As well as being one of Munster’s premier timber processors, Spellmans Timber Ltd. also manufacture and supply high-quality potato boxes. We visited their modern production facility in Kilcummin, County Kerry and caught up with director Glenn Spellman to find out more about this exceptional family business.
Every year, between the months of July and December, the team at Spellmans Timber Ltd. busy themselves with manufacturing the best potato boxes that money can buy. Constructed from 25mm treated timber and steel plated with a hydraulic press on all four sides, featuring heavy galvanised nails throughout, these super-strong 6ft x 4ft 1.25 tonne potato boxes – which come with a long life expectancy – are manufactured from scratch in-house and delivered to clients nationwide.
The potato box enterprise has taken on a life of its own in the past five years – since Spellmans decided to focus on a superior, upgraded product – and now represents a key part of the overall business, which was established by Mick Spellman almost half a century ago (in 1968).
Since then, Spellmans Timber Ltd. have been producing quality products to the highest standards for both the Irish and UK markets in their state-of-the-art, high-capacity wood processing facility, including a full range of posts, rails, fencing, sleepers, pickets, farm building materials, etc.
Spellmans buy timber from both private growers and Coillte, with all material sourced from within a 100km radius. “Timber processing is our core business,” notes director Glenn Spellman, son of founder Mick. “We started out originally in a sawmill in mid-Killarney and then moved to a site outside the town in the early ‘80s before relocating to this site ten kilometres from Killarney in 2002.”
Decimating all activities associated with the construction sector, the economic downturn presented the long-running family business with a whole new set of challenges but diversification into new markets enabled them to come through completely unscathed. “2009 and 2010 were tough years,” Glenn reflects. “In 2010, we focussed on the UK market and 50% of our business now is selling fencing products to UK customers.
“We supply raw materials to fencing panel manufacturers and landscapers in the UK. In Ireland, we supply fencing products as well as serving agri building people, pallet and garden shed manufacturers, etc.”
Manufacturing sturdy, high-quality potato boxes on a larger scale than hitherto has added a whole new dimension to the business. “Back in 2008, we were manufacturing a limited volume of potato boxes for some local customers and it was an old styled box,” says Glenn.
“In 2012, we changed our strategy and upgraded to a superior box made from completely pressure-treated timber, with four nail plates on the four sides and using 75mm ring shank nails all over the box. It’s an extremely durable box which vastly supersedes the lifespan of the older one. In short, we have moved to a more automated production process to produce a better product which is close to indestructible”
Although the box comes in a standard size, it can be adapted to cater for the specific needs of the end user. No order is considered too big or too small, with customers ordering anywhere between 60 and 1,500 boxes at a time. There is strong demand nationwide for this exceptional product: “We sell to potato growers nationwide and have customers in all of the major potato growing areas – from Dublin and Meath to Wexford, Waterford and Cork,” Glenn confirms.
“We’re pushing sales all the time and we try to at least get a flier out to every grower and to make contact through phone and email to let them know about the product. We have been growing our customer base steadily since 2012 and have well over 100 regular customers now, so it has been a resounding success, which all comes back to the quality of the product.”
A prompt, dependable delivery service is also provided. The only downside is that potato box production is seasonal, with strong demand during the back six months of the year but none during off season. During peak production, Spellmans have the capacity to produce 500 boxes per week.
Spellmans also manufacture vegetable boxes, which come with a planed finish on the inside to accommodate carrots, onions etc.
As the 50th anniversary of this outstanding family enterprise approaches, Glenn assures us that they are not ready to rest on their laurels. “There is some form of development in the business literally every year and we are continuously trying to improve ourselves and look at new markets and to make our products even better because if you are not on top of your game these days then you are going to struggle. The main processing facility is being upgraded all the time and there’s always some sort of development taking place on site.”
During peak season, up to seven people are employed working on producing the potato boxes. “It’s a manic time here and there’s never a dull moment when it comes to the potato boxes. But we’re very happy with our product and we are very flexible with our customers if they want us to amend it in any way.”
Considering that the potato box market is one that they got into almost by chance, it’s going extremely well. “We were supplying manufacturers of the old potato boxes initially and we saw how it could be improved upon and upgraded, so we came up with our own prototype. We produce them fully on site – from logs to potato boxes – which is unique.
“We use all quality home grown Irish timber on the boxes and are the only company on the island making boxes that controls the whole process – from buying the logs, putting them through our sawmill and producing the finished product,” Glenn concludes. “We purchase the logs from Coillte in log form and they go through our main processing facility, where they are converted for use in manufacturing the potato boxes. As everything is done in house, on our own premises, we have a unique insight into it and also have complete control of the whole process – and the capacity to expand if there is demand to do so.”
Such a scenario seems highly possible. As they approach their landmark 50th anniversary, Spellmans Timber Ltd. have certainly moved with the times and embraced the challenges of prevailing market conditions to leave themselves in a healthy position going forward.
Spellmans Timber Ltd.,
Anablaha,
Kilcummin,
Killarney,
County Kerry.
Tel: 064 6643931
Fax: 064 6643922
Email: [email protected]
Web: spellmans.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 5 No 5, July/August 2017
