So with the help of a loan from his brother, Monty started an instantly prosperous company, making use of his natural sales abilities and commitment to customer services.
During the First World War, timber was extremely difficult to come by and ships carrying timber products were often intercepted or sunk. Supply therefore struggled to keep up with demand and the government introduced strict controls on the price and uses of imported timber, further complicating the situation.
Monty approached the Office of Works in 1914 to suggest that a lot of trouble and money could be saved if a single agent bought all of the government’s timber supplies. Shortly afterwards, Monty was appointed Government Timber Buyer.
Montague L Meyer became a public company in 1928 and continued to grow and prosper. As with the first, the timber trade played a vital role in the Second World War, processing home-grown timber as an answer to the limited amounts of imported timber.
There are many tales to be told about the history of Meyer and Monty was certainly a force to be reckoned with. He died in 1961 and was succeeded as chairman by his son, John Meyer who had been a director of the company since 1933. With modernised facilities and extensive acquisition, Montague L Meyer continued to grow during the 60s and 70s.
In 1982, the company merged with International Timber to form Meyer International PLC. The Meyer timber import business became an independent business in 1998 via a management buyout. In 2002, it sold its softwood trading operation to focus entirely on wood-based panel products. And ever since, Meyer has worked hard to establish and keep itself at the forefront of the UK timber industry, investing approximately £11 million into modernising and improving the way the business conducts itself. With its rich history and forward-thinking attitude, Meyer continues to move into the future, exceeding customers’ expectations along the way.
We’re certain Monty would be proud of that!
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