Australasian Timber - June 2016

JUNE 2016

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NEWS

CLT plant destined for Albury Wodonga

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USTRALIA’S FIRST Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) manufacturing plant will be built in the Albury Wodonga region, representing a $25 million investment and creating 54 local jobs.

The high tech, sustainable timber facility will produce 60,000m 3 of CLT each year, which is enough to construct the equivalent of one Forte Melbourne – Australia’s greenest apartment building – every week.

CLT is a high tech alternative to concrete, made with sustainable plantation timber.

XLam has been manufacturing the innovative and versatile building material in New Zealand for five years and shipping it to Australia, in competition with European importers.

XLam has been assessing possible Australian sites for the facility over the last year, and has now selected the Albury Wodonga region.

Operational mid-2017, the new facility will be the sole manufacturer of CLT in Australia, and one of the most technologically advanced CLT

plants worldwide. XLam CEO Gary Caulfield said the investment would be a game-changer in the Australian market.

“For the first time Australian builders will be able to choose a CLT product that is designed and made in Australia from Australian timber, meeting a significant demand in the current market,” Mr Caulfield said.

“It’ll also mean the jobs and proceeds stay in Australia, rather than going back to Europe.

“By building this facility in Albury Wodonga we’ll be in easy reach of Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra via the road and rail networks, and from there Australia wide.

“We’re eager to work with the Albury Wodonga communities to build an incredible facility, and become an asset to the region.”

The announcement was made at the Frame Australia Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne.

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomed XLam’s announcement.

AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said the new investment was very timely.

“It follows the recent sensible change to Australia’s National Construction Code (NCC) that allows builders to use timber construction solutions in buildings up to 25 metres in height – or around 8 storeys. Such timber construction systems are widely used in multi-storey buildings in Canada, Europe and New Zealand.

“With these recent changes to the Code, AFPA is predicting a surge in timber construction, including the use of CLT and timber framing solutions.

Timber building products are light, easy to use, versatile and a great

environmental choice. These building solutions offer immense opportunity for builders, specifiers and developers especially in our capital cities, where small development footprints, lightweight sustainable building products and speed of construction are high priorities.”

Innovative developments that are looking to use timber products in new ways are appearing in capital cities across Australia, including in Melbourne (Lendlease’s Forte building at Docklands) and in Sydney (Strongbuild’s proposed Macarthur Gardens residential apartment project).

Facts • 12,600m2 factory • 30 direct and 24 indirect jobs created • $10M invested in the factory, $15M in equipment • In excess of 60,000m3 production capacity • Fully automated mechanical pressing facility • One of the most technologically advanced CLT plants in the world Construction timeline June 2016 Construction begins Jan 2017 Construction completion Mid 2017 Factory operational Cross laminated timber (CLT) is like jumbo sized plywood except that it uses timber boards rather than peeled veneers for the glued layers. CLT panels span and support loads, and connect together to provide a very strong and stable building system.

CLT is particularly suited to compartmentalised buildings which have permanent internal walls, such as single and multi-unit residential buildings, schools, health care facilities and commercial offices.

The XLam CLT pre-fabricated building system offers dimensional precision and a very speedy assembly at the site. This allows rapid closing in of the building. Compared with other forms of construction CLT provides advantages of air-tightness, thermal insulation, internal moisture management, acoustic insulation and fire resistance.

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CLT is widely used in Europe for both residential and commercial construction and is gathering strong momentum in North America. Several CLT projects are already built in Australia.

CLT is manufactured in a range of thicknesses to suit floors, internal and external walls and roofs. It may be utilised as individual components or as a complete structural system encompassing all of these.

australasian

XLam Australia Pty Ltd Rob De Brincat is based in Melbourne covering all of Australia from this location.

Media Partner

www.timberawards.com.au

Publisher and Chief Executive: Advertising: J on Bryden Subscriptions: Hartley Higgins j.bryden@ryanmediapl.com.au subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Melbourne: (03) 9888 4834 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9522 Surrey Hills, Victoria, 3127, Accounts: Timber classified: phone (03) 9888 4822 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9555 j.bryden@ryanmediapl.com.au INDEPENDENT & AUSTRALIAN OWNED General Manager: Melbourne: (03) 9888 4834 Postal Address: Peter Muscet 630 Regency Road, Broadview, Production: Luke Westle Editorial: John Hudswell FRONT PAGE PHOTO: Testing tensile strength of plywood made South Australia 5083 j.hudswell@ryanmediapl.com.au using Scion’s bioadhesives. More on page 20.

Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Adelaide: (08) 8369 9512 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Out of office: (08) 7127 6370 Conditions: The opinions expressed in Australasian Timber Magazine are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated.

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Australasian Timber Magazine copyright © Ryan Media. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

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NEWS

International News Briefs Timber Innovation Act to ‘incentivize investment’ US Senators Mike Crapo and Debbie Stabenow have introduced the Timber Innovation Act to “help accelerate research and development—and ultimately construction—of wood buildings in the United States [and] focus on finding innovative ways to use wood in the construction of buildings above 85 feet in height or roughly seven or more stories.”

The Timber Innovation Act would incentivize investment through the National Forest Products Lab plus American colleges and universities to conduct research and development on new methods for wood building practice. “Advancing the construction of tall wood buildings will help lower the cost of building construction and reduce reliance on fossil fuelintensive materials,” says American Wood Council CEO Robert Glowinski.

Classic case of cash cushioning

Classic Scenic Bhd, which exports more than 90% of its sales in US dollars, is largely cushioned from the greenback’s volatility, as the group has set out a hedging policy for its export proceeds, said its executive director, Lim Chee Hwa. The group is involved in the manufacturing and sale of wooden picture frame moulds and timber products, and production is carried out solely in Malaysia. “Nobody can tell how the ringgit and the US dollar will move. So what we can do is to hedge our export proceeds,” Lim told reporters after the group’s AGM.He said the group has hedged up to 60% of its export proceeds, leaving the remaining 40% exposed to the market.

Transparent wood

Science has now created transparent wood with researcher Liangbing Hu of the University of Maryland declaring: “We were very surprised by how transparent it could go.” Not only was the transparent wood they created stronger than glass, it’s also a better insulator.

According to the journal Advanced Materials, the University of Maryland team observed the transparent wood retains the natural channels that were part of its plant structure before treatment. In the same way nutrients moved through the tree, light moves through these micro-channels. “In traditional material the light gets scattered,” explains Hu. “If you have this waveguide effect with wood, more light comes into your house.”

Sawn timber certification

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) have established a national certification program that ensures untreated Canadian sawn wood can continue to be exported to Australia.

The establishment of the Canadian Untreated Sawn Wood Certification Program is an important achievement for Canada as over $40 million worth of untreated sawn wood is exported to Australia annually.

The Canadian Untreated Sawn Wood Certification Program replaces the Canadian Accredited Timber Scheme (CATS), a voluntary pre-shipment inspection program that facilitated the entry of untreated Canadian sawn wood into Australia. Both Canada and Australia recognized the potential for the CATS program to be developed into an official export certification program to mitigate pest risk and ensure continued market access. Registration in the Canadian Untreated Sawn Wood Certification Program is mandatory and ensures that exports are compliant with Australia’s phytosanitary import requirements.

Flexible software can be tailored to individual needs

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SBCAD IS a leading 3D CAD/CAM software solution provider and an indispensable asset for the offsite construction industry. The company develops applications for Autodesk’s AutoCAD® and Revit® platforms. Interfacing directly with the renowned Autodesk environment and with AutoCAD base functionality provides familiarity and maximum flexibility. hsbcad truly enables a smooth transition from design to production. hsbcad’s products offer architects, engineers and manufacturers the ability to create a scalable 3D manufacturing model with full quantity take off. The flexible software can be adapted to individual requirements.

“We have a long history of machine linking, whether it is completely automated, semiautomated or even a custom built machine. hsbcad interfaces with all of the industry’s leading CNC machines and our philosophy is simple, if we don’t have the link you need, we will create it,” said Anthony Montesano, hsbCAD North America/Woodsoft Solutions.

“This is a ‘one model’ concept software, meaning that you always work on the same model rather than separate views. If you are working on your wall in plan view or elevation view, you’re always editing the same objects. The 3D allows the designers to truly understand how the building is pieced together.”

What does your company need?

Cut lists, component lists, sheeting reports... output completely depends on your needs. You can either send reports to your purchasing/take off department or link it directly to an inventory/ERP system. hsbcad modules: WALL (wood or steel) – Create your own library of wall types reflecting your current operations (including materials, sheeting and connections with other walls, floors and roof). Then you can easily construct framed structures starting from an architectural plan.

