Make it a Natural Choice

James Latham have been operating for over 260 years with a chain of facilities across the UK, we heard from Stuart Devoil, group head of marketing, about the state of the timber merchant market and what to expect from its diverse product range.

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ames Latham operate from twelve distribution depots throughout the UK & Ireland, and a number of other locations that provide specialist services such as in-house machining and bulk direct timber supplies. As well as timber, the firm also offers a broad range of other products such as panels, decorative surfaces, laminates and veneers, alongside ‘advanced materials’ including solid surfaces, technical panels, acrylics and thermoplastics. The whole business feels like a family. It’s an ethos helped by members of the Lathams family working there, including chairman Nick Latham, and the genuine pride that the team has in the history and legacy of the business.

James Latham has: “probably the most comprehensive range of species, sizes and non-standard thicknesses available in the UK today.” What sets the business apart from other merchants? “The size of our depots, the breadth of stock we hold and our experienced staff set us apart,” says Stuart. “So does our willingness to listen to customers and innovate to accommodate their needs. Setting up facilities like Lathams Direct Timber (LDT) is a good example. It provides customers with easier access to bulk hardwoods and softwoods, offering landed stock direct from the port.

“This means that products are readily available and clearly priced, without the need to worry about shipping and customs requirements. LDT offers popular varieties from all over the world including Iroko and Sapele (Africa), Cherry, Maple and Red Oak (North America) and Jelutong, Meranti and Keruing (the Far East).

Market pressures

Global demand for timber products is huge and the sector is being widely affected by rising raw material prices and lower volumes – how has Lathams dealt with the ongoing supply and demand issues? “The timber industry often has times when it’s difficult to source and import materials,” says Stuart. “This is among the worst periods the industry has seen, especially when it comes to price volatility. In advance of Brexit, Lathams set up a dedicated Supply Chain Team (SCT) which now sits at 11 people strong. We took the flow of materials seriously and it’s paid off. The SCT secured Advanced Economic Operator status for the business. A mark of quality for imports and exports, it means that our goods aren’t facing delays, significantly reducing any negative impacts.” Lathams has a huge range of products on offer to the timber trade and since its acquisition of Dresser Mouldings, has seen a huge upturn in cladding sales. “While we sell cladding in a wide range of materials, our excellent relationship with Accsys Technologies means Accoya remains a firm favourite,” adds Stuart. “Not just for cladding, but many other joinery and landscape-led applications. From a panel perspective, we remain very strong in plywood, OSB and MDF, right the way through to speciality products like Valchromat which is the most requested sample from our website.”

See the quality for yourself

For those interested in knowing more about the Lathams range, they have two dedicated product specification showrooms – in London and Manchester respectively – where the trade can get to know the products

Valchromat is the most requested sample from the Lathams website

better. “While we have two physical showrooms, Covid lockdowns forced us to look at other ways of reaching our customers,” says Stuart. “We’ve invested in digital tools that help us to take the showroom directly to customers, including virtual meetings and video content, to support people working remotely. Because our staff couldn’t interact with customers in person, we set up a central sampling function too. Anyone who has a video consultation or makes an enquiry via the website will receive samples, fully Latham-branded, within 48 hours.”

While there has been an increase in interest in fire retardant (FR) products, such as SMARTPLY MAX FR B, Garnica Fireshield, and Sundeala FR, this has been overshadowed by the increase in demand for sustainable materials. Lathams is committed to supporting responsible forest management and has a wide range of FSC and PEFC-certified material on offer. “Sustainability is critical to the future of construction and we’ve bolstered our compliance team because of our ever-increasing focus on the topic,” adds Stuart. “As part of the TTF Responsible Purchasers Scheme, we stringently vet all suppliers to ensure they meet environmental standards. In addition, we are currently working with a number of parties to identify and promote the use of timber in construction as a carbon storage strategy.”

What key market developments do Lathams expect to see for themselves and across the merchant and timber supply sector for the rest of 2021 and into 2022? “The merchant sector is well positioned for growth post-pandemic,” says Stuart. “Demand for materials is high and there is an opportunity to bring new, advanced products

The London Product Specification Showroom to the forefront as people look for alternative solutions. We’ve seen a significant increase in enquiries from the general public as garden rooms and such structures become more and more ‘the norm’. Although we can’t deal with enquiries such as this directly, the merchant sector will benefit from this growth. “We’ve focused heavily on our product portfolio, adding exclusive ranges, high-performers and innovative materials to provide greater choice. These include new cladding options, some exciting new décor ranges and even a super-sustainable panel product made entirely from waste material – watch this space!” More at  www.lathamtimber.co.uk