A FAMILY-RUN independent timber merchant has begun importing stocks to keep up with demand.

Farmer Martyn Fall and his wife, Jean, founded Fall Timber on the family farm at Firby, near Bedale, in 1977.

They ran it alongside their farming operations and gained a reputation for providing quality products to the farming and building sectors, contractors and general public.

Today, it is run by Mr and Mrs Fall’s daughter, Helen, and her husband, Matthew Barnes, who both previously worked in London.

Helen was a PA working for companies such as Deloitte and Rolls Royce. Matthew worked in electronics, supplying systems for major corporate events and celebrity weddings, including Elton John’s and those of several footballers.

But, they grew tired of the daily commute to London and, five years ago, decided to move to Yorkshire and join the business.

Helen completed a management and business studies course at York University and in the last couple of years, they have doubled turnover and business in general, partly through developing a strong brand and website, and using social media.

“We think we are now the largest independent timber merchant in the North of England,” said Helen. “Most of our timber is sourced from Northumberland and Scotland, but we have reached the stage where we are starting to import it ourselves to keep up with demand.”

The main business has always been supplying timber for farm buildings – many of those within a 100-mile radius feature Fall Timber.

“We are also going much more into the consumer market and trade,” said Helen.

“Our website is bringing in national business – one regular customer is from the Shetland Isles and last week we delivered to Staffordshire and Wales.”

Current contracts include supplying all the timber for the large extension currently being built at Mainsgill Farm Shop and Cafe on the A66 at East Layton, and timber for a new halls of residence at York University.

Products include treated and tanalised timber, sheet materials, carcassing and joinery timber, fencing, fence posts and landscaping timber.

All the timber is FSC and PEFC certified and stored under cover in former farm buildings. They also offer cutting, planing, machining and bespoke services.

The introduction of an on site hardware store has proved popular with the trade and general public, and they have also branched out into building shepherds huts. Several have sold as garden offices – as they are on wheels no planning permission is required.

Delighted with the increased business they plan to continue to steadily build the business through offering a quality, competitively-priced service.

“It has been a steady business for more than 35 years and we just want to continue carefully growing, while keeping the small independent feel,” said Helen.”We just want to see how far we can go.”

See info@falltimber.co.uk.