SWL Ltd, the Parent Company of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, has announced the acquisition of RTS Forestry Ltd - creating the UK’s largest forest management, consultancy and timber harvesting business.

The combined business will have more than 300 employees and operate across all of Scotland as well as in the north of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scottish Woodlands Ltd has 20 offices, with around 250 staff, in all four parts of the UK, and is headquartered at Riccarton, Edinburgh. It is 80% employee-owned with 20% owned by James Jones & Sons Ltd and provides a comprehensive range of forest, estate and land-related services.

RTS Forestry Ltd employs more than 50 people across four offices – with its headquarters in Crieff, Perthshire and bases in Inverness, Inverurie (Aberdeenshire) and Hexham, Northumberland. It offers wide-ranging services in forest management, consultancy, wood fuel, timber harvesting and utilities.

Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: “We are delighted to welcome RTS into the SWL Group and look forward to supporting the continued development of the business. RTS brings to the Group a respected and highly skilled team of staff who have grown the company significantly in recent years.”

“We are pleased that the existing senior management team are remaining within RTS to continue to develop the business. With the support and expertise of our own team within Scottish Woodlands and the SWL group, an exciting future can be expected for RTS staff and their forestry clients.”

Norman O’Neill, Managing Director of RTS Forestry Ltd, said. “When we took the decision to investigate a sale process, the requirement to secure a stable future for RTS staff and our clients was the primary objective. Scottish Woodlands was by some distance our preferred choice and we are delighted to see the sale conclude in a straightforward manner.”

“The sale provides long-term stability for the RTS team and an opportunity to develop their careers within a larger group. We are delighted to continue to move the RTS business forward with Scottish Woodlands Ltd, an employee-owned business of remarkable financial strength, and highly regarded within the industry. The senior management team within RTS look forward to continuing our stewardship of RTS within the expanded group.”

RTS Forestry Ltd will continue to operate under the RTS name as part of the enlarged group.

Both organisations have forest management as the core business area with complementary timber harvesting, consultancy, utility and renewable energy divisions. The purchase also provides SWL Ltd with a direct introduction to the UK biomass industry where RTS is a leading woodfuel supplier to small and medium-scale biomass boilers.