King Charlesis kicking off the workweek nearBalmoral Castle.
On Tuesday, the King, 74, visited James Jones and Sons Limited sawmill in Aboyne, Scotland. The family-owned and managed forest products company is currently in its fifth generation of leadership, and the company hub is not far from the King’s private residencewhere the royal family retreatsfor the summer months.
Charles traveled to James Jones sawmill to learn more about how the recently refurbished facility has increased production of construction timber as a renewable, recyclable building product to high carbon intensive alternatives like steel and concrete.
PA Images/INSTARimages
The monarch got a glimpse of the action from a log sorting cabin before walking across a flood defense area installed after a deluge in 2015, and taking a tour of the main sawmill’s operations room.
King Charles visits James Jones and Sons sawmill in Aboyne, Scotland on Oct. 3.PA Images/INSTARimages
The King also met mill officials including the site manager, primary processing manager and sawline operator to learn more about their work. From there, he moved to the treatment plant to chat with longtime employees, apprentices and a gap year student.
Capping the trip with a royal flourish, King Charles unveiled a plaque celebrating the visit and signed a visitor’s book.
James Jones and Sons Limited operates in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, and is involved in sawmilling, timber engineering, pallet manufacturing, forestry and land management, biomass and windfarms — specialties surely of interest to King Charles, alifelong environmentalist. The Aboyne sawmill opened its doors in 1962 and was rebuilt in 1991, producing a range of sawn timber such as fencing and pallet wood, mainly for the Scottish market.
The hub recently underwent an $18 million enhancement with new technology to meet the needs of today’s market. Its sawline can transform one large log into smaller pieces with a single pass, and sustainably use all of the wood for market, horticulture and heating kilns for timber drying.
The Global Underwater Hub is the leading trade and industry development body for the underwater sectors in the United Kingdom, and it represents businesses operating in the U.K.’s $9.7 billion underwater industry. The organization’s office is an hour’s drive from Balmoral andBirkhall Estate, where the King andQueen Camillamight have spent time following theirthree-day state visitto France from Sept. 20 to 22.
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Charles and Camilla, 76, seem to be continuingQueen Elizabeth’s tradition of starting the fall in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth, who died in September 2022 at age 96,traditionally spentthe late summer months, when Buckingham Palace was open to the public, at her cherished sanctuary in the Scottish Highlands.
On Sunday, the couple drove themselves toCrathie Kirk Churchnear Balmoral for a Sunday service at the British royal family’s go-to place of worship during Scotland stays.
source: people.com
