A.W. Jenkinson has a 50% interest in Berite Sawmills Limited near Cirencester and a 25% stake in Forest Garden’s sawmills at Lockerbie and Sennybridge.
The Sawmills produce a range of fencing, structural and finished softwoods and related products. They also produce large volumes of bark, sawdust and off-cuts making them natural bedfellows to A.W. Jenkinson’s wood co-product processing activities.
Berite is a miller of sawn pallet timber and manufacturer of ‘Dormit’ woodfibre, a high quality product that is used in all weather equestrian gallops.
The sawmill, based at South Cerney, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, consumes around 18,000 tonnes annually of coniferous logs at its 3 acre site in the picturesque Cotswold Water Park. Waste bark from sawing timber for pallet making enters the AWJ supply chain to be processed into mulch and peat-free-compost.
A.W. Jenkinson holds a 25% share in major sawmilling and manufacturing business Forest Garden. The Company is the UK's largest manufacturer of arches, arbours, decking, decorative trellis, planters and pergolas for the garden.
A large proportion of Forest Garden products are pressure treated and carry a 15 year guarantee against rot; saving time and money, as well as helping the environment by reducing the amount of chemicals used annually and the frequency with which wood must be replaced.
The business, which is the main supplier for the UK’s biggest DIY retail chains, is based at Hartlebury in the Midlands, with sawmills at Sennybridge in Wales and Lockerbie in Scotland.
Often more than 50% of the timber that enters the mill ends up as bark, woodchips and sawdust. In the past these byproducts were often discarded, but the full potential of these important mill residues is now recognised and exploited by A.W. Jenkinson and its associated companies.
The collection, processing and marketing of wood flake and sawdust was the original focus of the Jenkinson business. Bark, recycled fibre and wood chip now also play an important role in the business as the raw materials for chipped bark mulch, the board manufacturing industry and green power station fuel.
Jenkinson’s is active throughout the UK collecting both from its partner milling businesses and from third party timber manufacturers. Loads are consolidated at a number of sites around the country where, depending on material, moisture content and end use, they may be further processed before being packed and transported on to end users or major retailers.
