diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b83e297bd..08d632d5e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ## Unreleased
 
 ### Added
+* Added `Nester` class for one-dimensional bin packing. this is to fit the beams of an assembly into material stock of a given length
+* Added `Beam Nester` GH component for `Nester` class
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/code.py b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/code.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bbc084496
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/code.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+from ghpythonlib.componentbase import executingcomponent as component
+from Grasshopper.Kernel.GH_RuntimeMessageLevel import Warning
+from Grasshopper import DataTree
+from Grasshopper.Kernel.Data import GH_Path
+from compas_timber.planning import Nester
+
+
+class NestingComponent(component):
+
+    def RunScript(self, assembly, stock_length, tolerance, iterations):
+
+        if not assembly:
+            self.AddRuntimeMessage(Warning, "input Assembly failed to collect data")
+            return
+        if not stock_length:
+            self.AddRuntimeMessage(Warning, "input Stock Length failed to collect data")
+            return
+
+        nester = Nester()
+        nesting_dict = nester.get_bins(assembly.beams, stock_length, tolerance, iterations)
+
+        data_tree = DataTree[object]()
+        for key, value in nesting_dict.items():
+            path = GH_Path(int(key))
+            data_tree.AddRange(value, path)
+
+        info = []
+        info.append("total length: {:.2f}".format(nester.total_length))
+        info.append("bin count = {0}".format(len(nesting_dict.items())))
+        info.append("cutoff waste = {:.2f}".format(nester.total_space(nesting_dict)))
+
+        return data_tree, info
diff --git a/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/icon.png b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/icon.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e0a15da4
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/icon.png differ
diff --git a/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/metadata.json b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/metadata.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..463606738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compas_timber/ghpython/components/CT_Beam_Nesting/metadata.json
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+{
+    "name": "Beam Nester",
+    "nickname": "Nester",
+    "category": "COMPAS Timber",
+    "subcategory": "Fabrication",
+    "description": "Nests beams into stock lengths.",
+    "exposure": 2,
+    "ghpython": {
+        "isAdvancedMode": true,
+        "iconDisplay": 0,
+        "inputParameters": [
+            {
+                "name": "Assembly",
+                "description": "Compas_Timber Assembly",
+                "typeHintID": "none",
+                "scriptParamAccess": 0
+            },
+            {
+                "name": "Stock Length",
+                "description": "length of timber stock the beams are packed into.",
+                "typeHintID": "float",
+                "scriptParamAccess": 0
+            },
+            {
+                "name": "Tolerance",
+                "description": "amount of cutoff per stock piece that is considered complete.",
+                "typeHintID": "float",
+                "scriptParamAccess": 0
+            },
+            {
+                "name": "Iterations",
+                "description": "number of cycles the nester will run.",
+                "typeHintID": "int",
+                "scriptParamAccess":0
+            }
+        ],
+        "outputParameters": [
+            {
+                "name": "Packing",
+                "description": "Packing info as a tree."
+            },
+            {
+                "name": "Info",
+                "description": "General info about packing."
+            }
+        ]
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/compas_timber/planning/__init__.py b/src/compas_timber/planning/__init__.py
index a2a3346c7..5e384a56f 100644
--- a/src/compas_timber/planning/__init__.py
+++ b/src/compas_timber/planning/__init__.py
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 from .sequencer import BuildingPlan
 from .sequencer import SimpleSequenceGenerator
 from .sequencer import Step
+from .beam_nesting import Nester
 
-__all__ = [
-    "Actor",
-    "BuildingPlan",
-    "Step",
-    "SimpleSequenceGenerator",
-]
+__all__ = ["Actor", "BuildingPlan", "Step", "SimpleSequenceGenerator", "Nester"]
diff --git a/src/compas_timber/planning/beam_nesting.py b/src/compas_timber/planning/beam_nesting.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e56c7a54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compas_timber/planning/beam_nesting.py
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+from collections import OrderedDict
+import random
+
+
+class Nester(object):
+    """Class for nesting beams into a stock beam
+
+
+    Attributes
+    ----------
+    stock_length : float
+        length of the stock beam in which to be nested
+    tolerance : float
+        tolerance for the nesting algorithm, if the remaining space in a bin is less than the tolerance, the bin is considered full
+    total_length : float
+        total length of all beams to be nested
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def shuffle(self, lst):
+        random.shuffle(lst)
+
+    def space_remaining(self, bin):
+        """returns the space remaining in a bin"""
+        if len(bin) == 0:
+            return self.stock_length
+        return self.stock_length - (sum([beam.blank_length for beam in bin]))
+
+    def sorted_dict(self, bin_dict):
+        """sorts a dictionary of bins by space remaining in each bin"""
+        if len(bin_dict.items()) < 2:
+            return bin_dict
+        bin_list = sorted(bin_dict.values(), key=lambda x: self.space_remaining(x))
