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issuE 64 | 08.04.13 | PAgE 1
Growers vote ‘yes’ on NZ forests levy
This issuE • 2 million cub m of wood on offer .. go for it! • WoodSolution’s matchmaking website
Funding basis for research to achieve higher yields and better quality timber
Levy mission .. improving genetics and growing healthier trees.
Cont Page 4
Jolly Medal recognises work of forest scientist • Timber imports: making it legal in China • Structural plywood comes out of the shadows • Report confirms rigour of certification schemes
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Some final postal votes are still being counted and some ambiguous votes are to be clarified, but these will not affect the outcome of the poll. The final vote count will be released once it has been considered by the trust board, which met last Friday. The president of the NZ Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) Ian Jackson said although voting was over, and it would seem there was overwhelming support for the levy, this was just the first stage. “Now we need to convince the minister that there was enough
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FOREST growers in New Zealand have delivered a clear ‘yes’ vote in favour of a compulsory commodity levy on logs and other forest products. The Forest Voice referendum, which closed on March 29, recorded overwhelming support for the levy which will be used to fund activities that benefit all forest owners. “The interim results show there is substantial support from forest owners, both by area of forest and numbers voting, for the proposed work program and the levy that will fund it,” Forest Growers Levy Trust chairman Geoff Thompson said.
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issuE 264 | 08.04.13 | PAgE 1
INDUSTRY NEWS
Search for quality buyers of HQP’s plantation timber
2 million cub m of logs on offer By JIM BOWDEN
QUEENSLAND’S largest plantation company HQPlantations is seeking expressions of interest to secure log supply contracts from parties interested in investing in and operating efficient wood processing facilities in the state’s southeast. “The offer represents a rare opportunity to be involved in a sustainable plantation based forest industry in utilising high quality southern pine and Araucaria timber resources,” chief executive Brian Farmer said. He said the supply offer was part of ‘Operation Epoch’, a project initiated in late December designed to market all of the available log supply beyond 2015-16. HQP has been working with domestic processors and in international markets to potentially indentify proponents to come forward and purchase its logs. “The key goals for us are to sell all of the wood domestically; add value to the resource; and create jobs through increasing sales of resource to our available level of harvest,” Mr. Farmer said “At the moment, we are not cutting at our full capacity because of some mill closures. We could be creating more jobs now if we had more domestic processing capacity.” The project emphasises the recognition of the company’s resource through AFS and FSC chain of custody options. “We obviously want stability within the regional communities through allocation of resource to quality existing and new customers.” Mr Farmer said the term ‘quality’
Page 2 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
Brian Farmer .. creating stability within regional communities.
referred to companies that had good, competitive processing facilities within their mills so their cost of production was equal to the best in the world. “We’re not talking about scale here, about a million-tonne mill, but how the timber is processed at a unit cost of production that allows industry to compete well against imports or compete successfully on the export market,” he said. • See notice, Page 8
HQPlantations has an availability of 2 million cub m of wood annually. About 1.5-1.6 million cub m is southern pine, the balance Araucaria (hoop pine). “With the Araucarias, we have up to 100,000 cub m per annum of pruned appearance grade logs,” Mr Farmer said. HQ Plantations has gone to the broader market and has talked with domestic markets on how it may participate in the opportunity. “Queensland is a great place to invest – and we have and will continue to do so,” Mr Farmer Cont Page 11
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Eminent forest scientist takes IFA’s most prestigious award
Jolly Medal presented to Dr Sadanandan Nambiar RESPECTED forest scientist Dr Sadanandan Nambiar was today (Monday) awarded the Institute of Foresters of Australia’s highest and most prestigious honour – the Norman W. Jolly Medal. The award was announced by IFA president Rob de Fégely at the institute’s national conference, being held in Canberra. A former CSIRO scientist and Canberra resident, Dr Nambiar was doubly honoured when he was invited to present the Maxwell Ralph Jacobs Memorial Oration to more than 170 conference delegates. Dr Nambiar is an eminent forest scientist internationally recognised as a leader in research on sustainable productivity and management of forests. His multi-disciplinary approach to this complex science and committed advocacy to sustainability has had a profound impact upon efficient, science-based plantation management in Australia and overseas. Through his work, Dr Nambiar promotes the sustainable management of Australian forests as a balancing act that needs long term goals, and attention paid to soil and water health, biodiversity and landscape values. Internationally, Dr Nambiar has been a tireless advocate of the potential of man-made forests, agro-forests and woodlands as land use systems that can foster both economic prosperity and environmental benefits for society. Dr Nambiar is widely recognised as a science leader and a generous mentor by colleagues in Australia and internationally. He remains an active honorary
Jacobs Memorial Oration is titled “Forestry dialogues: where has the wood gone?” In his oration, Dr Nambiar argues that sustainable management of native forests and planted forests and much greater use of wood for multiple purposes provide a way out of poverty for rural people in developing countries.
Dr Sadanandan Nambiar .. highest recognition at Canberra conference.
fellow in CSIRO Ecosystems Sciences in Canberra, spending significant time supporting forestry in developing countries championing sustainable forestry to promote rural development and poverty alleviation. Dr Nambiar has previously received a number of prestigious awards – in the USA, from the Commonwealth Forestry Association (CFA) and from the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) which recognised Dr Nambiar as a “pre-eminent Australian forest scientist of contemporary times”. He was also recently awarded a medal by the government of Vietnam for his service to the country’s forestry and rural development. He is a prolific writer and his findings are contained in more than 100 publications,
reports, books, proceedings, monographs and numerous keynote addresses. “It is entirely fitting that a Canberran be awarded the honour of presenting the Maxwell Ralph Jacobs Memorial Oration at the national IFA conference in the year that we are celebrating the Centenary of Canberra,” Rob de Fégely said. The late Dr Maxwell Ralph Jacobs, also a long-term Canberran, was one of Australia’s most distinguished foresters. At the time of his retirement in 1970 he was the director- general of the Forestry and Timber Bureau having worked in the public service for 44 years. He died in Canberra in 1979. This organisation later became CSIRO Forestry Research where Dr Nambiar started his long term work. Dr Nambiar’s Maxwell Ralph
‘Australia has a major responsibility and opportunity to harvest and use more wood from our forests for building rural economies, reduce imports and make a meaningful contribution to climate change mitigation’ – Dr Sadanandan Nambiar
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He also argues that Australia as both a forest rich (in per capita terms) and the highest per capita CO 2 emitting nation has a major responsibility and opportunity to harvest and use more wood from our forests for building rural economies, reduce imports and make a meaningful contribution to climate change mitigation. Dr Nambiar further argues that the sustainable use of forests and conservation are not opposing values, but that they are mutually supporting objectives at large scales. Despite these opportunities and good science to back this, he fears that the absence of this recognition, myopic vision and politics are driving states such as Tasmania to needless economic and social pains. Tasmania has one major advantage, the forestry advantage. Tasmanians should and can use their natural and renewable resources, sustainably, to rebuild their future, he says. The IFA’s biennial national conference is being held at The Rex Hotel, Canberra, from April 7 to 11. A report on the conference will appear in the next issue of Timber & Forestry enews.
