As we reach an incredible milestone of 20 years in business, there is no better time for us to reflect on past successes. It is important to look back and see how we have grown and all that we have achieved. It will help us to refocus on our goals and shape our next 20 years. Join us as we take a look at OFP through the years.
The ‘Survival years’
The first five years in business are also known as the ‘survival years, and it’s easy to understand why with 20% of start-ups not making it past their first year, and a staggering 60% going bust within their first three years, according to the Telegraph.
2002, year one, saw us open our first factory in The Old Boatyard in Sandwich and purchase our first-ever forklift in November (This very same forklift is still in use today!) We started with 16 employees and joined the UKTFA.
We hit the ground running and quickly outgrew the premises. In 2005, year three, we moved into a larger building on Stonar Estate on the Sandwich Industrial Estate and we had our first CNC machine installed. By the end of the first five years, we opened our second factory and had an employee count of over 40.
Our first-ever forklift we bought in our first year of business. It is still in use today.
It wasn’t all plain sailing
In years six to ten, the growth continued with some challenges along the way when a fire broke out in our offices on the Stonar Estate. From achieving chain of custody FSC in May 2007 and PEFC in 2008 to having to move into another unit after the fire, it was certainly a period of time we will never forget.
Logo through the years
2017, The big change
After purchasing land in 2016, our new factory finally opened in 2017 complete with a 50kW solar array. We made a commitment to be more socially responsible by increasing our recycling and purchasing a machine to make pellets from sawdust. These pellets are burnt in our biomass boiler and this is what we use to heat our water and our offices to this very day. We also increased our equipment and purchased more machinery of a Hundegger and our second CNC machine. 2017 was the ‘golden year’ for OFP. Our growth really excelled during this time and our employee count more than doubled the following year to over 80 employees.
The past five years
Here are just a few of our achievements from 2018 to today, 2022:
- Our sister company, Discovery Stairs & Joinery, was founded
- We opened a new factory in Anson Close
- We started producing OFP Trusses
- We completed more than 1,000 projects since 2002
- We achieved STA Gold in January 2021
- ISO 9001, 45001, and 14001 were achieved in July 2021
- We commissioned our Finger Jointing Machine to recycle off-cut waste timber
- Total employees reached over 100
What will the next 20 years hold for OFP?
As we look back at our journey, we have to say a very special thank you to all the team at OFP. Without the people behind the company, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We are forever grateful for the dedication, hard work, and support that we get from each and every employee, and for that, we would like to thank you.
Secondly, we would like to thank our customers. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with some fantastic companies on some amazing projects. Your loyalty and support have helped us to get to 20 years.
Speaking about the future, Alastair says
“2022 marks 20 years of OFP and we’ve seen so much positive change in the industry since we started out. We’ve built such a great experienced team, and I’m so proud of the quality product that we offer to our customers. With timber frame at the forefront of sustainable and quality construction, we feel we’re in a fantastic position now, and for the next 20 years ahead.”
For more information on our ongoing projects and expansion, get in touch with us: