Board appointments set to ‘add renewed focus’
Newport-based Premier Forest Group has announced two significant new appointments to the board of Premier Forest Products as the timber group continues to expand across the UK.
Steve Gillson, who joins from one of the UK’s largest builders’ merchant groups, has been appointed to UK sales director, while James Pickford, formerly UK purchasing manager at Premier Forest Products, has been promoted to UK purchasing director.
The two will assume overall responsibility for sales and purchasing respectively for Premier Forest Products, which is one of the leading independent vertically-integrated timber companies in the UK.
Terry Edgell, director at Premier Forest Group, said: “Steve and James both have incredible technical knowledge and proven success in their fields.
“Having experienced sales and purchasing directors on the board will add a renewed focus to the business as we continue to drive it forward and concentrate on boosting organic, sustainable growth and cohesion across the business.”
Premier Forest Products operates from seven sites in the UK and includes several branded divisions; Premier Forest Products, Premier Processing & Fabrication, Premier Sawmilling, Mill Timber Direct, Clarks Wood, Duchy Timber and Premier Goldberg.
Premier Forest Products has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years, including the recent relocation and significant expansion of its Premier Goldberg division to Langley, which doubled the size of its operation and created five new jobs, and the acquisition of established sawmill Jeffrey Walker in Doncaster into the Premier Sawmilling division at the end of 2016, which further expanded the group’s manufacturing capabilities, geographic reach and sales volume.
The acquisition followed the purchase of Cornish sawmill Duchy Timber in May 2015 and Border Group’s Croespenmaen sawmill in Crumlin, south Wales, less than six months earlier.
In the last six years, the group also acquired Ron Lewis Holdings, incorporating Clarks Wood in Bristol, Y Goldberg & Sons in Uxbridge and Irish brands Brooks Timber and Building Supplies and Dublin Plywood and Veneers.
The group’s series of acquisitions, which started in 2011, have seen turnover grow from £53m to more than £120m.