From our humble beginnings in Shropshire to a leading British timber provider, the Ransfords story spans generations of family ownership, technological advancement, and 100% dedication to quality, service and community.
ABOUT US
150 years of dedicated service
1876
Stanley Gwilt established a timber and coal yard on our present site on Station Street in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire at the height of railway mania
1936
From our humble beginnings in Shropshire to a leading British timber provider, the Ransfords story spans generations of family ownership, technological advancement, and 100% dedication to quality, service and community.
1972
Charles Ransford’s son, John takes over the sawmill. By 1978 the sawmill employed over 120 local people. By this time, A Evans & Son has developed into a business supplying transport and plant hire to the sawmill, and other local businesses.
1978
The sawmill runs into financial difficulties and to save local jobs, the business is bought for £100 by brothers Alan and Brian Evans, Arthur’s grandchildren and now owners of A Evans & Son.
1982
By 1982, the £1.5 million debt that Alan and Brian inherited was paid off and they were investing in the future prosperity of the mill, installing a state-of-the-art Swedish sawing line.
2012
The installation of a new, state-of-the-art saw line is completed in 2012, incorporating laser scanning and optimising technology.
2013-16
Further investment in the mill includes the introduction of a Stenner multi-head saw, chip dryers and buildings and a new log infeed / butt reducer.
2018
This year sees a significant £3m investment in our brand-new treatment plant.
2021/22
We continue to invest in advancing our production facilities with the introduction of a new post pointing and automatic incising line, as well as a sawmill inline tray sorter.
2025
Still owned by the Evans family and following investment of more than £30 million over recent years, Ransfords now operates one of the most advanced and respected sawmills in the UK, employing 60 staff and turning over around £20m.
1
Cubic meters of logs processed annually
1
Cubic metres of sawn timber produced annually
1
Number of solar panels utilised in the process (and more on the way)
1%
Home-grown British timber
With Ransfords, the quality is assured, deliveries take place exactly when promised, and the paperwork is accurate. If we have a query we pick up the phone and talk to someone at the mill or to our sales manager and it’s dealt with immediately. We couldn’t ask for more.
Ed Brown, Denis Brown & Son