Timber and Forestry E News Issue 328

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Setting the standard for sustainable forest management Globally recognised by PEFC, the world’s largest sustainable forest management certification scheme.

ISSUE 328 | July 28, 2014

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Delivered weekly to timber merchants, sawmillers, wood processors, foresters, members of national, state and trade organisations and associations throughout Australia, New Zealand and various countries.

State plan: buy local Merchant network protects consumers against bad advice and dodgy imports

A QUEENSLAND timber merchant network is encouraging builders and the DIY market to use locally-grown and manufactured building materials, warning them against “dodgy” imports and the legal implications of non-compliance.

The Accredited Queensland Timber Merchant Network, launched in Brisbane last week, follows growing concerns over reports and predictions of deck collapses and other timber product failures.

“We have valid concerns the building sector is receiving bad advice, is being told a timber species is suitable for certain applications when it is not, and Cont P 2

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ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

Responding to a market need for practical advice

From P 1

sometimes is sold a dodgy product,” spokesman for the network Rod McInnes said.

“Also, using Queenslandgrown timber removes any risk of not complying with the federal Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation that commences on November 30 this year.”

Members of the network are promoting the advantages of using fit-for-purpose and trueto-label timber products grown and processed in Queensland from legally sourced logs grown in well managed forests.

“This timber meets the high Australian standards so consumers can be confident it will deliver the best performance,” Mr McInnes said.

“They can rest assured that they’ve bought the right product for the job when the Accredited Queensland Timber Product logo is featured on the packaging.”

Responding to a market need for practical advice, all Accredited Queensland Timber Merchant Network staff receive training on the latest building regulations and technical aspects of timber application and use from Australia’s leading

Rod McInnes .. valid concerns the building sector is receiving bad advice.

timber experts.

Mr McInnes said network

members were able to provide the right product and the right advice backed by highly soughtafter technical data sheets produced by Timber Queensland that related to specific building jobs and projects.

Consumers can locate their closest Accredited Queensland Timber Merchant Network member by using the postcode search tool at www. buyqldtimber.com.au They can also look for businesses that display the network member logo.

Founding network members include Bretts Home Timber & Hardware, Finlayson Timber & Hardware, Versace Timber, 5 Star Timbers, Gill & Co, Garde Timber and Wilsons Timber.

Timbercorp investors dig in on repayments

forestworks@forestworks.com.au

www.forestworks.com.au

PAGE 2 | ISSUE 327

INVESTORS in Timbercorp say they will fight ‘’increasingly unreasonable’’ legal attempts to force them to repay money they borrowed to put into the failed forestry company.

A report in the Sydney Morning Herald says a first batch of 16 investors in managed investment schemes run by Timbercorp is expected to appear before the Victorian Supreme Court on August 15, and more are expected to be hauled before the courts in coming months.

Timbercorp liquidator KordaMentha is seeking orders that they repay loans they took out to finance their investment.

The Agriculture Growers Action Group said three of its members would be represented on the day by law firm Slater & Gordon. ‘’We believe the supreme courts will not tolerate 3600 nonpaying loan holders being served individually for amounts as low as $30,000,’’ group chairman Neil White said in a letter to members. ‘’It is a waste of court time and demands a mediation to achieve a settlement.’’

He said that KordaMentha was ‘’strangling members’’ with high penalty interest bills, run up after the forestry schemes collapsed in 2009.

Investors who held out on

repaying their loans owe a total of about $515 million.

A KordaMentha spokesman said more than 4000 growers had accepted their obligations to pay back the money and holdouts were rejecting ‘’substantial discounts’’ offered on the face value of their loans. ‘’Three court judgments have ruled against other growers’ attempts to avoid their responsibilities,’’ he said. ‘’The growers threatening more court action have also rejected offers of substantial discounts on their liabilities. Meanwhile, they are building substantial legal costs to add to their problems.’’

INDUSTRY NEWS

New federal funding will unlock underwater timber in Tasmania

Project brings valuable specialty woods to the surface INNOVATIVE forest management company SFM Environmental Solutions has been successful in obtaining funding for a major new project which will recover specialty underwater timbers, which were submerged during the creation of hydroelectric schemes in the past.

Hydrowood is a highly innovative project, which will utilise specialised equipment to recover standing timber underwater in lakes managed

by Hydro Tasmania. It will provide access to a unique subset of Tasmanian’s highlyvalued special timbers.

General manager Darryn Crook said SFM was delighted with the announcement and he was excited to be leading the innovative project.

Growth Package. The project will create up to 20 full-time positions in the construction phase with an additional 40 downstream jobs as timber is extracted and processed.

$5m project approved by government

‘Hydro lakes’ .. giving up valuable submerged speciality timbers.

project was approved by the Abbot Coalition government under the Tasmanian Jobs and

SFM is a leading forest management company which has operated Australiawide since 2001. It provides forestry management solutions to private, corporate and government entities.

SFM is certified under the Australian Forestry Standard and Forest Stewardship Council schemes.

Salvaged wood a growing niche industry “As a Tasmanian company with extensive experience in forest management, harvesting and marketing, this project will allow SFM to expand its current business, while creating employment not only in the western region of Tasmania, but across the state,” Mr Crook said.

“The specialist equipment required to recover the timber will also be designed and developed in Tasmania.”

Mr Crook said recovered or salvaged timber was a growing niche industry across the globe and with Tasmania’s unique indigenous timbers this project would allow furniture makers, sawmillers and craftsmen to access exciting new markets.

SFM commenced a feasibility study in 2012 and with the assistance of historical images, anecdotal evidence and GIS

Hidden value .. processed underwater timbers retain their peak condition and high value.

mapping, timber samples were extracted and found to be structurally sound and in commercial volumes.

The feasibility study for the project was assisted by funding from Hydro Tasmania and the Department of Economic Development.

Funding for the $5 million

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 3

WINDOWS AND DOORS

WADIC western red cedar products comply as bushfire resistant timber

‘We made it .. success at last for members’: Bronwyn Foord EXHAUSTIVE and costly tests by the Window and Door Industry Council on bushfire attack level (BAL29) western red cedar windows and doors produced by members have paid dividends for the industry, proving the products successfully comply with the rigorous AS 1530 8.1 standard.

The tests over 12 months on the products, which included merbau sills, were carried

Few timbers deemed as fire resistant out by Exova Warringtonfire, a globally respected fire engineering, testing and certification service, based at

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PAGE 4

| ISSUE 327

Bronwyn Foord .. championing WADIC timber products.

designing, building, transporting, project managing, vetting and application have been very worthwhile and a sting to the critics of cedar in bushfire zones,” WADIC general manager Bronwyn Foord said.