+        dict = OrderedDict()
+        for i in range(len(bin_list)):
+            dict[i] = bin_list[i]
+        return dict
+
+    def total_space(self, bin_dict):
+        """returns the total space remaining in all bins, AKA total waste"""
+        return sum([self.space_remaining(bin) for bin in bin_dict.values()])
+
+    def get_bins_basic(self, beams):
+        """returns a dictionary of bins with beams nested in them"""
+        beams_sorted = sorted(beams, key=lambda z: z.length, reverse=True)
+        bins = OrderedDict([(0, [])])
+        for beam in beams_sorted:
+            fits = False
+            bins = self.sorted_dict(bins)
+            for bin in bins.values():
+                if self.space_remaining(bin) >= beam.blank_length:
+                    bin.append(beam)
+                    fits = True
+                    break
+            if not fits:
+                bins[str(len(bins))] = [beam]
+        return bins
+
+    def fill_bins(self, bins, beams, sort=True, shuffle=False):
+        """fills a partial bins dictionary with beams, returns a dictionary of bins with beams nested in them"""
+        if sort:
+            beams_sorted = sorted(beams, key=lambda z: z.length, reverse=True)
+        elif shuffle:
+            beams_sorted = beams
+            self.shuffle(beams_sorted)
+        for beam in beams_sorted:
+            fits = False
+            bins = self.sorted_dict(bins)
+            for bin in bins.values():
+                if self.space_remaining(bin) >= beam.blank_length:
+                    bin.append(beam)
+                    fits = True
+                    break
+            if not fits:
+                bins[str(len(bins))] = [beam]
+        return bins
+
+    def longest_cutoff(self, bin_dict):
+        """returns the longest cutoff in a bin dictionary"""
+        sorted_bins = self.sorted_dict(bin_dict)
+        return [self.space_remaining(bin) for bin in sorted_bins.values()]
+
+    def parse_bins(self, bin_dict):
+        """evaluates the success of the nesting, returns a dictionary with the results of the nesting process"""
+        dict_out = {"done": False}
+        dict_out["finished_bins"] = bin_dict
+        if self.total_space(bin_dict) < self.stock_length:
+            dict_out["done"] = True
+            return dict_out
+
+        else:
+            recycled_beams = []
+            temporary_bins = OrderedDict()
+            for bin in bin_dict.values():
+                if self.space_remaining(bin) > self.tolerance:
+                    recycled_beams.extend(bin)
+                else:
+                    temporary_bins[str(len(temporary_bins))] = bin
+            dict_out["temporary_bins"] = temporary_bins
+            dict_out["recycled_beams"] = recycled_beams
+            return dict_out
+
+    def validate_bin_results(self, bins, beams):
+        beam_list_out = []
+        for val in bins.values():
+            beam_list_out.extend(val)
+
+        if set(beam_list_out) != set(beams):
+            raise Exception("Beams input and nesting output dont match")
+
+    def get_bins(self, beams, stock_length, tolerance=None, iterations=0):
+        """returns a dictionary of bins with beams nested in them
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        beams : list(:class:`compas_timber.parts.Beam`)
+            list of beams to be nested
+        stock_length : float
+            length of the stock beam in which to be nested
+        tolerance : float
+            tolerance for the nesting algorithm, if the remaining space in a bin is less than the tolerance, the bin is considered full
+        iterations : int
+            number of iterations to run the nesting algorithm, the algorithm will stop when the total waste is less than the stock length
+
+        """
+        self.stock_length = stock_length
+        if tolerance is None:
+            self.tolerance = stock_length / 100
+        else:
+            self.tolerance = tolerance
+        if iterations is None:
+            iterations = 0
+
+        self.total_length = sum([beam.blank_length for beam in beams])
+        bins_out = None
+        all_bins = []
+
+        if iterations == 0:
+            return self.get_bins_basic(beams)
+
+        else:
+            for i in range(iterations):  # try with different shuffling
+                these_beams = beams
+                these_bins = self.get_bins_basic(these_beams)
+                results_dict = self.parse_bins(these_bins)
+                if results_dict["done"]:  # if the nesting is successful
+                    bins_out = results_dict["finished_bins"]
+                else:
+                    sort = False
+                    shuffle = True
+                    for x in range(
+                        iterations
+                    ):  # tries to repack the beams that don't fit in the bins within the cutoff tolerance
+                        these_beams = results_dict["recycled_beams"]
+                        temp_bins = self.fill_bins(results_dict["temporary_bins"], these_beams, sort, shuffle)
+                        results_dict = self.parse_bins(temp_bins)
+                        if results_dict["done"]:
+                            bins_out = results_dict["finished_bins"]
+                            print("success after {0} iterations.".format(x))
+                            break
+                        elif x == iterations - 1:  # if the last iteration is reached, the best result is taken
+                            all_bins.append(results_dict["finished_bins"])
+                        else:
+                            sort = not sort
+                            shuffle = not shuffle
+                if results_dict["done"]:
+                    break
+
+        if not bins_out:
+            bins_out = min(
+                all_bins, key=lambda x: len(x)
+            )  # if no successful nesting is found, the one with the least bins is taken
+
+        self.validate_bin_results(bins_out, beams)
+
+        return bins_out