Published: 27 November 2025
The UK’s biggest independent timber distributor, National Timber Group (NTG), has collapsed into administration, triggering 561 immediate redundancies and the closure of 13 branches across England and Scotland just weeks before Christmas. Joint administrators from Alvarez & Marsal were appointed on 26 November 2025 and have begun an accelerated sale process for all or parts of the business. [1]
NTG – whose brands include Arnold Laver, NYTimber, Thornbridge and Rembrand Timber – employed around 1,150 people across 47 sites, supplying joiners, housebuilders and contractors across the UK. While 13 depots have shut with immediate effect, other branches are continuing to trade while a buyer is sought. [2]
Who are National Timber Group and Arnold Laver?
National Timber Group was created over the last decade as private‑equity firm Cairngorm Capital rolled up a series of long‑established regional timber merchants. Acquisitions included Thornbridge in Scotland, North Yorkshire Timber (NYTimber), Rembrand Timber and, in 2018, Sheffield‑based Arnold Laver, at which point the National Timber Group umbrella brand was launched. [3]
According to NTG’s own corporate information, by 2025 the group:
- Operated 47 processing and distribution sites in England and Scotland
- Turned over around £300m annually
- Supplied more than 25,000 customers, from local joinery firms to major infrastructure projects [4]
Arnold Laver itself is a 105‑year‑old name in timber, founded in 1920 in Sheffield and closely associated with Sheffield United FC, where the “Laver” brand has long appeared on stands and shirts. [5]
That long history is one reason the collapse is resonating far beyond the timber trade: a provincial builders’ merchant group has become a national story about private‑equity ambitions colliding with a tough construction market.
What has happened – and how many jobs are at risk?
561 redundancies and 13 branches closed
Multiple industry and local news outlets confirm that, on appointment, administrators laid off 561 of the group’s 1,150 staff, closing 13 depots immediately and mothballing several production facilities. The remaining branches are still trading while the administrators try to sell the business. [6]
Key confirmed numbers so far:
- Total workforce before collapse: ~1,150 employees
- Immediate redundancies: 561
- Total branches: 47
- Branches closed at once: 13
The administrators have said the group entered administration after a prolonged period of weak trading and mounting cash‑flow pressure, echoing a wider slowdown in UK construction and housing activity. [7]
Where are jobs being lost?
Nearly 170 roles gone across six Scottish depots
In Scotland, around 169 jobs have been lost after NTG shut six branches, leaving staff out of work only four weeks before Christmas. The affected Scottish sites include depots in:
- Dumbarton
- Forfar
- Newton Stewart
- Anniesland (Glasgow)
- Stirling
- Hawkhill in Edinburgh (a Thornbridge Timber site) [8]
These closures form almost half of the 13 branches shut across the UK, underlining how heavily the Scottish network has been hit.
Bradford: Arnold Laver depot on Canal Road shuts “with immediate effect”
In Bradford, workers at the Arnold Laver depot on Canal Road in Manningham were told their base was closing with immediate effect as the administration was announced. Local coverage reports that staff in the city are among the hundreds to lose their jobs as the group’s English and Scottish operations are rapidly restructured. [9]
The Bradford depot had supplied timber, sheet materials and joinery products to trade and retail customers across West Yorkshire, and its closure leaves a significant gap in the local merchant network.
Northallerton and NYTimber sites among depots axed
In Northallerton, the NYTimber branch on Thurston Road is one of the 13 sites to shut, with staff there made redundant as the group collapsed. A second NYTimber location at Brompton‑on‑Swale is also affected by the administration. Local reporting says the closures form part of the administrators’ initial efforts to stabilise the finances of the group by shutting loss‑making branches and mothballing some production facilities. [10]
Sheffield: iconic sponsor in turmoil
In Sheffield, attention has focused on the impact for Arnold Laver, a prominent sponsor of Sheffield United. Regional business coverage notes that the company’s role within NTG means local depots and back‑office roles are directly affected by the 561 redundancies, although some Sheffield‑area branches remain open while buyers are sought. [11]
A rapid slide into insolvency
The collapse follows a two‑stage process:
- Notice of intention to appoint administrators (NOI)
- On 13 November 2025, National Timber Group England Ltd and holding company National Timber Group Midco Ltd filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.
- This gave the group short‑term legal protection from creditor action while directors and advisers explored refinancing and potential buyers. [12]
- Formal administration and mass redundancies
- On 26 November 2025, joint administrators Michael Magnay, Gemma Quinn and Jonathan Marston of Alvarez & Marsal were appointed over five NTG entities.
- On day one, they made 561 roles redundant, closed 13 branches and mothballed some factories, while putting the rest of the business up for sale. [13]
Industry reports describe NTG as a “private‑equity driven” consolidation play, with Cairngorm Capital acquiring multiple regional timber firms in quick succession. The downturn in construction, higher interest rates and squeezed margins on building materials appear to have left the highly leveraged group exposed when trading softened. [14]
What happens next for the business?