POST & BEAM – Perfect for visualising an architectural plan and for developing a layout for post and beam manufacture. Create

post & beam constructions – to the millimetre – in 2D and 3D space.

ROOF & FLOOR – Set out the extent of your floor and roof areas and then automatically calculate all the complex connections between the edges – resulting in complete elements. Add intelligence to every part of the construction and export to a required format.

SIPS – Engineer your architectural designs by adjusting all the specifications of your custom construction methods: thickness, splits, panel orientation, and junctions. Create an efficient Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) GLULAM – Generate complex 3D designs of unique buildings and structures, like halls, bridges or other larger buildings. Complete the timber design in combination with metal parts for connecting the timbers – resulting in the production of curved timbers.

CLT – Engineer your architectural designs with the versatile possibilities of CrossLaminated Timber (CLT). Explore this panel construction: starting from an architectural design to designing panels and on to manufacturing.

LOG – Create a log structure with perspective projections, specifying sheets, notches, nail/ bolt holes, saw cuts for windows and log end cuts and complete material registers. Then create manufacturing instructions for your numerical controlled machines. “hsbcad’s custom solution delivers the highest value design solutions while meeting your unique and discerning needs.

TSL (Tool Script Language) is a

programming language designed uniquely for hsbcad software and is 100% open to you to define/ create any type of automation you desire. It allows added user functionality without having to modify the core. With our teams collective experience we can work in sync with your team to design customized solutions,” said Anthony.

Most recently, hsblabs – hsbcad’s R&D division – is advancing to remove limitations and develop more innovative solutions in the 3D spectrum. By crossing the traditional boundaries of design, hsblabs is bringing design closer to manufacturing. Learn more at www.hsblabs.com Coming soon! hsbshare: Connect, share and reach for the cloud! Why should you push your data or any model to hsbshare?

Enhance your project with any data. Manage linked metadata relationships with your 3d project securely in the cloud. Push your 3d project to the cloud in any of the 50+ Autodesk’s A360 viewable formats. Record onsite activity with pictures and comments, relating them to real world coordinates of the 3d model. Define your own relationships between documents and the 3d model by using, for example, QR codes. Collaborate tailored real-time information to stakeholders to increase productivity.

Technical Support/Training – Our after sales support is truly second to none. We have technicians strategically placed throughout the entire globe.

Training and implementation is normally done on-site for a minimum of 5 days with 1 technician. The user’s experience with Autodesk products is normally a good indicator on how fast the user(s) will get up to speed.

In addition to its headquarters in Belgium, hsbcad has offices in 7 European countries, North and South America, Japan and most recently Australia.

Visit us at: www.hsbcad.com Contact hsbcad representative, Anthony Montesano, for more information: am@hsbcadna.com

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www.timberbiz.com.au

AWISA

The AWISA 2016 show – see you in Melbourne!

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WISA 2016 in Melbourne will show the leading edge of technology with the latest machinery, related equipment, hardware, software and other products for woodworking and associated industries.

Taking place from 6-9 July, the show will again also be a barometer of the health of the industry and a vital interface between suppliers and customers. The show is a sell-out and the largest ever presented by the Australian Woodworking Industry Suppliers Association.

Chairman of AWISA, Brett Ambrose said that across the board, industry participants generally acknowledge that the AWISA exhibition cannot be missed. “AWISA presents the best opportunity in Australasia to see the most comprehensive range of products that can assist businesses to operate more efficiently and be more profitable.

“The show presents an outstanding opportunity to see the broadest spectrum of leading brands and suppliers all under the same roof.”

He said Melbourne will be an exciting venue for the AWISA show.

“It is a key manufacturing State and the show will present a chance to see the latest technology, trends and products only just recently on display in Europe.

“AWISA is a once every two year chance for practitioners in the trade from throughout Australia and New Zealand to catch up with colleagues and check out the state-of-play, and gauge the current and likely future business prospects in front of the industry,” said Mr Ambrose.

Experience from the 2014 AWISA show in Brisbane demonstrates that there is no doubt that AWISA attracts the right people, with about 60 per cent of attendees being owners, directors, general managers or production/ manufacturing managers.

