New appointments bookend successful year for flourishing timber company

UK timber importer Premier Forest Products is celebrating the end of a successful financial year with several key appointments and promotions.

Premier’s like-for-like turnover has grown by 35 percent to £120M in the last 12 months and the strategic new appointments will be integral for helping the company to keep pace with its continued success and rapid expansion.

Terry Edgell, Co-Founder and CEO said: “We are in a good position and preparing for growth despite challenging market conditions. The new appointments will enable us to become more focused in some areas of our expertise, enabling us to better support our customers and tailor our services to their specific needs.”

Bill Thomas has been appointed to the new role of Regional Commercial Development Manager. Bill joins Premier with a proven track record of transforming the timber businesses he has managed and will be central to Premier’s ambitious growth plans.

Bill said, “My goal is to enable Premier to explore new and exciting opportunities across south Wales and the south west. I’ve been really impressed with Premier’s growth and reputation within the sector and I’m looking forward to playing a part in helping them achieve further expansion.”

Industry hardwood expert Steve Rogers has been appointed UK Product Manager – Hardwoods and Speciality Softwoods. Based at Premier’s head-office in Newport, Steve’s role will be to lead a new team focussing on the development and further growth of the company’s hardwood market across all Premier’s brands. 

Steve said: “In this role I will harness and focus our expertise to enable Premier to work closely with customers to understand their needs and deliver tailored solutions.

“The new hardwood team will mirror the successful implementation of a home-grown and imported softwood business in the UK by another Premier team, which has demonstrated significant growth over the last year.”

In West Wales, Brett Gale has been promoted to the position of Branch Manager for Premier’s Merlwood Timber in Haverfordwest. Brett, who has been with the company for 22 years, brings a wealth of product knowledge to the role, with ambitious plans for the expansion and redevelopment of the Merlwood site and scope of service for customers.

Terry said: “Bill, Steve and Brett all bring something different and exciting to the Premier team. This is a crucial growth period for the business and their experience and dynamism will help us develop new and innovative timber solutions for our customers.

“Hopefully these are just the first of many new appointments over the coming months as we look to continue the company’s exciting trajectory of growth both organically and through acquisition.”

Premier Forest Group is a vertically integrated timber operation engaged in the importation, sawmilling, processing, merchanting, and wholesale distribution of timber and timber products from its twelve sites in the UK.