Leading sawmillers unite with Confor to champion UK timber

At the heart of the campaign is C16 graded timber – grown and manufactured in the UK. C16 is suitable for most standard construction applications, offering strength, versatility, and lower embodied carbon than many imported alternatives, such as C24 timber. It is a renewable, biophilic material that supports wellbeing and contributes positively to the built environment, which currently accounts for around 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions.

This collaboration supports the UK Government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap and aligns with national goals for decarbonisation, economic growth, and forestry expansion.

The three sawmillers, who collectively produce the vast majority of the UK’s C16 sawn timber, are working with Confor to support an industry-wide rebalancing of supply chains, focussing on domestic timber production to help futureproof the UK’s timber requirements.

Speaking on the collaboration, Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive at Confor, said: “Global demand for timber is projected to rise significantly given its low-carbon benefits. If the UK wants a secure, consistent, and sustainable supply of timber material, now is the time to invest in our industry. Confor supports this collaboration as an important initiative to highlight how working together as an industry is key to securing the long-term future of UK timber.”

Mary Creagh CBE, Minister for Nature, said: "Our Plan for Change is focussed on creating new, green jobs, planting more trees, increasing access to nature and reducing carbon emissions.

"We currently import 80% of the timber we use and that needs to change.

"Our Timber in Construction Roadmap and the C16 campaign will boost the use of UK timber to help build the homes and schools we need faster and more sustainably."

Through joint advocacy, public engagement, and cross-industry alignment, this campaign represents a pivotal step in creating a stronger, greener future using one of the UK’s most underutilised natural assets: our forests.