Mr Ambrose added that in the past attendance had been strong from throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Many exhibitors from the last AWISA show commented on the high numbers of visitors from all States and from overseas. “We are anticipating that visitor numbers in Melbourne will be particularly strong.

“AWISA is the largest woodworking exhibition in the southern hemisphere

and as such is a great source of help, information and inspiration. As chairman, and on behalf of the board of AWISA, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome industry people to take advantage of this truly great event and attend the Melbourne show.”

As one of the largest exhibitions of any kind in Australia, AWISA has become an internationally renowned success. Day-to-day business commitments frequently make it difficult to remain aware of how and why industries are changing so the Melbourne show will offer the chance to gather information and to stay in touch with important industry developments.

Admission to AWISA 2016 is free, but visitors are asked to register. Preregistrations can only be made through the AWISA website. Full details on this and every other aspect of the show are published at the site and readers are encouraged to visit www.awisa.com.

open the door to great machinery and design

AWISA 2016

6-9 July 2016 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre South Wharf Melbourne

the show for wood and panel processing AWISA 2016 is the international exhibition of machinery, materials, fittings and services for the Australian and New Zealand cabinet, joinery, furniture, fit-out, timber and panel industries.

www.awisa.com www.timberbiz.com.au

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FINANCE

Nine quick facts you need to know about equipment finance

By Mark O’Donoghue, CEO & Founder of Finlease

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FTER 25 years of financing equipment for capital intensive industries, we thought we would share a few facts which will assist business owners in getting this area right.

1) Interest rates can vary by as much as 1%, so it pays to shop around Unlike home loans, interest rates on equipment finance are very much open to the competition of a free market and as such can often be negotiated down by as much as 1% if sufficient competition is created between financiers so it pays to shop around. A saving of $100 p/m over 60 months is $6,000 and if your company runs at a 10% margin, that saving is equal to an extra $60,000 in top line income.

2) T he only hard security needed is the asset itself, so don’t fall into the bank trap The only hard security for equipment finance should be the equipment itself. Where a client uses their own bank for equipment finance, there is a very good chance that this loan will be secured (cross collateralised) against other assets including real estate, for a detailed overview on this area refer to the Blog on the Finlease website: http://www.finlease. com.au/9-quick-facts-you-need-to-know-aboutequipment-finance.html

3) S preading your equipment debt across several financiers provides many bonuses Equipment finance allows a company to spread a greater portion of the overall debt to a broader base of financiers which means less exposure to their existing bank, greater competition between financiers to drive lower interest rates, often better approval conditions and a broader base of competitive lenders to assist in financing future growth.

4) The market has changed with many financiers no longer needing financials to provide finance approvals Many financiers have switched to “behavioural” credit assessment instead of looking at historic financial information to approve transactions. If a company has been in existence for 3 years, has a

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clean credit history and the principal is a property owner, approvals are automatic for up to $150,000 on additional vehicles and selected plant and up to $500,000 where it is a replacement requirement. The interest rates are just the same as for normal “fully assessed” transactions.

5) Thinking about equipment finance the same way as a credit card limit has its benefits Just as in the same manner as you are approved for a “limit” on your credit card, Pre-approved bulk facilities for equipment finance can be set up in advance across several financiers & at no cost, making it easier for companies to acquire additional machinery at short notice without having to seek finance approvals in each instance. Facility limits which can be set up for amounts from $200,000 to $3million & are simply reviewed every year at the time the client has updated financial information

6) Used Equipment is as easy to finance as New Equipment Quality used equipment (which is often substantially cheaper than new gear) can have finance arranged just as easily as new equipment and so presents as an excellent alternative to new equipment.

7) P rivate Sales can definitely be financed and a lot of money saved Competitive equipment finance is easily available where the used equipment is being purchased from a Private Vendor. These private sale equipment finance arrangements do need a couple of additional steps performed, however the savings can be significant compared to new machines or used machines through a dealer. The extra steps are simply an inspection of the goods and a more rigorous PPSR regime to ensure clear title is passed onto the financier.

8) Financing GST is cheaper debt than an overdraft GST can in most instances be financed as a part of the equipment finance facility if required by the client and in doing so provide what is in essence a very low cost working capital debt which is substantially cheaper than traditional overdraft rates. In the event

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

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¢ Mark O’Donoghue is the founder and CEO of Finlease

that the customer does not want to finance the GST long term, however does not want to pay for it out of cash flow at the time of purchase, an extra payment can be made at month 4 of the transaction to coincide with the period where the client has the cash from their subsequent BAS refund.

