Metsä Wood is scaling back its UK operations after B&Q, one of the country’s largest home improvement and DIY chains, decided not to renew its long-standing commercial relationship. According to a Metsä Wood release published late last week, as many as 140 out of 250 roles at its Boston manufacturing plant are under review as the timber giant grapples with what it calls “significant changes in the competitive landscape and evolving customer expectations.”
“This change allows us to focus our resources on priorities that best support our customers and our future direction,” said James Davenport, Managing Director at Metsä Wood UK, who stressed that the company remains committed to the UK market. “We remain focused on delivering high‑quality products and services to our wider customer base and on building strong, sustainable partnerships aligned with our long‑term strategy.”
As it stands, the Boston facility manufactures a broad range of timber and panel products, including softwood, MDF mouldings, door linings, sheet materials and fire‑rated solutions. In addition to the Boston plant, Metsä Wood also operates a plant at King’s Lynn — home to Finnjoist I‑beam production and pressure‑treatment services for the merchant and DIY markets — which is not believed to be affected by the latest restructure.
Davenport said the company’s “immediate priority is our people, and we are fully committed to supporting colleagues through this change while continuing to operate responsibly within the Boston community.”
Metsä Wood’s wider product portfolio includes Kerto® LVL, birch and spruce plywood, and further‑processed sawn timber. The company converts Northern wood into high‑quality, material‑efficient products that store carbon throughout their life cycles. Last year, its global sales totalled EUR 0.5 billion, and it employed around 1,600 people. Its parent company, Metsäliitto Cooperative, is owned by approximately 90,000 Finnish forest owners.