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 3
INDUSTRY NEWS
Making it legal in China: seminar briefed on Australian regulations
Responsibilities of timber product importers outlined AN international seminar on green procurement of timber and wood products held in Beijing last week was a significant milestone for the Chinese timber industry dealing with global moves to confront illegal logging and requirements of proof of legal origin of logs and timber products. Australian Timber Importers Federation general manager John Halkett outlined to seminar delegates actions in Australia on illegal logging policy, the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act, the scope of the emerging regulations and responsibilities of timber product importers. The seminar was hosted by the China Timber and Wood Products Distribution Association (CTWPDA), with the assistance of the Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade Program and the European Forest Institute Forest Law, Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
Facility and WWF. The seminar considered actions being taken or being considered in China within a green procurement framework to address consumer country illegal logging legislation or trade practice requirements. This included legality assurance ‘tests’, such as those likely under the Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Act, the European FLEGT program and US Lacey Act. In addition, presentations were made at the seminar on the development of forest and chain-of-custody systems in China. In noting that China is both the largest importer of logs and timber plus the largest exporter of timber products, Mr Halkett said it was critical that Australia strengthened its interaction with relevant Chinese government authorities and wood-based industries. “In acknowledging the importance of the seminar as a
‘If Australia is going to be really serious about restricting the import, especially of manufactured timber products, greater engagement with China, both by the government and industry representatives, will be essential’ – John Halkett
Keeping lines of communication open .. John Halkett advises on timber product legality verification requirements and trade at the international seminar in China.
stepping-stone in the process – if Australia is going to be really serious about restricting the import, especially of
manufactured timber products – greater engagement with China, both by the government and industry representatives will be essential,” he said. Mr Halkett also pointed out at the seminar that legality assurance requirements in Australia and elsewhere needed to be mindful of not making timber products less competitive against other building products that are less environmentally-friendly. “Also, in an Australian context, there needed to be a recognition that imported products were essential because of their cost and utility benefits, or because there is simply no Australian substitute products available,” he said. The hosting association CTWPDA is considered to be the largest timber industry association in the world. It has 3000 member companies and subsidiary associations engaged in timber product importing, exporting, wholesaling, manufacturing and marketing. The Australia Embassy was represented at the seminar by Beijing-based agriculture counsellor Anna Somerville.
Plan aims to double export earnings by 2022 From Page 1
consultation, and then get the order signed off. This will take most of this year.” This process is being driven mostly by the NZFFA and the NZ Forest Owners Association. The levy will provide a funding basis for research aimed at producing higher yields of better quality timber, and harvesting that timber more
Page 4 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
efficiently. The industry has set itself some bold targets: for example, the NZFOA’s Science and Innovation Plan aims to increase MAI (mean annual increment) of radiata pine from the present day level of 18 tonnes/ ha to 35 tonnes/ ha by 2025. The Wood Council of New Zealand in its 2012 Forest and Wood Products Action Plan
aims to more than double export earnings to $12 billion by 2022. The science and innovation plan will be the basis of future research, broadly aimed at doubling production through genetic improvement and growing healthier trees. Already the major corporate industry members have
committed to inject considerable funding to this research. Currently they commit around $1.7 million to research on a voluntary basis. The owners of New Zealand’s major forest companies have largely thrown their collective weight behind the implementation of a forest levy, as they see benefits of research for their businesses.
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EVENTS
WHAT’S ON?
APRIL 2013
7-10: 6th international Woodfibre Resources and Trade Conference, Istanbul, Turkey. ‘Woodchips and Biomass for Global and Regional Markets’. Hilton Istanbul Hotel. Included in the program is a pre- and postconference field trip, two days of conference and the opportunity to visit Gallipoli. Visit www.woodfibreconference. com to register. Residues-to-Revenues 2013 Conference and CleanTECH Expo Wood energy and ‘cleantech’ industry developments. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Auckland, April 10-11, 2013; Bayview Eden Hotel, Melbourne, April 15-16, 2013. Event website: www. woodresiduesevents.com 7-11: Institute of Foresters of Australia conference – Canberra Rex Hotel, Canberra. Managing Our Forests into the 21st Century. Australian and international speakers will address delegates on both international and local issues that will face foresters and forest managers in the century, such as politics, policy and perceptions. Contact IFA, PO Box 7002 Yarralumla ACT 2600. Tel: (02) 6281 3992. Web: www.forestryconference. org.au 11-14: 43rd Annual JIV Hoo-Hoo Convention. Main Corner, Mount
Gambier. Accommodation at the Commodore Motel. Registration
details on www.hoo-hoo-jiv.org. au or contact Maurie Drewer, 0418 394 296. Email: or mkdrewerdubai@gmail.com . 18-19: Inaugural Local Government Forest and Timber Industry Conference – Bayview on Eden, Melbourne Aimed at both local government and timber industry professionals from across Australia. The program will have a focus on socio-economic issues and the relationship between local government and the timber industry, and will feature presentations, discussions, workshops and opportunities to learn from and share experiences. Contact: Municipal Association of Victoria. Tel: (03) 9667 5529. Visit www.ntct.org.au
MAY 16-21: 3rd International Congress on Planted Forests – Lisbon,
Portugal. The congress aims to investigate the contribution of planted forests to sustainable development in the context of global changes. Topics will include the sustainability of planted forests, changing climates and the future role of planted forests in environmental protection and REDD+. Five of the major European Atlantic countries (Spain, France, Ireland, UK and Portugal) with large areas of planted forests have joined forces to organise this congress under the coordination of the Atlantic regional office of the European Forest Institute and the UN Food and Agriculture
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Organisation. Deadline for abstracts is February 28. Visit www.efiatlantic.efi.int
JUNE 15: Melbourne Hoo-Hoo Club 217 50th anniversary dinner (venue to be advised). Contact: Trish Waters on 0418 358 501. Email: waters58@bigpond.com 24: The Cat Goes Gold. Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218 50th anniversary celebration. Victoria Park Golf Complex. Contact: Don Towerton on 0428 745 455. Email: don@ thoratimbers.com.au or Tim Evans on 0417 726 741. Email: t-evans@ bigpond.net.au
august 6-9: AWISA 2014 Exhibition. Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Australian Woodworking Industry Suppliers Association Ltd has decided that the exhibition will move from Sydney to Brisbane next year. Inquiries about booking space: email info@awisa.com or call Geoff Holland on 0412 361 580 23: The Cat Goes Gold. Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218 50th anniversary celebration. Brisbane Riverview Hotel, Cnr Kingsford Smith Drive and Hunt Street, Hamilton, Brisbane. Tel: 0401 312 087 or 0428 745 455 for bookings..
