Group Wide Chain of Custody Accreditation
01/07/2006
HOWARTH TIMBER ACHIEVES GROUP-WIDE ‘CHAIN OF CUSTODY’ ACCREDITATION
Howarth Timber, the largest privately owned timber group in the UK, has been awarded FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) ‘Chain of Custody’ accreditation across the entire company, enabling it to comply with government specifications for legal and sustainable sources and to satisfy the requirements of third party audit organisations throughout the construction industry.
FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody are internationally recognised certification schemes that provide the unbroken pathway timber products take from the forest to the consumer, including all stages of processing, production, manufacturing, transportation and distribution in between. Chain of Custody is the concept of controlling and documenting the movement of the timber from the forest to the end user. It offers users the security that the timber they buy, in whatever form, originates from well managed and sustainable forests, and verifies that it is not mixed with products from uncertified sources at any point in the supply chain.
Government-funded projects require that timber be harvested from legal and sustainable forests. Increasingly, customers in the private sector are following suit.
All businesses within the Howarth Timber Group – Howarth Timber Importers, Howarth Windows & Doors, Howarth Timber & Building Supplies, Howarth Timber Engineering and Marlows Timber Engineering have been accredited, and training and QA. manager Peter Kelly is particularly proud of the company’s achievement. “FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody compliancy is another means of demonstrating to our customers that we are a responsible supplier and that our commitment to the environment is a key business driver.”
The certification was awarded by BM Trada Certification, a leading multi-sector certification body accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) and with a 70-year history in the timber industry. Regular audits from BM Trada will ensure continued compliancy.
Note to the Editor
The Howarth Timber Group Ltd, which has been established for over 165 years, encompasses 29 separate locations that are involved in Timber Importing, Timber Engineering, Timber Windows & Door manufacturing, Dock Operations & Warehousing and Timber Merchant and Building Supplies.
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