9) All equipment finance is not the same when it comes to tax deductions Although CHP & Chattel Mortgage structures limit a company’s tax deductions to the interest & depreciation components of the asset (which is often far less than the physical annual payments of the debt), the prudent & appropriate use of an Equipment Finance Lease can often provide a tax deduction EQUAL to the monthly or annual payments being made under the Lease as the monthly payment itself is the deduction. This is often an underutilised product which is well worth investigating with your accountant and may save significant tax dollars.

Visit us at: www.finlease.com.au or call 1800 358 658

www.timberbiz.com.au

Interest rates at 30 year lows and getting easier to access.

After 25 years in finance if someone would have told us a few years ago that a 7% interest rate was way too high we would have wondered which planet they came from. But that is the reality in today's market.

We are now seeing on a daily basis motor vehicles and equipment financed at interest rates between 4.5% and 5.5%.

These rates are not the concoction of dealer based "sponsored" headline rates being supported by internal discounting on a “recommended retail” machine price, they are main stream rates.

+ Specialists in equipment finance

But what does all of this really mean in $ terms?

+ Competitive rates

A $50,000 car financed in 2012 on a 5 year by Nil residual term at 7% was $985 p/m, today at 5% it is $940 p/m which is $2,500 less over the entire loan and on a fleet of 10 cars it adds up.

A $500,000 machine financed in 2012 on a 5 year by Nil term at 7% was $9850 p/m, now at 4.75% it is $9350 p/m which is a whopping $30,000 less over the entire loan.

All things being equal these are savings that should drop straight to the business owners’ bottom line. If you can save $10,000 a year in finance costs and your usual profit margin is 5% that is equal to adding another $200,000 in turnover to achieve the same outcome.

Table 1 provides a “ball park” indication of monthly payments on these historically low rates over various terms and residuals:-

+ Offices Australia-wide + Easy ‘end to end’ process + 25 year track record + Pre approved funding limits arranged Contact our local Finlease rep in your state: NSW

Michael Abberton 0488 480 463

QLD

Phil Horton

0408 776 220

SA

Neil Styles

0404 050 697

VIC

Alex Charilaou

0407 460 144

TAS

Mark Sealy

0418 120 838

WA

Michael Larkin

0432 823 037

NT

Cameron Pitkethly 0448 481 335

1300 346 532 finlease.com.au

We now live in the world where many loans can be secured without going through the process of lengthy finance submissions.

The simple fact of being in business for two years, with a clean credit history and being a property owner will secure an immediate approval for vehicles or most equipment up to the value of $150,000 per individual item.

Even more remarkably, this same criteria will also secure approvals on multiple assets up to $500,000 each, where they are replacing or upgrading other machines coming to the end of their existing finance including the allowance for a 125% increase in monthly payments.

These new style of Fast Track facilities are provided at the historically low rates and are ideal for business owners who wish to spread their debt across a broader range of financiers without the hassle of submitting multiple complex finance applications.

Australian Credit Licence Number: 390584

er ster fast && fa

better than aaabank bank better than than better bank >>

Today’s ease of finance.

INSURANCE

Price v Advice

By Scott Hastings Premier Insurance Brokers

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LAWYER mate of mine once said to me, “He who acts for himself has a fool for a client”.

I’m not sure where this quote came from or if this is actually a real quote but it struck a chord with me and I have never forgotten it.

I was a young bloke back then and after 35 years in business, all of these in the insurance broking game, I can say that it is as relevant now as it was back in the 80s. In today’s climate of constant change, when keeping up with tax laws, legislation, work place health and safety regulations, building codes to name just a few, I still regularly run into business owners who want to do it all themselves. Insurance brokers are professionally trained to offer sound advice that is in your best interest, unfortunately that has not always been the case. Chasing and recommending “cheap” premiums from inexperienced insurers or worse, new start-up underwriting agencies with questionable backing would be, in my opinion, bad advice.

Great for a tender price battle against other brokers, not so good for your business.

