Issue 228 Timber & Forestry E News

6778

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 1

Wood judged best for court buildings

This Issue

Cross-banded hoop pine plywood engineered solution for city project

Gary Holmes .. using the best of European machine technology.

• C ourse bridges gap in timber structures knowledge • Opening

barriers on timber-steel design • C LT: plywood on steroids • I mporters saluted on Chile’s ‘floating embassy’

Just Go t ood W

r sm

A Better Earth Idea from Osmose

sm ®

®

Cont Page 3

ne ree

®

the school of design. He was previously head of the department of architecture at the University of Queensland.

The project architects Architectus and Guymer Bailey were awarded the design consultancy in June 2007.

With about 60,000 sq m of floor space spread over 19 floors, the court building will be one of the largest in Australia creating a unique legal precinct, linking the new building with a major public square and the existing Brisbane Magistrates Court.

The precinct will occupy an entire city block.

The courthouse is unique in Australia; the co-location of the Supreme Court and District

G

MicroPro

Treated

JUSTICE has been done in the construction of the $600 million Supreme Court complex in Brisbane – Queensland hardwoods and hoop pine plywoods dominate every aspect of the building’s design.

Scheduled for an early August opening, “home-grown timbers were the natural choice throughout,” John Hockings, design director of Brisbane architects Architectus said.

“I love the stuff,” he said. “For this inner-city high-rise building we’ve used the timber for benches, seating, floors, walls and furniture and all the way up the facades.”

Mr Hockings joined Architectus from the Queensland University of Technology where he was professor and head of

•F orum will decide next step for timber treaters •W ood Naturally Better returns to TV

MicroPro

®

Copper Quat

A p N A pro o lu v w Co m e nt ini d F ac um or t*

MicroPro is GREENGUARD® Children and Schools Certified Greenguard® Children and Schools Certification indicates that a product has undergone rigorous testing and has met stringent standards for VOC emissions. In the USA, products certified to this criteria are suitable for use in schools, offices, and other sensitive environments.

Visit: www.osmose.com.au or phone: 1800 088 809 Osmose® and MicroPro® are registered trademarks of Osmose, Inc. or its subsidiaries. A Better Earth Idea from Osmose sm and Treated Wood Just Got Greener sm are slogan marks of Osmose Inc and its subsidiaries. MicroPro timber products are produced by independently owned and operated wood preserving facilities. GREENGUARD® is a registered trademark of GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. * See MicroPro fastener and hardware information sheet. © 2011 Osmose, Inc.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

Forestry Tasmania ‘safe’ after $35m allocation in budget

TASMANIA’S Legislative Council is satisfied a multimillion dollar budget allocation for Forestry Tasmania will not be used to shut down the state owned business.

The head of Treasury was called in to brief legislative councillors on the future of Forestry Tasmania, amid threats the Upper House would block a $35 million budget allocation.

An ABC News report says independent MLC Ruth Forrest had revealed the money will be used to keep the business afloat, as it is predicted to post a $35 million deficit next financial year.

She said the Upper House was satisfied the funding would not be used to wind up the business.

Economic Development Minister David O’Byrne said the government was relieved the issue was now closed. “I think we’ve been very clear about the position on the allocation for Forestry Tasmania from day one,” he said.

Huon MLC Paul Harriss criticised Greens leader Nick McKim for indicating the money would be used to shut down Forestry Tasmania Mr McKim has rejected allegations that he misled Tasmanians over how the Government will spend a multimillion dollar budget allocation for Forestry Tasmania. “What

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson .. fighting against pulp mill project.

Page 2 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

Ruth Forrest .. funding will keep Forestry Tasmania afloat.

I’ve consistently said is that the Greens will not support this money being used to prop up Forestry Tasmania in its current form,” he said.

“It’s really essential for the future of Tasmania, and for the future of the forest industry in Tasmania, it is restructured.

Mr McKim says the money will not be used until after Cabinet responds to an independent review of Forestry Tasmania.

Meanwhile, Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson has used his first speech to parliament to commit himself to continuing to fight against Gunns’ Tamar Valley pulp mill.

Senator Whish-Wilson replaces the former Australian Greens Leader, Bob Brown, who has retired after 16 years.

The former economist and winemaker has been a vocal opponent of the pulp mill project, telling parliament it is one of Australia’s most bitter environmental battles.

“It was always going to be difficult for a community to fight against a large, aggressive and litigious corporation, a government and other entrenched powerful vested interests in Tasmania,” he said.

“But fight it we did and this fight continues.”

ForestWorks performs a range of industry wide functions acting as the channel between industry, Government and the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) system

Learning Skills Research Advice Innovation

VICTORIA

PO Box 612, North Melbourne 3051 Tel: (03) 9321 3500 Email: forestworks@forestworks.com.au

NEW SOUTH WALES

PO Box 486, Parramatta 2124 Tel: (02) 8898 6990 Email: smukherjee@forestworks.com.au

TASMANIA

PO Box 2146, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03) 6331 6077 Email: edown@forestworks.com.au

BRISBANE

PO Box 2014 Fortitude Valley 4006 Tel: (07) 3358 5169 Email: bharle@forestworks.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Unit 2/191 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide 5006 Tel: (08) 8219 9028 Email: michelle@forestworks.com.au

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

DESIGN IN WOOD

Court structure radical departure from traditional design concepts

From Page 1

Court provide significant operating efficiencies through the use of shared facilities. In other states, these courts are physically separate, which often leads to wasteful duplication of functions and services.

The design will provide a radical departure from traditional court design, providing an open, accessible and transparent area in sharp contrast to the existing precast concrete courthouse.

The building has a double-skin glass façade with integrated screening and glass fritting to achieve shading and light control, illuminating the heavy timber content.

‘The dramatic use of wood has produced a building with wonderful acoustics’ – John Hockings Plywood flooring has been used through the bottom 12 storeys with structural hardwood from Queensland’s South Burnett region, laminated with steel, applied externally in the double façade.

Internally, laminated pine has been used in conjunction with steel in the bracing columns and hardwoods and softwoods

Artist’s impression .. Queensland timbers judged best for $600 million Supreme Court building in Brisbane.

have been combined to form handrails and balustrades.

“There’s a lot of space and a lot of timber,” Mr Hockings said.

“And the dramatic use of wood has produced a building with wonderful acoustics.”

But it will be the application of hoop pine plywood that will stand out when politicians, lawyers, judges, the media and the general public inspect the building on August 2, the official opening day.

The Multiply sheets for benches and seats – more than 12,000 of them – were manufactured

by Austral Plywoods, Brisbane, using a revolutionary crossbanded engineering process.

The 2400 x 1200 sheets are used for all benches and seating in every court room with thick12 mm seven-ply AC hoop pine also used for the walls.

Austral Plywood sales manager Gary Holmes is excited about the use of the cross-banded plywood produced on an Italian 1.2 m lathe, representing the best of European technology.

“We used 32 mm Multiply for the seating and the benches were three layers of 18 mm Multiply making up 54 mm thick benches. With the three layers we made the middle sheet as a cross-banded ply so that when the ply was cut and joined it looked like one sheet of 54 mm ply. Combined there

See the latest technology for your future AWISA PANEL

AWISA DESIGN

were about 40 sheets of 1.5 mm Multiply, giving a beautiful edge to the work.”

Austral Plywoods has supplied about 12,000 sheets of 19 mm AC interior plywood for all the wall linings in the Perth Arena, an entertainment and sporting complex to open in the city’s centre in November.

The Perth Arena is set to become a benchmark of world-class stadium design, an icon that establishes a new urban location and catalyst for renewal in an under-valued part of central Perth.

The facade with its giant puzzlelike forms serves to break down the enormous scale of the structure into smaller, more readable components.

The combination of about 40 sheets of 1.5 mm Multiply gives a beautiful edge to the work The arena was designed

by Perth-based architects Cameron Chisholm & Nicol and Melbourne-based ARM Architects as a joint venture.