“With the support of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association in Canada, we jumped over varied and wide-ranging obstacles and championed WADIC timber products.”

Ms Foord said it was common knowledge that many bushfire researchers and fire authorities wanted all building elements

that burn restricted from use in bushfire prone areas – “and that means no timber”.

She added: “You have to wonder whether anyone watched old documentaries set in the Yukon where the log cabins would be left standing with the timber charred but intact, the stone chimney in place but minus the roof.

“Why? Because most timber chars to a certain level and self-extinguishes. And what timber did they use in those log cabins? Western red cedar in the main.”

Previously, WRC was not accepted in bushfire resisting timber tests, known as cone calorimeter tests, and therefore could not be used in any bushfire areas without meeting a systems test.

Ms Foord said only a few timbers were deemed fire resistant and suitable for application in BAL 29 areas for doors and windows.

These included silvertop ash, blackbutt, red river gum, spotted gum, red Ironbark, kwila (merbau) and turpentine, with some timbers such as turpentine limited and prohibitively expensive.

All products tested met AS2047 She said timbers that had densities at 12% moisture content of 650 kg/m3 and 750 kg/m3 could be used for windows and doors in less BAL applications, but for BAL 29 it must be deemed a bushfire resisting timber.

“Surprisingly enough, although jarrah has a density quoted at 850 kg/m3-plus it is not a bushfire resisting timber Cont P 15

2014 AROUND THE CIRCUIT

JULY

28-30: Australian Timber Trainers Association annual workshop in Tumut. Contact David McElvenny PO Box 1954 Strawberry Hills, NSW, 2012. Mob: 0403 570 673. Email: secretary@ atta.org.au Web: www.atta.org.au

AUGUST 2014

5-6: MobileTECH 2014: Primary Industries Future. Brisbane.

12-13: Auckland, NZ (www.mobiletech2014.com).

These events will profile the latest mobile tools, technologies and innovations driving the future of primary industries (farming, horticulture, forestry, dairy, meat, wool, fisheries and mining).

MobileTECH 2014 will showcase a wide range of mobile technologies and innovations, including smartphones, tablets, mobile apps, satellite mapping and communications, robotics, aerial drones, remote sensors, electronic tagging, intelligent data, M2M, real-time analytics and cloudbased platforms.

6: Furniture Cabinets Joinery Alliance Forum (held during AWISA 2014), Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Southbank, Brisbane (2pm to 6pm). This is one of a series of industry leaders forums designed to enable the sectors to come together to build on this work and develop strategies that will allow the industry to capitalise on its future and seize opportunities for future growth. Contact Pieter Kreitals on 0412 101 590 or email: peterk@ kreitals.com.au Visit www.awisa. com 6-9: AWISA 2014 exhibition.

Brisbane Convention and exhibition Centre. Displays of panel processing, solid wood and timber machinery, tooling, manufacturing software, plus ancillary products such as dust extraction and materials handling equipment. Opportunity forn the cabinet, kitchen, furniture, joinery, timber, fit-out and panel industries to inspect new equipment.

Inquiries about booking space: email info@awisa.com or call Geoff Holland. Tel: (02) 9918 3661. Fax: (02) 9918 7764. Mob: 0412 361 580.

Email: info@awisa.com

7-8: The Australian Forest and Forest Products Sector: Situation in 2014 and Trends Going Forward.

DANA conference – Bayview Eden Hotel, Melbourne. Presentations on the tree plantation industry and its trading environment, log production and exports, softwood and hardwood woodchip export trends to major markets and the future outlook; the sawn timber industry – production and direction (including import competition), the potential for wood panel expansion, the domestic pulp and paper sectors and global pulp demand outlook, wood pellet potential; and more. This includes 13 speaker from Australia and 10 high-profile specialists in their fields from overseas – two from China, two from Canada, two from the US and one each from Chile, Finland and New Zealand. Shanghai-based RISI forestry specialist Gavin Hao will provide an extended presentation on North Asian and Indian softwood and woodchip markets, where Australia fits into these markets in 2013 and 2014, and predictions about future demand.

Other speakers include Oliver Lansdell, global pulp specialist; Rodrigo Monreal, solid wood products chief of Arauco, Chile; Matthew Wood, CEO Stora Enso Australia; Russ Taylor, president of WOODMarkets; Peter Barynin, lead economist with Boston USA-based RISI; Peter Zed (Australian sawmilling sector); Simon Dories, general manager, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia; Ross Hampton, CEO, Forest and Wood Products Australia; Steve Whitley, CEO, Forestry Tasmania.

Full registration details, plus the program, speakers, sponsorship and the online registration can be viewed at prcc.com.au / danamelbourne2014 or contact Pamela Richards at email pam@ prcc.com.au 11-12: DANA conference, Rotorua, NZ. The New Zealand forestry and forest products sector: its situation in 2014 and trends going forward. Novotel Rotorua Hotel, Rotorua. Web: www.prcc.com.au/ danamelbourne2014.

Conference consultant: Pam Richards 61 3 5781 0069.

Email: pam@prcc.com.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

SEPTEMBER

17-18: Wood Innovations 2014: Timber Preservation – Wood Modification – Composite Products – Rotorua, NZ. 23-24: Melbourne. (www.woodinnovations2014.com).

Changes in new wood treatment formulations, processes and systems, standards, legislation with the focus also on wood plastic composites and modified wood products.

19-20: ForestTECH 2014.

Rotorua, NZ. 25-26: Melbourne. (www.foresttech2014.com).

Remote sensing, field Inventory, forest estate planning.

NOVEMBER

13-14: Engineered Wood Products – From Here to the Future. Australian timber industry seminar.

Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort, Gold Coast. Co-hosted by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia and Forest and Wood Products Australia. Australian and international speakers. Contact Eileen Newbury, marketing manager, Forest and Wood Products Australia.Tel +61 (3) 9927 3212. Mob: +61 (0) 41931 3163.

Email: eileen.newbury@fwpa.com. au or visit www.fwpa.com.au for registration and accommodation details.

2015 MARCH

25: ForestWorks annual industry conference and dinner in Canberra.

Flagship event for the forest, wood, paper and timber products industries. Joining with the Australian Forest Products Association to co-host the popular networking industry dinner at Parliament House. Conference will look beyond the innovative technologies in industry and focus on the people, exploring how they can help to bring about innovation.

Further details will be announced in the coming months, including the conference theme, speakers and venue. Contact forestworks@ forestworks.com.au

THE AUSTRALIAN FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION The lead voice in Canberra on policy affecting forest, wood and paper products industries.

