WITH a centenary celebration looming, Scotts of Thrapston has built a proud reputation for being a master of timber, turning this natural commodity into a stunning range of products from beautiful summerhouses and bespoke doors and windows to innovative trusses.
For decades, this family business has displayed its summerhouse collection at the country’s leading garden shows, both at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and, this month, at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, with exhibits including the Sun Ray Garden Room, Burghley, Balmoral, Newhaven and Baltimore summerhouses.
The shows play an important part in the company’s calendar, as chairman David Scott explains: “The two shows are classics and we are always pleased to exhibit there, on this international stage, where people enjoy and appreciate what they see.
“We are proud that we have been exhibiting at Chelsea for nearly 50 years and have been at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show every year since it began. I still get an enormous buzz from being a part of it all and it is a privilege to be there.”
This year, the focus fell on Scotts’ new soft-furnishing designs, the larger summerhouse models and the launch of a new solar lighting package.
Established in 1920, Scotts is renowned for its specialist timber products, which include stables, garages, car barns, pavilions, roof trusses, engineered flooring, luxury doors, windows, bespoke joinery, replica Lord’s Benches, education and community buildings.
David, whose son James became managing director last year, added: “In my grandfather’s day, we were making chicken houses and wheelbarrows and as time has gone by, we have grown and embraced new technology to become the company we are today, creating attractive, innovative products for the equine, leisure, construction and education sectors.
“We understand timber, we are used to working with it and our design division has excelled over the years, with stunning buildings that embrace the demands of modern life, providing features such as harvested rainwater and solar energy.”
When creating a high-quality timber building, the company is proud of its turn-key solution as it designs, engineers, manufactures and installs its buildings. David believes that having a dedicated design team also plays a part in their success.
He added: “Our design manager has really lifted us ten-fold and he now has two architects working for him. We are producing very sophisticated and inspiring buildings, such as carbon neutral classrooms and community buildings, bespoke sports pavilions and equestrian buildings.”
This success is also being recognised by the industry, as the company recently received a RIBA Suffolk Design Award for its Lavenham Young Person’s Centre. It has also been shortlisted for Installer of the Year by the Structural Timber Awards 2018 for its Sapphire Jubilee community centre in Havering.
David added: “Our order books, at the present time, are very exciting, some sectors are hesitant about Brexit, but we have not noticed any significant impact yet.
“In a couple of years, we will be celebrating our centenary, but we are forward thinking and investing in the future, continually merging new technology and skills with traditional craftsmanship that is really preparing us for the next 100 years.”