Huws Gray takes over Thornbridge Ayr site: supply and capacity notes for project teams
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
Huws Gray has taken over the former Thornbridge timber merchant site in Ayr from the administrators of National Timber Group, relaunching it as a dedicated timber merchanting branch and securing the existing jobs. The move follows recent investment in Huws Gray’s flagship timber mill in Grangemouth and is part of a strategy to expand timber capabilities across Scotland, with further recruitment planned. The Ayr branch, still managed by Lynne Douglas, will retain local supply relationships while progressively widening its timber and related product range over the coming months.
Technical Brief
- Lease of the existing Thornbridge Ayr depot avoids greenfield capex on new timber infrastructure.
- Site acquisition followed National Timber Group’s administration in November, enabling rapid reactivation of dormant capacity.
- Management continuity under branch manager Lynne Douglas reduces commissioning risk and preserves operational know‑how.
- Short‑term operational priority is uninterrupted service, with product range expansion phased over “coming months”.
- Additional recruitment is planned, implying increased throughput and extended opening hours or value‑added services.
- For other brownfield merchant sites, this model shows how lease transfer can quickly restore regional materials capacity.
Our Take
National Timber Group’s later administration, covered in our 27 November 2025 piece, underlines that Huws Gray’s acquisition of the Thornbridge Ayr site effectively pre-empted some of the restructuring pressure now facing the wider NTG estate.
For Scotland-focused timber merchants such as Thornbridge’s Ayr and Grangemouth operations, consolidation into groups like Huws Gray tends to secure continuity of local supply for regional contractors when former parent groups like National Timber Group become distressed.
Within our 493 Infrastructure stories, timber distribution assets in the United Kingdom appear far less frequently than aggregates or ready-mix sites, so the Ayr transaction signals that merchant networks are still selectively expanding physical footprints despite sector headwinds.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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