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:
December
- Forest growing; - Harvest and haulage; - Sawmilling and other wood processing; - Pulp and paper processing; and - Forest product exporting.
4-5. Focus on improving transport and logistics in the forestry sector. It will build on the excellent program designed by the Forest Industry Engineering Association. Visit www.foresttechevents.com
For more information on the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) or to enquire about membership , please call (02) 6285 3833.
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 5
INDUSTRY NEWS
Report confirms rigour, robustness and legality of certification schemes FOREST certification schemes operating in Australia and Europe have been validated by the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as having a high level of rigour and robustness, providing a high level of assurance that wood products traded under these programs are from a legal source. These schemes include the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the European Union’s FLEGT scheme and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The DAFF report was prepared by consultant URS Australia Pty Ltd to assist and inform the development of regulations as part of implementation of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act, 2012. The Australian Forest Certification scheme is one of 30 national schemes endorsed by the PEFC. By purchasing only AFS or PEFC certified wood and paper products importers, domestic processors and any business along the supply chain can be reassured that not only are those products made from legally harvested wood but, in addition, the forests from which
Page 6 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
of custody, and a quick-find document download centre, which includes documentation on Australian Forestry Standard 4708; Chain of Custody Standard 4707; AFSL & PEFC certification and logo use; AFSL Standards revision standards reference committee; AFSL standards procedures; and other AFSL documentation (the constitution, complaints and grievances procedures and policies).
DAFF green tick .. PEFC certified wood products.
the wood was obtained are well managed and this has been confirmed by independent third party certification against a credible standard. This report is a supplement to the 2010 report, ‘A framework for differentiating legality verification and chain of custody schemes’ (available at www. daff.gov.au/illegallogging). AFS has launched its new website. A user-friendly design
has been developed to provide a clean, accessible site with improved navigation and functionality. The new website contains a comprehensive overview of AFSL functions, registers of certified forest managers and certified organisations, a range of information and documentation on certification and the Australian standards for forest management and chain
The Australian Forest Certification scheme is one of 30 national schemes endorsed by the PEFC
AFS Ltd’s involvement in the PEFC, the world’s largest forest certification system, provides vital recognition for Australian certified products in international markets and for certified imported products in the Australian market. Membership categories comprise forest grower; primary processor; supply chain; employee representative organisations; and community, social and environment. Voting at the AFS Ltd annual general meeting in October this year, particularly the election of directors, will be based on these new membership categories.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Rise in building approvals paints false picture of housing recovery FEBRUARY building approvals figures released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the industry’s recovery is still balancing on a knife’s edge. The headline increase in dwelling approvals gives a false picture of a housing recovery, with the total number of dwellings approved seasonally adjusted in February rising 3.1%. Private sector houses rose 0.5% and non-house or ‘other’ dwellings rose 1.5%, seasonally adjusted. Master Builders Australia’s chief economist Peter Jones welcomed the improvement,
but expressed concern that a negative trend has developed. “Despite the improvement in the seasonally adjusted figures that were buoyed by an unusually high public sector housing figure, a negative trend has emerged in the ‘other’ dwellings sector (units and apartments),” Mr Jones said. “The overall negative trend in approvals is very worrying for builders. Despite green shoots and early signs of a recovery, momentum has failed to build. “The industry had been hoping
Peter Jones .. a negative trend has developed.
for a much stronger recovery to take hold and the feedback from builders is that conditions are still very tough. “Looking beyond the rise in the headline figure, February’s building approvals figure may squash some theories that the Reserve Bank’s easing cycle has ended. “Time is running out for a sustained recovery in the building industry and the Reserve Bank must consider further interest rate cuts.”
Wood Protection
Bio-energy protestors to disrupt conference A PROTEST by environmental groups against bio-energy is expected to take place at the Residues to Revenues conference in Melbourne on April 15. The proposed stunt outside the Bayview Eden Hotel will involve a giant toaster ‘incinerating’ threatened wildlife. The Victorian police have been informed of the protest. The protesters represent the Australian Forests and Climate Alliance, the Wilderness Society Victoria, Markets for Change, Friends of the Earth Melbourne, MyEnvironment, Environment East Gippsland, the Huon Valley Environment Centre, Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum, Climate Active Australia, South East Region Conservation Alliance, and Healesville Environment Watch Inc. The group has established a website which carries the message ‘Just show up. We have all the materials you need’. Conference delegates are advised to arrive at the Bayview Eden between 8 am and 8.30 am to avoid any disruption.
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Tanalith E
A safe protection for all wood products This environmentally friendly preservative can be safely used for the treatment of timber products including those to be used for decks, handrails, outdoor furniture, as well as for council and national parks projects. Tanalith E is our water based Copper Azole formulation. It is a stable preservative providing uniform colour and is particularly suitable for the reduction of treatment processing residues. It has a lower corrosion impact on treatment plants and equipment as well as the fixings and fasteners used with treated wood products.