With its design based on the Eternity puzzle, the venue will hold up to 13,910 spectators for tennis events, 14,846 for

Cont Page 11

11-14 July 2012 SYDNEY EXHIBITION CENTRE DARLING HARBOUR SYDNEY

AWISA SOLID WOOD

The trade show for the cabinet, joinery, furniture, timber and panel industries.

Register at www.awisa.com

ORGANISED BY THE AUSTRALIAN WOODWORKING INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED. T: 02 9918 3661 E: info@awisa.com

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 3

WOOD RESEARCH

DAFF course bridges gap in timber structures knowledge

Salisbury course focuses on skills and training

A TIMBER structures course at the Salisbury research centre had provided participants with the skills and training necessary to determine the structural integrity of timber bridges.

The Level II inspection and retrofit course was hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under the tutorage of structural engineer and wood technologist Dr Dan Tingley from Wood Research and Development, Oregon.

WRD is an international accredited certified test laboratory and third party quality assurance agency that specialising in timber bridge inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation design.

Rehabilitation of timber bridges is generally the preferred option both financially and environmentally in terms of embodied energy in structures DAFF was chosen to host the course due to its recognition as Australasia’s leading forest products research group with the capacity in skills and available facilities to meet the requirements for the delivery of this international standard course. The department also has the appropriate skills and capacity to support the use of wood in engineered structures with underpinning timber research.

Australia is unique in that it contains about 43,000 timber bridges – more than all the G20 countries combined.

However, many of these bridges were built at the turn of the last century and due to their age and other factors such as

Page 4 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

a material, inspection of timber bridges and load path identification, understanding of loads and forces, site evaluation, retrofit materials and retrofit applications for the refurbishment of the bridges.

Retrofit techniques, methods and materials studied throughout the course included:

A timber road bridge over the Wimmera River on the outskirts of Jeparit in western Victoria. Built in 1892 of hewn timber corbels supported by big timber struts, it has seven main trestle and girder spans using an uncommon strut and crown girder construction.

poor maintenance, low original design capacities compared to modern load requirements, and connector longevity, many bridges are in a state of disrepair.

The majority (89%) of timber bridges in Australia are located in rural areas carrying local traffic or rail, under the jurisdiction of local councils and shires.

Council infrastructure funds are limited, and replacement of these bridges is costly, particularly with alternative materials such as concrete and steel. Therefore, rehabilitation

of these bridges is generally the preferred option both financially and environmentally in terms of embodied energy in structures.

The focus of the course was to qualify participants with the necessary skills and training to inspect timber bridges to determine their structural integrity and associated problems, and rehabilitate and refurbish timber bridges by way of a number of retrofit applications. This involves indepth academic and practical study to improve participants’ understanding of wood as

• Retroten, a high-strength fibre tension reinforced panel used to increase the tensile strength of timber members in flexure (bridge girders) from 50 to 300% or more.

• Retrowrap, a wet laid matrix of high strength fibre reinforcement for use on bridge pile retrofits.

Shining star in research, Page 6

forest

• Structurfill, a ‘secret recipe’ high strength epoxy injection mix designed for filling large voids or cavities in bridge members.

Participants observed all three retrofit techniques on a number of timber bridges close to Brisbane. The practical assessment was conducted at the Salisbury Research Facility using out-of-service utility poles.

US structural engineer Dr Dan Tingley (fifth from right) and DAFF researchers Johannes Fehrmann, research technician, and Adam Redman, senior scientist (third and fourth from left respectively) with participants in the Level II inspection and retrofit of timber structures course at the Salisbury research facility in Brisbane.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

WHAT’S ON?

JULY

1-4: NZIF 2012 Conference Engineering Value Growing and Harvesting Forests for Novel Wood Structures, Christchurch, NZ. EventMergers +64 9 428 4783 or email Carlene Martin carlene@eventmergers.co.nz

10-11: Australia India Skill Conference: Partners for Prosperity. Brings together business leaders to showcase the successes and opportunities of international skills partnerships.

Central Institute of Technology, East Perth Campus, 140 Royal Street, Perth. Contact Jaclyn Lane. Email: jaclyn.lane@ innovation.gov.au 23-25: Australian Timber Trainers Association annual workshop. Albany, WA. Visit www.atta.org.au

20: National Carpenters Day. Tel: (03) 9597 0948. Fax: (03) 9597 0958. Email: info@ carpentersday.com.au

31: Australian Timber Importers Federation board meeting.

Morning meeting in Qantas meeting rooms, Adelaide Airport, followed by lunch and the 2012 AGM. South Australian ATIF members and guests have been invited to lunch with the board before the AGM. Lou Boffo of Le Messurier Timber is the local coordinator for inquiries on (08) 8447 0400). AGM inquiries to John Halkett (02) 9356

AUGUST

13-15: Australian Window Association’s annual conference and exhibition.

Fenestration Australia 2012

at The Esplanade Hotel, Largest gathering of local and international organisations associated with the window industry, bringing together more than 300 delegates from right across the value chain.

Inquiries to conference secretariat on (08) 9381 9281 or email fenestration2012reg@iceaustralia. com

22-23: Carbon Forestry2012.

Auckland NZ. Forestry is New Zealand’s largest potential carbon sink and, as the ETS continues to grow in importance to NZ businesses,so does its investment future. A raft of new legislation,a dramatic drop-off in carbon trading and pricing during 2011, thsome international emissions units and uncertainty around the future alignment of New Zealand and Australia’s trading schemes has changed the landscape significantly. It’s led to uncertainty in the marketplace about the immediate future and opportunities that exist in carbon forestry.

Visit www.carbonforestryevents. com

OCTOBER

3-4: Joint ISCs and Skills Australia conference: The Future of Work In 2011, Australia’s 11 industry skills councils and Skills Australia held their inaugural joint conference. Join MC Kerry O’Brien, Q&A panel moderator Tony Jones and a range of industry identities to explore the future of work, and its implications for building Australia’s human capital. Sydney Convention and

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

EVENTS

Exhibition Centre, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, NSW.

30-31: Industry Development Conference hosted by ForestWorks in Canbrerra.

Following overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the opportunities for high-level political engagement afforded by holding the dinner at Parliament House, ForestWorks has moved quickly to secure one of the few remaining available dates during sitting weeks. Speakers, topics and themes will be available soon.

10-11 (Rotorua) and 16-17 (Melbourne).

Improving international cost competitiveness through smart science, research and technology.

New Zealand and Australian forest products companies face increasing competition from low cost producers, and from lower cost, better performing non-wood products. Low costs and high fibre recovery,achieved through process innovation, are prerequisites to competing in today’s global forest product markets. This Australasian technology event will provide local forest products, wood processing and manufacturing companies with a unique opportunity. Visit www.woodinnovationsevents.com

NOVEMBER

3: Queensland Timber Industry Awards Night – Victoria Park Function Centre, Brisbane.

28-29: ForestTech 2012 – Improving Wood Transport and Logistics.

Melbourne and Rotorua

Australia’s forest, wood, pulp and paper products industry now has a stronger voice in dealings with government, the community and in key negotiations on the industry’s future, as two peak associations have merged to form a single national association.

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has been formed through the merger of the Australian Plantations Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) and the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI).

AFPA was established to cover all aspects of Australia’s forest industry: - Forest growing; - Harvest and haulage; - Sawmilling and other wood processing; - Pulp and paper processing; and - Forest product exporting.

For more information on the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) or to enquire about membership , please call (02) 6285 3833.

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Wood Naturally Better returns to TV to build on good carbon story

THE successful Wood. Naturally Better TV commercial, under Planet Ark’s Environmental Edge brand returns to free-toair and pay TV across Australia on August 1. .

After the last campaign, tracking research showed that the 33% of respondents recalled seeing the advertisement – and exceptional result for a new commercial – and that after viewing the spot, 43% of people said they would be more likely to choose wood over other materials.

In the commercial, Peter Maddison, an award-winning architect and host of Grand Designs Australia, explains that wood stores carbon and that carbon is better locked away in wood than free in the environment. He ends by suggesting that by choosing wood, people are doing good.

