Timber firm to create 30 jobs in expansion bid

A leading timber firm in the Black Country today announced it was creating 30 new jobs as part of expansion plans.

National Hickman in Wolverhampton said it wanted to treble its production of panelised roofs by April. Managing director Mike Burlton said new production lines had now been introduced.

He said further increases were planned for the second half of 2012. The firm employs 258 people including the Wolverhampton site, Brierley Hill and Glenrothes in Scotland.

It is now recruiting members of staff who will work on both day and night shifts on the new production lines in Wolverhampton.

The company, which was established in the early 1900s as a family-run timber sawmill, is taking on the workers thanks to the success of its panelised roofs.

Mr Burlton said today: "National Hickman started making a panelised roofing system – which is craned on to new housing plots throughout the UK under its Loco2 low-carbon brand – in its new factory in Wolverhampton during 2011.

"Effectively these are roofs for new houses that are factory built for speed of erection rather than site built in the traditional way, and provide a room in the roof living area for new home builders and buyers.

"Capital expenditure on new production lines that include precision multi-angled cross cuts, dimension saws and assembly jigs are all in place, and we intend to treble our existing production by April of this year by recruiting a workforce to total 30.

The business started life as John S Hickman & Co Ltd, at the site of its existing base in Sutherland Avenue, off Bilston Road.

In 1981, John Stoker joined the firm and established a direct import trade and, throughout the next two decades, it developed into a strong regional supplier of softwood carcassing, sheet materials and softwood mouldings.

The business was sold in 1999 and a new company, Hickman Industries Ltd was formed, with Mr Stoker acquiring 100 per cent of the ordinary share capital.