Major sawmilling group BSW Timber has moved to increase its presence in the Scottish market after acquiring Stirling-based Tilhill Forestry.
The Berwickshire-based firm declined to comment on the value of the deal other than to say the purchase from current owners UPM represented a “significant” investment.
Tilhill’s 200-strong workforce are all being retained and will transfer to BSW Timber under TUPE regulations.
The company will operate as a subsidiary of BSW Timber and will have its own operational board with George McRobbie remaining as managing director alongside two current executive colleagues and three new faces drafted in from BSW.
Established in 1948, Tilhill provides forestry management, timber harvesting and marketing services.
BSW said it would continue to focus on its core strengths whilst also delivering a stable supply of home-grown timber to the market.
BSW chief executive Tony Hackney said: “This significant acquisition creates the largest forest products company in the UK and underscores our ambition to increase the utilisation of UK timber.
“BSW is a growing enterprise and this acquisition is a key component of BSW’s vision for future development.”
George McRobbie, managing director of Tilhill Forestry, said: “This is an exciting step in the development of Tilhill Forestry which has grown from sales of £18 million when I joined the company in 2001 to £120 million today.”
“This change of ownership will allow the company to continue to grow while maintaining the professional standards that forest owners have come to expect from Tilhill Forestry.”