What Harlow Bros does

Harlow Bros Ltd is a UK timber merchant and building materials supplier headquartered at a 17-acre central hub in Long Whatton near Loughborough, operating through 13 branches across the Midlands (Burton upon Trent, Coalville, Derby, Kidderminster, Leicester, Hinckley, Nottingham and additional sites) and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. Founded in the 1930s and now structured as an Employee Owned Trust since 2024, the company employs 550+ people and supplies structural and finishing timber, sheet materials (plywood, chipboard, OSB, MDF), fencing, decking, doors, engineered timber (I-beam joists, roof trusses), and manufactured timber buildings (poultry houses, stables, summer houses).

The business is vertically integrated around in-house sawmills, CNC machining, planers and moulders, finger-jointing equipment, Trada/CATG-certified visual stress grading to BS4978 (C16/C24), and pressure treatment tanks with up to 15-year product warranties. Global sourcing relationships with sawmills in North America, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and the Far East, built over 50+ years, underpin cost-competitive supply. ISPM 15 heat-treated export packaging with chain-of-custody documentation extends the capability set into international logistics. Own fleet of articulated and hiab lorries supports nationwide delivery, with Click & Collect from 4 hours and free local delivery on orders over GBP 300 ex VAT.

Revenue is generated through one-time product sales (retail unit pricing and bulk/project trade pricing), bespoke machining services, manufactured buildings, and ISPM 15 packaging. Customer segments are hybrid: trade builders/joiners/contractors and national/regional housebuilders (primary, with dedicated account management and take-off services), plus retail/DIY, agricultural, civils/infrastructure, self-build, and export packaging customers. Pricing is tiered across Trade Account (preferential), Retail, and Bulk/Project tiers, with multi-year contracts available for housebuilder plot packages. Named enterprise customers include Davidsons Homes, Willow Stone Developments, and Seagrave Developments.

Name

Harlow Bros

Legal name

Harlow Bros Ltd

Website

https://harlowbros.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Harlow Bros Ltd is a UK Midlands-based timber merchant and manufacturer with 13 branches, a 17-acre central hub, and 550+ employees, supplying trade and retail customers with structural timber, sheet materials, engineered timber, manufactured buildings, and ISPM 15 export packaging.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Timber Merchant and Building Materials Supply

NAICS

Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing (321920), Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing (321912), Wood Product Manufacturing (321)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Lumber & Timber Retail (Dimensional Lumber, Plywood, OSB) (CRAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Products Import/Export & Commodity Merchants (IMAMAIAM), Hardwood Lumber Distribution & Trading (IMAMAIAB), Sawmilling & Lumber Production (IMADADAA), Wood Pallets, Crates & Industrial Wood Packaging (IMADADAJ), Structural & Framing Components Retail (Trusses, Joists, Beams, Engineered Wood) (CRAIAEAJ)

Keywords

• Timber merchant supplies
• Bespoke timber machining
• Pressure treated timber
• Engineered timber products
• Timber building manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Loughborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Timber Product Sales: Retail and trade sales of comprehensive timber product range including sawn timber, planed timber, structural timber (C16/C24), sheet materials, MDF, plywood, fencing, decking, and hardware. Revenue from both bulk trade orders and individual retail purchases through branches and e-commerce.
2. Bespoke Machining Services: Custom machining services including cutting to size, profiling, planing, moulding, and finishing. Charges for value-added processing of timber purchased from the company.
3. Manufactured Buildings: Design, manufacture, and installation of timber buildings including poultry houses, equestrian buildings, agricultural buildings, garages, summer houses, sheds, and bespoke timber structures.
4. ISPM 15 Packaging: Heat-treated timber pallets and packaging materials with ISPM 15 certification for international exports, including bespoke machining and chain of custody documentation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Harlow Bros is a UK timber merchant supplying sawn timber, structural and joinery grade timber, sheet materials, MDF, plywood, fencing, decking, doors, flooring, and engineered timber products through 13 branches and an e-commerce platform. The company operates in-house sawmills, CNC machining, pressure treatment, strength grading, and finger jointing facilities, and manufactures bespoke timber buildings including poultry houses, equestrian buildings, agricultural buildings, and stables. It also produces ISPM 15 heat-treated timber packaging for international exports.

