Irish and Scottish ‘innovation in timber frame construction’ praised

The “strong reputation” of Ireland and Scotland in timber frame construction has been praised by Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage John Cummins.

The minister said this on a visit to a timber frame home manufacturing facility, Alexanders Timber Design, in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

The facility is part of an Irish-owned company, Glennon Brothers.

Minister Cummins visited the facility as part of the Irish government’s St. Patrick’s Day Global Outreach programme, to promote trade and Ireland’s economy.

The Irvine facility showcased Glennon Brothers’ integrated ‘from forest to front door’ model using advanced robotics, digital design systems and precision engineering.

Much of the timber used in the manufacturing process is sourced from forests within a 70-mile radius, processed at Glennon Brothers’ sawmill in nearby Troon and then converted into timber frame homes at the Irvine facility for housing developments across Scotland’s central belt.

Commercial forests

Mike Glennon, joint managing director of Glennon Brothers, said: “With just 2,500ha planted in 2025, against a government target of 8,000ha and climate change target of 16,000, Ireland must increase forest cover to avoid significant EU penalties.

“At present, only 30% of planting is suitable for housebuilding, limiting the supply of timber needed for the construction sector.

“As an Irish company with deep roots in Longford and major operations across Ireland and Scotland, Glennon Brothers is continuing to invest in the capacity, skills and manufacturing needed to support greater use of homegrown timber in construction.”

Minister Cummins said: “Scotland and Ireland have built a strong reputation for innovation in timber frame construction and modern methods of housebuilding, and facilities such as Alexanders Timber Design show how this expertise can help deliver sustainable homes at scale.

“I recently visited offsite construction facilities and it is great to see innovation driving increased housing delivery.

“Last year Ireland saw a 20% increase in output to 36,000 homes and 70% of all scheme houses delivered were via MMC (modern methods of construction), predominantly timber frame construction.”

The minister said that he wanted to “compliment Glennon Brothers for the work they are doing in Scotland and in Ireland”.

He added: “This facility demonstrates how we can connect forestry, processing and modern methods of construction to build a more resilient housing system that meets the needs of our growing population.“

Glennon Brothers

Established in Longford in 1913, Glennon Brothers is a third-generation Irish timber business with operations in both Ireland and Scotland.

The company operates across timber processing, timber frame home manufacturing and energy, with sites in Longford, Fermoy and Enniskillen, alongside its Scottish operations.

Glennon Brothers continues to invest in timber frame manufacturing capacity in Ireland, through Dempsey Timber Engineering in Longford, and in Scotland, through Alexanders Timber Design in Irvine.

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