Mobile Development in progress.

Established in 1862, Sykes Timber is a family-owned and family-run business with over 160 years of experience supplying high-quality hardwood and softwood.

Sykes Timber is a family business rooted in heritage, but driven by innovation.

When John Sykes left his native Yorkshire in search of a new start and settled in Warwickshire in 1862, little did he know he was sowing the seeds of a timber dynasty that would still be going strong some 163 years later. John’s son, George, joined the business in 1870 and his son, Joseph, the third generation, followed in 1913. The fourth generation was welcomed in 1942 in the form of Joseph’s son, Stephen, who passed the business on to his sons, Robert and Richard in the 1990s. Today, Joseph, the sixth generation of the family is involved.

Sykes is a traditional yet forward-thinking business, retaining its founding Quaker values of integrity, simplicity, fairness and sensible stewardship, but always striving for more—innovating, refining and expanding, but never losing sight of what truly works. Its site at Atherstone in Warwickshire spans 10 acres and houses 80 species of stock, which is supplied in both sawn and machined sections. Sykes has travelled the world for generations, building irreplaceable exclusive relationships with the best log suppliers on every continent to serve customers—both merchants and makers—who demand and appreciate the best quality of timber to supply and make pieces that last generations.

Delivering timber nationwide for many years, Sykes combines long-standing experience with dependable service across the UK.

Our Founders

John Sykes (Founder – 1862)

John Sykes founded the business in 1862, initially in partnership with James Stevens, trading from modest premises in Sheepcote Street, Birmingham. Working at the heart of the Industrial Midlands, he imported Yellow Pine from Canada, Deal from the Baltic, and Mahoganies from Cuba, British Honduras, and West Africa. The company supplied vital materials for horse-drawn transport, including oak spokes and elm hubs, with mahogany logs hand-sawn in on-site saw pits—two men and a ten-foot saw converting vast timbers into boards.

George Sykes (Second Generation – Joined 1870)

George Sykes joined the business at just 14 years old and spent three decades building it alongside his father. Taking over in 1900, he expanded operations with additional yards in Sheepcote Street and Darlaston. Under his leadership, the company embraced mechanisation, installing power-driven saws and using canal barges to bring in logs for conversion and air-drying—positioning the business firmly within the industrial growth of the Midlands.

Joseph Sykes (Third Generation – Joined 1913)

Joseph Sykes entered the business in 1913, though his early years were interrupted by military service in France and Italy during the First World War. On his return, he modernised transport by introducing lorries and retiring the last horse in 1920. Becoming Managing Director in 1936, he led the company through a period of transition, moving away from canal transport and establishing a fully road-based logistics operation.

Stephen Sykes (Fourth Generation – MD from 1971)

Stephen Sykes joined the business in 1942 before serving with the Royal Leicestershire Regiment during the Second World War. In the post-war years, he played a key role in the company’s controlled expansion as timber trade restrictions eased. Recognising the limitations of the existing yards, he oversaw the strategic move to Atherstone in 1966. Appointed Managing Director in 1971, Stephen led rapid development of the new site, establishing the foundations of the modern business.

Richard & Bob Sykes (Fifth Generation – Early 1990s)

Richard Sykes and Bob Sykes have jointly run the business since the early 1990s. Their stewardship has been marked by sustained investment in buildings, machinery, and infrastructure, alongside steady expansion into new markets. Under their leadership, Sykes has continued to evolve while remaining firmly rooted in its family-owned values.

Joseph Sykes (Sixth Generation – Joined 2021)

Joseph Sykes became the sixth generation of the Sykes family to join the business in 2021. Building on over 160 years of heritage, he represents the next chapter of a long-standing family enterprise—focused on modernisation, growth, and carrying the Sykes name forward into the future.