AFPA strives to deliver benefits for the complete industry value chain including those involved in: • Forest growing • Harvest and haulage • Sawmilling and other wood processing • Pulp and paper processing • Forest product exporting

Join us today and share the benefits Call (02) 6285 3833

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Timber planter wins power in Indonesia’s presidential race

Criminal logging activity challenge in pledge to clean up corruption FURNITURE manufacturer and timber planter Joko Widodo, 53, has been declared the winner of Indonesia’s hotlycontested presidential election.

The Jakarta Governor won 53.15% of the vote with his rival, ex-general Prabowo Subianto, on 46.85%.

Mr Widodo has promised a decisive break with Indonesia’s authoritarian past and better social welfare for the poor.

He promises to clean-up and clean-out creaking and corrupt bureaucracies as he did in Jakarta. The hard part begins the day he is sworn-in in October.

Relocated poor on river banks to proper houses Indonesia, which shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia, has an estimated population approaching 250 million and a swelling middle class of around 45 million people. With its economy soon expected to join the trillion dollar club, Indonesia’s economic potential is significant. It is already the largest economy

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Hands-on approach .. new president Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo brings a new style to Indonesian politics.

in southeast Asia, projected to be the world’s 7th largest economy by 2030.

Australia and Indonesia’s relationship is strong and multifaceted, with a broad agenda for bilateral cooperation. Both governments elevated the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in March 2010.

But one of the greatest challenges for the president -elect is criminal forest activity; the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry estimates that in

recent years, the country has lost between 1.6 million and 2.8 million ha of forest annually to illegal logging and land conversion.

Meanwhile, logging has degraded much of the remaining forest cover and, as easily accessible forests have been cleared, loggers are moving into pristine forests in once remote areas like Kalimantan.

Indonesia possesses 123 million ha of forest, equal to 10% of global forest cover,

including the third largest tropical rainforest, and is a leading supplier to the world’s legal timber market.

However, the growing global demand and falling supply of wood, coupled with inadequate law enforcement and forest management, means Indonesia continues as a major source of illegally harvested timber.

Born in 1961 in Solo, the son of a wood-seller, Joko Widodo spent his childhood in a house on a river bank until the local government evicted his family.

Observers point to these humble beginnings as key to his popularity.

He began his political career with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) when he was elected mayor of Solo – a city in the centre of Java – in 2005.

In 2010, he was elected for second term with more than 90% of the vote, as people supported policies aimed at boosting small and local businesses. He rebuilt traditional markets and relocated poor people who lived on the river banks to proper houses.

Cont P 7

Exporter of furniture to Europe, US

From P 6

In 1980, Widodo graduated as dux at the forestry faculty at the respected Gadjah Mada University in neighbouring Yogyakarta. In 1985, he was awarded his forestry degree.

The same year he married his sweetheart Iriana, a friend of his sister’s, and went off to his first job in a pulp mill in the rugged highlands of Aceh’s Takengon in Indonesia’s far west.

Graduated as dux at earned forestry degree After four years, he returned to Solo with the pregnant Iriana to work for his uncle, who owned a furniture factory.

In 1988, the young man struck out on his own, setting up his own manufacturing operation, making furniture of wood and cane. He was also hands-on, driving timber around in his own car and moving among his workers dressed in jeans and a white shirt – the garb he still mostly wears today.

His business thrived and he became an exporter, opening showrooms in Europe, the US and Asia. In 2002, he was elected chairman of the local Solo Furniture Manufacturers Association.

Wood Protection ®

INDUSTRY NEWS

‘Between-Frame’ conference designed for building sector

Engineered wood construction systems

Building with engineered wood . the five-storey floor cassette installation at Australand’s Parkville building site in Melbourne.

A BETWEEN-Frame Australia conference for the building, construction and design sectors will be held in Melbourne on June 1 next year.

“A record attendance of more than 400 at Frame Australia 2014 in May highlights the growing interest in prefabricated timber framing and engineered wood in building construction, with the largest increase in delegates from the building sector which more than doubled,” conference director Kevin Ezard said.

“Delegate survey feedback revealed very high interest in the topics with 98%

indicating they would attend again, and 81% of design and construction delegates preferring the conference be held every year to keep up to date with developments.”

Mr Ezard said conference topics next year would primarily be for delegates from building design and construction with the theme ‘building with engineered wood construction systems’.

Sessions will cover future planning and housing trends, building design and codes including fire safety, construction system projects, building costs, labour skills

and training, plus supply chain requirements.

“This new initiative will not alter the existing Frame Australia conference format which is held every two years which focuses on engineered timber and the manufacturing of prefabricated timber building systems, with the next event in 2016,” Mr Ezard said.

“The conference has been held for the past 16 years and is very popular as a biennial event, which will not be changing.”

For more information on the event visit the Frame Australia website www.frameaustralia. com

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ISSUE 327 | PAGE 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

Brrr-inging it in on time at Smithton Ta Ann to start plywood production trials in November

By JIM BOWDEN

FRIGID winter winds blowing off Bass Straight have not deterred construction crews working to a deadline to complete the Ta Ann plywood mill at Smithton on the far northwest coast of Tasmania.

Malaysian-based Ta Ann is building the mill adjacent to its veneer factory, using $7.5 million provided by the federal government and matching this to create a $15 million state-ofthe-art facility.

Salisbury R&D centre pivotal to value-adding “The site is a hive of activity despite the cold weather, most of the machinery is on site and production trials will start in November,” said holidaying Evan Rolley, with just a touch of guilt.

The chief executive of Ta Ann is in Brisbane for three weeks with his wife Judy, enjoying the warmer climate and celebrating the birth of their son’s first child.

We pushed the guilt factor a little and said we had called Smithton and his polite receptionist told us, “it’s warmer today, about six degrees, which is better than yesterday’s minus two.”

The transfer from containers at Burnie to the site of all the key machinery and equipment – sourced from New Zealand, the US, South Korea and Malaysia – will be completed in August.

“So the timing is spot on,” Mr Rolley said.

The construction program is in the hands of Tasmanian family business Vos Construction, which also built Ta Ann’s Huon mill in 2007 and the Smithton veneer factory in 2008.

Evan Rolley .. completion of Smithton mill on time is a cold fact.

The company is conferring with potential partners on the production of a number of special value-added products and development for these products is continuing at the DAFF Salisbury research facility in Brisbane.

Evan Rolley and Ta Ann general manager Robert Yong will use Mr Rolley’s time in Brisbane to visit the Salisbury complex.

“They’re doing great and very useful things out there and, in my opinion, it’s the Australian centre for this sort of R&D work,” Mr Rolley said.

