ENGLAND’S shadow forestry minister saw for himself the scale of the industry during a recent visit to Egger’s Hexham plant. 

Labour MP Toby Perkins recently met with business leaders from across the sector, including nursery bosses, sawmill chiefs, and panel board manufacturers. 

Organised by Confor, the trip provided the opportunity to impress upon the shadow minister the significance of the industry to areas like the far north of England and to discuss the importance of wood supply for future investment, including through woodland creation. 

“Great visit to Egger’s Hexham plant, which employs 550 people in producing wood product for manufacturing industry,” the Chesterfield MP said in a statement. 

Mr Perkins was accompanied by local Labour candidate for Hexham, Joe Morris, with other attendees including the likes of David Hodgson (AW Jenkinson), Harry Stevens (BSW/Tilhill), and Euroforest’s Cameron Smith. 

“Toby has taken a real interest in the industry,” said Confor CEO Stuart Goodall.

“And he can see that when businesses in the sector have confidence in the future they have a track record of investing hundreds of millions of pounds in areas like Northumberland and Cumbria, securing and creating thousands of jobs.” 

As well as a tour of the impressive Egger facility, Mr Perkins discussed issues of timber security, the reliance of the bulk of the industry on softwood, and the benefit of using more home-grown wood, especially in house building and construction.