Chorley timber agency marks 25 years with 25 trees

Chorley-based timber agency Empress Timber celebrates its 25th anniversary on 1 November 2026, a quarter of a century after founder Phil Walsh launched the business from a spare bedroom in Euxton. To mark the occasion, the company has dedicated 25 trees with the Woodland Trust, one for every year in business.

Since 2001, Empress Timber has grown into a trusted single point of contact for the timber trade, sourcing hardwoods, door blanks, veneers, plywood, mouldings and trailer flooring for customers across the UK and Ireland. Its timber has been specified for Center Parcs lodges, the corridor refit at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, local authorities nationwide and even the New York Fire Department.

Phil began his career as a commercial apprentice at PH Haydock’s timber merchants in Chorley, working in every department from the mill to sales before specialising in hardwoods at James Webster & Sons. That grounding, and a network of importers and mills built up over some forty years in the industry, is what the business trades on.

Phil said: “When I started, the plan was just to be the one call a buyer needed to make. Twenty five years later that’s still the plan. We don’t sit on stock, we know who has the right material and we get it to the customer on time.”

The company’s core product is hardwood external door blanks manufactured in the Netherlands, security tested, fire rated, FSC certified and supplied with a ten-year stability guarantee.

The dedication, made through the Woodland Trust in Grove Two at New Moss Wood in Salford, is Phil’s way of putting something back.

He said: “Timber is the only building material that grows back again if you plant it. After 25 years of making a living from it, 25 trees felt like the least we could do.

“Timber has had a turbulent few years. Being around for 25 years tells customers we’ll be around for the next order, and in this trade that counts for a lot.”

Empress Timber has also unveiled a 25 Years crest, which now features on its website, and will be sharing highlights from its history on LinkedIn and Facebook through October.

Phil said: “I’d like to thank every customer and supplier who’s been part of the journey. Many of them have been with us almost since day one and that loyalty is what I’m proudest of.”