“We anticipate a long and close association with the Salisbury team. This is the way forward if we want different types of plywood and different high-tech approaches to new products. It will be a key for the whole industry.”

Mr Rolley said the challenge for Ta Ann was to keep the veneer plant at Smithton

operating at full capacity while the plywood mill was being constructed nearby.

“We want to avoid any shutdown of veneer production so we’re working through options to keep it going as long as possible.”

Mr Rolley, a former managing director of Forestry Tasmania, said the plywood mill would draw on the forest resource across the state’s northwest and into the northeast highlands.

“But as we up plywood production, we will be looking to engage with private forest growers, who’ve had a pretty lean two or three years with the closure of Gunns.”

Conferring with potential partners on new products He said Ta Ann would continue developing its export markets.

“We have experience in those supply chains and we certainly want to consolidate and maintain those opportunities internationally.”

He said as far as product certification was concerned, Forestry Tasmania had indicated that its timeline for FSC certification towards the end of the year was progressing.

Established in 2007, Ta Ann Tasmania adds value to eucalypt regrowth logs previously used only for woodchips by peeling them into high-value PEFCcertified veneer for domestic and international product.

Southern Cross Forest Products sale

info@forestry.org.au | www.forestry.org.au PAGE 8

| ISSUE 327

THE receivers of New Zealand’s Southern Cross Forest Products Ltd have confirmed the sale of the company’s Milburn sawmill and Millstream dry mill assets in Otago to Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd. Receiver, Brendon Gibson from KordaMentha, said the sale

was good news for the local forestry industry.

Pan Pac managing director Doug Ducker said the company planned to make a significant investment to increase the mills’ production capacity prior to recommencing production in early 2015.

Taking right step on MDF product use in staircases

A CLAIM that Australian manufactured MDF products are unsuitable for use as components for staircase construction has been strongly refuted by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

Commenting on an article in the Master Builder Victoria magazine (April-May), EWPAA general manger Simon Dorries said: “They’re out of step on this one; MDF boards have been used in staircases for at least 30 years without any instance of structural failure.”

The article made the following points: • Non-structural MDF should not be used in staircase construction (without additional reinforcement).

• The only MDF product which is structurally rated is HP (high performance) MDF (as defined in AS/NZS 1859.2).

• The EWPAA has been quoted as saying that there are no HP MDF boards made

by Australian manufacturers certified to AS/NZS 1859.2.

Australian standards misinterpreted Simon Dorries said it was likely that the some readers of the report simply misinterpreted Australian standards and information provided on the use of MDF in staircases.

He said the manufacturing

standard for MDF boards (AS/NZS 1859.2) specified values for basic structural and material properties of MDF. This allowed many grades of MDF to be designed and be ‘fit for use’ in dry protected applications such as stair components, as had been the case for more than 30 years.

“Any insinuation that EWPAA does not endorse or support the use of MDF in staircases is false and misleading and is a misuse of the facts,” Mr Dorries said.

Mr Dorries said some manufacturers in the solid wood sector had been using the report to suggest EWPAA did not support the use of MDF boards in staircases.

“This is very far from the truth,” Mr Dorries said.

Producers of compliant MDF in Australia include Laminex, Borg Manufacturing and Alpine MDF Industries.

Mr Dorries, as the recently appointed chair of Australian Standards Committee TM-011 responsible for engineered wood products standards, confirmed that one of the first items of business would be an urgent update to AS/NZS 1859.2.

“This was last updated in 2004 and does not reflect advancements in manufacturing technologies and the production of more reliable MDF products to clarify their suitability for use in a range of protected load carrying applications.”

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ISSUE 327 | PAGE 9

INDUSTRY NEWS

DA plans outreach activity on illegal logging act regulations

Five-month program in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane THE federal Department of Agriculture is planning a variety of outreach activities over the next five months on the illegal logging regulation which commences on November 30.

These include a series of information seminars for importers and domestic processors in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in early to midOctober. Webinars will also planned for those out of these cities.

Stephen Mitchell, sustainability program manger at the Timber Development Association, says the department is also keen to present at any key industry events.

Information package for associations “So let them know if you have one,” Mr Mitchell said.

The department also plans to prepare an information package AFTER 25 years at the helm, Mike Jones is stepping down as the managing director of Komatsu Forest Australia to be replaced

by Brett Jones, who has been

Addessing an illegal logging regulation and due diligence training seminar in Brisbane .. Stephen Mitchell, sustainability program manager, Timber Development Association, Ben Mitchell, director, international forest policy, Department of Agriculture, and Neil Garbutt, assistant director, forestry branch, Department of Agriculture.

for industry associations to circulate to their membership in August and September.

“We have given them some feedback on what a useful information pack might look like,” Mr Mitchell said.

TDA will also be undertaking more due diligence training for importers in October.

This training, which covers some simple tools and practical guidance, may be delivered in partnership with other associations.

“The training we held in June, attended by importers of timber, plywood, veneer, paper and wood furniture, was very well received,” Mr Mitchell said.

New chief for Komatsu Forest

with the company since 1990.

Mike Jones will stay with Komatsu Forest for two years as

the marketing director to support the transition period.

Brett Jones brings enormous

No dates are as yet confirmed but anyone interested can register their interest in due diligence training at www. timberduediligence.com.au Meanwhile, FSC Australia has released an approved controlled wood national risk assessment for New Zealand. Unsurprisingly, New Zealand is ‘low risk’ for illegally harvested wood.

The FSC national risk assessment for Australia, released in 2009, rated Australia a low risk for illegally harvested wood.

These national risk assessments (or NRAs) can be easily used by importers and Australian domestic processors as evidence that their wood products are low risk of being illegally harvested (and therefore no costly risk mitigation is needed).

Approved and draft NRAs for most countries from where Australia imports wood products can be found at www. globalforestregistry.org/map technical knowledge to his new position; he held the previous roles of service manager, product support manager and general manager.

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PAGE 1 0 | ISSUE 327

Engineered Timber Products

INDUSTRY NEWS

EWPAA audit ticks product quality for Fiji’s growing plywood industry

LABORATORY technician Andrew McLaughlin has passed muster as an EWPAA auditor, completing one of his first assignments in Fiji.

Based at the Brisbane EWPAA offices in Eagle Farm, he was accompanied by general manager Simon Dorries and visited EWPAA member companies Fiji Forest Industries and Valebasoga Tropikboards Ltd, both based at Labasa, in the northeast of Vanua Levu island.

External auditing program Each mill participates in an external auditing program to ensure ‘in-mill’ process control and internal auditing meet the requirements of

Bula, Fiji .. Simon Dorries, general manager of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia and EWPAA lab technician Andrew McLaughlin confer in Labasa, Fiji, with Valebasoga Tropikboards executives Chanen Singh, quality manager, and Ravin Chandra, site manager.