The Wood.

Naturally Better commercial is cobranded with Planet Ark’s Environmental Edge, a series of advertisements designed to provide people with facts to help them make more informed environmental decisions.

The commercial is aimed at environmentally conscious people aged 25 to 54, and it is anticipated that it will be seen

Page 6 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

Peter Maddison .. spreading the good wood message.

at least once by more than 60% of the target audience.

On free-to-air TV, the spot

will feature in programs such as How I Met Your Mother, Revenge, Home and Away,

Downton Abby, Seven News, Better Homes and Gardens, Masterchef, The Living Room, AFL and Today Tonight.

The pay TV schedule includes Room to Improve, 60 Minute Makeover, House of Bryan, Renovation Game, Britain’s Ugliest Rooms, Sarah’s House, Room Service, Better Homes and Gardens, Selling Houses Australia, My flat Pack Home, Escape to the Country, Dirty Tricks of the Trade, and Grand Designs.

The commercial can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch Inquiries can be directed to Ric Sinclair, managing director, Forest and Wood Products Australia, on 0407 329 372.

Salisbury shining star in forest research

THE Salisbury research centre in Brisbane houses more than 3100 sq m of laboratories, processing equipment and office space.

It is equipped to undertake forest products research and development on semicommercial, pilot and laboratory scales. At a single location, this team encompasses Australia’s largest science and technical expertise in kiln drying and

sawmilling technology, engineered wood composites technology, timber grading and advanced mechanical wood properties testing, wood anatomy and wood identification, wood product design and manufacture and timber preservation and performance testing.

Capacities at the centre include wood composites technology, solid wood processing, timber

seasoning, testing mechanical properties of wood in a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory, adhesives technology and testing, accelerated timber decay testing, timber preservation, environmental conditioning and a fully-equipped wood processing and machining workshop.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

Forum will decide next steps for state’s timber treatment industry

TIMBER treaters and preservative chemical suppliers have been urged to attend a special forum in Brisbane on July 10 that will consider key decisions on the industry’s future.

Discussions at the forum will be aligned to the new Queensland government’s commitment to work with the timber industry to develop a forest and timber industry plan for the state.

The forum meeting will focus on the issues, opportunities and actions required to help secure the future of the treatment industry.

Guest speaker Lesley Francis of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (horticulture and forestry science division) will report on the findings of a survey of timber users and specifiers about their views and expectations regarding timber durability and performance that will help shape future directions for the industry.

Other subjects for discussion include what initiatives are necessary for government timber inspection services; a Queensland R&D plan; changes that require all plantation pine framing to be termite resistant; and government treated timber quality monitoring.

Proposed changes to durability

systems were floated at the last Queensland timber treaters’ meeting, and again at the Wood Preservation 2012 conference in Melbourne.

The forum will also discuss standards and committee reports, the latest details on the revisions of AS1604 and the proposed reform of standards committees.

Timber treatment .. industry’s future on agenda at Brisbane forum.

Forum inquiries should be directed to Timber Queensland on 07) 3254 1964 or email admin@timberqueensland. com.au

Export industries remain competitive FEDERAL Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Senator Joe Ludwig has welcomed the latest forecast that Australia’s rural export earnings are forecast to remain high in 2012-13.

Senator Ludwig said the latest ABARES report showed the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors continued to provide world class products for global markets.

www.tanalised.com

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 7

EVENTS

Australian importers saluted on Chile’s ‘floating embassy’

TIMBER importers were acknowledged at the Flavours of Chile gala night in Sydney last week on board the world’s longest sailing ship (113m) the Chilean Navy training vessel Esmeralda.

The night, organised by Chile’s business and export advocacy organisation proChile, was a celebration of the growing business, diplomatic and cultural ties between Australia and Chile.

Australia’s free trade agreement with Chile eliminates tariffs on almost 92% of tariff lines covering 97% of goods currently traded.

In recognising the expanding significance of Chilean timber imports in the Australian market, Australian Timber Importers Federation’s John Halkett said Chile was clearly out-performing its close competitor New Zealand in the Australian market.

“This is largely due to the innovation, quality and cost competitiveness that now characterises Chilean timber products, plus the marketing effort by proChile and the Chilean forestry sector more generally,” Mr Halkett said.

“Chile is now an important supplier of sophisticated softwood plantation-based panel and solid wood products to the Australian market.”

Mr Halkett said that according to Australian Bureau of

Celebrating Chile-Australian friendship ... Lieutenant Commander, Rodizigo Raddatz, Pedro Diaz, the Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, John Halkett, Australian Timber Importers Federation, and Silvana Gattina, proChile trade commissioner.

Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences figures, the 13% by volume annual increase in timber imports identified Chile along with Europe as the stand-out performers.

“The Australian timber industry supply chain is looking forward to continuing to strengthen their relationship with Chilean exporting companies,” he said.

The current Esmeralda is the sixth to carry the name. The

Esmeralda .. Chilean Navy training ship and ‘floating embassy’ for Chile.

first was the frigate Esmeralda captured from the Spanish at Callao, Peru, by Admiral Lord Thomas Alexander Cochrane of the Chilean Navy, in a bold incursion on the night of November 5, 1820. The second was the corvette Esmeralda of the Chilean Navy which, set against superior forces, fought until sunk with colours flying on May 21, 1879 at the Battle of Iquique.

These events mark important milestones for the Chilean Navy and the ship’s name is said to evoke its values of courage and sacrifice.

Construction of the current Esmeralda began in Cádiz, Spain, in 1946. She was finally launched on May 12, 1953.

Sometime in the 1970s Esmeralda’s rigging was changed to a four-masted barquentine by replacing the fore gaff sail (course sail) by two main staysails. The third (top) main staysail is still in place.

She has now five staysails, three topsails, six jibs, three course gaff sails, four square sails – 21 sails in all.

Since her commissioning, Esmeralda has been a training ship for the Chilean Navy. She has visited more than 300 ports worldwide acting as a floating embassy for the country.

Green groups ‘forcing’ FSC audits on forest owners

FINNISH forest owners have claimed that green groups are putting undue pressure on them to carry out Forest Stewardship Council audits in a new report published on the Finnish Forest Association website.

According to the report, forest owners are angry because FSC

Page 8 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

has started to make country risk assessments regarding the origin of non-FSC certified wood.

Forest owners reportedly claim that environmental organisations in Finland have “sent letters to forest industry companies asking them to

abstain from purchasing wood in certain forest areas”’ because they argue these areas do not fit FSC’s criteria for ‘controlled wood.’

According to the report, forest certification systems were established with a goal that controlled wood – or uncertified

wood used in certified wood products – would constitute a maximum of 30% of wood used in a product.

However, the report claims that the FSC relaxed this rule to 50% and later created a new ‘mixed sources’ label when it realised it was not popular.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

Timber Queensland adviser casualty of hard times in sector

RESOURCE and environment manager at Timber Queensland Jim Burgess is another casualty of the hard times affecting sections of the state’s forest and wood processing industry.

“The decision was an extremely hard one for us, brought about only by the economic downturn in the industry,” Timber Queensland chief executive Rod McInnes said.

“Jim was a very capable policy developer on a wide range of industry issues,” Mr McInnes said. “We will miss him.”

Timber Queensland will continue to pursue its technical services, extension activities and advocacy effort with the remaining staff.

Mr Burgess said it had been a privilege to work on a broad range of issues on behalf of the forest and timber industry over the last 10 years .. “an opportunity that I’ve really enjoyed.”

He said he accepted the decision was a result of a reduction in Timber Queensland’s traditional income sources and the very difficult financial position of the forest and timber industry “One of the great parts has been the people I’ve worked with, who all in some way have a passion for the forest and timber industry, which has made for a fantastic experience,” he said.

Mr Burgess, who holds a Bachelor of Forest Science degree from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Education, commenced his career in forestry with the Victorian government in 1988 where he worked for seven years in the mountain ash forests of the Central Highlands.

