Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use Visits Northumberland’s Largest Manufacturing Company, EGGER UK

EGGER (UK) Limited welcomed the UK Government’s Minister for Natural Environment and Land
Use, Trudy Harrison MP, to their wood-based materials manufacturing site at Hexham in
Northumberland on Thursday 26th January 2023.

Trudy Harrison MP’s visit to Northumberland’s largest manufacturing company EGGER comes after
concerns raised by the industry through the Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF) about the
increasing demand for the UK annual wood basket.

Wood-based panel material manufacturers are looking to ensure that wood security is at the forefront
of future UK business and energy policy. The wood panel manufacturing sector uses over 25% of the
11 million tonnes of wood delivered from UK forestry every year. UK manufacturers supply
approximately 65% of the total UK annual consumption of wood-based panel products, which can be
found in virtually every office, home and workplace across the country and is also relied upon by the
house-building and construction industries across the UK.

The Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use was joined by Hexham’s local representative Guy
Opperman MP.

Andrew Laidler, Sales Director at EGGER (UK) Ltd commented: “I was delighted to host this meeting
with the Minister, where we had constructive discussions about wood security as a key component of
sustainable UK manufacturing. It was also a pleasure to display the products made at EGGER, and
illustrate our ability to meet the demands of critical sectors including construction, furniture and
flooring sectors. The sector currently satisfies 65% of the market’s demand highlighting the real need
to increase productive forestry planting in order to ensure a secure supply of wood which is vital to
underpin our manufacturing capability and future capital investment. We welcome the continued
support of both Trudy Harrison MP and Guy Opperman MP.”

Hexham’s Member of Parliament, Guy Opperman said: “’It was fantastic to welcome Trudy Harrison
MP to EGGER to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead for the wood panel industry.
“EGGER are Northumberland’s largest manufacturing company, and their base, right here in the heart
of Hexham, serves not only the local economy, but supplies world-class products to offices and
homes all around the UK. “I’m delighted that the Minister for Forestry and Land Use had the opportunity to see first-hand the innovation, excellence, and hard work going in at one of our top local employers.”

WPIF Director General, Alastair Kerr, commented, “We greatly appreciate the opportunity to engage
with the Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use during this visit. The Industry welcome and
supports the UK and the Devolved Government’s ambition to plant 30,000 hectares of new woodland
per year by 2025 and hopes to see the Government meet this target majority of new planting being
productive forestry to meet the needs of UK industry. Being able to showcase first hand through
EGGERHexham, the nature of the industry, its products and processes is extremely valuable as it
creates a more informed context to future discussions that we hope to have with the Minister and her
Department.”

For more information on EGGER, please visit the website: www.egger.com