EWPAA’s quality control program. Additionally, samples of product are taken randomly from each mill each shift and forwarded to the EWPAA’s national NATA laboratory in Brisbane for evaluation to Australian and New Zealand

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Why would you risk it?

• Legal action • Damage to your business • Possible loss of life • Media exposure

standards.

Fiji Forest Industries is owned

by Tropik Wood Industries Ltd, which operates a sawmill and woodchip plant and also owns Tropik Wood Products Ltd in Bua and Tropik Energy Ltd in Nadi, producing power

from sawmill and woodchip residues.

Valebasoga Tropik Boards is a large value-adding plywood manufacturer and as the biggest producer of veneer Cont P 13

Consistent quality Structurally sound and safe Lowest emissions Wood from 100% legal forests Guaranteed to meet government standards Jobs security It’s simple arithmetic.

Add it up and the safest choice is engineered wood manufactured

by EWPAA members.

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia Unit 3, 106 Fison Ave West, Eagle Farm 4009 Qld Tel: 61 7 3250 3700 Fax: 61 7 3252 4769 Email: inbox@ewp.asn.au Web: www.ewp.asn.au

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

Shoalhaven paper mill a passport to whole-of-life wood acceptance Federal government preference for Australian products

THE Australian Forest Products Association has supported the consideration of ‘wholeof-life’ benefits of producing paper products in Australia in government procurement policies and purchasing decisions.

The increased awareness of whole-of-life, follows a recent comment by the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop that Australian Paper’s Shoalhaven mill on the NSW south coast will keep supplying high-security paper to the government.

Federal Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis secured firm assurances that future passport paper production will remain at the paper mill after weeks of campaigning that culminated in a late night meeting with Julie Bishop at Parliament House.

Excellent example of manufacturing innovative products AFPA has also been calling on the federal government to consider the whole-of-life benefits of producing wood and paper products, and was encouraged by the recent report by the Senate Committee on

Julie Bishop

Ann Sudmalis

Commonwealth Procurement Procedures.

It stated “government procurement policies, as part of the valuefor-money assessment, should take into account the impact of the government’s procurement decisions on communities and on the broader economy”.

A recent community meeting in Nowra, which included Ann Sudmalis and the CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor, identified ways to achieve a commitment from the federal government to support the Shoalhaven paper mill operations, and to take into account issues other than price in government procurement decisions.

AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said the Shoalhaven mill was an excellent example of a

Michael O’Connor

company making innovative products with a strong connection in the region that continued to back the future of paper manufacturing in Australia.

“Continued recognition and support for the flow-on benefits of domestic production of paper products will underpin the future of paper product manufacturing in this country, which has significant potential to grow and diversify,” Mr Hampton said.

In 2010, the Pulp and Paper Industry Strategy Group identified that with the right policy settings the industry could contribute as much as $38 billion to the national economy with a further 3500 jobs by 2020.

Growth opportunities in

Australia’s pulp and paper sector reflect the demand for a range of paper products in both Australia and Asia.

“Benefits from further investment and greater diversification including recognition of whole-oflife benefits, flow-on socioeconomic benefits, increased recycling and the use of wood fibre for renewable energy will not be realised unless we continue to support Australian production.” Mr Hampton said.

Recognition and support for the flow-on benefits Located in Bomaderry, 160 km south of Sydney, the Shoalhaven mill is Australia’s only manufacturer of highquality specialty printing and writing papers.

Australian Paper annually produces around 610,000 tonnes of paper products, more than 450,000 tonnes of pulp, and sells almost 700,000 tonnes to local and overseas markets.

Products are exported to more than 75 countries in Asia, the US, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

Government probe on Triabunna woodchip mill

THE state parliamentary probe into the sale of the Triabunna woodchip mill is planning to call more than 20 witnesses, including former Gunns chief Greg L’Estrange, says an ABC News report.

The Tasmanian government claims Labor and the Greens hid important details of the sale of Gunns’ Triabunna woodchip mill to environmentalists Graeme Wood and Jan Cameron, and directed the Lower House’s Liberal-dominated community

PAGE 1 2 | ISSUE 327

development committee to investigate.

Greens Leader Kim Booth claims the government was embarking on a political witchhunt.

The ABC understands the committee will hear from the mill site’s owners, Wood and Cameron and environmental activist Alec Marr.

The committee will also call four former Labor cabinet ministers: former premier Lara Giddings, her former deputy

Bryan Green, former AttorneyGeneral Brian Wightman and former economic development minister David O’Byrne.

Former Greens leader Nick McKim and his successor Kim Booth will also be called.

Senior bureaucrats and the Glamorgan-Spring Bay mayor Bertrand Cadart are also listed.

The Premier’s parliamentary secretary Guy Barnett, who is chairing the inquiry, said he was keen to hear what Mr L’Estrange had to say.

“Obviously he is a witness that could provide important evidence to the inquiry going forward,” he said.

Millionaire environmentalists Graeme Wood and Jan Cameron bought the Triabunna mill three years ago. The pair initially said they hoped to reopen it, but later unveiled plans for a tourism development.

The committee will hold its first hearing next month.

EVENTS

Remote sensing makes profound impact on management of forests

WITHOUT doubt, remote sensing over the last five years has made the most profound impact on how foresters are planning and managing their forest estates.

Last year’s ForestTECH event was a sell-out; well over 400 attended with the theme being steep slope wood harvesting and forestry safety.

The last FIEA technology series profiling new developments in remote sensing and forestry analytical tools was back in 2011.

ForestTECH 2011 detailed results from early trials of forestry companies that were evaluating the technical, operational and financial feasibility of using LiDAR across a range of forest management activities.

Results clearly demonstrated that LiDAR was able to be integrated into a forestry company’s inventory and planning systems. Significant savings could be made over traditional systems, particularly where terrain and drainage was not well understood (for harvesting and road construction planning) and where forest inventory costs were high.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now being trialed by forestry companies

The quality of the data being captured over traditional methods was also vastly superior and technical issues around processing and handling large volumes of data had successfully been overcome.

A lot has happened since that technology update just three years ago. A large number of operational trials have been rolled out and LiDAR is now firmly incorporated into the forest inventory and management systems of numerous forestry companies.

LiDAR data is now being used by foresters to measure the maturity and density of a stand, and reliably count trees, making it possible to predict key stand

metrics and plan supply chain logistics accurately from the office. Individual tree metrics and maps showing spatial variation in tree stocking have also recently been developed allowing forest managers to accurately predict stocking and tree dimensions.

