Fifty-seven jobs are at risk as a leading UK timber business’ Cumbrian plant.
BSW Timber said it was reviewing the sawmilling operations of its site at Cargo, near Carlisle.
It wants to remodel it as a sawn timber processing and distribution hub.
BSW Timber has recently acquired additional land next to the sawmill and been granted planning permission for a railhead.
The firm said it would allow it to enhance its distribution capabilities.
It said: “The railhead will allow the business to transport logs, sawn timber and co-products by rail, linking up with its Fort William site in the Scottish Highlands to reduce its reliance on trucks delivering material by road.”
Its planning application for the railhead earlier this year said it would help accommodate BSW’s ambitions for modernisation and expansion of existing operations at the Cargo site and will help reduce its carbon footprint.
This week, BSW timber said: “There is currently no in-land rail terminal between Glasgow and Manchester, meaning the installation of a railhead in Carlisle, around halfway in between, will also support other businesses and the local economy.
“This proposal would see a change in the primary function of the Carlisle site – currently a sawmill – providing a renewed focus on secondary operations and value-added processing.
“These developments will support manufacturing efficiencies, optimisations and investment across the wider UK business, as BSW Timber seeks to increase its total timber production output by 10% next year.
“The proposed closure of the sawmilling operations at Carlisle unfortunately puts a number of related roles at potential risk of redundancy, with those concerned having been made aware.
“We will do everything we can to support those involved as we enter a period of consultation.”