Contact the Australian Lonza team for full details of the Lonza value package. Phone:1300 650 636
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 7
ENGINEERED WOOD
Log Supply Opportunity Araucaria and Southern Pine, Queensland, Australia
HQPlantations is seeking interest from wood products processors. The Resource ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
170,000 hectares of Southern Pine and Araucaria plantations; 2 million m3 of logs available per annum; Increasing log supply in the near term; World class forest management system; and Certified to FSC and PEFC standards.
Investment Opportunity This is your opportunity to be involved in a sustainable plantation based forest industry. HQPlantations offers a unique opportunity for processors: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
A stable and transparent political and investment environment; A secure, long term wood supply; Close proximity to key markets; A unique and highly sought after Araucaria resource; and A strong near term demand forecast for lumber.
Need to know more? Then go to: www.ap.urscorp.com/Sectors/Forestry/hqplogsupply/
PAgE 8 | issuE 264 | 08.04.13
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DIGITAL STRATEGY
Website increases specifications for designing in wood MATCHMAKING websites are nothing new – but WoodSolutions brings three elements together with the aim of increasing the specification of wood in residential and commercial design and construction. FWPA’s digital strategy manager Sarah Gyopar says the numbers show it’s working extremely well – and presenting opportunities for more suppliers of wood and wood products to become involved. In 2010, research conducted by Forest and Wood Products Australia identified a lack of easily accessible information as a key impediment to architects, engineers and other building and design professionals specifying more timber in residential and commercial construction. On behalf of the industry, FWPA had already addressed communicating the advantages of wood and wood products to the broader consumer market through the Wood. Naturally Better program. However, this was not designed to meet specifiers’ needs for easily accessible generic information. “The answer,” explained Sarah Gyopar, “was to create WoodSolutions. We looked at what had been done in overseas markets and then added some local initiatives of our own. Today the WoodSolutions program comprises a wide range of activities, centred around a stylish website – www.woodsolutions.com.au” With more than 3000 pages of information, case studies, technical data and supplier listings, the WoodSolutions site attracts up to 10,000 visits a week. Nearly three-quarters of the site’s 420,000 visits are new – showing the continued growth
Sarah Gyopar .. most visitors are looking for design and performance data.
in the spread of information. Ms Gyopar said that analysis of the site traffic and the pages viewed showed that the vast majority of visitors appeared to be looking for design and performance data and material information. “This validates the initial research findings,” she said, “and that’s further emphasised by the thousands of architects, building designers, builders and engineers who have registered to view presentations or download information.” The most popular downloads have been the WoodSolutions technical design guides, a suite of 15 titles providing comprehensive design and detailing information on popular topics. Since the guides were available in September 2011, albeit with less than the current 15 titles, visitors have downloaded around 11,500 copies. The top technical design guides, each with up to 1500 downloads, are Timber Framed Construction Class 1a; Timber Service Life Durability Guide; Timber Flooring; and Building with Timber in Bushfire Prone Areas. “The site hasn’t stopped
dennis@industrye-news.com
Cont Page 11
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issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 9
ISSUES
Greenpeace quietly says ‘sorry’ after lying about forest industry Hardly a media ripple after sloppiness with truth By PETER FOSTER
CORPORATIONS invariably are subjected to the most minute scrutiny. Any example of, for example, false advertising is leapt upon and trumpeted. And yet, when environmental NGO attack dog Greenpeace admitted recently to issuing falsehoods about Resolute Forest Products, based in Montréal, Canada – and even apologised – there was hardly a media ripple. Perhaps the media regard ENGOs’ loose regard for the truth as merely overenthusiastic ‘messaging’ in a good cause. In fact, the big news was the apology, which may be a reflection of the welcome fact that the corporate worm is, at last, turning. [Resolute is the largest manager of FSC certified forests in the world with more than 10.3 million ha certified in North America.] For years, corporations have been cowed by NGO campaigns of lies and intimidation; companies have been reluctant to climb into the mud-wrestling pit with their adversaries, fearing a no-win situation. Instead they have engaged in ‘truces’ leading to ‘agreements’ that almost invariably restrict their jobcreating activities, which often appears to be the ENGOs’ main objective. A classic example was the 2010 Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA), where members of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) agreed, after a raft of vicious ‘Do Not Buy’ campaigns against its members, to work on “protecting” a vast forest – 13 times the size of California – that isn’t under any kind of realistic threat.
Page 10 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
Good forest management .. Resolute has the largest area – 10.3 millon ha – under FSC certification in the world.
For the likes of Greenpeace, however, all forestry represents ‘degradation’. Any human presence in the woods means ‘endangerment’. Several months ago, Greenpeace pulled out of the CBFA, claiming that signatory Resolute had broken the agreement and engaged in illegal road building and secret logging. Why did Greenpeace pick on Resolute? One theory is that Resolute had been in the forefront of recommending the CBFA deal in the first place, thus it was seen as an easy target. Greenpeace seems to have received a nasty surprise when Resolute CEO Richard Garneau (who wasn’t CEO when the CBFA was signed) responded quickly and vociferously, pointing out that the allegations were a crock. Greenpeace’s initial response was to up the ante, tabling a new set of demands on logging
Richard Garneau .. no backing down.
moratoria in five areas of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. It issued a report, Boreal Alarm, which contained clear threats of “reputational risk” if its demands were not met. Resolute did not back down. The company will not confirm that it threatened to sue, but it obviously had a strong case. Greenpeace still appeared to believe it could win by shouting louder and longer. After I wrote about this issue in January, Shane Moffatt, one of the NGO’s ‘forest campaigners’, responded by trumpeting
Greenpeace has now admitted lacking both science and responsibility, acknowledging that its statements about Resolute and forest agreements were false
“Greenpeace’s science-based advocacy for responsible forestry”. Greenpeace has now admitted lacking both science and responsibility, acknowledging that its statements about Resolute and the CBFA were false. The statement declared that “Greenpeace sincerely regrets its error.” Yeah, right. The move shocked the industry because for Greenpeace to apologise is virtually unprecedented. One of the few occasions was when it admitted in the mid-1990s that it had grossly overstated the amount of oil contained in the Brent Spar, the offshore oil facility that oil major Shell had planned to scuttle at sea. In fact, the Brent Spar represented an enormous victory for Greenpeace; it marked the point at which Shell decided to get with the ENGO program. The fruits of Shell’s appeasement have been depressingly predictable: redoubled Greenpeace attacks, in particular on the company’s Arctic drilling plans. Greenpeace’s strategic error with Resolute may have been to make its allegations too specific, and thus demonstrably false. Perhaps it thought Resolute would roll over anyway, but for once, Greenpeace faced the prospect of its own brand – whose main purpose is to elicit donations – being damaged. • Peter Foster’s association with Canada’s Financial Post goes back 25 years. He is the author of eight books, and winner of the National Business Book award and numerous magazine awards.
