Carpentry co-op logs on to export success

A LANCASHIRE oak and carpentry co-operative has landed its first ever export order – a £100,000 record contract to design and develop oak trusses and frames for a new-build project in the Anatolian Mountains, Turkey.

Altham Oak and Carpentry, which is based near Accrington, was formed in 1989 as a worker co-operative after a group of individuals became increasingly concerned with the exploitation of rain forests and over reliance on imported timber.

The organisation was advised by the Co-operative Enterprise Hub, a body funded by The Co-operative Group, which provides up to four free days advice, training and guidance to support the creation and growth of sustainable member-owned enterprises.

Barbara Sanders, a director of Altham Oak, said: “With so much beautiful English timber under-used, especially oak, we decided to establish a market for good quality domestic timber products that showcased traditional carpentry skills and had less impact on the environment.

“The past year has been challenging however, we remained confident that our philosophy – based on the desire to create bespoke designs that suit individual customers and their needs, as well as promoting the natural features of oak – along with our co-operative business model where workers are co-owners of the enterprise – would pull us through.”

Michael Fairclough, The Co-operative Group’s, head of community and co-operative investment: added: “The co-operative model offers an alternative way to do business, a robust approach to enterprise that can contribute to the re-building of a more balanced and sustainable economy.

“Altham Oak and Carpentry is an example of how co-operation can not only revitalise local communities but also help to address some of the unprecedented challenges that the economy and environment currently face.”