Quarter of a century of sustainable wood recycling, growth and environmental responsibility for Timberpak

Timberpak Limited is one of the largest users of recycled timber in the UK, and is celebrating 25 years of growth and responsible provision of recyled wood, for the production of EGGER chipboard.

Since its inception in January 2000, Timberpak, a subsidiary of EGGER (UK) Ltd, has been at the forefront of sustainable wood recycling, and now processes around 350,000 tonnes of wood annually across its four sites in Leeds, Washington, Belshill and St Albans.

Under the leadership of Mark Hayton, who assumed responsibility for Timberpak in 2003, the company has seen an unprecedented expansion and operational development. Not least the increase in employment numbers from five back in 2000, to 77 direct employees today, and, via the joint venture in St Albans, an additional direct 52 FTE’s plus 52 agency workers. The company has also dramatically increased its recycling licensed capacity up to a huge 625,000 tonnes annually across all sites today.

Mark Hayton, EGGER’s Head of Wood Purchasing and Director for Timberpak, commented:

“When I look back to 2003 when I first took the helm, from those humble beginnings from the one site in Leeds, I could never imagine we would grow to the size we are today, both in the tonnage we handle, the people we employ, our position in the market place, or the diversity we have achieved. My drive was to be the most reliable and cost effective business partner for the disposal of wood waste in the areas we operate, and we deliver on that promise every day.

Probably even more important is that, as a country, we use wood in the most sustainable way, to make the most of a resource that will reduce in availability if not managed properly. I feel it is my duty to continue to bang the drum for the most environmentally responsible use of recycled wood. Timberpak is our tool to deliver on that, our staff are our most important asset as they live and breathe our vision, and deliver it on a daily basis.”

Over the years, Timberpak has made substantial strides in expanding its operations, to incorporate changes to waste wood acceptance criteria, to allow for a growth in material volume demand, and by way of strategic acquisitions. The Leeds2 site, which opened in August 2023 is a good example of this; it is a technologically advanced site with a licence of 300,000 tonnes – allowing for future waste wood requirements, and which incorporates the utmost safety measures.

Peter Baker, site supervisor at Leeds, who started working for EGGER Timberpak back in 2004, noticed that as EGGER Timberpak grew, Health and Safety became a priority over production.

He said:

"I noticed that Timberpak’s emphasis on Health and Safety took off soon after I started and its commitment to employees took a major leap. We feel like part of the EGGER family now and have site visits to EGGER Hexham to understand what happens to the recycled wood once it leaves Timberpak.

We now have a fleet of more than 12 trucks collecting wood from a 35 mile radius, a brand new electric Hass shredder, 500 solar panels on the roof, and very smart offices,a far cry from the single portacabin we had when I started!”

In 2023, Timberpak further solidified its commitment to environmental sustainability by purchasing a 50% shareholding in Pearce Recycling, a dry waste recycling business in St Albans.

Last year, Timberpak handled 315,000 tonnes of wood, supplying 289,000 tonnes to the EGGER Hexham and Barony chipboard production sites, and 25,500 tonnes of wood residues to Biomass for energy production. Wood residues are only ever sent for use in Biomass when they can no longer be used in our production processes. Since its inception, EGGER Timberpak has processed 4.1Mt of waste wood, demonstrating the company's pivotal role in the sustainable wood supply chain. This recycled material is then used in the production of new EGGER products for the furniture and interior design markets, which are themselves recyclable. These products lock in the carbon captured during the growth of the tree for even longer, and prevent this waste wood from either being burnt or sent to landfill.

As well as via the careful and responsible sourcing of recycled of wood, Timberpak's dedication to environmental sustainability is also evident through its investments in solar energy, electric shredders, and forklifts, as well as its use of well water for dust suppression needs, showcasing a holistic approach to environmental responsibility.

As Timberpak continues to lead the way in sustainable wood recycling, the company remains committed to making a valuable contribution to improving the environment by giving all timber waste material multiple lives, conserving fresh resources and fostering a sustainable manufacturing process to secure the future for the next 25 years and beyond.