He joined the Queensland government in 1995 working on the South East Queensland Forests Agreement process,

Jim Burgess .. experienced policy adviser.

which resulted in a unique agreement between the industry, the conservation movement and the government on the future use of stateowned native forests.

Mr Burgess plans to take some time off before getting seriously into job hunting and says he is open to consulting work in the interim.

He can be contacted on 0438 199 670. His email address is jimburgess256@gmail.com

US building upturn

US building statistics indicate a lift in building activity. Data for April 2012 shows privately owned house starts were up 2.6% in April on the previous month and up by 29% when compared with April 2011.

The number of privately owned new house permits issued in for the 4 months to April 2012 was 26% higher than in the same period in 2011. This indicates demand for lumber within the US market should continue to increase.

Meanwhile, the dwelling approval rate in Australia continues to fall Totals approved in April 2012 were down 16.6% on April 2011 numbers. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the data looks even weaker, with total approvals down 8.7% on the previous month and 24.1% from a year ago.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

Timber & Forestry e-news is the most authoritative and quickest deliverer of news and special features to the forest and forest products industries in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.

Weekly distribution is over 6700 copies, delivered every Monday. Advertising rates are the most competitive of any industry magazine in the region.

Timber&Forestry e-news hits your target market – every week, every Monday!

HEAD OFFICE Custom Publishing Group Unit 2- 3986 Pacific Highway Loganholme 4129 Qld, Australia PUBLISHER Dennis Macready admin@industryenews.com.au CONSULTING EDITOR Jim Bowden Tel: +61 7 3266 1429 Mob: 0401 312 087 timberandforestnews@bigpond.com ADVERTISING Tel: +61 7 3266 1429 timberandforestnews@bigpond.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Kerri Michael kerri@mycustompublishing.com.au

Opinions expressed on Timber & Forestry e news are not necessarily the opinions of the editor, publisher or staff. We do not accept responsibility for any damage resulting from inaccuracies in editorial or advertising.

The Publisher is therefore indemnified against all actions, suits, claims or damages resulting from content on this e news. Content cannot be reproduced without the prior consent of the Publisher- Custom Publishing Group.

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 9

EVENTS

AWISA 2012 in Sydney source of information and inspiration

THE internationally acclaimed AWISA 2012 will spread over four halls at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre when it opens this month and will feature an extraordinary range of machinery, tooling and software for panel processing and solid wood processing.

The exhibition, which starts on July 11 and runs for four days, is a ‘must-see’ event for everyone in woodworking and associated industries and professions.

Visitors will include furniture manufacturers, cabinetmakers, kitchen manufacturers, joinery manufacturers, architects, interior designers, shop and office fitters and representatives of the wood, timber and panel

InSurAnce..

It’S All In the SelectIon

AWISA 2012 .. extraordinary range of machinery, tooling and software for panel processing and solid wood processing.

processing industries.

The show is not just about machinery, tooling and software

Selecting the right equipment to maximise your production output is similar to selecting the right people to maximise your insurance protection.

Austbrokers Premier has been working with the timber industry for over 25 years and we know what insurance best suits your industry and risks. Whether it’s a complicated business interruption loss or a burnt out frontend loader we work hard to get you the right outcome.

You can expect superior outcomes from Austbrokers Premier in the following key areas: • Focus on premium value and insurer security • Expert advice for Business Interruption • Premiums + claims + deductibles – self insurance option analysis • Committed claims management & settlement negotiations.

• On-going service and advice, not just at renewal time.

Call Alan Jones 0419 754 681 or Scott Hastings 0406 382 582 today.

Freecall 1800 803 180 ABN 95 010 576 324 AFSL 238123

Insuring it all stacks up.

Page 10 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

– the AWISA-Design area features hardware, components and decorative products for the cabinet, furniture, kitchen and fit-out industries.

Rick Lee, chairman of the Australian Woodworking Industry Suppliers Association, said: “It seems an eternity since the last AWISA exhibition in July 2008 and many have commented enthusiastically that its return is long overdue.

What makes AWISA such an anticipated event is that the exhibition is the only truly national event to bring our industry together as one.”

Mr Lee said the most important reason for attending trade shows such as AWISA was the chance to gather information and to stay in touch with important industry developments.

“There are many ways to improve our operations but we cannot take part in that process if we stay within the confines of our workshops and offices, ignorant of the advances around us,” he said “Day-to-day commitments of business make it difficult to remain aware of how and why our industry is changing.

Nevertheless, in the modern world of business, information

is paramount. To thrive we must be aware of the world around us, we must know what our competitors are doing and we must be knowledgeable about developments if we are to compete.

“AWISA is the largest woodworking exhibition in the southern hemisphere and as such is a great source of help, information and inspiration.”

Forestry Tasmania’s ‘lunchtime launch’ will be held at AWISA 2012 in the Exhibitor Lounge, Hall 3, on July 11, starting at 12.30pm.

Visitors will be have their technical questions answered

by Forestry Tasmanian staff in a session hosted by managing director Bob Gordon.

More details on AWISA 2012 are available at www.awisa. com where visitors can get information about admission procedures, pre-register, book travel and accommodation and find information about AWISA’s airport shuttle buses and the July 13 ‘Breakfast with Sam Kekovich’.

Show hours from July 11 to 13 are 9 am to 6 pm with the event opening at 9 am and closing at 4 pm on Saturday, July 14.

Demonstrations key component of AWISA 2012.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

DESIGNING IN WOOD

AC interior plywood features in all wall linings at the Perth Arena sports building.

Plywood supplied for Perth sports complex From Page 3

basketball and a maximum of 15,500 for concerts.

The venue has a retractable roof, 36 luxury appointed corporate suites, a 680 underground car bay, and five dedicated function spaces.

Perth Arena is owned by VenuesWest on behalf of the Western Australian government.

Gary Holmes said Austral Ply was now tendering for the supply of plywood into the $1.4 billion Queensland Children’s Hospital currently under construction in South Brisbane. Opening in late 2014, the complex will be the major specialist children’s hospital for the state, as well as providing

general health care to children in the local inner-Brisbane community.

The Austral Plywoods chain of custody, linked to the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS), was awarded through an independently audited process carried out by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

Manufacturing to Australian/ New Zealand standards, Austral maintains a process quality control system in compliance with the EWPAA-JAS-ANZ product certification scheme.

A-bond products are super E0, the lowest formaldehyde emission rating.

Perth Arena sports complex scheduled for mid-November opening.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 11

EVENTS

Opening barriers on timber-steel design as building codes change New trends at engineered wood conference

THE prescriptive nature of building codes and the different standards they set have long deterred the use of structural systems that employ timber elements in combination with non-combustible materials such as steel.

As a result, Canada can be said to have two distinct architectural traditions – one consisting of all-timber buildings has relied heavily on the flexibility of site construction; the other, consisting of non-timber buildings, has more readily incorporated advanced technology and prefabrication techniques.

But there are signs that the barriers are coming down.

Canadian architect Jim Taggart, who will be a keynote speaker at an engineered wood Until recently, building design in New Zealand mostly overlooked wood as anything beyond a decorative feature or a residential framing material conference in Christchurch this week, says the move to

An intriguing combination of high and low tech .. Vancouver’s Brentwood Town Centre Station.

performance-based codes has begun, and the wood industry has introduced new engineered wood products whose dimensional stability and predictable performance facilitate integration with other industrial materials.

The conference at the University of Canterbury from July 2 to 4 has been organised by the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and is titled Engineering Value: Growing and Harvesting Forests for Novel Wood Structures.

Jim Taggart .. innovative wood and steel structures.

See the latest technology for your future AWISA PANEL

AWISA DESIGN

Until recently, building design in New Zealand mostly overlooked wood as anything beyond a decorative feature or a residential framing material.

However, developments in engineered wood products are changing this view, with a generation of building designs moving away from the concept of ‘controlled failure’ to ‘damage avoidance’ during a devastating event.

Overseas, multi-storey engineered wood buildings are on the rise, while in New Zealand three companies are leading the way in engineered wood products, competing with concrete and steel in multi-storey, long-span and insulated, pre-fabricated building design.