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DIGITAL STRATEGY
Qualified audience of specifiers seeks advice on products From Page 9
growing either,” Ms Gyopar said. “Visitor numbers are increasing steadily, as are downloads of the technical design guides and other publications and data tables, plus we are continually adding new content.” She continued to say that the supplier section was an area of the site that should be of interest to any company or organisation wishing to reach the building specifier market (architects, building designers, engineers, developers, builders, quantity surveyors etc.). “Currently, even though it could be argued that sections of the industry are under-represented, the top supplier listings have received nearly 3000 page views,” Ms Gyopar said. “And that’s especially valuable to our suppliers because those page views come from a qualified audience of specifiers who are actively seeking product information.” Supplier listings are free
to members and associate members of FWPA. Full membership is free to levy payers. Associate membership – including a free supplier listing providing access to the thousands of specifiers visiting the WoodSolutions website – is $1500 a year. More information about membership is available from the FWPA website – www.fwpa.com.au “It’s relatively inexpensive when you compare it to advertising in specialist building media,” Ms Gyopar said. “A full year on WoodSolutions can cost less than a full page advert in a print magazine. It’s a cost-effective way to reach a tightly-targeted market.” Other WoodSolutions activities includes seminars, featuring local and international speakers, field trips and sponsorships of activities including the Australian Timber Design Awards and professional bodies such as the Australian Institute of Architects and Engineers Australia.
Don’t fall for it! Don’t let this happen: a collapse of poorly-prepared scaffolding.
Imported Chinese LVL scaffold planks have failed requirements for bond durability (AS/NZS 4357.0) in tests undertaken by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia. * The tests show gluelines in the imported planks with exposure to moisture are likely to fail as the plank loses significant strength. Should non-compliant scaffold planks fail, the supplier, specifying engineer, construction site supervisor and builder could be held responsible and face the serious consequences of an injury or death.
Warning
Warning
* Performance assessment and test results on the imported Chinese LVL scaffold planks can be viewed at www.ewp.asn.au
Offering long-term sustainable contracts Why From Page 2
and investment environment, excellent regional infrastructure and medium term growth in demand for forest products.” Mr Farmer added: “For the industry and the state, it’s a great opportunity. How often do you see 2 million cub m of wood come up for sale with a long-term sustainable contract?” HQPlantations was purchased in 2010 by Hancock Queensland Plantations Pty Ltd a company managed by Hancock Timber Resource Group (HTRG) on
behalf of institutional investors. HQP manages 343,000 ha of which 212,000 ha are utilised for hardwood and softwood plantation production. HTRG is the world’s largest timberland investment manager. As at December 31, 2010, HTRG’s forest assets under management totaled 1.8 million ha, valued about $US9 billion. These assets are located in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. HTRG was founded in 1985 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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risk it?
■■ Litigation ■ Site closure ■ Media exposure ■ ■ Damage to your business
Insist on PAA-branded LVL and plywood. It’s that simple.
EWPAA
G U A R A N T E E D*
Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia Plywood House, 3 Dunlop Street, Newstead 4006, Queensland, Australia Tel: 61 7 3250 3700. Fax: 61 7 3252 4769. Email: inbox@paa.asn.au Web: www.ewp.asn.au * Independently tested to the highest standard; guaranteed to comply with Australian and New Zealand Building Codes and Standards; certified under JAS-ANZ accredited product certification scheme; guaranteed to be safe and to carry the designated design load; complies with the Building Code of Australia; meets safety and quality requirements acceptable by unions; meets all Workplace Health and Safety requirements.
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 11
INDUSTRY NEWS
Tax hike would cost trucking businesses over $500m a year THE federal government should make an election commitment not to extend the carbon tax to trucking, the chairman of the Australian Trucking Association David Simon said in a televised address at the National Press Club last week. “In its Clean Energy Package, the government announced that the fuel used by the trucking industry would not be subject to the carbon tax until mid-2014,” Mr Simon said. “The government’s plan is that it would then reduce the fuel tax credits that trucking operators can claim by almost 7c/ litre in the first year. “That’s a 27% tax hike that would cost the industry more than half a billion dollars a year. It would be a massive shock for many trucking businesses, and they would not be able to respond.” Mr Simon said the Clean Energy Package was based on the assumption that
Trucking businesses only have limited opportunities to reduce their energy use.
businesses would respond to the carbon tax by reducing their use of energy or switching to renewables. It assumed that businesses that could not do this would be able to increase their prices. This would, in turn, change their customers’ behaviour.
‘Instead of making life more difficult for small trucking operators, the government should make an election commitment not to extend the carbon tax to trucking’ – David Simon
David Simon .. the trucking industry doesn’t need to invest capital in equipment that stands idle for most of the year.
“Neither of these assumptions fit the commercial reality of the trucking industry,” Mr Simon said. “Trucking businesses only have limited opportunities to reduce their energy use; switching to renewables is not generally an option. “The government projects that the use of biodiesel will increase rapidly from the end of the decade, and that it will be the dominant transport fuel by 2030. “But the carbon tax on trucking would take effect in 2014, not the end of the decade. Biodiesel blends are rarely available, and gaseous fuels like LNG are not usable for long distance operations. “So businesses are left with trying to pass on the carbon tax.” Mr Simon said 72% of trucking businesses had only one truck. They were price takers, not price makers. Their customers would tell them to absorb the cost. The pace of businesses leaving the industry would increase.