Insurance in the timber industry (in general) has had to endure bigger premium swing cycles than most industries. By swing I mean when an insurer’s re-insurance costs go

up usually due to natural disasters and lots of big claims businesses in the high hazard category such as timber mills, country wooden pubs, EPS construction storage facilities, furniture manufacturers, etc., premiums go up sharply. Then a year or two later we have a claimsfree period, competition for premium volumes from insurers increases, premiums fall and new insurers enter the high hazard market looking for their share of the pie. Another 1 to 2 years later, they are out of the high hazard market due to falling premiums and the large nature of individual claims.

When the insurance market is running well and we have a good claims to premium ratio insurers fight for premium, reducing prices and new insurers and new underwriting agencies enter the market. As loss ratio’s worsen premiums go up, capacity to insure goes down and the cost of re-insurance protection goes up. Previously your insurer could use $50m of re-insurers capacity now this might be reduced to $10m due to worsening claims. The cycle continues.

Looking at the graph it’s easy to predict what’s going to happen next from the insurance cycle or trend.

Currently, 2016 we are well into a soft cycle, lots of insurance capacity,

lots of competition, claims at a manageable level and pressure on premiums.

The only factor stopping premiums going further south is a lack of investment income on premium volumes for the insurers.

I have also included in the graph the 5 year average that whilst hypothetical shows what a long term relationship can achieve if the advice you receive is sound and your insurer is supporting your industry for the long term through good and bad times. We have a couple of key timber clients and at each renewal I always discuss the value of a relationship with a sound insurer that has an experienced claims department. In my opinion this has to be worth 10% to 15% more in premium than a lesser company.

I could continue into more detail on this subject, however, perhaps it’s best if I summarise my 5 key aspects of good advice around insurance: • Choose your insurer carefully.

Understand who they are and their financial security or backing.

• Understand their claims management capability. Is it inhouse, contracted out, what loss adjusters are they in bed with and are they suitable to manage your claims.

• Think carefully about changing insurers frequently. Relationships do matter and chasing a 15% reduction in a soft cycle with an insurer with no track record could be a bad move.

• Don’t cut corners on replacement values. Not insuring Consequential

Loss (Business Interruption) is madness! Saving premium on not insuring Consequential Loss could mean running a successful, profitable business one day and the next owing the bank a truck load of money and receivers knocking on your door.

• Analyse the actual advice you are being given by your broker, they should be professional, knowledgeable and be generous with their advice. If your deciding factor is a cheaper premium then perhaps they are not the right professional to help you achieve your business plans.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the points I have raised I would be delighted to take your call.

Good luck with your business and I hope my comments help you get more from your insurance program.

The information I have provided is of a general nature and is based on 35 years in the insurance broking industry and not on any specific case or client.

Scott Hastings is Managing Director of Austbrokers Premier Pty Ltd AFSL 238123 part of the AUB Group Ltd based in Toowong Qld.

Credit insurance provides an extra layer of protection for exports protect your products and profit. For example, not fully understanding the impact of import duties on the market value of your product in various countries before you invest can create huge problems.

By Mark Hoppe Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Atradius THE AUSTRALIAN dollar is back on the rise against the US greenback but economic conditions remain favourable for Australian exporters.

Local companies seem increasingly interested in exporting to take advantage of these conditions.

Timber businesses should be looking at ways to protect themselves so they can trade confidently in markets they haven’t dealt with previously.

There can be many benefits to exporting timber goods internationally, especially when the exchange rate is favourable. It opens up new markets and potential customers and also gives companies the opportunity to expand their business. Exporting can deliver success but it’s important for business owners to have a thorough understanding of the risks involved.

While it’s common practice for exporters to maintain insurance for the loss or damage of goods, many still consider credit insurance a nonessential investment, so they are missing out on the benefits it can provide. Credit insurance can help exporters reduce their vulnerability when dealing with customers in overseas markets that may pose an economic risk, and give them a competitive edge.

International exports present many opportunities, but also come with a number of unique challenges. These include changes to other countries’ political landscape and regulatory systems, transfer risks, legal risks, and changes

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3. Ask the right questions

to terms of trade midway through a transaction.

When dealing with customers overseas, especially in countries with fluctuating economies or civil unrest, the dangers of non-payment are real.

This can lead to significant cash flow troubles for exporting businesses, or even insolvency in serious cases.