The administrators have launched an “accelerated sale process”, inviting potential buyers to acquire the whole group or selected assets such as regional branch networks, production facilities or individual brands like Arnold Laver or NYTimber. [15]
Key points at this stage:
- Remaining depots are still trading, so customers with open orders are being asked to continue liaising with their local branch until told otherwise. [16]
- The administrators have said they are “encouraged by the level of interest” from prospective buyers and are hopeful of saving parts of the business. [17]
- If a buyer is found, some jobs and sites could be rescued, but there is no guarantee that all closed depots will reopen.
In practice, the most likely scenarios are:
- A trade buyer (another national or large regional builders’ merchant) acquires clusters of branches and brands, preserving some local networks;
- Selective asset sales, where manufacturing sites, specialist processing facilities or high‑performing depots are sold off individually;
- A partial management buy‑out of specific operations if funding can be secured.
Until those talks progress, uncertainty will remain for both the remaining workforce and trade customers who rely on NTG’s footprint.
What does the collapse mean for the construction supply chain?
Because National Timber Group was the UK’s largest independent timber distribution and processing group, its sudden partial shutdown is likely to cause short‑term disruption in local timber supply, especially in areas where it was the dominant merchant. [18]
Likely impacts include:
- Contractors and joiners having to scramble for alternative suppliers, especially for bespoke or pre‑fabricated timber components previously made in NTG factories.
- Housebuilders facing delays or higher costs if regional NTG depots were key partners on live sites.
- Competing merchants potentially seeing a surge in demand, which could stretch their own inventories and lead times.
At the same time, major national chains and other large independents still have capacity, so any price pressure may be local and temporary rather than a systemic shortage across the entire UK market.
What affected employees can do now (UK guidance, not legal advice)
If you worked for a National Timber Group company and have been made redundant, you may be entitled to payments even if the company cannot pay you directly.
According to official UK guidance, employees of insolvent companies can usually claim certain debts from the government’s Redundancy Payments Service (RPS), including: [19]
- Statutory redundancy pay (subject to weekly caps)
- Up to 8 weeks’ unpaid wages, overtime or commission
- Up to 6 weeks’ holiday pay
- Statutory notice pay (if you did not work some or all of your notice period)
General steps typically include:
- Wait for details from the administrators
- The insolvency practitioners (Alvarez & Marsal) should issue letters explaining whether you have been made redundant and giving you a “CN” reference number for RPS claims. [20]
- Submit your claim online
- You can apply for redundancy and other payments via the government’s online service once you have your case number. Deadlines apply (for redundancy, usually within 6 months of dismissal). [21]
- Get independent advice
- Organisations such as Citizens Advice and Acas offer free, impartial guidance on redundancy rights and what to do if your employer is insolvent. [22]
If you’re personally affected, it’s important to rely on the official communications from the administrators and government sites, and to seek professional advice if you’re unsure of your rights.
Timeline: From rapid expansion to administration
- 2017–2018 – Cairngorm Capital starts building a timber group, acquiring Thornbridge and other regional merchants. [23]
- 2018 – Arnold Laver merges into the group, and National Timber Group becomes the umbrella brand, with more than 50 sites and over 1,300 staff at its peak. [24]
- 2023–2024 – Accounts show the business generating high revenues but posting losses, against a backdrop of more challenging trading in UK construction. [25]
- 13 November 2025 – National Timber Group England Ltd and its parent file a notice of intention to appoint administrators, signalling severe financial stress. [26]
- Mid‑November 2025 – Local press reveal hundreds of jobs are at risk, including at depots in Bradford, Cadishead and across Scotland, as staff are warned of potential closures. [27]
- 26 November 2025 – Administrators are formally appointed at five NTG entities. 561 redundancies and 13 branch closures are announced immediately. [28]
- 27 November 2025 – Fallout continues, with local reports confirming depot closures from Northallerton to Bradford and multiple Scottish towns, and urgent efforts under way to sell the remaining business. [29]
As of 27 November 2025, the National Timber Group story is still unfolding. The immediate shock is the loss of more than 560 jobs and the closure of long‑established depots under household trade names like Arnold Laver and NYTimber. The next question – for employees, communities and the wider construction sector – is how much of this once fast‑growing timber empire can be salvaged in the weeks ahead.
References
1. www.constructionenquirer.com, 2. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 3. www.nationaltimbergroup.com, 4. www.buildersmerchantsnews.co.uk, 5. www.constructionenquirer.com, 6. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 7. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 8. www.thescottishsun.co.uk, 9. uk.news.yahoo.com, 10. www.richmondshiretoday.co.uk, 11. www.thestar.co.uk, 12. professionalbuildersmerchant.co.uk, 13. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 14. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 15. www.constructionenquirer.com, 16. www.constructionenquirer.com, 17. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 18. www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 19. www.gov.uk, 20. www.gov.uk, 21. www.gov.uk, 22. www.citizensadvice.org.uk, 23. www.nationaltimbergroup.com, 24. www.nationaltimbergroup.com, 25. www.constructionenquirer.com, 26. professionalbuildersmerchant.co.uk, 27. www.salfordnow.co.uk, 28. www.constructionenquirer.com, 29. www.richmondshiretoday.co.uk
