The total project investment will be almost £7 Million. The new investment follows on from the £4.5 Million project to install the new finger-jointing line at the Forres site in 2015.

As part of a continuing investment programme at its JJI-Joist plant in Forres, James Jones & sons Ltd has announced that a contract has been placed with US based Globe Machine Manufacturing Co. to supply and install a new high-speed, automated I-Joist assembly line.

Aerial Shot of James Jones Forres site

Speaking about the investment, Angus Macfarlane, General Manager of James Jones & Sons’ Timber Systems Division commented:

“The UK housing market is set for a sustained period of growth and, as the UK market leader for timber I-Joists, it’s important that we are able to meet the demands of the market and ensure that we remain at the forefront of engineered timber manufacturing in the UK.

Continuity and certainty of supply are key factors for our customers and this new investment will give customers peace of mind that, from our manufacturing base in Scotland, we will be able to meet increased market demand in years to come.

The new line will be one of the most advanced in the market place and will allow us to offer customers specification flexibility and product innovation.

We anticipate that we will see JJI-Joists coming off the new line in Q4 2018”

Calvin Bamford, President of Globe Machine Manufacturing Co. said:

“This is a great order for us and we are so pleased to be working with James Jones & Sons again. James Jones has an enviable reputation for quality and service and choosing Globe Machine Manufacturing Co. to supply their new I-Joist line is a fantastic endorsement for our business.”

Tom Bruce-Jones, Joint MD of James Jones & Sons, put the investment in the context of the overall James Jones business, saying:

“We will continue to invest in our business where we see market growth and opportunities, whether it’s in sawn timber, engineered timber or our pallet and packaging operations. In the next five years we have committed to a capital expenditure programme of £50 Million across the company to make sure that we continue our drive to be the most efficient producer of the highest quality timber products in the UK. Our Timber Systems Division has shown strong growth in the last couple of years and, together with the forecast growth in the housing market, it’s important we are able to give our customers and distributors the comfort of knowing that a relentless focus on continuity of supply and quality of product remains central to our ambitions.”