BURY ST EDMUNDS: Howarth Timber Engineering has closed its timber frame factory and ceased production of its timber frames for social housing construction, blaming a slump in the market caused by 40% government cuts to the affordable housing budget.
The Suffolk plant will continue to produce roof trusses and flooring components for mainly private sector homes and planned to move to smaller premises.
Nicholas Howarth, managing director of the Howarth Timber Group, which is based in Leeds and operates across the country, said: "The government cuts have really only impacted significantly in 2012 because they were delayed.
"They've still got further to go and will run for another two to three years. We saw the losses we were making on the timber frame side growing."
