Wrexham joinery firm expands with new digital technology 2026

Key Points

• The Wrexham joinery firm Derwen Joinery Ltd is making an investment in state-of-the-art equipment, following a grant from the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme.
• Investment includes the use of digital scanners, advanced joinery machinery, and tooling.
• The new equipment will contribute to enhanced productivity, precision and production capacity.
• Derwen Joinery manufactures timber windows, doors, staircases, fire doors, and bespoke joinery items.
• Its services include the supply of timber joinery to both domestic and commercial clients all over the UK.
• The business was founded by directors Jenny Roberts and Philip Roberts.
• Derwen Joinery is certified as a BM TRADA fire door producer.
• This investment comes on the heels of the company’s investment in a five-axis CNC machine.
• Wrexham County Borough Council Business and Investment Team assisted the company in accessing funds from the programme.
• Investment aims at reducing waste, complex projects and skill development.

Wrexham (Wales Times) September 15, 2026 — A uk/local/wrexham/">Wrexham joinery firm is preparing to expand its operations and improve production efficiency after securing support through the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme.

Derwen Joinery Ltd will use the investment to purchase digital scanning technology, advanced woodworking machinery and specialist tooling. The equipment is expected to help the company increase productivity, improve accuracy, reduce waste and expand the range of manufacturing work it can undertake.

The development was announced by Wrexham County Borough Council News. The council said its Business and Investment Team worked closely with Derwen Joinery to help the company access funding through the Investment Zone Programme.

The project is part of the firm’s continuing investment in modern manufacturing while maintaining its work in traditional timber joinery. Derwen Joinery produces timber windows, doors, staircases, fire doors and bespoke joinery products for customers and projects across the UK.

How will the investment affect Derwen Joinery?

The new equipment will allow Derwen Joinery to streamline several parts of its manufacturing process. Digital scanning technology can assist with the accurate measurement and recording of components, while advanced woodworking machinery and specialist tooling can support more detailed and technically demanding work.

According to Wrexham Council News, the investment is intended to improve the company’s productivity and accuracy. It will also help Derwen Joinery take on more complex projects while reducing material waste during production.

The company’s latest plans build on an earlier investment in a five-axis computer numerical control, or CNC, machine. A CNC machine uses computer-controlled movements to cut, shape or finish materials with a high degree of precision.

Derwen Joinery said the earlier investment had helped modernise its production processes and support workforce development. The new project will extend that modernisation programme by adding further digital and specialist manufacturing capabilities.

The investment is also linked to the company’s wider plans for sustainable growth. By improving accuracy and reducing waste, the firm aims to use materials more efficiently while increasing its ability to deliver bespoke timber products.

What does Derwen Joinery manufacture?

Derwen Joinery manufactures a range of timber products for residential, commercial and heritage projects. Its work includes:

• Timber windows.
• Timber doors.
• Staircases.
• Fire doors.
• Bespoke joinery products.

The company operates from Wrexham and supplies projects across the UK. Its products are used in different types of construction and refurbishment work, including projects where traditional design and modern manufacturing standards must be combined.

Derwen Joinery is also a BM TRADA-certified fire door manufacturer. The certification reflects the company’s involvement in the production of fire doors and its commitment to quality and safety standards.

The council’s announcement described the business as a manufacturer that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. This combination is particularly relevant to bespoke and heritage work, where products may need to meet specific design requirements while also being manufactured accurately and consistently.

Who founded the Wrexham joinery business?

Derwen Joinery Ltd was established by directors Jenny Roberts and Philip Roberts. Both directors remain involved in the company’s development and its plans for further investment.

Jenny Roberts said the support represented an important stage in Derwen Joinery’s growth. In a statement quoted by Wrexham Council News, she thanked Wrexham County Borough Council and the Investment Zone Programme for recognising the company’s ambitions and supporting its investment in innovation and growth.

Roberts said the investment would help Derwen Joinery modernise its operations further, improve productivity and broaden the range of projects it could deliver. She also linked the project to skills development and sustainable growth from the company’s Wrexham base.

Her statement did not specify the total value of the investment or the number of additional jobs expected to be created. The council announcement also did not provide a detailed timetable for when each item of equipment would be installed or become operational.

What did Wrexham Council say about the project?

Councillor Nigel Williams, Lead Member for Economy, Business and Tourism at Wrexham County Borough Council, visited Derwen Joinery’s workshops.

In a statement published by Wrexham Council News, Councillor Williams thanked Philip and Jenny Roberts for inviting him to the company and showing him around the workshops. He said it was positive to see the business combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.

Councillor Williams said the Investment Zone funding and the purchase of a digital scanner would help Derwen Joinery remain competitive, improve sustainability and expand. He also wished the company success in the future.

His comments focused on the role of technology in supporting the company’s development. The council’s position is that investment in equipment can help local businesses improve their productivity while strengthening the wider economy.

The announcement did not include statements from competing businesses, trade unions, customers or independent manufacturing specialists. The information therefore reflects the views of Derwen Joinery and Wrexham County Borough Council.

How will digital technology support traditional joinery?

The project illustrates how traditional joinery businesses can use digital equipment alongside established craft skills. Timber products often require detailed measurements, accurate cutting and careful finishing. Digital scanning and computer-controlled machinery can support those processes by helping manufacturers record dimensions and reproduce components with greater consistency.

