Howarth Timber

About Howarth Timber

With a heritage spanning over 185 years, Howarth Timber Group has grown into the UK’s largest privately owned timber company.

Our journey began in 1840, trading as Hudson & Co., and since then, we’ve evolved from a one-man operation into a thriving business employing over 1,000 industry specialists.

Today, Howarth Timber & Building Supplies is proud to offer not only one of the most extensive ranges of timber and building products in the UK, but also the trusted expertise, dependable service, and deep industry knowledge our customers rely on. At the heart of our success are our dedicated local teams—experts who understand their communities and are committed to delivering exceptional support every day.

Company culture

We are a proud family business, we remain rooted in the values that have guided our actions every day for generations. Our five simple core values are the guiding principles that define us as a business. They run through everything we do. They are the cornerstone of what has helped us build us and they continue to guide our culture as we move forward.

• Helpful; we try to make others lives easier.
• Empowered; we are innovative and take the initiative.
• Ambitious; we are self-motivated and driven to succeed.
• Respected; we treat everyone fairly, with dignity, and always act professionally
• Trust; we keep our promises and we are open, honest, and transparent

We have a commitment to employee engagement through our Colleague Engagement Groups and conduct an Annual Engagement Survey to obtain feedback internally to support our continuous improvement.

As a local business, we strive to support our local communities, which is reflected in regular charity events, and we actively promote employee wellbeing with our dedicated Wellbeing Calendar, offering initiatives throughout the year to support mental and physical health.

Employee benefits and perks

We offer a great range of benefits:

• Additional leave (Buy & Sell)
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Paid volunteer time
• Sick pay
• Store discount
• Employee Assistance
• EV car scheme
• GP, Physio and Mental Health Support
• Merchant discount
• Above & Beyond Awards

Career development and growth

A company is only as good as it’s people. That’s why our priority is to continually invest in our greatest asset; our people. We want to make sure everybody in the company has the tools required to deliver excellence in customer service, efficiently operating internal systems, alongside expert product knowledge.

As a business we offer lots of training opportunities, including both levy-funded and non-levy-funded courses, to support the continuous development of our employees.

• Apprenticeship courses; a range of courses are available based on your specialism & field from level 3 to level 7.
• Online Academy; our online training platform offers a paid solution to help develop our teams skills and product knowledge. Including the BMF Building Blocks.
• TimberPro; timber is the heart of our business and we have a course to help you build your knowledge of timber.
• Personal & Professional Development; we regularly organise short courses to help develop our teams knowledge around customer service skills, telephone skills, coaching & leadership, or sales.

EDI (equity, diversity & inclusion) initiatives

Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is central to our workplace culture. We have a robust EDI policy that ensures all employees are treated fairly, respected, and valued, regardless of their background, identity, or experiences. This policy guides our efforts to create a workplace where diverse perspectives are embraced, and everyone feels empowered to contribute.

We actively promote several EDI initiatives across our business. Each year, we hold an event for International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements of women and encouraging more women to enter and grow within our industry. This event provides an opportunity for networking, mentorship, and sharing experiences, fostering connections among women at all levels of the business.

Our focus on diversity extends to our hiring practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates. We continuously assess and refine our policies to ensure that we are creating a supportive and inclusive environment that attracts and retains a diverse workforce.

In line with our EDI principles, we encourage all employees to contribute to these initiatives and take an active role in promoting an inclusive workplace culture. We understand that candidates today seek employers who prioritise diversity, and we are committed to being one of those employers.

Sustainability / environmental stewardship

We are deeply committed to preserving the environment and that means we only use timber from ethically well-managed and sustainable sources.

Sustainability is much more than chain of custody though, and we work tirelessly to become more sustainable. In recent years, we’ve recruited a dedicated Sustainability Manager to lead our green initiatives and drive eco-friendly practices throughout our operations.

We offer a range of sustainable, eco-friendly products and have implemented strategies to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, and minimise our carbon footprint. Our goal is to continuously innovate and reduce our environmental impact, ensuring that our business contributes to a greener future.

For more information please see: howarth-group.co.uk/sustainability