Industry celebrates constructive women WOMEN across the nation were recognised on International Women’s Day (March 8) and Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) has acknowledged the important role of women in Queensland’s building and construction industry, encouraging more women to get involved. CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said women offerwed diverse talents and skills and were building success at all levels in the building and construction industry. “From first year apprentices to
Page 12 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
senior level managers, women are making their mark in construction,” Mr Schimming sad. “At CSQ we see firsthand the impressive contribution these women are making to construction and the unique skills they bring to the work place. The number of women in the industry has grown significantly over the last decade and that trend will need to continue if we are going to meet future skilling demands.” A Queenslander providing inspiration for women in the
industry is Brisbane’s Laura Madden, who was last year named the Construction Female of the Year at the CSQ Excellence Awards. Along with fellow female tradie Juanita Mottram, Laura is a director of Eve Renovations, an all-female construction company specialising in domestic renovations and commercial fit outs. Laura and Juanita aspire to be the leading all-female construction company in Australia and provide further opportunities for female
tradespeople. Another woman blazing a trail for females in the building and construction industry is Brisbane plumbing inspector Carlie Wright. Carlie is on a mission to encourage more women to join her in construction and has launched womenwithwrench. com.au, a website providing useful information for females interested in entering the construction industry. For more information visit csq. org.au or contact the CSQ team on 1800 798 488.
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ENGINEERED WOOD
Reflections on building world’s tallest timber building using CLT ‘It’s imperative to get the right expertise in place’
FOR Lend Lease business manager Andrew Nieland, there is no better way to summarise the significance of engineered timber in building and construction in Australia and beyond than by quoting UK architect Alex De Rijke. “If the 19th century was the century of steel and the 20th century was the century of concrete, De Rijke says, “then the 21st century is about engineered timbers”. “Now he’s not a crackpot, he’s an architect of high standing,” Andrew Nieland told a Property Council of Australia conference on sustainability in Melbourne recently. “When someone of his standing in the construction industry says that, it is incumbent upon all of us to stand up and take notice.” Indeed, that’s exactly what Mr Nieland and colleagues are doing. Lend Lease used cross laminated timber (CLT) to construct the tallest timber building anywhere in the world – Melbourne’s Forté apartment building at Victoria Harbour. Going forward, the company says it expects to use the material on 30 to 50% of its apartment building pipeline. Based on the results at Forté, there is plenty to be excited about. According to company estimates, the use of CLT provided similar levels of structural integrity as traditional concrete buildings
‘Structural certification and demonstrating compliance with building code requirements was achieved through careful design detailing’ – Andrew Nieland
View of Forte from an adjacent apartment building. Note the clean construction site, only four builders and the crane to the right which simply lifts the CLT panels into place.
while delivering better thermal performance and reducing the building’s projected life-cycle CO2 emissions by around 1400 tonnes. Being largely based on pre-fabrication, the CLT construction process involved less material on site and was cleaner, simpler and faster – four months faster, Mr Nieland says. Asked about the main benefits of CLT use from a project management viewpoint on the Victoria Harbour development, Mr Neiland nominates two key areas. “Safety is the most important from a Lend Lease perspective. And that’s about a number of things – reduced high risk work, the elimination of injuries associated with formwork and reinforcing. It’s also a better work environment so less dust, vibration noise and obstruction. “And, commercially speaking, the biggest thing is speed. As it is pre-fabricated, all of the main penetrations were already taken care of, and fixing into timber is a lot easier than fixing into concrete, so for the electricians, plumbers,
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Andrew Nieland .. consider timber as a material from day one.
Giant flat packs .. CLT panels were pre-fabricated in Austria and brought to Melbourne in shipping containers through the Suez canal.
plasterers and others, it’s a lot easier job [working with a CLT structure] than working with concrete.”
Mr Nieland says the biggest challenges in dealing with the first building of its kind in Melbourne revolved around the authority space, which involved making sure Lend Lease achieved structural certification and demonstrating compliance with building code requirements on issues such as durability, fire protection and acoustics – much of which was achieved through careful design detailing. Being a timber-based product, fire protection was an interesting issue. Mr Nieland says Lend Lease needed to do a lot of testing to achieve the fire ratings and work closely with the Melbourne Fire Brigade and the Building Appeals Board in Melbourne to demonstrate that CLT would meet the code requirements. As a ‘mass wood,’ CLT is different than ordinary timber and has a predictable fire performance (it chars at 0.7 milimetres per minute). Moreover, in terms of fire engineering, required ratings can be achieved by adding additional layers of timber or supplementary materials such as fire-rated plasterboard. Asked about any advice he would give to managers embarking on a project using CLT, Andrew Nieland says it is imperative to get the right expertise in place. “Consider timber as a material from day one and understand that it is not just about replacing other materials with timber, it is about a different construction process which is pre-fabricated,” he says. “It’s really about understanding what all that entails up front.” – Construction Source
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 13
ENGINEERED WOOD
Structural plywood comes out of the shadows in school design
Interesting twist on traditional exterior applications STRUCTURAL plywood sheets that can be used for both decorative and bracing purposes have met the challenge of a building design that demanded flexible materials. Inventive architectural firm DesignInc achieved an ambitious design for the new University of Notre Dame Australia Medical School in Werribee, Vic, using Shadowclad plywood cladding. Presented with a site with few redeeming features and limited outlook, DesignInc’s proposal was to create a building and a landscape at the same time. The school is housed in a $12 million building, which was opened last year and provides a range of superb facilities, including a lecture theatre, tutorial rooms, library, clinical skills simulation area and a student common room. According to designer and project architect Jane Sayers, the built form undulates in mimicry of an imagined past topography of land and trees. “The shape, cutaways and colour scheme were inspired by the constructs of a burnt and
Flexibility of structural plywood .. Shadowclad at the University of Notre Dame’s Australia Medical School project was used both inside and out of the building.
fallen tree so it was necessary to find a cladding that offered the look and qualities of weathered wood,” Ms Sayers said. “We looked at a range of timber claddings, but Shadowclad stood out for its on-site workability and cost efficiency. “The range of finishes was also seen as a benefit to the design. The grooved panels were used to express the exterior of the form and the textured panels were used on the underside of eaves to express the cutaways.” The complexities of the angles in the building demanded flexible materials and Ms
Shadowclad plywood panels added a layer of texture and warmth to the interior spaces at the Werribee medical school.