In addition to LiDAR, there have been significant advances in photogrammetric software.

High-resolution DSM and DTM production is no longer the domain of LiDAR scanning. New generations of satellite imagery are being evaluated and used by forestry companies as part of their resource assessments, forest inventory and operational planning.

As well as huge strides

being made in using LiDAR, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s – also known as drones) along with multiple sensors (visible, multispectral and hyperspectral, thermal and LiDAR) are now being trialed by forestry companies on both sides of the Tasman to provide up-to-date, cost effective and accurate spatial data.

Forestry companies have used fixed wing UAVs – and they are looking closely at the multi-rotor platforms – for tasks like assessing tree survival, post-harvest regeneration, coppice regrowth surveys and fire management.

As well as remote sensing and inventory management, ForestTECH 2014 will also be evaluating some of the new innovations around selecting and using rugged data capture tools in the field as well as national, estate and tactical planning systems being used by leading forestry companies.

ForestTECH 2014 is planned to run on November 19 and 20 in Rotorua, NZ, and then again in Melbourne on November 25 and 26.

Early program details can be found on the event website, www.foresttech2014.com

Future prospects for the Fiji forest industry are bright From P 11

ply board and sawn timber in the northern region employs more than 5000 people in harvesting, manufacturing and land management operations.

The company has become a major export oriented manufacturer of ply board and timber supplying local and overseas markets. About 80% of its plywood products are exported to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the US, Dubai, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands.

Timber is Fiji’s third-largest

export commodity and the sector still has considerable growth potential as Fiji is one of the most developed economies in the Pacific islands due to its abundance of forests, minerals and fish resources.

More than 50% of Fiji’s land cover is made up of native forests; another 5% to 6% is under pine and hardwood plantations.

On available figures, softwood plantations, mainly pine (Pinus caribaea), represent 2.5% (46,379 ha) of the land area and have been established on the leeward and grasslands.

There is great potential for plantation expansion.

Hardwood plantations of mainly mahogany (Swietania macrophylla), representing 2.9% of the land area, have been established on loggedover rainforests, mainly on the eastern and central parts of the larger islands.

Fiji industry has potential for growth Forest expansion estimates are based on the anticipated

increase in production of indigenous and pine logs as well as harvesting of mahogany plantations. Earnings from forestry products are greatly influenced by the price of exports and weather patterns.

Fiji has been self-sufficient in most timber products for more than 10 years.

Future prospects for the forest industry are bright. The outlook, however, continues to be heavily reliant on the commencement of large-scale utilisation of Fiji’s mahogany plantation resource.

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1 3

INDUSTRY NEWS

We’re headin’ south – and we’re doing it for the kids Brisbane Timber Industry Hoo-Hoo Club 218 has entered the 2014 Variety Club of Queensland Bush Bash to again raise funds for disadvantaged children – heading south in August in the club’s veteran Bush Bash performer, a 1977 Holden Kingswood.

Already, the club’s entry in Variety’s 25th anniversary event has raised more than $8000 from kind sponsors. Club 218 acknowledge the generous support of Forest and Wood Products Australia and the Australian Forest Products Association.

The Hoo-Hoo Bush Bash team will distribute more than 300 industry promotional bags to schools along the route which begins in the capital of Cane Toad kingdom at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and finishes 10 days later in the heart of Cockroach country at Moore Park in Sydney.

Please support Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218’s effort so we can enrich the lives of sick and needy children.

Sponsorship will attract wide media coverage and is tax deductible.

Sponsorship so far has reached more than $12,500.

Donate on-line. https://2014bash.everydayhero.com/au/tim All sponsorships will be recognised.

For more information and to discuss sponsorship options contact committee members: Don Towerton 0428 745 455, Tim Evans 0417 726 741 or Jim Bowden 0401 312 087.

PAGE 1 4 | ISSUE 327

Building industry holds its course post-budget: MBA

BUILDING and construction industry confidence held steady in the post-Budget period, according to a national survey

by Master Builders Australia.

Building activity is set to continue gaining strength on the back of improved confidence in residential building which is the highest it has been for six years in the June quarter of 2008.

The survey’s key indicators show that a good pipeline of work underpins current confidence levels and supports Master Builders’ forecast that total dwelling commencements will exceed 200,000 by 2017.

The strong upturn in residential building continued its gradual translation into improved prospects for commercial construction.

Encouragingly, the green shoots of returning confidence in the commercial construction

sector have consolidated with the June quarter survey showing confidence has risen for the second consecutive quarter.

Builders’ confidence in the prospects for their own business rose for the fourth consecutive quarter. This is particularly reflective of the residential building sector’s response to low rates and is an encouraging trend indicating industry’s expectation that business activity will continue to rise over the next six months.

The slight easing of business confidence post the federal Budget highlights the underlying vulnerability of the recovery in building and construction and the need for the federal government to implement its budget-repair strategy with the responsible support of the new senate.

Sponsors drive up Bush Bash donation tally to over $12,500

MORE than $12,500 has so far been donated to the Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club Bush Bash charity event.

The timber industry club is taking its third run in the event and has so far raised more than $40,000 for needy children over that time.

This year in its 25th anniversary run, the Variety Queensland Bush Bash will see a convoy of more than 400 participants head off on August 8 from Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane for a 10-day, 3000 km trek to Sydney.

“This will be an all-industry event this year,” said lead driver Tim Evans who praised the sponsorship and support from timber companies, organisations and individuals.

The club thanks: Patsy and Tim Evans, Alan Jones,

Penne Evans, Jim Burgess, G Feest, Dorothy and Ken Ferris, Christine and John Tonetto, Ben and Viv Hardwick, BobbieThomson, Advanced Timber Systems, Peter Duncan, Rebecca McGregor, CHH Wood Products, Caboolture Facility Social Club., Derek Simmonds, J. Ferris, Gerry Gardner andDave Alcock, TimTechChem, Bill Nutting, Noel Wootten, IVS, Robertson Bros, Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218, Quicksilver Limos, John Crooke, Peter and Carolyn Mort, J & B Parkin, NT Open Education Centre, Pinewood Products.

Garrie James, Peterand& Pru Macmillan, Earl Murray, Lucas Mill Pty Ltd, Ross Plowman, Anonumous, EWPAA, HQ Plantations, .TWT, Frank Withey, Zenith Timber, Ringwood & Ply ,AustbrokersPremier, Spiro Notaras, Timber&Forest enews.

WINDOWS AND DOORS

Training program for licensed WADIC members over August and September

From P 4

and cannot be used,” Ms Foord said.

“The density of western red cedar varies considerably and would be generally measured as 350 kg/m3, but it has now been tested in a system and passed for BAL 29.

