AKZ Timber is one of the largest private sawmillers in Latvia, providing planed structural timber and roofing battens for the UK market. Sawlogs are procured mainly from the certified forests of Latvia, through both the State Forest Service and private sector operators.
In the most simple form, the structural timber sections are sawn from the centre of the logs, while the battens are manufactured from the boards on the sides of the logs. This means the two products complement each other, maximising the yields from each individual log.
AKZ had been making both Type A and BS5534 graded battens on its standard sawmill and planer lines for many years. Having seen the popularity of these products develop to the point they needed their own bespoke production plant, AKZ decided to make the investment to create exactly that. This would enable the production, grading and packaging of battens all on one line, increasing output and efficiency as well as enhancing packaging and presentation of the final products. This new plant would also free up capacity in the main planer mill for other products.
The initial project was commissioned in 2020 and that’s when construction of the new plant started, only to be seriously interrupted by Covid. It was another three years before the project would be completed, with the building work and production line finally completed in 2024 following an investment of €15m.
Today, the batten plant is working flat out across three shifts, producing close to 5,000m3 of battens each month, with the focus remaining firmly on the quality of the products. The graded BS5534 battens are produced exclusively from whitewood raw material, which AKZ believes is the only viable way to make the consistent grade required. Each BS5534 graded batten is computer graded with a visual override and individually grade stamped.
Pieces that don’t make the grade are usually still good enough to fall into the Type A product – a more standard utilitarian batten. Type A is a designation originally used to distinguish imported from a home grown British standard batten. Once produced and packaged, the productsare then ready for the treament plant with the Type A high pressure treated green and the untreated BS5534 ‘AKZ Premium’ battens moved to store under shed.
These are subsequently low pressure treated to include a blue or yellow colourant depending on UK customer orders. The colours are to help UK building inspectors identify the BS5534 graded product once installed on a roof. UK legislation dictates all new build housing must use BS5534 graded battens, whereas the Type A green can be used in the repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) sector.
The next project for AKZ in Latvia involves renovating the sawmill itself. Built almost 20 years ago, it still works well but software advances mean greater efficiencies and automation are now possible. A four-week upgrade programme will take place during the summer of 2026. Sawmill timber stocks have been building to ensure regular customers don’t go short and continuity is assured.
Kevin Hayes of AKZ Timber said: “The Latvians are usually proud that nothing stands still during the summer, but this year even the sawmill at AKZ will take a break!”
