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SUN SHINES ON NORFOLK FAMILY BUSINESS
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The sun has been shining on Thomson Sawmills for the past three years with staff and management at the Norfolk-based family firm hoping it will continue!
The positivity coming out of this 40-year-old business, sited just north of Norwich, is a joy to behold and is aptly reflected in a 1000 strong solar panel array that has recently gone online.
“The last three years have been the busiest in the company’s history,” explained Director Carly Reid. “Being linked with the DIY sector, we were able to stay open for the duration of the pandemic and benefited from the dramatic increase in homeowners choosing to improve their gardens.
“Whilst that trend has tailed off, we have seen increases in our trade and bulk sales and, with all our timber sourced from the UK, we’ve been able to ride out supply chain issues in recent times.
“We source pine, spruce, larch and other softwood species from all over the country including the nearby Thetford Forest. To help boost our production we have recently been supplied with boatloads of timber from Scotland with logs being delivered to us from the port at Great Yarmouth. This is the first time it has been done in this area for many years and looks as though it will be a regular supply.
“We are proud of the fact we only manufacture British timber and promote the “Buy British” message wherever possible.
“Open to trade, retail and bulk, our timber is available for a prompt delivery or on a collection basis. We can delivery locally throughout Norfolk and operate bulk deliveries on artic loads across the country.
“Over the years we’ve nurtured excellent relationships with our suppliers and this has helped the business grow to the point where we have 60 staff working at our 100-acre site
“There’s been minimal impact from Brexit for instance with the only issues being occasional delays in getting machinery parts from Europe.
“We pride ourselves on delivering a professional service and supplying customers with top quality fencing timber and landscaping products,” added Carly.
The firm is celebrating 40 years in the trade, with founder Brian Thomson now handing the reigns over to the next generation to drive the business forward. Six years ago the company was transformed due to major investments being made. This included Mill 2, a high-speed fully automated sawline capable alone of 500 cubic meters of sawn output per day this works in addition to Mill 1 which was installed in 2006.
At the same time additional automated high-speed value adding lines were installed. Having invested heavily over the years, output has increased year on year and Thomson Sawmills is currently processing 150,000 tonnes of logs per year on a single shift.
Jamie Thomson, joint MD with Laura and brother of Carly, added: “We’re never standing still at Thomsons. We’re always looking at ways to improve the business with a recent £400,000 investment in roof mounted solar panels demonstrating that perfectly.
“Rapidly rising energy costs and the need for a more sustainable approach to operations has resulted in us opting for a 400KW installation.
“Not only will it cover 15% of our electricity costs but it’s flexible and with our available roof space it will allow us to build capacity up to the point where we can cover 60% of energy bills. Over time we envisage moving ever closer to that mark.
“We’re very much a family business with that ethos permeating all our activities and workforce. Families generally look after their futures and that’s why it’s vitally important that we seek new, environmentally friendly ways to generate energy. It’s in all our interests!
“We also have very strong stock levels which means we are always able to fulfill our customers’ needs. That brings a peace of mind and ensures that the business is in a strong state of health. Long may that continue!
“The business still has spare sawing capacity and room to grow further to get to where we want to be. Our business has gone from strength to strength and with many other installations and investments planned we have an exciting future ahead of us!
“We’re constantly progressing, constantly improving our operations and always aiming to be the best at what we do. Thomson Sawmills is here for the long term,” concluded Jamie.
The outlook really is bright for Jamie, Carly and all of the team at Thomson Sawmills. With an eye firmly fixed on the future this well-established company will be soaking up the sun for a long time to come.
