South African timber treatment operator Grand Timber (previously Grand Select) was poised for an upswing. They had an increased supply of raw materials, along with an increased demand for their treated timber.
However, they faced a constraint: the plant was too small to substantially increase its output.
In January 2024, they called Dolphin Bay to enquire about a new plant, and although the costs were too high for their budget at the time, our team produced an idea to solve the impasse.
But let’s get back to the start of the story: Grand Timber’s increased demand had arisen after a competitor closed its CCA timber treatment plant. At the same time, Grand Timber went into partnership with neighbouring farmers who had access to plantations, which substantially increasing its timber supply.
“However, they had a small, containerised treatment plant which couldn’t process all the materials that were available to them,” said Dolphin Bay Sales Executive Wayne Driemeyer.
“Now the plant’s big enough, we’re a bit short on personnel. But these are good problems to have. It’s all about positive growth.”
“We felt stuck in a rut with the machine size that we had,” said Grand Timber owner Adam Hugo. “We couldn’t grow or take on more customers. That’s why we made the decision to get the bigger plant.”
It was in 2020 that Dolphin Bay designed and installed a treatment plant for another customer, which was not used. This presented an opportunity. “We spoke to the company, then to Grand Timber, and facilitated the sale of that existing plant,” Wayne said. “Once the sale had taken place, in April, we facilitated the removal of the plant’s leftover chemicals and relocated it up to Louis Trichardt.”
In July 2024, Dolphin Bay assisted with installing and commissioning Grand Timber’s new plant. “It’s been a fantastic move for them, and a huge transformation from what they had previously,” said Wayne.
Adam agrees. “I’m extremely happy with the service from Dolphin Bay, especially from Darren, who assisted us very well, and Wayne, who gave us the contact to get the plant. It was all very professionally done. The training was good, and the after-service has been really good.”
Grand Timber has entered into a supply agreement with Dolphin Bay for us to be their exclusive supplier of CCA for the foreseeable future. “We place great value in the trust Adam has placed in our business, and we will not disappoint,” said Bertus.
With greater production capacity comes greater opportunity, observed Adam. “It’s early days yet, but we’re already looking to expand into more markets. It’s been quite a shock from the volumes that we were doing to what we’re doing now, so we’re short on personnel. It’s always a chicken-and-egg situation: first we had enough people, but the plant wasn’t big enough; now the plant’s big enough, but we’re a bit short on personnel. But these are good problems to have.
“It’s all about positive growth.”
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