WIREDGOV

A timber frame manufacturer based on the Haven Waterside Enterprise Zone is expanding its business with Welsh Government support to increase capacity to meet the growing UK demand for roof trusses for housing.

JSI Timber Frame Ltd has invested £190,000 in a factory extension and new machinery, backed by £60,000 from the Welsh Government’s Economic Growth Fund, to support job creation in Pembrokeshire. It has already created and safeguarded six jobs and nearly doubled the size of its manufacturing facility on Thornton Business Park, Milford Haven.

JSI has been trading since 2008 and manufactures a range of timber frames for houses, bungalows, flats and extensions and currently needs to buy in around 900 roof trusses a year for its own use.

The investment means it is now not only able to make its own roof trusses  – a cost effective alternative to buying them in – but it will also enable the business to capitalise on the current demand from the construction industry.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:

“I am pleased the special round of the Economic Growth Fund for Pembrokeshire is supporting a raft of small businesses, helping them to expand and create new jobs.

“In the case of JSI Timber Frame Ltd it has helped the business take advantage of new market opportunities arising from initiatives like the Welsh Government’s Help to Buy scheme which has helped stimulate the new build market.”

Roof Trusses are a key component of the house-building sector with the average property requiring 20 trusses. Figures provided by the industry body the National House Building Council (NHBC) suggest a surge in activity over the past year in Wales with house building registrations in the third quarter of 2014 shooting up by 63% in Wales – compared with the same period the previous year.

It is estimated the UK market has an undersupply of 30% in terms of roofing trusses.

JSI’s MD Nathen Houston said:

“The extension has been completed, the new jobs have been created and we are just waiting for the final installation of the machinery and we’re then ready to go.

“We are already starting to get orders and anticipate we will be producing up to 4000 roof trusses a year. Manufacturing roof trusses complements our current business activities and will provide an alternative avenue of income as we gear up to meet the demand.

“Support from the Wales Economic Growth fund was very important and enabled us to go ahead with the project which is great news for the business.”

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