Personal experience reveals an untapped market niche: JK Timber successfully captures the roof truss segment
JK Timber is a new company in Latgale specialising in the design, manufacture, delivery, and installation of a specific construction product: roof trusses. The company has been operating in the market for three years and is currently the only manufacturer of this kind in Latgale. In a relatively short time, it has already served more than 120 clients and can boast a growing influx of orders, while also gradually developing other production lines. The support provided by the business incubation programme of the Rēzekne office of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has played a significant role in the company’s growth—it has helped with training and securing funding, as well as with production development and daily consultations.
Kārlis Vanags, CEO and owner of the company, explains that JK Timber was born out of a practical need—a few years ago, while building his own family home, he personally found that the availability of roof trusses on the market was very limited.
“When I was building my own house, I also needed roof trusses. When I contacted local manufacturers, I was told I’d have to wait a very long time—up to six months. After discussing this situation with a friend, we concluded: if demand is so high but supply is limited, why not start manufacturing them ourselves?” he recalls.
Today, JK Timber has established a strong foothold in this niche segment and is enjoying growing recognition among customers. The company has established a production facility of approximately 1000 m² in Balvi, and although the team consists of relatively few employees, it is able to fill orders efficiently and promptly while maintaining a personalised approach to each customer.
The company works with both private and corporate customers, though most of the demand comes directly from the private home segment. The CEO acknowledges that working with private customers is often much more intense, both emotionally and in terms of communication, but it is precisely this personal approach that is one of the company’s key strengths in attracting new customers.
“Building a home is a very personal and major event for people—it is often their dream home, so decisions are made more slowly, with every detail carefully considered and frequent changes made to the project. Sometimes we only secure an order after an extensive back-and-forth and close communication. But that is precisely what we consider our strength—the ability to delve deep and find the most suitable solution for each customer. Perhaps that is precisely why our best advertising is word-of-mouth—one person builds a house with our help, and then their neighbour wants the same. We can even proudly say that we don’t actively seek out customers—they find us on their own. They call and say they were recommended by a neighbour or an acquaintance—most of our new orders come directly from word-of-mouth,” he explains.
Roof trusses are a modern construction solution that is increasingly replacing traditional solid-wood beams. Although beams have been used in roof structures for centuries, their strength and performance depend largely on the quality of the wood, which isn’t always consistent along the entire length and cross-section of the material. Roof trusses, on the other hand, are industrially manufactured from carefully selected timber, precisely engineered, and produced in accordance with specific standards. They are relatively lightweight yet highly durable, as the structure is based on engineering calculations that ensure optimal load distribution.
JK Timber collaborates with professional designers in the design of trusses, and the process also utilises modern software that allows for the precise calculation of the required load-bearing capacity, considering various factors—including the building’s location and climatic conditions. For example, in regions where winters are characterised by a thicker snow cover, structures are designed with a higher load-bearing capacity, ensuring both safety and longevity.
The product’s potential is also confirmed by the company’s financial indicators. In its very first year of operation, JK Timber managed to achieve a turnover of approximately EUR 100 000. Although this figure decreased by about 30% last year, the company forecasts significant growth this year and a turnover well above EUR 100 000. Although the company also provides its services for export, the focus remains on the Latvian market.
“This is largely determined by the nature of our product—roof trusses take up quite a lot of space when assembled. These days, shipments to other countries are sent as full as possible, but in our case, we end up transporting a lot of ‘empty space,’ which significantly increases the cost. However, we already have our first customers in the Baltic states, and we plan to develop this direction in the future,” says Mr Vanags.
The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has also played a significant role both in the company’s early stages and in its ongoing development. Currently, the company is participating in a business incubation programme implemented by the LIAA office in Rēzekne, receiving training, consultations, and practical support—co-financing for raw materials, production facility equipment, and other development needs.
JK Timber looks to the future with great determination and is actively seeking solutions to mitigate the impact of seasonality on its business. Typically, in the construction sector, the busiest seasons are spring, summer, and fall, while the volume of orders drops significantly in winter. That is precisely why JK Timber is exploring ways to ensure more consistent operations throughout the year and utilise production capacity more efficiently. One solution is to encourage customers to make decisions earlier, for example, by offering roof truss production during the off-season on more favourable terms, as well as providing free storage of products until the start of the construction season. At the same time, the company is also developing new product lines, such as the production of wall frames and simpler wooden structures, thereby expanding its product range and reducing dependence on seasonal fluctuations.
Information material prepared with the support of the European Regional Development Fund