Sayers says this was another strength of the structural plywood. “Its workability on site was a bonus and enabled us to wrap and angle the facade to form the topography of the building.” In an interesting twist on traditional exterior applications, Shadowclad was also used inside the medical school. It was used internally to reinforce the connection between the interior and exterior and connect its inhabitants with the new landscape the building provided, but it also added a layer of texture and warmth to the interior spaces. Produced by Carter Holt Harvey from Pinus radiata veneers and bonded with phenol formaldehyde resin adhesive (WBP marine bond, type A exterior), the finished sheets are H3 LOSP preservative treated to provide long-term protection from decay. Shadowclad groove and Shadowclad texture are decorative sheets with a band-sawn surface (with a groove profile option) for use on residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
Opportunity: new engineered product Project seeks access to on-going timber resource
ThIs engineered product is manufactured from small diameter treated true round plantation logs that would normally be chipped or destroyed. Resource cost is minimal. The production system is low capital cost and can be set up in a minimum of time and at a minimum of cost. Compared with current systems such as LVL, sawn timber etc. this product has unrivalled versatility, fire resistance, projected longevity and sustainability. This product has the ability to lower the costs of floor and wall framing in modern homes, as well as being ideal for low-cost housing The entire buildings can be erected on site using unskilled labour. The product has undergone comprehensive testing at the engineering faculty of the University of Technology Sydney under the guidance of internationally renowned timber engineer Prof. Keith Crews.
Engineered Timber Products
Loggo products have undergone comprehensive testing at the engineering faculty of the University of Technology Sydney.
PAgE 14 | issuE 264 | 08.04.13
The project is keen to establish a plant near a guaranteed resource. Contact: (02) 4256 4767 or email pat@loggo.com.au www.loggo.com.au
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ENGINEERED WOOD
OSB mills pile up profits as US housing revival boosts demand Margins averaging 54% above cost of production
THE recovering US housing market has pushed profit margins up to stratospheric heights for oriented strand board (OSB) producers, whose engineered wood panels are outperforming lumber in the red-hot forest products sector. Scotiabank reports in its monthly commodity price index that prices for OSB – which has replaced plywood in many North American housing applications – surged in February to $US430/ 1000 sq ft (92.90 sq m), up 100% yearover-year. Profit margins are now averaging 54% above the cost of production, according to Scotiabank. Scotiabank says the recovering US housing market as the driver for OSB prices. As of February, new housing starts increased to 917,000 (annualised), up from 718,000 a year earlier. Both home sales and home prices are climbing as well. The recovery bodes well for OSB producers like Vancouver-
OSB on the rebound .. home under construction at a housing development in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
based Ainsworth Lumber, which weathered the housing downturn by undergoing a restructuring that resulted in Brookfield Asset Management becoming its majority shareholder. Ainsworth has four OSB plants,
one in British Columbia, two in Alberta, and one in Ontario. Besides Ainsworth’s plant in British Columbia, LouisianaPacific owns two plants in the Peace River region and Canfor owns a mothballed mill at Fort Nelson, BC. Forest company
Companies specialising in OSB have gone from deeply negative margins to 40%-plus within the past year.
Tolko Industries also operates an OSB mill in Alberta. Companies specialising in OSB have gone from deeply negative margins to 40%-plus within the past year. The US housing recovery is not the entire story behind OSB’s remarkable performance. During the downturn, capacity shrunk to the point that even today’s modest level of housing starts is enough to cause supply shortages. Basically, there are too few mills left running to meet the demand. Right now is a really unique situation where supply is trying to catch up with demand. In a recent research report, RBC Capital Markets said that the North American OSB industry was expected to produce 19.2 billion sq ft in 2013 provided US housing starts are at the expected 950,000 level. That would equate to a 92% operating rate for OSB mills.
TABMA team ready for good year in Queensland TABMA Queensland recently elected its new board of directors. Pictured, from left, are Mal Goatham, Pacific Wood Products, Mitch O’Mara, Tradeware Building Supplies, Graham Leddy (vice-chair), Versace Timbers, Brad Saunders, Parkside Group, Paul Rutledge, Gunnersen, Danny Meredith, Lindsay Meyers, Michael Gaske (chairman), Ozline Timbers, and Roger Healy, Simmonds Lumber. Director Keith Maitland was unavailable for the photo. “TABMA Queensland is thankful for the support and advice that these experienced
directors bring to the industry and the organisation and we look forward to a great year,” TABMA Queensland manager Alicia Oelkers said.
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TABMA is a group of memberbased industry associations operating in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, representing timber and
building material merchants, suppliers,
frame
and
truss
fabricators,
manufacturers,
wholesalers
and
timber
importers.
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 15
Forest industry’s latest push: high-tech lumber for tall towers
Gaining foothold in Canada’s construction sector CANADA’S forestry sector is touting a new generation of high-tech lumber as a way to gain a foothold in a part of the construction industry from which it has long been shut out: condominiums. Officials at the Forest Products Association of Canada are pushing to have building codes changed to allow for taller wood structures. Such buildings are made possible, they say, by massive wood beams made from reinforced timber that could become the main ingredient in many new condo towers. “Our bread and butter market traditionally has been single-family homes, but the opportunities in future will be for multi-family residences,” said FPAC vice-president Paul Lansbergen. The effort highlights the longsuffering industry’s desire to diversify and create new demand for customised products, even as it enjoys a rebound in lumber prices and US home-building activity. Condos are now driving much of the new residential construction activity in larger urban Canadian markets such as Toronto and Vancouver, and while wood won’t be used to make the glass megatowers sprouting up in those cities, it could be deployed in smaller buildings up to 10 storeys, industry officials say. Rising acceptance of these engineered wood products would mean budding competition for the kingpin of construction materials – concrete. Current national building
PAgE 16 | issuE 264 | 08.04.13
Well designed .. tall buildings made from engineered wood products will survive earthquakes and exceed fire safety standards.
codes cap the height of wood structures at no higher than four storeys, though British Columbia has allowed wood buildings as tall as six storeys in residential areas since 2009. A review by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes could result in changes in 2015 that would increase the limit nationally to six storeys for structures made from wood products. “Glue-laminated products – think of big heavy sticks with large cross sections. It’s not a joke,” said Frank Lam, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry. “If they’re well-designed, tall buildings made from engineered wood products will survive earthquakes and
Paul Lansbergen .. opportunities in future will be for multi-family residences.
exceed fire safety standards,” said Mr Lam, who is an expert in wooden building design and construction. The forestry industry’s advocacy for tall wood towers, even as
A review by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes could result in changes in 2015 that would increase the limit nationally to six storeys for structures made from wood products
high as 30 storeys in the long term, has caught the attention of the Cement Association of Canada, whose members currently dominate the market for condo construction. Cement Association president Michael McSweeney said concrete was a strong and fireproof material, and the best choice for long-lasting condo developments. Vancouver architect Michael Green, who believes that engineered wood has great potential, cautioned that it would be counterproductive to pit the forestry sector against the cement industry. “There is room for both sides to participate in the condo craze, he said. “There is a new kid on the block,” Mr Green said. “There is a desire to gain a competitive advantage, but this isn’t about us against them. There is a place for concrete buildings and a place for wood buildings. The cement association is protecting its own economic interests.” People needed to think well beyond wood-frame construction of single-family houses and instead imagine a new generation of huge-scale wood products that were much thicker and more durable than anything traditionally used in the past, he added. “There are new ideas for how to construct new buildings from wood. With engineering, creativity, research, testing and science, incredible minds put together make for great new changes in society,” Mr. Green said.