Atradius advises three key tips for timber businesses to minimise their risks when exporting:

1. Manage risk with discipline

Businesses should actively implement a riskmanagement plan. This includes thoroughly researching the potential customer and supplier, and the market it operates in, before signing a deal.

Start your research by visiting the Australian Trade Commission’s (Austrade) website. Businesses should understand the sweet spots and also the pain points of the country they’re exporting to.

2. Build a network of advisors

Rules and regulations are constantly changing.

This can work in your favour or can have a negative impact on your business. One of the biggest challenges Australian businesses face when it comes to export rules and regulations is getting good advice.

Speaking to a credit insurance provider and experienced export businesses is a great way to further understand exporting risks, and how to

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Don’t be worried about asking too many questions. At a minimum, make sure these three questions are always on your list: • Is the country you’re exporting to right for your particular products? Think about political relations, culture, and perceptions.

• Is there a suitable local distributor in the country?

• How will you market your product in that country? You may need to change your marketing tactics to suit the country’s culture and expectations.

There are so many variables when it comes to dealing with businesses overseas, so it is important to keep your eyes wide open at all times for risks that might otherwise be missed. These could include a rise in bribery or corruption incidents in your target market, or changes in regulatory conditions while goods are in transit.

With a clear idea of the potential risks involved with international markets, exporters can then begin to plan to minimise their exposure.

Exporting safely is all about being able to protect yourself from any number of variables that are likely to be out of you control. Credit insurance provides an extra layer of protection for your business to trade safely and confidently, no matter what the economic landscape looks like.

www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

$1.5 million tall timber buildings research grant awarded

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YNE TIMBER, in partnership with the University of Queensland, has welcomed the announcement of more than $1.5 million funding for tall timber buildings research.

The funding announcement by the Australian Research Council is particularly timely given the recent changes to the National Construction Code enabling timber construction up to eight storeys in height.

Hyne Timber’s CEO Jon Kleinschmidt said the benefits of using timber in tall building construction was well known in other parts of the world and social barriers in Australia needed to be addressed, “Further to the significant sustainable resource benefit, enhanced performance, ease, speed and reduced costs associated with timber construction makes timber an obvious construction material of first choice.

“Australia was once a leader in timber construction and while that is now far from the case, we have the advantage of learning from Europe, America and Canada to quickly drive the necessary social and regulatory changes required here,” Mr Kleinschmidt said.

The new research hub known as the ‘ARC Research Hub for Advanced Solutions to Transform Tall Timber Buildings,’ builds on the recently established Centre for Future Timber Structures also based at the University of Queensland.

As momentum grows for innovative use of timber in construction within Australia, this research hub aims to further develop skills, knowledge and resources for tall timber construction.

Mr Kleinschmidt said the University of Queensland was well placed to drive the necessary research, “UQ is held in high regard in terms of its research hubs, delivering results and driving change throughout diverse sectors.

“I congratulate them on their successful application for this research grant and we look forward to working in partnership to maximise this opportunity.” Mr Kleinschmidt said.

Other key partners include a number of other Universities both within Australia and overseas, leading design firm Fitzpatrick & Partners and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

¢ G eoff Stringer, Hyne Timber Product Development Manager, in front of a six-storey timber framed residential building under construction in Vancouver. Photo by Hyne Timber

Guides highlight latest timber design and engineering WITH THE aim of increasing the specification of timber by design and engineering professionals, FWPA has published four new WoodSolutions technical design guides.

The guides are based on the EXPAN system which is the result of research by the Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC), a unique collaboration between Australian and New Zealand commercial and academic partners to create innovative structural timber solutions.

The new EXPAN prefabricated construction system gives engineers, architects and building designers a new alternative to traditional steel and concrete construction systems – while it offers the timber industry new opportunities to increase high-value product sales by meeting the needs of this emerging market.

Experts predict that prefabrication will play an increasing role in the building and construction industries, and to date, these forecasts appear to be on track. The benefits of prefabrication include; safer workplaces, reduced onsite construction times, more control over variables like weather, increased quality and the economies of scale – realised through production line assembly processes.

The recently announced XLam CLT plant in Australia, CSR’s new prefabricated panel plant and Lend Lease’s new prefabrication plant are all www.timberbiz.com.au

examples of market leading companies realising the bottom-line benefits of prefabrication and looking to gain the advantages of being among the first in the field.