Product overview

Harlow Bros is a UK-based timber merchant company with over 90 years of heritage, operating as an Employee Owned trust. The company operates from a 17-acre hub at Long Whatton near Loughborough with multiple branch locations throughout the Midlands. Their product portfolio centres on timber and wood-based products across diverse categories: Timber & Joinery Wood (including building grade timber, joinery timber, sawn timber, timber cladding, and hardwoods such as oak and sapele); Wood Sheet Materials (plywood varieties, chipboard, OSB, melamine boards, and worktops); MDF Wood (standard, moisture resistant, and decorative MDF including Neatmatch and veneer options); Fencing (timber fencing, concrete posts, trellis, and gates); Garden & Landscaping Products (timber and composite decking, sleepers, pergolas, and garden furniture); Flooring & Worktops; Timber Structures & Porches (sheds and porches); Doors, Windows & Stair Parts (wooden doors in oak, walnut, and other finishes, roof windows, stair parts, and loft ladders); and Timber Fixings, Adhesives & Treatments. Beyond product supply, Harlow Bros offers specialist engineered timber products including roof trusses and I-beam joists, bespoke machining services (sawing, planing, mouldings, finger jointing, priming, and treatment), and manufactured timber buildings including poultry houses, stables, and agricultural structures. The company serves both trade and retail customers across sectors including housebuilding, construction, landscaping, agriculture, and self-build projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Timber & Joinery Wood Comprehensive range of timber and joinery wood products including building grade timber (graded structural timber, treated graded timber, CLS & studwork, timber roofing battens, scaffold boards), joinery timber (planed all-round, skirting boards, architrave, door casings, dado rails, handrails, decorative mouldings, pine board), sawn timber (sawn whitewood and redwood), timber cladding (softwood, redwood, cedar, frake noir, fence cladding slats, wall panel kits), and hardwood timber (oak, sapele, specialist hardwoods). Supplied to trade and retail customers across the Midlands region.
• Wood Sheet Materials Sheet materials including plywood varieties (marine, hardwood, oak faced, spruce, birch, poplar faced, specialist), chipboard sheets, OSB (Oriented Strand Board) sheets, specialist wood boards (hardboard, blockboard, notice display boards), melamine boards, and worktops. Used across construction, furniture, and fit-out applications.
• MDF Wood Medium Density Fibreboard products including standard sheets and pieces, moisture resistant MDF, MDF timber skirting and architraves, MDF door linings and casings, MDF window board, and decorative MDF (Neatmatch, black faced, white faced, oak veneered, decorative sheets). Used in interior finishing and decorative applications.
• Fencing Complete fencing solutions including timber fencing (fence panels, posts, gravel boards, fencing rails, feather edge boards, fence pales, fence capping), concrete posts and gravel boards, wooden trellis, wooden fencing gates, fencing fixings, timber gate posts, and timber fencing slats. Supplied to trade, retail, and agricultural customers.
• Garden & Landscaping Products Outdoor garden and landscaping products including timber decking boards, composite decking boards, decking joists, balustrade, spindles, and composite decking trims and fixings; timber sleepers for landscaping; and pre-fabricated timber pergola kits for garden structures.
• Flooring & Worktops Wooden flooring products and worktop solutions including solid timber floorboards, engineered wood flooring for various interior applications, and kitchen and bathroom worktops with matching upstands.
• Doors, Windows & Stair Parts Wooden doors available in various finishes (white, black, grey, walnut, oak, timber, hardwood), oak veneered internal and external doors (pre-finished and unfinished, fire-rated, glazed designs), walnut veneered internal doors, solid external wooden doors in hardwood, softwood, and composite materials, roof windows (centre pivot, top hung, flat roof with flashings and accessories), staircase components in oak, pine, white, hardwood, and hemlock with metal accessories, and wooden loft ladders.
• Trusses, Joists & Engineered Timber Engineered timber products including roof trusses and engineered I-beam joists for floor and roof construction applications. Includes IBeam Design service for engineered timber solutions.
• Bespoke Machining Services Custom timber machining services including sawing, cross cutting, planing, mouldings, regularising, finger jointing, priming, strength grading, and pressure treatment. Available across branch network and central hub for trade customers.
• Poultry & Manufactured Timber Buildings Design, manufacture, and installation of bespoke timber buildings including poultry houses, equestrian buildings, agricultural buildings, garages, summer houses, garden offices, and sheds. Uses Auto CAD design and foundation plans.
