Rembrand Timber Limited was founded in 1982 when George Low received the backing of a Dundee based builders merchants, to create a specialised timber company serving customers in North and East of Scotland.

 

George Low had identified the need for an independent timber company which could respond quickly and effectively to a wide range of clients in the building industry and so Rembrand Timber was born.

 

At the time, many companies in the construction industry in Scotland found it difficult to locate specialist timber products speedily because of poor stocking and slow response. Rembrand timber was determined to change this by offering a new culture of customer service, fast-track delivery and a proactive customer-led stocking policy.

Rembrand's founding principle was that if a particular item was not in stock, the company would source and deliver any item quickly and cost-effectively.

Rembrand begun trading from a rented 500m2 unit on the Baluniefield trading estate in Dundee. Demand grew rapidly and the company achieved a £1.1 million turnover in it's first year. By the following year, this had doubled - a clear indication that the customer led strategies were working. Bigger premises were needed to expand operations and the company re-located to a 2000m2 warehouse in Baldovie Industrial Estate Dundee.

One of the company's early successes was being appointed sole Scottish distributorship for Eidai; Japanese owned and based in Brazil; a manufacturer specialising in quality plywood, blockboard and door blanks made to conform to British standards. Eidai was chosen because although it's products tended to be at the higher range of the price range, the quality of its product was far superior to anything else that could be sourced.

From day one Rembrand Timber attracted attention from many of Scotland's timber kit manufacturers who immediately became a major part of the company's client base. The great majority of new homes in Scotland are of timber-frame construction. Rembrand Timber became a leader in this specialist market and is now one of Scotland's largest distributors of timber products in this field.

Rembrand Timber's forward-looking, innovative approach has been a boon to the building trade throughout the company's history. The company is continually seeking new solutions and developing product ranges to assist customers, being the first timber merchant to introduce numerous new products to the Scottish market. 

1982 (August) Baluniefield Dundee opens

1985 Relocates to bigger premises Baldovie Dundee

1985 Perth store opens

1987 Inverurie store opens

1990 Bellshilll store opens

1992 Inverness store opens

1994 Sighthill Edinburgh Opens

1997 Irvine store opens

2000 Elgin store opens

2001 Falkirk store opens

2002 Selkirk store opens

2004 Mitchell Timber Leith is taken over.

2005 Forfar store opens

2006 Bellshill store relocates to Coatbridge

2006 Oban store opens

2008 Newton Stewart opens

2009 Thurso store opens

2009 KTE manufacturing facility opens in Kirckaldy

2010 Dumfries store opens