The conference will highlight the latest developments in engineered wood products, and what future requirements of the wood processing industry may be.

Jim Taggart teaches history and theory in the architectural science degree programme at the British Columbia Institute

Cont Page 13

11-14 July 2012 SYDNEY EXHIBITION CENTRE DARLING HARBOUR SYDNEY

AWISA SOLID WOOD

The trade show for the cabinet, joinery, furniture, timber and panel industries.

Register at www.awisa.com

ORGANISED BY THE AUSTRALIAN WOODWORKING INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED. T: 02 9918 3661 E: info@awisa.com

Page 12 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

EVENTS

EWPs driving solutions through the value chain from harvest to product

From Page 12

of Technology and is the editor of Sustainable Architecture and Building magazine. He has delivered more than 80 professional development seminars on behalf of the Canadian Wood Council in North America.

Since 1992 his focus has been public and professional education and communications in the areas of architecture, urban design and sustainable development. His most notable area of specialty is the role of wood in contemporary architecture, and he has written many technical case studies and general articles on the subject for national and international publications.

Mr Taggart has worked closely with five of the 13 Skytrain stations on Vancouver’s Millennium Line where innovative wood and steel structures are examples of a growing trend.

‘In an increasingly competitive international market it is important to take the next step and increase innovation within timber related industries’ – Phil Taylor “While architects may provide the initial impetus, it is ultimately specialist building code consultants who make it possible to use wood in applications where it is not permitted by current codes,” Mr Taggart says.

As an example, construction of the Brentwood Town Centre Station located on an elevated portion of the Millennium Line is an intriguing combination of high and low tech.

Set 9 m above the median of a busy highway and visible from all sides, the station’s striking

void. Again the complementary properties of steel and wood dictate the architectural language.

The New Zealand Institute of Forestry was founded in 1927 to provide a forum in all aspects of forestry including forest management, utilisation, processing, research, education and consulting.

Hastings, NZ, company Kanuka Engineered Wood Products played a major part in the Canterbury rebuild, with the University of Canterbury opting for engineered timber for its new students association events centre. The 60m x 20m multi-purpose building uses laminated wood. All components were manufactured at Kanuka Engineered Wood Products and prefabricated at Timbercore’s premises in Christchurch.

double curved form hovers overhead like a spaceship.

The double curved form could not be defined mathematically, so it had to be designed using three-dimensional Microstation software.

This proved cost-effective because architects, engineers and contractors used the same 3D model for design, shop drawing and layout purposes.

The model also permitted many design options to be compared at an early stage in the project, and optimal solutions were found.

Although the glazing follows a double curve, the model made it possible to design a swivelling supporting clip that permitted 70% of the glazed area to be covered with a flat panel of standard size.

Above the glazing, however, the technology jumps back in time by a century or more, the glass giving way to a heavy timber roof built in the traditional way – using 38 x 89 mm lumber laid on edge and spiked together. The precision of the computer and the time-honoured pragmatism

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

of site carpentry have proven an effective combination, and Brentwood is arguably the most striking station on the Millennium Line.

The main structural elements supporting the outer shell are a series of curved composite ribs set at 5 m centres, the lower (wall) section consisting of steel, and the upper (roof) portion of glue-laminated timber. The timber portion is made up of 12 x 89 mm laminations, thin enough to achieve the required 3.8 m inside radius.

These glulam ribs were all made using the same jig and have the same curvature on the lower face. The tapering profile of the roof in both plan and section is generated by cutting the ribs incrementally to nine different lengths, the longest in the centre of the platform, the shortest at the ends.

The ribs of the two canopies are connected by way of a structural gutter to steel crossbracing and V-shaped steel struts that create a system of moment frames and transfer lateral loads across the central

“In an increasingly competitive international market place it is important to take the next step and increase innovation within timber related industries,” the chairman of the NZIF conference organising committee Phil Taylor said.

Engineering solutions can drive improvements through the value chain from growing, harvesting, and use of timber products

“Engineering solutions can drive improvements through the value chain from growing, harvesting, and use of timber products.”

Mr Taylor said the sector faced predicted growth in harvest volumes, rising demand for structural logs, increasingly steep harvesting terrain, and growing national and international interest in wood buildings.

Against this context, the conference would discuss how engineering solutions can add value and improve performance within New Zealand’s plantation forest, wood processing and building sectors.

Conference inquiries can be directed to EventMergers on +64 9 428 4783 or email Marie Brierly at marie@eventmergers. co.nz

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 13

NEXT NEXT NEXT BIG BIG BIG STEP STEP STEP

NEW NEW ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES NEW ADVANTAGES WITH WITH KOMATSU WITH KOMATSU KOMATSU

Komatsu 'FoREst XtREmE' FELLER BuNCHERs & HaRVEstERs Introducing Introducing

Komatsu Komatsu

Komatsu Forest offers the PC300LC-8 and PC400LC-8 as purpose built forest machines (FX) with specifications to match the toughest jobs.

Forest Xtreme features: • ROPS/FOPS/OPS Cabin • Full heavy duty Gull Wing canopy • Heavy duty under body guarding

• Harvest or Feller Buncher boom sets • Single or double bar track grousers • Integrated 1200 litre fuel tank • Engine option; 260hp or 362hp

The Forest Xtreme machines illustrates Komatsu forest’s dedication to provide the best solution for the logging contractor.

Page 14 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

www.komatsuforest.com.au www.komatsuforest.com.au www.komatsuforest.com.au

Introducing

Komatsu

Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 15C Hyland Cres Rotorua, New Zealand Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. Dean O’Connor M: +64 of 277 718 254 11/4 Avenue Americas E: dean.oconnor@komatsuforest.com Newington NSW 2127 Australia John Kosar M: +64 2274 8653600 844 T: +61 9647 E: john.kosar@komatsuforest.com E: info.au@komatsuforest.com

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

CLT: plywood on steroids

Ten storeys another good story for wood

THE recent announcement

by Lend Lease that they are constructing a 10-storey timber building in Melbourne is great news.

The timber industry hasn’t exactly been cooking with gas lately – with the home building industry in the slow lane and domestic wood processors doing it tough – so news of the Melbourne building is a real tonic.

CLT or cross-laminated lumber has been around in Europe for a little while now and is helping change the face of both residential and commercial construction in the northern hemisphere.

Houses and building go up a fraction of time – like a few days compared with traditional building methods that take months or even years.

The technology is a demonstration that engineered wood products – in this case plywood on steroids (sort of the Ben Johnson of the timber industry) – have really come of age.

Such buildings and the use of timber are a practical demonstration of the longterm carbon storage and reduced carbon footprint ability of wooden building projects

Multi-storey CLT-based building successes in the UK, Europe and the US have been well publicised. So it’s excellent news that Lend Lease has committed to the construction of “Australia’s first and the world’s tallest timber apartment tower” in Bourke Street, Melbourne.

Yes – it’s great news for all right-thinking aficionados of carbon-storing timber construction. Lend Lease says

CLT .. changing the face of construction.

its 10-storey Forté building will use prefabricated CLT for part of the project, delivering carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reductions of more than 1400 tonnes compared to concrete and steel.

Plus of course such buildings and the use of timber are a practical demonstration of the long-term carbon storage and reduced carbon footprint ability of wooden building projects.

Such projects – and may there be more of them – reinforce the positive messages about forestry and timber in Forest and Wood Products Australia’s Wood Naturally Better campaign.

But there is some downside that we could and should do something about. I was talking to a couple of architects mates of mine – contrary to a couple of recent emails, I am not all hard hats and forwarders – and they say there is an urgent job for the timber industry – getting local government authorities and building code writers across new building technologies such as CLT. “You try talking to a building inspector about building a house using CLT and see what sort of reaction you get”.

So some important work to do there!

Thanks really to progressive

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

Deep in the Woods with ..