For a business producing bespoke windows, doors, staircases and other joinery products, accuracy is important because individual projects may involve unusual dimensions or design specifications. Advanced machinery can help prepare components while skilled workers continue to carry out tasks requiring judgement, finishing and craftsmanship.

The council said the investment would allow Derwen Joinery to take on more complex projects. It did not identify specific contracts or name future customers linked to the development.

The firm’s investment in a five-axis CNC machine indicates that modern manufacturing already forms part of its production strategy. The additional digital scanning technology and specialist tooling are expected to complement that machinery rather than replace the company’s existing work.

The announcement also connects technology with workforce development. Derwen Joinery said its earlier CNC investment had supported the development of its workforce, while the new project is expected to create further opportunities for skills development.

What is the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme?

The Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme supports businesses seeking to invest, grow and innovate across the region.

According to Wrexham Council News, the programme aims to help create jobs, raise productivity and strengthen key sectors. In Derwen Joinery’s case, the programme provided a route to funding for equipment and technology that could improve the company’s manufacturing capability.

The council’s Business and Investment Team supported Derwen Joinery during the process of accessing the funding. The announcement presents the support as part of a wider effort to encourage business investment and economic development in Wrexham and Flintshire.

The exact amount of funding awarded to Derwen Joinery was not disclosed in the published announcement. Details about the programme’s wider budget, the number of businesses supported and the total number of jobs linked to the scheme were also not included.

Why is the investment important for Wrexham?

The project is significant because it combines business expansion with investment in local manufacturing. Derwen Joinery is based in Wrexham but supplies products for projects across the UK, meaning improvements at the company could increase its capacity to compete beyond the local market.

The investment may also strengthen the firm’s ability to deliver work requiring specialist manufacturing skills. Its portfolio includes fire doors, heritage products and bespoke joinery, all of which can involve detailed specifications and demanding quality requirements.

The project further demonstrates the role of public funding in supporting private-sector investment. Wrexham County Borough Council helped the company access the Investment Zone Programme, while Derwen Joinery is providing the business operation and manufacturing base for the expansion.

The council said the investment would help secure Derwen Joinery’s future as a manufacturer of bespoke timber products. It also linked the project to sustainability, skills and innovation.

However, the announcement does not confirm the financial return expected from the investment, the projected increase in annual production or the number of new roles that could result. Those outcomes may become clearer when the equipment has been installed and the company reports on its performance.

What happens next for Derwen Joinery?

Derwen Joinery will proceed with investment in digital scanning technology, advanced woodworking machinery and specialist tooling. The company will also continue to build on the production changes introduced through its five-axis CNC machine.

The immediate focus will be on integrating the new equipment into the company’s manufacturing processes. This could involve staff training, changes to production planning and adjustments to how materials are measured, cut and assembled.

The firm’s stated objectives are to improve productivity, increase accuracy, reduce waste and expand its manufacturing capabilities. It also plans to continue developing skills and supporting sustainable growth from Wrexham.

Wrexham County Borough Council is supporting the project through its Business and Investment Team and the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme. No further timetable or specific delivery milestones were provided in the announcement.

Background: How did the development emerge?

Derwen Joinery’s latest investment follows the company’s previous purchase of a five-axis CNC machine. That earlier investment helped modernise production and support workforce development, according to Wrexham Council News.

The company was established by Jenny Roberts and Philip Roberts and has developed a manufacturing operation focused on timber windows, doors, staircases, fire doors and bespoke joinery. It supplies residential, commercial and heritage projects across the UK.

Its BM TRADA certification as a fire door manufacturer is another part of the company’s manufacturing profile. The certification is presented by the council as evidence of the firm’s commitment to quality and safety.

The new project was made possible with support from the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone Programme. Wrexham County Borough Council’s Business and Investment Team worked with Derwen Joinery to help the business access funding.

The council’s announcement frames the development as part of regional efforts to support business growth, improve productivity, encourage innovation and strengthen manufacturing. It also places the investment within Derwen Joinery’s longer-term plans for sustainability and workforce skills.

Prediction: What could the investment mean for Wrexham customers and workers?

For customers, the investment could mean that Derwen Joinery has greater capacity to accept bespoke and complex projects. Improved scanning, machinery and tooling may also support more consistent production and accuracy, although the company’s actual results will depend on how the equipment is implemented.

For workers, the development could create opportunities to gain experience with digital manufacturing systems, CNC production and specialist joinery equipment. The company has already linked its earlier machinery investment with workforce development and has said the latest project will continue supporting skills development.

For Wrexham, the investment could contribute to the strength of the local manufacturing sector if it leads to increased production, additional business activity or future employment. The published announcement does not confirm how many jobs will be created, so the scale of any local employment effect remains uncertain.

For the wider UK construction and refurbishment market, Derwen Joinery’s expanded capability could allow it to compete for more projects involving timber products, fire doors, heritage work and bespoke manufacturing. The likely effect will depend on customer demand, the company’s production capacity and the successful installation of the new equipment.

The development is therefore expected to support Derwen Joinery’s growth, but its longer-term impact will need to be assessed through future production, employment and business performance figures.