About Us - Mintroad Sawmills (Pty) Ltd.
Mintroad Saw Mills was founded by Mr Richard Smith in Fordsburg, Johannesburg in 1945. In 1952 land was bought in Robertsham, Johannesburg and the company expanded into the supply of gumpoles to the mining and building industries. In the early 1970’s treated poles were added to the product range and a comprehensive range of gumpoles and sawn timber was distributed to the building, civil engineering, road building, packaging and thatching industries as well as building material merchants. In 1978, Mintroad Saw Mills installed its first timber treatment plant. In 1990 Mintroad Saw Mills bought the Alrode operations of Taylor & Mitchell, its main opposition in Gauteng. The assets included land with railway facilities as well as an additional 3 timber treatment plants. The sawmilling operations were expanded and products developed to supply nurseries and outdoor wood outlets. A timber drying kiln was installed in 1994. Mintroad Saw Mills currently operates 1 Creosote, 2 CCA (Tanalith) and 1 Flambor/TanE treatment plants.
Tan E (Ecowood) preservation is Arsenic and Chrome free and represents the "new age" of treatment chemicals. Mintroad Saw Mills is a leader in the wood preservation and process control fields and specialises in custom timber treatment (e.g. cooling tower application) with access to the world’s largest timber preservation chemical manufacturer’s research and technical database. SABS permits are held for the full range of timber treatment types and hazard classes. Research is carried out on an ongoing basis with international input. A process assistance and record keeping computer program designed specifically for the South African wood preservation industry has been developed and patented by Roy Smith and currently has 3 licensed treatment plants using the software.
Currently Mintroad’s product range includes gumpoles (untreated as well as the various treatment types) which can additionally be slabbed on 1 or both sides, fencing slats, survey poles, guardrail posts and blocks, sawn pine, sawn gum, trellis (standard and fancy) garden edging, picket fencing and outdoor wooden furniture. Treated timber is exported to USA, UK, EU including an exclusive agent in France, the Middle East and various African countries. Software has been developed to be able to franchise the timber treatment operation at future branches.
Browsers Garden and Home Centre was opened in 2005 and was built utilizing and showcasing the outdoor, home and landscaping products produced at Mintroad Saw Mills.
The company's managing director is Mr Roy Smith who is world-renowned for his technical and mechanical expertise and experience. He was joined by his son Mr Gavin Smith in 2015. Gavin is the third generation of the Smith family in Mintroad Saw Mills. Gavin has completed his MBA degree and currently is undertaking a second masters degree in the fields of finance and investment. As a team, Mintroad Saw Mills is a company geared towards perpetual improvement and growth.
Mintroad Saw Mills employs approximately 80 people with an average service period in excess of 15 years. A fleet of trucks with capacities ranging from 4 – 10 tons (larger trucks operate with mounted cranes) is operated and for loads in excess of 10 tons vehicles are hired. Mintroad operates 3 Bell tele-loggers as well as multi-purpose heavy-duty handling machinery for its material handling. Raw material is brought in by road and graded to SABS specifications. Training is carried out in house and externally. The company's policy of “sell only what you would wish to buy” is actively practiced and the company motto “Mint Quality Timber Products” used to brand products. Orders are tracked on a sophisticated computer network. Quality and impeccable service remain the top priorities of the company. Seminars based on different aspects of wood preservation and processing are held regularly in order to educate company buyers, building inspectors, architects, thatchers and the general buying public about the different hazard class requirements and process procedures.
Mintroad Saw Mills is an active member and co-founder of the South African Wood Preservers Association.