Cheryle Forrester European timber technology innovation, we are now seeing effort going into manufacturing and promoting CLT and related construction technology here in Australia as well as in Europe and the US. It’s a pity some of this effort wasn’t home-grown.

Talk is that there is also a proposal for a major block of CLT-based apartments in Sydney, offering 6-8 storey residential units. Also some Melbourne-based builders are known to be keen to get into

residential home building using CLT. They point out the likely savings in labour and reduced costs compared with traditional house construction methods.

However, they flag the need for the timber industry to first get building approval bodies and fire agencies comfortable with the merits and performance of the product. Again, this is an important and urgent task for timber industry research, technical and standard setting groups.

Another really positive step in the right direction for the industry arising from what I think is a refreshing and forward-looking relationship between Forest and Wood Products Australia and Planet Ark was the Sydney symposium on certification – Certification, growing demand and increasing confidence.

This get-together saw industry players from across the supply change and green groups, including Greenpeace, WWF and Markets for Change sitting down together for a day to consider the impediments and strategies for promoting certification of timber products.

From all accounts, it was a very positive day – so well done Ric Sinclair and the very competent Planet Ark staff.

The task ahead is for the timber industry to first get building approval bodies and fire agencies comfortable with the merits and performance of the product Wouldn’t mind hearing what you think. Email me at timberandforestryenews@ bigpond.com Talk to you next time.

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 15

FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

Komatsu’s new engine cuts fuel costs and helps the environment

KOMATU Forest’s new E3power engine concept is good news for contractors’ finances as well as the environment – and it’s considerably more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

Swedish contractor Roland Nilsson has worked in the forest for about 40 years. Since he took delivery of a Komatsu 931.1 harvester with its SCRbased E3-power engine, he has experienced very favourable savings in fuel consumption.

“We conducted a thorough review of the operations reports after 800 hours, and the favourable outcome has been maintained since then,” Mr Nilsson said.

“On average, we’ve reduced our fuel consumption by 2-3 litres an hour. And with continually increasing diesel prices, fuel costs are an increasingly important piece of the puzzle.”

Komatsu says all forest machine manufacturers need to consider the continually increasing operating costs for fuel and the increasingly strict legislation governing particulate matter and nitrogen oxide engine emissions. This requires refined engine and emission control technology.

The environmental requirements of emission legislation in the EU and the US have led to the development of two different types of emission control technologies: CEGR and SCR. The choice between the traditional EGR/CEGR technology and the refined SCR technology currently divides the forest machine industry into two camps, with all machine manufacturers except John

system.

The major advantage of SCR is that the technology is based on maximum combustion of oxygen and diesel in the combustion chamber. This ensures optimal utilisation of the engine and the fuel, which is not the case with the alternative system, CEGR, which injects the exhaust gases into the combustion chamber a second time, resulting in less effective combustion.

Komatsu Forests E3-power concept .. giving optimal utilisation of fuel.

Deere and Rottne having chosen the SCR technology where emission control takes place after and outside the engine’s combustion process.

All forest machine manufacturers need to consider the continually increasing operating costs for fuel and the increasingly strict legislation governing particulate matter and nitrogen oxide engine emissions

“Today, all experts agree that SCR, Selective Catalytic Reduction is the only technology that is actually capable of fulfilling the final emission requirements that will come into effect in 20142015,” explains Ola Boström, technology manager at Komatsu Forest.

“This is due mostly to NOx reduction, where SCR is undoubtedly the more effective solution. This has, for example, made most truck manufacturers change plans and switch to SCR.” The emission control technology in Komatsu Forest’s new forest machines is SCR-based. It enables the construction of highly efficient engines able to deliver high performance, high torque and low fuel consumption.

Komatsu Forest’s new E3power engine generation is also characterised by optimisation based on maximum fuel combustion for the best possible efficiency. Essentially, the SCR technique achieves a reduction in nitrogen emissions by installing a catalytic converter after the engine in the exhaust system and adding a special liquid –DEF or diesel exhaust fluid – to the exhaust

This section is supported by the Australian Forest Contractors Association Page 16 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

The new engine concept is called E3-power, with the three Es standing for environmental, economical and efficient – thee prerequisites for an engine that is good for the environment and its owner.

E3-power fulfils strict emission requirements and reduces fuel consumption while delivering higher engine performance.

SCR is an emission control technology with which particulates are reduced during combustion while NOx is reduced afterwards outside of the combustion process.

This optimises the combustion process, guaranteeing both maximum engine performance and lower fuel consumption.

What’s more, the engine is less sensitive to lower quality diesel.

NOx reduction takes place after combustion through the use of a urea solution (DEF) and a catalytic converter.

In an electronically controlled process, the DEF is injected into the exhaust system just before the catalytic converter.

When the mixture of exhaust gases and DEF passes through the catalytic converter the nitrogen oxides are converted into harmless nitrogen and water vapour.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

New felling head improves durability and performance

CATERPILLAR Forest Products has introduced the new Cat HF201B felling head with enhancements to improve performance and durability.

Available with 40 deg. partial or full 330 deg. tilt, the HF201B has a cutting capacity 572 mm and is ideally matched with Cat track feller bunchers.

“We redesigned the structure from top to bottom and went through four prototype iterations with field and strain gauge testing,” says Keith Hicks, product performance engineer.

“By redistributing the weight where it needs to be in the high stress areas, we were able to reduce the overall weight by 408 kg. The weight reduction and other structural improvements will extend the life of the head and the carrier and reduce operator fatigue.”

The head is more robust as a result of a stronger dual box section frame design, improved arm box structures, stronger pin retention and more use of abrasion resistant material on the saw base.

Hydraulic plumbing was simplified with a 42% reduction in the number of hoses and a 52% reduction in connection points. Hose maintenance is easier and the opportunity for leaks is decreased.

The grab and accumulator arms were redesigned with single cylinders, reducing hydraulic flow demand on the carrier by about 40%. The arms now have both base and rod end cylinder snubbers.

“When the arms are opening or closing, the hydraulic oil is dampened at the end of the stroke, cushioning the impact,” Mr Hicks said. “Also, the new shape and reduced weight of the grab arm reduces the arm’s mass momentum 46%t, which

We’re right behind you in the field Combining remote locations, harsh operating environments and heavy vehicles and equipment, the forestry and timber industries face significant fire risks.

The new Cat HF201B felling head ..improving tree handling and bundling.

also adds to durability.”

Tree handling and bundling are improved. The HF201B can hold 7-8 stems 152 mm in diameter as compared to 4-6 stems with the previous model.

The new designs for the grab and accumulator arms and the top tree yoke improve tree control.

Changes in the saw base also contribute to the head’s performance. A 12% larger throat opening makes it easier to position a tree and improves handling trees with butt swell.

Tapered saw housing improves discharge, reduces abrasive wear and snow build-up. A more open saw base bottom reduces debris build-up and saw stalling. Improvements to the partial tilt design head include upgrades to the base frame and tilt components, providing more consistent torque output and increased life.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

With Wormald, you have an organisation that is always right behind you when you need us most. We’ve helped prevent and protect against fires for over 120 years.

Wormald has the fire protection solutions for heavy vehicles that range from fire detection and suppression systems, to portable fire equipment, personal protection gear and staff training; our end-to-end tailored solutions help protect major forestry operations throughout Australia and the Pacific region.

So, you can get on with the job, confident that your people, resources and machinery are supported by one of the world’s fire safety leaders. That’s peace of mind.

Trust the forestry fire safety experts.

In Australia: Call 1300 556 015. email wormald.ads@tycoint.com or visit wormald.com.au/vehicles In New Zealand: Call 0800 496 762, email wormaldnz.ads@tycoint. com or visit wormald.co.nz/vehicles

Pictured: Cylinders and Extinguishers

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 17

Canada seeks new use for wood fibre

E-readers, tablets cutting into paper profits

REPORTS about the future of the Canadian paper products industry will remain gloomy until a viable new application for wood fibre is found, according to industry analysts.

The Conference Board of Canada says the soaring popularity of e-readers and tablet computers has cut into book sales and cut into profits in the beleaguered paper products industry.