“The WRC was tested raw without any chemical treatment or application.”

Two pilot tests costing more than $20,000, with the added cost of test specimens, revealed what does not work and what led eventually to the success of the major testing configurations.

“We learnt that western red cedar is a very good insulator and does not react well with the glass causing thermal shocking,” Ms Foord said.

“Reassuringly though, merbau on the other hand was not a good insulator and the glass tested with merbau was successful. Both timbers char and self-extinguish with differing levels of charring.

‘This is truly an exciting stage in WADIC’s history’ “Western red cedar chars to a considerably deeper level.

Certain glasses perform poorly where as others perform well when applied correctly.

“Much more was revealed particular to the species.”

Timber can cup or deflect when heated at 900 deg. C when flaming cribs (which emulate burning embers) are applied.

At a cost of $15,000, three major tests were performed with pleasing results. Some redesigning and hardware additions easily corrected some door deflection. A range of windows, hinged doors, a bifold system and a 4 sq m timber-framed pane of glass

Anybody seeking WADIC licensed membership or wanting to become a certified fabricator of bushfire products should contact Bronwyn by email at admin@wadic.com.au An education program is already under way with presentations made to more than 250 architects, builders and certifiers in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

More programs are scheduled for other states in the months ahead.

Presentations to 250 builders and architects

The density of western red cedar varies , but it has now been tested in a system and passed for BAL 29.

were successfully tested.

The successful range of WADIC BAL 29 certified products includes fixed glazed panels to 4 sq m, awning windows, casement windows, hinged doors, bifold door and window systems and six insulated glass systems.

The sectional sizes of the timber allowed can be increased, the size of side hung casement and awning windows can be up to 1800 mm wide/ high. A door assembly can be, in some applications, a maximum 3000 mm high with a width of 1200 mm with glass

thicknesses ranging from 6 mm toughened and greater up to 15 mm thick.

“All products tested met AS2047 [mandatory minimum specification standard by BCA for windows and doors] per the WADIC compliance manual,” Ms Foord said.

A training program for licensed WADIC members only will be rolled out in August and September.

Bronwyn Foord said existing WADIC members should inquire about the cost of becoming a WADIC bushfire fabricator and what is involved.

“During the rest of this year, presentations will be made to bushfire consultants and certifiers to assure them that these products are suitable for BAL29 application,” Ms Foord said.

“This is truly an exciting stage in WADIC’s history; none of this would have been possible without the contribution of the experienced WADIC committee, financial contribution from WADIC members and assistance from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association.

“WADIC will continue to work towards informed solutions for obstacles that continue to impede the ability of our members to manufacture compliant, high quality joinery windows and doors for future years to come.”

WADIC fabricators sign up

NATIONALLY, 42 WADIC member fabricators have now signed up for the training sessions to become registered fabricators. The sessions will be run in South Australia on August 28, Victoria on September 2, NSW on

September 4 and Queensland on September 9.

Cabot Woodcare, one of WADIC’s supplier members, has offered the Dulux premises and other venues for these training sessions.

Additional training by Cabots on correct finishing will be included in the sessions.

The WADIC AGM and member forum will be held in Sydney at Rydges Parramatta on October 16.

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1 5

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Local activism, political measures needed to stop illegal timber trade Whistle-blowers could help curb tropical timber crime

WHEN it comes to stemming the global trade in illegal tropical timber, local activists in timber-producing countries may be more effective than sophisticated technology and import regulations, say experts from the Centre for International Forestry Research.

Whistleblowing by environmental groups has led to some crackdowns on the illegal trade in high-profile species such as big-leaf mahogany from South America, and those groups should be given a more formal role in international oversight agencies, suggest a recent paper published by CIFOR and London-based Chatham House.

Even when international agencies and timber-producing countries agree on better forest management and enforcement measures, illegal shipments can slip through loopholes

Between 15-30% of global timber trade inow illegal “Engaging civil society representatives from countries where the illegal timber trade occurs expands the information base, as long as they are credible non-governmental organisations,” says Rosalind Reeve, a senior associate researcher at CIFOR and coauthor of the paper.

The report recommends ways to strengthen the relationship between European Union regulations aimed at curbing illegal timber imports and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Between 15% and 30% of the timber traded on global markets is illegal, according to estimates by the UN Environment Program. Interpol

PAGE 1 6 | ISSUE 327

On the way .. cut logs being transported to sawmills in Jepara, Central Java, Indonesia. Between 15% and 30% of the timber traded on global markets is illegal, according to a recent report.

estimates that the illicit trade is worth at least $30 billion a year.

Pressure from civil society groups helped lead to stricter controls on exports of ramin (Gonystylus spp.), which was native to southeast Asian peat swamps, Reeve said.

And campaigns by nongovernmental organisations in Europe and the USs triggered a moratorium on exports of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) from Brazil and tougher timber export requirements in a free trade pact between Peru and the US. More recently, the environmental organisation Greenpeace questioned a shipment of African teak (Pericopsis elata, also known as Afrormosia), which authorities then seized at a port in Belgium.

Although the European Union, the US and Australia have established regulations for timber imports, they are unlikely to stop the flow of illegal timber, some experts say.

“It is widely known that illegal logging is still a serious problem in many parts of the world,”

says Andrew Wardell, former director of CIFOR’s forests and governance program.

“The incentives are so large for the people involved, and enforcement capacities and possibly the political will to act are still in short supply.”

Even when international agencies and timber-producing countries agree on better forest management and enforcement measures, illegal shipments can slip through loopholes.

Despite a special section on forest governance in the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, which requires Peru to ensure that shipments of CITES-protected timber species can be traced to the forest concession where the trees were harvested, illegal mahogany exports persist because of a lack of preharvest inventories, fraudulent or incomplete paperwork, and lack of enforcement, according to a study published in the journal Nature earlier this year.

An earlier investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency found that since 2008, more than 20 US companies

imported millions of dollars in illegal wood from the Peruvian Amazon. Illegally harvested mahogany eventually enters the legal market chain, so the export paperwork appears to be legitimate when it reaches ports in the US, the biggest importer of Peruvian mahogany.

Inadequate regulation, poor enforcement and corruption are problems that can often be addressed more effectively by harnessing the knowledge of civil society organisations in the timber-producing countries than by international regulations such as the US Lacey Act or the EU Trade Regulation, Wardell says.

“Importing countries can play an important role in supporting those organisations as they pressure for better regulation of forest management and timber exports at home,” he said.

Species can be traced to the forest concession “Even when traditional importing countries such as the US and those in the European Union pass laws to curb illegal timber imports, their ability to keep illegally harvested timber out of supply chains is limited for several reasons.

