Wood protection engineering
February 2026
“In any discussion about the performance of pre-treated wood, preservative efficacy is often the only topic of conversation,” says WPA Chairman Steve Young. “The reality is far more complex - well documented factory production controls are essential - and pre-conditioning, preservative impregnation or wood modification plant and equipment manufacturers have a vital role to play as a wood protection formulation is only as effective as the plant designed to use it.”
In this article, the WPA turns the spotlight on two member businesses that are internationally reknown for their wood protection engineering expertise -Timber Treatment Solutions (TTS), based in the UK and Wood Treatment Technologies (WTT) based in Denmark.
Joe Watson of Timber Treatment Solutions (TTS)
Timber Treatment Solutions (TTS) is a multi-disciplined engineering business specialising in the design, manufacture, installation and upgrade of high- and low-pressure timber impregnation plants, associated controls and equipment.
TTS produces plant for the application of the full spectrum of wood preservatives - waterborne,
oil-based and creosote and the heat treatment of wood. The company’s business philosophy and reputation come from working closely with sawmills, treaters, merchants and infrastructure suppliers across the UK, Ireland and internationally, delivering bespoke systems and upgrades that improve the safety, performance and regulatory compliance of new and existing operations.
TTS’s expertise includes ensuring timber is treated correctly, consistently and in line with recognised best practice. TTS plays a key role in enabling its clients to achieve the penetration, retention and process control required by standards such as BS 8417 and the WPA Code of Practice, through both its treatment systems and incising technologies.
TTS’s new copper oil plant at SNCF
TTS’s expertise includes ensuring timber is treated correctly, consistently and in line with recognised best practice. TTS plays a key role in enabling its clients to achieve the penetration, retention and process control required by standards such as BS 8417 and the WPA Code of Practice, through both its treatment systems and incising technologies.
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Joe Watson, Director at Timber Treatment Solutions, says: “As an equipment supplier, our role is to make it as easy as possible for timber treaters to get the process right every single time. Correct treatment is more than just durability performance, it’s also about safety, environmental responsibility and preserving confidence in wood as a long-term, sustainable construction material.”
A Ø2.4m x 27.0m autoclave being offloaded and positioned
TTS delivers treatment plants internationally. Recent highlights include the largest purpose-built copper oil treatment system for SNCF railways in France and a high-capacity pressure plant for Impregna in Sweden. There is also a dual colour plant for The Timber Group and a compact plant in Ireland. Followers of TTS on social media will see a TTS plant recently delivered to a client in Fiji.
TTS were early developers of incising equipment for clients treating species like spruce for ground contact applications. Continuous development of this technology has resulted in the expansion of its incising range with the addition of the Excalibur R system. Most recently, the company has signed an agreement with WDE Maspell to act as their UK & Ireland agent for thermal modification equipment.
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“As active members of the Wood Protection Association, Timber Treatment Solutions values the WPA’s role as the collective voice of our industry - driving standards and best practice and influencing regulatory organisations.” says Joe, who sees close collaboration as essential to the long-term success of the wood protection industry.
WTT's Jakob Jakobsen
WTT is a specialist supplier of wood treatment plants, process solutions and services for the wood protection industry.
Managing Director, Jakob Jakobsen, says the company’s mission is to ensure that treatment plants function not only in theory but also in practice and meet client expectations for process control, documentation, health and safety, and environmental performance.
“Correct wood treatment is about applying the right chemistry in the right way,” he says. “Accurate dosing control is essential to avoid overconsumption of preservatives, protect the environment and ensure a commercially sustainable product. It is equally important that the process itself can be operated correctly for every batch, time and time again.
For example, ensuring that preservative pre-treated wood leaves the plant drip-free and with the correct retention and penetration per m3. WTT systems also facilitates the full traceability of every piece of treated wood allows customers to verify compliance with relevant national standards and gives confidence throughout the supply chain.”
F A fully automatic WTT treatment plant in Norway
The company collaborates with wood treaters, chemical suppliers and project partners to design, deliver and support treatment systems that comply with Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Industrial Emissions BREF requirements where these are relevant to a client’s operations.
Currently, WTT is supplying a new treatment plant for railway sleepers in the USA. The plant has been designed for high energy efficiency, with frequency converters on all pumps, reducing power consumption while improving process stability and control. The installation provides full traceability of all treatment processes and can run five different processes, controlled through WTT’s proprietary SCADA system.
WTT continues to invest in the development of new wood treating processes and patented solutions.
WTT’s newly installed equipment for treating railway sleepers in the US
Jakobsen says: “Since 2020, WTT has invested GBP 70,000 annually in the development of new processes and patented solutions. Looking ahead to 2026, we will continue to enhance our SCADA platform and develop upgrade kits for existing plants, enabling older installations to meet current standards for process control, documentation and compliance.”