A shift in consumer preferences toward electronic information sources has gone beyond print media and is now taking its toll on demand for paper to produce books, reports the board.

Over the past 10 or more years the Canadian industry has struggled to redefine itself by trying to access new international markets and searching for new uses for wood fibre

has struggled to redefine itself by trying to access new international markets and searching for new uses for wood fibre.

Michael Burt said there was some success with development of a dissolving wood pulp to be used in the production of rayon thread, for example.

However, the conference board said industry production and revenues fell in 2011 and that trend is expected to accelerate in 2012 and into the future.

A closed chapter .. e-readers and tablet computers have cut into book sales and cut profits in the paper products industry.

“The industry is likely to remain under pressure until some different ways of getting money out of the raw product are developed,” board analyst

Michael Burt said.

The advent of digital reading devices, combined with ongoing global economic turmoil, presents a weak outlook for the paper products industry over the next few years, says Mr Burt.

“The prevalence of e-readers and tablet computers has achieved a critical mass, indicating books are set

to follow the same path as newspapers over the past decade,” he said.

The tentative status of the paper products industry was brutally demonstrated in Nova Scotia in mid-June when Resolute Forest Products mothballed its mill in Brooklyn, putting about 320 mill employees out of work.

Over the past 10 or more years the Canadian industry

A GROUP of Oregon, US, loggers and conservationists got a firsthand look at a federal forest where timber is harvested without legal battles, and the environment is thriving, too.

They toured sites in the Siuslaw National Forest, where what is now known as ‘restorative’ forest management began as an experiment 20 years ago.

Jim Furnish, who led the field

trip, was the Siuslaw Forest supervisor at the time. He says there were plenty of sceptics when they started selectively thinning areas that had been clear-cut and replanted, with a goal of producing old-growth trees for the future, as well as a reliable timber harvest.

“Now, we have an enduring, sustainable, resolute model that generates a lot of timber;

it generates a lot of revenue. It generates good fish and wildlife habitat. I would argue it’s a great example of restoration forestry.”

Mr Furnish went on to become a deputy chief of the US Forest Service, and has since retired. He points out that the Siuslaw is still managed for restoration, and hasn’t had its timber harvests challenged by

“Declining North American demand for paper products continues to be a fundamental weakness for the industry,” said the conference board in its spring 2012 outlook for the industry.

The board said prices had fallen for three consecutive years.

“New markets in Asia provide some opportunities for growth, but pulp and paper demand in China is slipping due to global economic uncertainty,” the board said.

A timber harvest without a legal battle?

Page 18 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

conservation groups in more than a decade.

A new report on restoration thinning in the northwest forest plan area estimates there’s enough timber thinning and restoration work to be done in western Oregon forests to keep crews busy for 20 years, without the controversy that comes from logging older trees.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Vancouver exporter plans to erect largest single-line sawmill on coast

A VANCOUVER based manufacturer and exporter of wood products to Australia has an ambitious plan to operate the largest single line sawmill on the coast of British Columbia.

Western Forest Products Inc. plans to invest millions of dollars to upgrade the infrastructure at its facility on Vancouver Island.

“One of the greatest challenges, aside from being on time, on budget and building something that works, is to continue operating the mill while rebuilding it,” says Iain Donaldson, the company’s manager of strategic planning and manufacturing.

“The mill has some key order files and key customers that we need to continue to serve during this period and there is not another facility in the company that can take on this business.”

One of the greatest challenges, aside from being on time, on budget and building something that works, is to continue operating the mill while rebuilding it Western Forest Products plans to invest $200 million.

According to Mr Donaldson, the program includes investing $125 million in strategic capital and another $75 million in maintenance capital.

“Two thirds of the strategic capital is focused on business repositioning, while the remaining one-third is earmarked for cost reduction projects,” Mr Donaldson said.

“It is anticipated that our strategic capital will generate a minimum 20% return and will be funded by free cash flow from operations.”

The first step of this capital investment strategy is the $16 million upgrade of the Saltair

as well as a new stacker and strapper.

The project includes a new stacker, sorter rebuild and extension, a new trimline and two new board edgers. It will take about a year to complete.

The Saltair mill currently produces about 160 million board feet a year, by turning coastal mid-size logs into high value specialised products in hemlock, Douglas fir and western red cedar.

Western Forest Products Inc. plans to invest millions of dollars to upgrade the infrastructure at its facility on Vancouver Island.

Sawmill in Ladysmith, BC. The upgrade to the sawmill’s edgers, stacker and sorter will increase production by 15% and decrease the per unit cost of production.

“Some of the new equipment, like the trim line, will be built in place alongside the existing trim line to be tied in during a two week shut down,” Mr Donaldson said.

“Purchased equipment will be brought on site and staged for installation. Other components

will be built on site, either in place or in a place where they can be readily installed.”

Mr Donaldson said all the equipment contracts for the project have been tendered and awarded.

Construction contracts are currently under development and are scheduled to begin in July or August.

Construction will start with work on the sorter building, which needs to be extended to accommodate a longer sorter,

In the current mill, logs are fed through a Reducer Quad (RQ) saw, which produces boards (25-50.8 mm thick) or cants (up to 305 mm thick).

The boards are then directed to the board edgers and the cants to a canter and then a gang edger. Rough boards then go to the sorter.

The mill employs about 140 people and ships product to Australia, Japan, China, North America and Europe.

Under the new process, logs will continue to go through the RQ saw, which will be replaced or rebuilt with upgraded scanning and technology.

The upgraded saw will produce boards that are up to 127 mm thick, which will go to the new board edgers where they will be made into Japan squares and other products the current edgers are not capable of making.

Once the upgrade is completed in the second quarter of 2013, the mill will process more than 200 million board feet a year.

Western Forest Products Inc. plans to upgrade the infrastructure at its facility on Vancouver Island.

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

Donaldson said this capital project will make Saltair the largest single-line sawmill on the coast of British Columbia. The last major capital investment at the Saltair Sawmill took place in the mid-1990s.

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 19

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Colorado forest wildfires: time to consider fire-adapted ecosystems

PLUMES of smoke from wildfires have been filling the northern Colorado sky since mid-May, when the Hewlett Gulch fire sparked from a camp stove and burned more than 3075 ha.

No sooner had the smoke settled when lightning ignited another fire at the top of Rist Canyon on June 9. Already the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history in terms of homes lost, the High Park fire is also poised to become one of the largest in the state’s history.

Since 2000, wildfires have almost become an annual reminder for those of us in the West that many of our forested landscapes are simply meant to burn — what scientists refer to as fire-adapted ecosystems.

But are the fires we’ve seen in recent years indicators of declining forest health? Is there more that can be done so forests don’t burn with such ferocity?

If public and private funds are going to be expended on these forests, wouldn’t it make sense to use them for preventative measures that create healthy forests rather than waiting for disaster to strike?

As most Westerners know, fires and insect outbreaks are a natural part of how forests renew and regenerate.

Even large wildfires like the 1988 Yellowstone fire serve a valuable ecological role in renewing an ecosystem and perpetuating those attributes that make a forest a forest.

Big fires aren’t necessarily a sign that our forests’ health is declining wholesale.

But Colorado’s Front Range isn’t Yellowstone in terms of

A helicopter flies through Colarado’s Poudre Canyon as flames scorch forest south of the Cache la Poudre River. – The Denver Post.

ecology or the human footprint.

Yellowstone, like much of Colorado’s high country, is dominated by lodgepole pine forests. Lodgepole is a species that is born, grows, and dies in large numbers of the same age.

Lodgepole forests can persist for a century or more, growing in dense conditions without any kind of natural disturbance; they thrive in cooler environments and tend to hold moisture even through the summer, making fires a low-probability event. But when disturbance comes, it tends to be driven by extreme drought, and the results are large and dramatic — like the Yellowstone fires or the mountain pine beetle infestation.

By contrast, a large part of the Front Range forests is dominated by Ponderosa pine, occupying an elevation range between about 1675 m and 2590 m. This range also happens to contain countless homes, businesses, schools, gas tanks, power lines, and water supplies.

