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History
Our business was started in 1850 by Robert Howie and has grown to become the largest single site sawmill in the UK.
Howie was one of the first major UK sawmills to achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certification. The FSC logo identifies timber as originating from a forest which is managed according to internationally agreed standards covering social, environmental and economic aspects of forest management.
- 2009 - New kilns operational
- 2007 - New sawmill operational
- 2006 - The Company’s largest ever single investment is commissioned, a high-speed Linck profiling sawmill with lumber handling by Springer, the first in UK
- 2005 - Commissioning of new mill
- 2003 - Following the establishment of HQ and finance department at Dalbeattie, a ground-breaking development of IT systems is made. This includes a paperless log assessment, measuring and grading system which drives the log purchasing and inventory control, together with Progressive Solutions’ TimberTrack sawn timber process and sales order system
- 2002 - Management buyout by Robin and Neil Howie, company restructuring with a new holding company, Howie Group Ltd with headquarters moved from Dunlop to Dalbeattie
- 2000 - Howie gains its FSC 100% log supply certification and is BM TRADA’s first mill to reach this status
- 1999 - “Project 2000” launched with the investment in a Springer log sorting line, further four kilns and an automated board crosscut line from Kallfass
- 1996 - “Mill 2” built, specialising in the processing of short logs for the pallet and DIY markets
- 1995 - Two new kilns added, together with a 5MW biomass boiler to provide heat for drying
- 1994 - Direct sales team established
- 1989 - First kilns installed, Howie’s can now offer kiln dried strength graded timber for the first time.
- 1982 - Construction of first “modern” automated reducer bandsaw mill started
- 1976 - First sawmill at Dalbeattie set up on a Forestry Commission site, producing pallet boards from local softwood forests
- 1850 - Robert Howie sets up in business as a joiner and cartwright (mill at Dunlop; timber merchant business etc).
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