James Latham, in collaboration with long-term sawmill partner, Pennsylvania-based Horizon, is introducing a "pioneering" new timber product to the UK and Ireland – quarter sawn Tulipwood.

The product is the only quarter-sawn tulipwood currently available on the UK market. Exclusive to James Latham, it has been developed in response to specifier and contractor calls for a superior, stable, and sustainable material for a range of specific interior joinery purposes, including kitchen doors and cabinetry.

One of its standout benefits, says Lathams, lies in its inherent ability to minimise movement during processing and active use. Whilst regular tulipwood is already commonplace within the UK market, changing the way the log is cut dramatically reduces the tension within the timber, resulting in straighter grain, greater stability, reduced movement, and therefore increased yield. In addition, to enhance the timber’s unique properties, HORIZON selects the largest tulipwood logs possible, subjecting them to a kilning cycle lasting up to four weeks, which is four times longer than the industry standard.

Manufactured to full 34mm thickness, quarter-sawn tulipwood is precision cut, resulting in an extremely clean and flat surface. This all results in a plank of generous width, delivering significant cost savings in the form of less wastage, lower processing costs, and fewer snagging issues. Creamy white in appearance, with very little colour variation and mineral streak, it can help achieve a clean, consistent look in application.

The product is also a carbon-neutral/low-carbon material. Sourced from the responsibly managed and certificated Allegheny Forest region in north-western Pennsylvania, it is also manufactured in a sustainable way using the latest ‘smart’ production processes.

These credentials are further reinforced when measured through James Latham’s Carbon Calculator, a tool that provides third-party verification for suppliers’ green claims. This gives customers the added assurance that they’re selecting a high-quality product at every level.

“This heralds a new chapter in tulipwood production, offering our customers a standalone product which directly responds to their calls for a reliable, stable, and ecofriendly product, suitable for cabinetry and kitchen manufacturing,” said James White, depot director at James Latham. “Not only that, the launch of HORIZON quarter-sawn tulipwood exemplifies our ongoing commitment to working with supply chain partners to champion the latest timber innovations and aspiring to meet our audience’s evolving tastes and requirements.”

Available in the UK and Ireland, the quarter-sawn tulipwood is stocked in various lengths and widths, ranging from 2.1m to 4m planks. The standard thickness is 34mm, which can be machined down to 27mm if required.