For more than 15 years, Avon Timber has been demonstrating its commitment to responsible sourcing through PEFC Chain of Custody certification. As sustainability requirements continue to influence construction procurement and timber purchasing decisions, this successful independent timber merchant has seen growing demand for certified products with greater customer focus on traceability and environmental credentials – and for Avon Timber, certification is not simply a ‘compliance exercise’ but a core part of its wider sustainability strategy.
“PEFC certification is not just a label for us,” says Claire Gamble, Operations and Compliance Officer at Avon Timber. “It functions as part of a wider sustainability strategy focused on responsible sourcing, carbon reduction, regulatory compliance, biodiversity protection, and long-term environmental stewardship.”
Meeting growing demand for certified timber
Established in 1990 in Rugby, Avon Timber moved to its current site in Baginton, Coventry in 1999 and supplies a broad range of PEFC-certified timber and wood-based products into the UK construction market, including softwood, hardwood, sheet materials, MDF mouldings, manufactured joinery, fencing products and associated timber materials.The company maintains approved supplier lists aligned with PEFC Chain of Custody requirements, ensuring responsible sourcing throughout the supply chain.
“The greatest demand for PEFC-certified products is currently being seen within the construction and housebuilding markets,” says Claire, “where customers increasingly require proof of sustainable and legally sourced timber. Demand is particularly strong for structural softwoods, sheet materials and joinery products.”
Avon Timber purchases certified material wherever possible and works closely with suppliers to increase the availability of certified timber products across its range. Its procurement policy is built around sourcing from approved and certified suppliers and maintaining full Chain of Custody compliance throughout the supply chain.
Ensuring traceability from forest to customer
As customer expectations around material transparency continue to rise, maintaining robust Chain of Custody procedures is vitally important. “Our supply is predominantly sourced from certified programmes, with PEFC making up a significant proportion of our certified timber offering,” says Claire. “While exact proportions can vary depending on availability and product mix, the business generally ensures that the majority of structural and mainstream timber is available as PEFC-certified, with other programmes used where required to meet specific customer or project specifications.”
“Our approach aligns with standard PEFC Chain of Custody requirements. These systems are designed to track material from certified forests through processors, distributors, merchants and finally to customers. When placing orders for PEFC-certified materials, upon delivery, we verify that the timber is PEFC-certified by checking the supplier documentation and product labelling before any goods are unloaded from the vehicle. PEFC certification is also identified on invoices and customer delivery notes whenever certified products are supplied. This process ensures full compliance with Chain of Custody requirements and maintains traceability throughout the supply chain.”
Customers increasingly prioritising sustainability
Encouragingly, customer awareness of certified timber has increased significantly in recent years. Avon Timber has reported a growth in customer interest in PEFC-certified products across the UK market, particularly as sustainability requirements become more embedded in procurement policies and building specifications. “Many customers now actively request certified timber as standard,” says Claire. “Especially within public sector projects, via large contractors, and with environmentally focused developers. Feedback from customers is generally very positive, with many viewing PEFC certification as an important assurance of quality, sustainability, and supply-chain transparency.”
The company also reports that customers understand PEFC certification as an indicator of “quality, sustainability and supply chain transparency”. Customers have highlighted confidence that the timber originates from responsibly managed forests, has clear Chain of Custody, complies with procurement requirements and offers reassurance that those products meet recognised environmental standards. This has reinforced Avon Timber’s commitment to maintaining certification while continuing to expand the availability of certified timber products.
Promoting responsible sourcing
“We actively promote the importance of responsibly sourced timber through our environmental policy, Chain of Custody procedures and the use of certification,” adds Claire. “We have a number of customer-facing initiatives that clearly identify and reference PEFC-certified products on invoices, delivery documentation and within company policies and customer communications. We promote certification and sustainability commitments through the company website and work hard with suppliers to increase certified product availability. The business also invests in staff training to ensure employees understand the importance of certification and can communicate its benefits to customers, with all staff receiving annual refresher training on the importance of PEFC.”
Driving market change
In an uncertain and challenging timber marketplace, ‘sustainability, transparency and carbon reduction’ objectives will become increasingly influential purchasing drivers.Claire says: “Over the next 18 months, we see several major trends reshaping the market, particularly around sustainability, supply-chain transparency, pricing pressure, and demand for low-carbon construction materials. The market is also seeing growing interest in products that support circular economy principles, including timber products with longer service lives, reusable materials and lower embodied carbon. For regional merchants those combining strong sustainability credentials with reliable stock availability and technical knowledge are likely to be those best positioned as the market continues to evolve.”
As sustainability and sourcing requirements become more important across the construction and timber industries, there is obvious growing demand for certification systems that provide strong environmental credibility, while also remaining practical and commercially achievable for businesses of all sizes. PEFC UK is constantly focused on helping its members and certified organisations reach their ESG, sustainability and carbon reduction targets, and is working hard to provide clearer communication around what PEFC certification means, how Chain of Custody works, and the wider environmental benefits that responsibly managed forests provide.