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international issues
Where power meets paper
Biomass ‘city’ shoots up in Wisconsin NESTLED along the Wisconsin River within the town of Rothschild, Wisconsin, USA, sits Domtar’s paper mill. Built over 100 years ago, it serves as one of the region’s largest employers. Considered an area landmark, its presence now is perhaps more marked than ever, with the gradual but seemingly overnight construction of a 50-MW biomass cogeneration plant. Reaching a skyscraping 81 m at its highest point, the facility is a new addition to the landscape that residents across the river have been able to watch grow over the past couple of years, a result of years of partnership, permitting and meticulous planning. The bustling construction site – active even through the harsh winter months – is described by Craig Timm, manager of Domtar’s public affairs, as “its own little city”. Having reached peak construction last fall, with around 500 workers on site any given time, the plant is now in the final stretch of construction. Terry Carroll, asset manager for We Energies, says that the idea for the project emerged when the utility was exploring ways to meet the state renewable portfolio standard, which requires 10% of electric sales from renewables by 2015. “We had one major wind project at the time and were looking at others, but realised that we needed some diversity, so we started looking at biomass,” Mr Carroll said. “Where would it make the most sense, and who would make a good partner? In terms of procuring biomass, papermaking or lumber product companies are already doing that.” After We Energies contacted the Pulp and Paper Products Council to gauge potential for a partnership and explain what the company was hoping to
Logs for biomass production are loaded onto a hauler to be delivered to the Domtar paper mill for processing.
Two 350-tone cranes were required to lift the biomass generation plant’s massive steam drum.
do, Domtar responded to the request. From that point on, the two businesses became dedicated partners and began the project, groundbreaking of which occurred in June last year.
As Domtar already possessed expertise in feedstock procurement, one of the typical key project puzzle pieces was already in place. “We already do business [in sourcing wood fuel], had a small
The power facility will use around 500,000 tonnes a year of woody biomass material, much of which will be shredded or chipped off site by suppliers
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biomass boiler, and a pulping operation,” says Jim Freiberg, Domtar project manager. “It made sense for us to partner as the fuel procurement agent, and in terms of our financial interests, this would give us the opportunity to manufacture our product at lower costs, utilising steam from the plant.” The power facility will use around 500,000 tonnes a year of woody biomass material, which will come ready-to-burn from Domtar’s fuel yard, or will be shredded or chipped off site by suppliers. All fuel will arrive in trucks – about 75 loads a day – and be delivered to one of three receiving stations, where trucks will back into a covered truck tipper and be tilted to release fuel onto the conveyor system. Air in the unloading station is drawn under a vacuum to filter, minimise and suppress airborne dust, and then vented through a 33.5 m chimney attached to the truck-unloading baghouse filter. Enclosed conveyors transport the fuel to the storage building, also completely enclosed, where about five to seven days’ worth of fuel is stored. There, an automatic loading system will scalp fuel off the pile, pull it up to another conveyor, and send it into the boiler building. This specific project has been unique in that it is many smaller projects put together. Initially the plant will be fueled on gas until any kinks are worked out, then biomass will be added. The entire testing period could last up to two and a half months. We Energies has spared no expense to cut down on sound or dust, making sure neither reaches nearby residents or businesses, and that it tries to source as many building materials locally as possible. – Biomass Magazine.
issue 264 | 08.04.13 | Page 17
events
Plans under way for next Frame Australia forum and exhibition
editorial inquiries tel: +61 32661429
Page 18 | issue 264 | 08.04.13
THE Frame Australia conference and exhibition has become the major national event for engineered timber, building pre-fabrication and wood construction systems. It has been held biennially over the past 15 years with the next event scheduled for May 19 and 20, 2014 at the Park Hyatt Melbourne. The 2014 conference title is ‘Prefab timber and engineered wood building construction’ with presentations covering a wide range of topics including: • Pre-fab timber frame and panelisation in residential building. • Engineered wood and panel systems in multi-residential construction. • Building data management and software developments. • Prefabrication plant manufacturing systems. Each conference session opens with a keynote address and expert speakers followed by a panel forum to enable audience discussion. Frame Australia brings together delegates in building design and construction of residential and commercial projects to interact with delegates from timber supply, engineered wood, prefabrication and panelisation to facilitate networking, shared knowledge and experiences. The sponsor’s exhibition and display within the conference area is a major highlight where delegates can seek out new and emerging technologies in timber, wood products, software and construction systems, along with sponsor products and services for the timber and building industries. This unique conference will convey the latest information at a global and local level to provide professional and practical knowledge in the utilisation of pre-fabricated
Kevin Ezard .. conference director.
timber and engineered wood as a sustainable and efficient construction material in residential and commercial building. Contact Kevin Ezard, conference director, on (03) 9537 3800. Mob: 0419 538 638. www.frameaustralia.com
Chile producer bumps up plywood production CHILEAN forest products group Compañía Manufacturera de Papeles y Cartones (CMPC) is expanding its pine plywood production capacity, according to a report by Wood Based Panels International. The expansion, which will increase plywood production capacity to 500,000 cub m a year, is part of a record $US2.5 billion three-year investment program. CMPC, a manufacturer of pulp, paper, carton board and wood products, operates one plywood line in Mininco with an annual capacity of 225,000 cub m. It is installing a second 240,000 cub m a year line supplied by Raute, representing an investment of $US20.7 million. The new line is expected to begin production in mid-2013.
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