Cost of living crisis means business is booming for one Lancaster company

Logs Direct is experiencing unprecedented demand for wood ahead of autumn and winter 2022 as homes across the UK respond to higher fuel prices for gas and electricity, and turn to more traditional means of heating their homes.

The business, which has a wood yard in Halton and a distribution centre in Carnforth, says it has never witnessed such a boom in demand with its team flat out trying to respond to orders.

At the same time, it has never been more difficult to source wood supplies with traditional markets besieged with requests from European countries no longer able to gain their supplies from the Ukraine and Russia.

All of this is creating a situation in which Logs Direct is having to think on its feet, be alert to new wood sourcing opportunities and try to make the supply of wood to UK homes affordable – despite the pressures on delivery costs that rising diesel and petrol prices have brought.

One thing customers can be certain about, however, is that Logs Direct will source its wood ethically. Logs Direct is a certified FSC supplier meaning it only sources wood from forests where sustainable and responsible methods of planting are used.

Logs Direct has also earned the rigorous Ready to Burn accreditation meaning that all of its products comply with new legislation of which many homeowners are unaware.

It is no longer legal for wood without Ready to Burn certification, and carrying a Ready to Burn symbol to prove that the moisture content has been verified by official tests, to be sold in what would typically be described as domestic usage quantities (under two cubic metres).

Buying wood from farm gates or rural suppliers is not legal unless it is being bought in quantities over 2m3, for seasoning for an extensive period.

The wood yard is constantly rising to the challenges created by global and local situations and doing everything possible to match demand.

“This has been our most challenging period of trading to date with unprecedented demand and frustrations across all aspects of supply and distribution,” said Logs Direct’s sales director, Stephen Talbot.

“I can only thank the entire team for their willingness to continually think on their feet and be solutions focused as without that approach we would be struggling to meet customers’ expectations.”