Prior to Euro-American settlement, fires historically burned through Ponderosa

By TONY CHENG Director, Forest Restoration Institute Colorado State University pine stands every 10 to 30 years. These fires tended to clear out grass, brush and small trees, leaving clumps of mature trees interspersed with meadows. Since the arrival of Euro-American settlers in the 1850s, the character of these Ponderosa pine forests has changed, with widespread tree-cutting for mining and homebuilding, livestock grazing, firesuppression practices, and land development. Instead of frequent low-intensity surface fires, for much of the 20th century, these forests saw a distinct lack of fire.

As a result, Ponderosa pine forests have become denser across very large areas of the Front Range, filling in those small meadows to create near uniform tree cover. When the regional climate turns warm and dry, like it did in Colorado

this winter and spring, it sets the stage for a fire to easily start and spread.

But the fires can’t be held back forever. If you take a look at interactive timeline of major wildfires in Colorado, nearly every one of them burned between 1675 m and 2590 m in elevation. And the frequency of fires in the Ponderosa pine zone sharply increased since 2000, with a major fire occurring almost every two years.

Instead of the low-intensity surface fires that were common pre-settlement, we often see fires burning into the crowns of mature trees across very large areas.

Efforts are now under way to actively restore areas of Ponderosa pine forests in the Front Range so that when they do burn, they burn with those low-intensity surface fires that the forests were adapted to historically.

At the end of the day, even ecologically ‘normal’ lowintensity fires in Front Range Ponderosa pine can result in highly severe human impacts.

Just as forest restoration seeks to develop fire-adapted ecosystems, there is a need to develop ‘fire-adapted communities’. A good starting point is by creating defensible space. Equally important are communication systems that allow for quick, coordinated response in the event of a fire.

Economically, the costs of actively restoring our Front Range Ponderosa pine forests and creating fire-adapted communities are probably on par with the true costs of a large wildfire. A case study of the Hayman Fire found that, when all the costs are added up, the fire’s total bill is around $207 million and counting for the 55,845-ha burn.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Items provided in this section of Timber & Forestry E news are drawn from a number of sources. The source of the item is quoted, either by publication or organizations in line with the practice of fair reporting.

Page 20 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

Knowledge Tree Series

Introduc tion to Green Star® and FSC Project Certific ation Are you in the construction, timber supply, development or contracting industry? Do you want to understand FSC and how to gain competitive advantage? Have you been asked to work on a Green Star® job and supply FSC Certified Products? Then come along to our free information breakfast specifically targeted to you to help you grow your FSC Knowledge Tree.

Topics GBCA CPD points for - What is FSC & why is it important? attendance apply - Green Star® and the timber credit - Steps involved in Chain of Custody Certification - FSC Chain of Custody for Project Certification Speakers: Natalie Reynolds - Acting CEO FSC Australia Nick Capobianco – Senior Lead Auditor, Scientific Certification Systems Joshua Bruce – Sustainability Manager, ISIS When:

June 19th , 8–9.30am (Speakers will be available for Q&A, informal discussions and networking until 10.30am) RSVP must be in by 8th June to assure a place

Where:

Level 2, 263 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA 6000

RSVP:

RSVP is essential for catering purposes at http://www.trybooking.com/BISB. This event is fully supported by TABMA and therefore is presented at no cost.

Donations to support future Knowledge Tree Series are encouraged and are tax deductible.

Presented with the generous support of TABMA

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 228 | 02.07.12 | Page 21

Nominations Excellence :: Recognition :: Celebration The Queensland Timber Industry Awards are an important means of highlighting excellence in our industry and rewarding organisations who are leading the way in terms of service, innovation and commitment to improving both their business and the industry as a whole. The gala evening when these awards are presented is the only event of its kind; it provides a platform to celebrate our industry, our state and recognise our top performers.

This evening is set for Saturday 3 November 2012 at Victoria Park Function Centre, Brisbane.

To maintain the credibility of these awards and therefore the prestige and honour they represent for finalists and winners, the judging criteria for 2012 have been adjusted to reflect recent ideals and trends as well as give greater weight to operational areas of importance. The criteria for each category is available to view on the website, www.tabma.com.au - Queensland - Information Sheets - 2012 QTI Awards Criteria.

Award Categories 2012 

Best Specialist Timber Merchant



Best Frame & Truss Operation (Metro)



Best Building Materials Centre (Metro)



Best Frame & Truss Operation (Regional)



Best Building Materials Centre (Regional)



Best Timber Manufacturing Operation



Best Timber Wholesale Operation



Best Sawmilling Operation



Best Specialist Service Operation



Trainee of the Year



Best Training Culture



Apprentice of the Year



Best Wholesale Sales Representative



Recognising Women In Forest & Timber

If you wish to nominate please visit www.tabma.com.au - Queensland - News and Events - 2012 QLD Timber Industry Awards Nomination Form and complete an entry for each nomination. All nominations will be kept confidential and only be seen by TABMA Queensland management and judges. Nominations close 15 June 2012.

Introducing the Sponsor’s...

Sponsorship packages are still available.

Page 22 | issue 228 | 02.07.12

Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

Timber & Forestry e news is published

by Custom Publishing Group.

Timber & Forestry e news is a full colour e magazine emailed every Monday to Decision Makers within the Australian and New Zealand Timber and Forestry sectors.

Advertising is booked with a minimum 4 week booking with discounts for 12, 24 and 48 week bookings.

RATES

12 week- 7.5% Discount 24 week- 10% Discount 48 week- 15% Discount Classified ads can be booked in a per issue basis.

All advertisements link to customer websites or email address with an option for rich text (flash).

BENEFITS:

DIRECT PENETRATION via email.

WEEKLY opposed to monthly alternatives.

NEWS that is up to date that will ensure readership.

COST EFFECTIVE advertising rates.

S

Display Ads

Display Ads Minimum 4 issue booking

Rate per Issue + GST $380 $210 $210 $165 $138 $83 $203 $90

Full Page Bleed Half Page Vertical Half Page Horizontal Third Page Horizontal Quarter Page Vertical Eighth Page Front Page Third Horizonal Front Page Masthead

Size Specifications Height x Width 303mm x 216mm 254mm x 93mm 125mm x 190mm 73mm x 190mm 125mm x 93mm 60mm x 93mm 73mm x 190mm 33mm x 45mm

Classifieds

Classified Ads per week

Half Page Vertical Quarter Page Vertical Eighth Page Horizontal Full Page Bleed

$182 $120 $72 $330

220mm x 93mm 107mm x 93mm 51mm x 93mm 303mm x 216m

Extras: Video Available Video next to front cover $200 per issue. Within the magazine $165 per issue.

Artwork Specifications: Please supply all artwork as High Resolution (300dpi) Pdf’s or jpegs.

Send artwork to kerri@mycustompublishing.com.au

DISPLAY DEADLINES Booking – Noon Wednesday for Monday edition. Material – Noon Thursday CLASSIFIED DEADLINES Bookings & Material – Noon Friday Terms: Account Clients- 14 days New Accounts: Payment on Booking All Classifieds- Payment on booking (Credit card preferred)

All prices quoted plus GST and based on Art being supplied.

We can create artwork if required – Eighth/Quarter $44 Half $66 which will be billed if complete art is not supplied to our specifications.

Video: Maximum 3 meg swf file.

Due to the regularity of timber & forestry e news and the tight deadlines no customer proofs can be sent.

Advertising Sales

Banner Ads &

Classified Ad Custom Group Advertising: Tel +61 3266 1429 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au cancon@bigpond.net.au Advertising: TelPublishing +61 77 3266 Email:

T: (07) 3266 1429

Sales

e: cancon@bigpond.net.au

e: brett@mycustompublishing.com.au

Production T: 0439 417 671 ISSUE 203 || 02.07.12 12.12.11 || Page PAGE 23 15 issue 228 e: kerri@mycustompublishing.com.au

www.industrye-news.com