from across the world, and in the rare case that we can’t supply a species then we can locate a viable alternative.”
Visualiser tool
IT’s ‘visualiser tool’ is designed to help customers to select, view and explore products in-situ to see how they might work for their projects and has recently been upgraded with several new features. “The latest update to the tool has added different house and building types to the visualiser,” says Paul. “This means users can now pick the build closest to their current project and can now add items currently in place such as walls, doors, sills, or roofs so that they can get as close as possible to the actual project. The visualisation tool also allows the user to view cladding in various positions, both horizontal or vertical, next to a window or around a doorway. In addition to these new features, more cladding types have been added to the visualiser including coated cladding.”
IT has built a successful ‘sector-focused business’ and offers a ‘vast array of species and finished products’ – what are the market leading products for the trade and construction sector and how do you keep track of industry innovation? “Our team lives and breathes timber, all day every day,” adds Paul. “We pride ourselves on honing that expertise, whether it’s working with partners across the world to procure specific timber species, investing and implementing new timber technologies, or creating processes to ensure all the stock that passes through our books is sustainably sourced.
“Ultimately, we want to make sure we’re supplying products that address the needs of our customers. For example, we’re seeing an increasing demand for engineered timber, which we see as a correlation to the labour shortages across most sectors and the reduced availability of sawn timbers. Engineered components can help to reduce demand for onsite labour, preventing delays and runaway costs. We are also seeing an increased demand for modified timbers – these are timbers which following a process of modification – offer the benefits of durability and stability for applications such as external joinery, cladding and decking.
IT has invested heavily in its manufacturing sites and providing industry apprenticeships and will be developing these aspects over the next 18 months. How will the timber sector develop generally in the coming months? “We will always continue to invest in our sites to ensure that we keep up with changes in technologies and processes. The skills gap that the overall construction sector faces also poses issues for our industry. Recruiting mill machinists and operators is a real challenge, but we will continue to promote International Timber as a great place to work with an inclusive and diverse culture, attracting young and fresh talent into the sector. The sector needs these new recruits if it is to be the material of choice for the future of construction.”
You can read the full feature in the Autumn Timber Construction magazine