• Stables & Shelters Equestrian buildings, agricultural buildings, field shelters, and bespoke timber manufactured structures for stables and shelter applications.
• ISPM 15 Timber Packaging Solutions ISPM 15 heat-treated timber packaging including softwoods and plywood, bespoke machining, full environmental chain of custody documentation, with hi-ab offloading available. Heat treatment facilities at head office in Long Whatton.
• Timber Treatment Services In-house pressure treatment services for timber protection against fungal and insect attack, suitable for UC4 conditions with up to 15-year warranty on treated timber products.
• Timber Fixings, Adhesives & Treatments Fasteners, adhesives, wood treatments, and finishing products including treatments, varnishes, oils, stains, dyes, waxes, paints, primers, brushes, decorating tools, and sandpaper; nails, screws, nuts, bolts, washers, joist hangers, angle brackets, braces, clips, sealants, adhesives, expanding foam, and fillers.
• Self Build Services Project services for self-builders including 1st fix packs, 2nd fix packs, porch packs, timber joists, engineered flooring systems, roof truss systems, and in-house take-off service for self-build projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Click & Collect available from 4 hours for stocked items
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sustainable Forests & Sawmills (Global Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing relationships with sustainable forests and sawmills across North America, Scandinavia, Baltic States, and Far East for global timber sourcing. Over 50 years of importing experience enabling access to best quality wood at competitive prices. Relationships built through the Harlow family across generations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wickes: UK home improvement retailer serving both DIY consumers and trade customers with timber, building materials and kitchens. Comparable to Harlow's retail/trade hybrid model, though broader in category mix and lighter on bespoke manufacturing.
• B&Q (Kingfisher): UK's largest DIY and home improvement retailer with national store coverage selling timber, fencing, decking and building materials to consumers and trade. Overlaps with Harlow on retail timber, fencing and decking categories, though at much greater scale and consumer-led rather than trade-led.
• Jewson: UK builders' merchant owned by Saint-Gobain with a national branch network selling timber, sheet materials and building products to trade customers. Comparable on product range and trade customer base, though far broader and national in footprint vs Harlow's Midlands focus.
• Travis Perkins: The UK's largest builders' merchant group with a national branch network serving trade customers across timber, heavy-side and light-side materials. Overlaps with Harlow's structural timber, sheet materials and trade account model but operates at materially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Howdens Joinery: UK-based supplier of kitchens, joinery and timber products via a depot network serving trade customers. Compares to Harlow on trade-channel distribution, engineered timber and depot-based model, though concentrated in kitchen and joinery rather than sawn timber.

Direct peers

• Arnold Laver: One of the UK's largest dedicated timber merchants and importers, operating multiple branches and processing facilities. Directly comparable to Harlow as a vertically integrated timber specialist serving trade and retail customers with sawmilling, treatment and machining capabilities.
• Timberworld: UK online-focused timber and sheet materials merchant serving trade and retail customers with delivery across the country. Compares to Harlow on product range, e-commerce trade/retail model and nationwide delivery capability.
• Champion Timber: London and South East-focused timber merchant offering sawn timber, sheet materials, doors, flooring and bespoke machining. Closely comparable to Harlow on product mix, branch-based distribution and value-added machining services.
• International Timber: UK timber distributor and importer (part of Saint-Gobain) supplying sawn timber, panel products and engineered wood to merchants and manufacturers. Comparable to Harlow on global sourcing, hardwood/softwood distribution and trade customer focus.

Regional players

• Huws Gray: UK builders' merchant with strong regional branch networks across Wales, the North West and Midlands. Comparable to Harlow on regional branch-led timber and builders' merchant model, though broader in product mix and geographically wider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/harlowbros
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP3YS4Nq1RXD8LCN1Bpqxpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/harlowbrosltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harlow-bros-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/harlowtimbergroup

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harlow Bros