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There are some things you just don’t mess with, which is why timber roofing batten and Marmite are in the same boat.

Last year the unthinkable almost happened…Marmite, the salty, yeasty spread adored and abhorred in almost equal measure, nearly vanished from Tesco’s shelves. Yes, it was that serious! The shortage of this famous breakfast staple stemmed from an increase in the price of the product’s imported ingredients – something that could potentially affect any product where the materials come from overseas.

In the case of Marmite, a compromise was quickly reached that enabled stocks to be replenished so consumers could continue to enjoy their favourite spread. One thing that was not compromised however, was the quality of the ingredients – there are, after all, some things which you simply do not mess with. Marmite, it seems, is one of them. Timber roofing battens are another!

NO COMPROMISE ON QUALITY
The vast majority of timber used in UK construction is imported and, along with a host of other goods, potentially subject to pressures on cost prices. Where possible, some of this cost can be absorbed by companies liaising with their supply chains and sharpening their pencils. However, this won’t always cover everything and we’ve seen prices creeping up right across the construction industry on a wide range of products and raw materials.

So, what’s the solution? Should the makers of Marmite have tweaked the recipe slightly and used cheaper ingredients to save on costs? As a great British brand the company decided to carry on doing what it does best – making the best product it can. It’s a sentiment shared by another British company – SR Timber. Like Marmite, the quality of their flagship Premium Gold Batten means they’re not prepared to mess with a winning formula. This is important now more than ever as so many UK roofers depend on Premium Gold to ensure they comply with the roofing regulations that came in as part of the introduction to BS 5534:2014 a couple of years ago.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN YOUR BATTEN
BS graded batten must have the number of the Standard marked on it – in this case, BS 5534. A fully graded BS 5534 batten also has another code marked on it to identify which wood species has been used to make the batten – BSEN13556. BS 5534 states that such letter codes must be stamped onto each fully graded BS batten. You should look for either ‘WPCA’ – which denotes spruce – or ‘PNSY’ – which denotes pine. Very often, since both species may be used in the same parcel, you will see graded battens stamped with the letters ‘PNSY/WPCA’ – which means they may be made from either type of wood.

Companies like SR Timber have been at the forefront of raising standards on the quality, performance and durability of timber roofing batten and they are not prepared to compromise, meaning you can rely on their Premium Gold to be genuine value for money. For added assurance, Premium Gold comes with a 60 year warranty against insect attack and wood rotting fungi. Now, that’s one thing the guys at Marmite can’t do!

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