The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) is mourning another serious loss to the joinery industry this year, with the death of its senior vice president and chairman for Scotland, Gordon Nelson. Gordon passed away at the end of March, aged 74.
Gordon began his career in the joinery industry almost 50 years ago as Northern field sales manager for Gliksten Doors, selling flush doors and doorsets. In 1974, Gordon took on the position of sales and marketing director for Rothervale Joinery in Sheffield. Gordon became well known within the industry, helping to grow the company’s sales to eventually become one of the largest in the industry.
In 1987 Gordon bravely took the decision to invest in a management buyout of Sarek Joinery from its Swedish private equity owner. He helped to grow the business to a £30 million organisation with operating profits of £3 million. The success of the business lead to interest from Norcross plc. The business was acquired by Norcross plc at the end of 1988 and subsequently the organisation was merged with Crosby Doors to form Crosby-Sarek. At the time of the merger, annual sales were in excess of £80 million.
Gordon remained in the newly formed company for a year before leaving to form his own company, Eurojoinery. Gordon also acted for a time as the sales director for J B Kind, a door distributor in the Midlands.
Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF, said: “Gordon had been an active and enthusiastic member of the BWF for some years. Only last year he was made the chairman of our newly formed Scottish division and had already started to develop some very good contacts and new membership for the BWF north of the border. He was a passionate Scotsman and a senior leader in his Highland clan, Clan Gunn. His immense industry experience, sound strategic thinking and sense of fun will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”
