James Donaldson Timber Looks To The Future With New Facility

Leading timber supplier, James Donaldson Timber (JDT) has taken over a leasehold on a new, 110,000ft2 purpose-built manufacturing facility in Chorley.

The flagship site at Botany Bay Business Park will more than double current production capacity and improve operational efficiencies, supporting increased output to meet market demand.

The size of the factory allows for a number of fully integrated, continuous lines of manufacturing, which will boost productivity and create a better working environment for the team. The fully enclosed facility has scope for 24-hour operations if required, future-proofing the site to allow for market growth and diversification.

The increased capacity will have immediate benefits for customers, reducing lead times, enhancing the customer service experience and strengthening stock availability.

Situated just two miles from JDT’s existing Chorley site, the location was chosen to integrate with established routes and operational processes, while also minimising disruption for the long-serving skilled workforce.

Perform Panel, a division of Donaldson Group subsidiary Nu-Style Products, will also utilise 10,000ft2 of the facility for storage and distribution purposes in the Northwest. Perform Panel has over 35 years of experience and is well known in the UK industry, manufacturing a range of decorative wet wall laminated panels as well as floor, splashback and ceiling products.

Work is continuing uninterrupted throughout the transition between the sites, with the new factory expected to be fully operational by autumn 2025.

Iain Torrance, managing director of James Donaldson Timber said:

“Opening the Chorley branch was our first venture into England back in 2008, and it’s been a hugely successful move for us. It significantly changed our product offering, expanding beyond timber for the first time, and allowed us to better service our clients north and south of the border."

“After 17 years, we’ve simply outgrown the site. It was becoming impractical and inefficient and was no longer suitable for our future growth plans. The new site is purpose built as a manufacturing unit with more scope to develop our offering – and it provides a much-improved working environment too, bringing benefits for our customers and our colleagues.”

Andrew Donaldson, chief executive officer, the Donaldson Group said:

“This is an extremely exciting move for JDT and also for us as a Group, more than doubling the capacity for JDT in England and bringing benefits for Nu Style too. The MDF mouldings market continues to grow at pace and will inevitably increase further once we see the development of much-needed housing across the UK."

“JDT is the original part of the Donaldson Group, so we’re particularly proud to see such a positive evolution of this business as we enter our 165th year.”

Currently led by the sixth generation of Donaldson, the 165-year-old Donaldson Group comprises a total of 16 specialist timber and building product businesses and brands, operating throughout the UK.