“One is that increasing amounts of illegal timber are going to other countries, particularly China, India and the Middle East that often have less-rigorous import regulations. In addition, much of the timber trade is regional – between countries in Asia, Africa or South America – and therefore outside the scope of systems such as the European Union’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade system (FLEGT).

ENVIRONMENT

As Australia’s most tree-covered city, life in Canberra can be less stressful

CANBERRANS benefit every day from living in the most tree-covered city in Australia, experiencing less stress and sickness and benefiting from reduced household energy costs.

The city’s status as the bush capital has been confirmed by a study by the Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS Sydney, which found Canberra has the greatest proportion of metropolitan tree coverage, as high as 50% in north Canberra.

Forestry professor Cris Brack of the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the ANU said the high coverage of urban trees throughout the ACT played a beneficial role for households and the community as a whole.

“Positive impacts range from improved health, such as a positive effect on stress levels,

Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury launched the Canberra Tree Week by planting a snow gum.

– Photo by Canberra Times

sickness rates and recovery from injury, through to a reduction in the cost of heating wind-swept homes in winter and cooling sun-baked homes in summer,” Dr Brack said.

Dr Brack said Canberra’s

trees not only helped mitigate the impacts of climate change, but reduced the need for air conditioners or heaters, cutting the ACT’s peak electricity usage and contributing about $20 million to the city’s bottom

line in the past five years.

The study coincided with the inaugural Canberra Tree Week that officially began on July 21 to showcase the valuable contribution of trees to the bush capital’s unique forest landscape.

Activities included daily forest tours by the National Arboretum and the National Botanic Gardens and treethemed craft and story-time for children at libraries across the ACT. A tree symposium provided educational talks by forestry experts including National Arboretum curator Adam Burgess.

“With such a diverse collection of tree species, our city is almost like an arboretum in its own right,” Mr Burgess said.

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1 7

ON THE ROAD

Kurt and the Kluger: room and grunt, why buy anything else?

BOXER and builder Kurt was punching a few nails into some recycled blackbutt flooring in the Hendra reno job when we nudged the Toyota Kluger Grande on to the building site.

“Why consider a Prado or Landcruiser when you can have this?” said Kurt as a he circled the big, white US-built V6.

“They’re the best car on the market for my money; heaps of leg room in the back and plenty of grunt up front.”

He’ll be driving one in New Zealand next month on a golfing trip with two mates.

After a week in the Grande, we agree with Kurt – if you want something a bit bigger than the average family sedan with more room and power, the latest version of the Toyota Kluger is a viable option.

The new-generation Klugers are no longer produced in Japan; since late 2013 they have been built in North America where they’re badged Highlander. Toyota invested more than $400 million and 400 extra jobs at its Indiana plant to satisfy export markets including Australia and Russia.

Ample leg and head room front and rear Offering three rows of seats and accommodating seven adults in comfort, with ample room for their luggage, the Kluger also offers the option of two or four-wheel drive. There are three variations, the GX, GXL and Grande, and even the ’basic’ GX offers a good standard package, including a reversing camera, parking sensors, cruise control and other extras.

The GLX adds a tri-level climate control system, heated seats, keyless entry and push button start.

The top of the range Grande

PAGE 1 8 | ISSUE 327

Toyota’s Kluger Grande pays a visit to a building site.

adds 19 in. wheels, second row blinds, powered tailgate, and large screen sat-nav. Safety features include radar cruise control, blind spot monitor and lane departure warning.

The Kluger is big on the outside, and feels big on the inside, too. There’s ample leg and head room front and rear, well designed seats, large and clear instrumentation, a deep centre console and spacious door pockets. The cargo space is a little limited when the three rows of seats are in use, but still adequate. When only the second row of seats is required, the cargo area is quite large.

There’s grunt under the bonnet, both around town in city traffic and the open road.

Fuel consumption isn’t great; expect to get about 14L/100km

in the city. The official claimed combined rate is 10.6L/100km.

The Kluger’s all-new sheet metal is significantly more aggressive than the previous model, and looks very much the big brother of the current RAV4. Riding on the same 2790 mm wheelbase as the second-generation model, the new Kluger adds an extra 80 mm in length – most of which is behind the rear wheels – to now total 4685 mm, with the extra length benefitting second and third row passengers and cargo.

Interior design includes an impressive variety of textures and colours used to good effect, with an excellent perception of quality and array of storage spaces punctuated by the large padded under dash tray

Well-designed seats, large and clear instrumentation, a deep centre console .. the Kluger Grande has power and lots of room.

and a gigantic 24.5-litre centre console cavity.

And despite its increase in size and standard features, the new Kluger’s weight is little changed at 1935-2065 kg thanks to greater use of the high-tensile steel in its construction. All traditional US-origin foibles are absent from the Kluger, with a righthand indicator stalk, left-side oriented third-row access, right-side oriented gear selector display and a righthand bonnet release – despite Australia and New Zealand being the Kluger’s only righthand drive markets.

Kluger again pushes Toyota’s boast of low Co2 emissions, but as they escape the trees are ready. The average timber house frame stores around 10 tonnes of carbon. Queensland builds around 45,000 houses a year, so if all of those houses were timber-framed we could reduce the annual carbon footprint plus store an additional 450,000 tonnes of carbon.

The nuts and bolts on the Kluger .. 3.5 litre V6 producing 201kW and 337Nm; transmission sixspeed automatic; 5-star safety warranty; price for the Grande, $63,990.

Kurt’s face stayed in the rear view mirror for some time after we drove away. I know what he’ll be throwing his golf clubs into when he gets back from the Shaky Isles.

ON THE ROAD

MAJOR SAWMILLING RECEIVERSHIP TENDER Under instructions from The Receivers on account of Southern Cross Forest Products Ltd (In Receivership)

TENDER DEADLINE: 2:00pm NZST on Thursday 7th August 2014 Inspections Are available by appointment only with the Project Manager below. These assets are located at 34 Carncross Street, Mosgiel and 1 Lowery Street, Milton, Canterbury, NZ Project Manager: Lance Campbell, M: +64 21 714 178, P: +64 9 477 0206, E: lance.campbell@grays.co.nz

www.graysonline.co.nz

ISSUE 327 | PAGE 1 9

297x210mm Vertical 254x93mm Horizontal 125x190mm Vertical 125x93mm Horizontal 73x190mm Horizontal 73x190mm Vertical 140x44.5mm 110 Vertical 34x44.5mm

297x210mm Vertical 254x93mm Horizontal 125x190mm Vertical 125x93mm Horizontal 51x93mm

Mob: 0401 312 087 PAGE 20 | ISSUE 327