BSW Timber Announces Acquisition of Scott Group

BSW Timber, the largest integrated timber and forestry business in the UK, and a member of binderholz, has acquired Scott Group, a leading supplier of timber pallets and bespoke timber packaging solutions.

Based near Dunfermline in Scotland, with an annual turnover of £240m and 1,300 employees, Scott Group is an award-winning, sustainable manufacturer of new, bespoke, and reconditioned timber pallets.

The Scott Group was founded in 1987 and operates across 32 sites, from Aberdeen to Devon, working with customers to promote the circular economy, which is emphasised by its pallet recovery, repair and reuse service and operates a timber sourcing arm in Latvia.

Tony Hackney, CEO of BSW Group, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have acquired Scott Group. It’s a move which further strengthens our product and service offering.

“It ties into our vision of not only maximising the value of timber but also of achieving the best uses for timber across the BSW Group whilst fully utilising the logistical firepower of the combined businesses. This strategic acquisition means that we are poised and ready to serve our customers when we see economic recovery and upturn.

“Much like us, Scott Group has grown organically and through acquisition throughout its 35-year history, and we’re confident that with the expertise and experience of BSW and Scott together, we can continue to build on this both in the UK and further afield.”

Norman Scott, owner and Group Operations Director at Scott Group, added: “This is a positive move for both Scott Group and the wider timber industry, helping us to cement our status as the UK’s most innovative manufacturer and supplier of timber pallets. It also helps us to ensure that we can work even closer with customers to provide solutions that fit their requirements and deliver value.”

With the acquisition of Scott Group, BSW Group now employs 3,000 people across the sector and has an annual turnover of approximately £900m, with Binderholz turnover reaching almost €2.5bn.

BSW CEO Tony Hackney and CFO Alan Milne will join the existing Scott Group Board of Directors, who will continue in their current roles.

Reinhard Binder, CEO of binderholz Group, notes: “This transaction is a further step for our group to enlarge our product range, and a consequent step in following our strategy to invest in the value chain.

“Scott Group fits perfectly into our sustainable business model and zero-waste principle.”

About BSW Group

BSW Group is the leading integrated forestry group in the UK with six operating divisions, including tree nurseries, forestry, harvesting, sawmilling, timber manufacturing and energy. The group has six sawmills across the UK – in Southampton, Newbridge-on-Wye, Carlisle, Dalbeattie, Petersmuir and Fort William – and supplies certified sawn timber for a wide range of industries and uses. BSW Group is committed to supporting sustainable forestry, utilising the entire log and planting three trees for every one harvested. BSW is a member of Grown in Britain and now employs more than 3,000 members of staff across the UK and Europe. It is passionate about creating a sustainable future for British forests and woodlands, and its products have featured on a number of television programmes, such as BBC’s DIY SOS: The Big Build and ITV’s Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.

About binderholz

In the timber industry, the name of Binder stands for tradition and integrity, combined with high-tech and innovation. Still only a small sawmill 60 years ago, the family operation has become a leading European and global company today, equipped with cutting-edge technologies and production methods, with a corresponding reputation in the timber market. binderholz processes the renewable raw material wood according to the zero-waste principle and recovers 100% of the resource. From forestry management and timber harvesting, through processing in the sawmills, to the production of solid wood products and innovative mass timber solutions, the entire value creation chain is consistently implemented. Any waste timber, resulting as a by-product from production, is processed as densified biofuels, green electricity, multi-purpose panels, moulded pallet blocks and moulded wood pallets. Apart from the headquarters in Fügen,Tyrol, binderholz has 28 further sites. Around 5,000 employees share its passion for wood in Europe and the USA.

Source: Scott Group Investments Limited