EXPAN’s totally prefabricated technology is a timely entrant into this burgeoning market. The EXPAN system mimics many of the structural benefits of concrete and steel, cleverly embedding post-tensioned tendons into timber to lock the components together. The EXPAN range of design solutions also includes innovative timber frame, wall and floor systems and quick-connect portal frames.

“This is an outstanding example of the value of collaborative and marketoriented research,” said Ric Sinclair, Managing Director of Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), “the EXPAN system is in effect, new technology, developed by our industry to anticipate and meet the needs of our design and construction markets.”

Available from the WoodSolutions website (www.woodsolutions.com. au), the new guides are; #30 – Timber Concrete Composite Floors, #31 – Timber Cassette Floors, #32 – Long Span Roofs – Portal Frames and Trusses and #33 – Quick Connect – Moment Connection.

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TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

Residential projects result in awards for Melbourne firm Entries Are now open for the 17th Annual Australian Timber Design Awards, , Australia’s most recognised stamp of excellence in timber design. This muchvaunted national competition is open to architects, landscape architects, building and interior designers, and engineers. There is an array of categories available to cover all types of timber projects and use of timber products. Entries close 30 June with winners being announced in Sydney at the awards presentation night in September. As part of the leadup to the prestigious event, Australasian Timber continues to feature some of the best architects in the business. Chan Architecture (2015 Small Budget Award) is featured and also MDG Landscape Architects.

¢ Nicholson Street, Abbotsford.

¢ Brighton Residence.

¢ Rochester Rd, Canterbury.

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www.timberbiz.com.au

TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

¢ Hawthorn Residence.

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PECIAL AWARDS bring out the best of the best and last year’s Australian Timber Design Awards proved no exception. Excellence was the key in all categories and one of the winners was Chan Architecture.

The Melbourne-based firm took out the coveted Small Budget Award with its Artist’s Studio, Thornbury.

Chan Architecture is a design-focused architectural office specialising in high quality residential projects across Melbourne and it has made significant headway in a very demanding field since its formation.

“Our first project was a dual occupancy development in Hawthorn East back in 2007,” explained Director Anthony Chan, “and due to the success of this project we were commissioned to design a number of other residential projects in the area.

“Since this first project, we have completed a number of successful residential projects across Melbourne and have won a number of architectural awards since then, including the Timber Design Awards, Houses Award and the Dulux Colour Award,” he explained.

Anthony said the Artist’s Studio was a slightly unusual project in that it was a separate, small pavilion away from the main house. The brief was not only to provide space for the client to do her artwork, but to provide inspiration for her work.

The brief was to create a beautifully detailed, creative space for painting and sculpturing that would encourage and inspire creativity. The studio was to sit comfortably within an organic landscape design which included a ‘natural’ pool that did not require any chemicals, a waterfall and creek, which was to provide a recreational space for the children.

“We’ve concentrated on timber on a number of projects in the office. We find it’s extremely adaptable, sustainable and provides visual warmth to our projects.

Anthony was high in praise of the 2015 awards system .... “The Timber Design Awards were done www.timberbiz.com.au

¢ A rtists Studio, Thornbury.

really well. It was well publicised and encouraged other design professionals to use more timber in their work.”

And he was more than happy with the win adding that “a number of clients and design professionals commented that they saw our project through the Timber Design Awards, so it was very good for our profile”.

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The journey so far for Chan Architecture has been a good one but, as Anthony says ... “we hope to continue doing high quality architecture, to help clients transform their homes and to try to improve the quality of the built environment.”

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TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

Each project has a distinctive identity and sense of place

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AST YEAR’S winner of the Australian Timber Designs inaugural Excellence in Timber Design -Landscape Award was MDG Landscape Architects, a practice of 21 qualified Landscape Architects that is now in its 24th year of operation.

The award-winning MDG work ranges from broadscale land and strategic planning projects to detailed designs for private and public sector clients.

“At MDG we are committed to achieving our client’s goals and realising every project’s potential.

As landscape architects we strive for an appropriate balance between the environment, which is the fundamental underpinning of any site, and the ultimate user’s needs. We seek to understand the requirements of those who will experience the spaces we create,” explained Associate Director Jason Forde.

“We translate that insight into design outcomes which are imaginative, engaging and functional, as well as being environmentally responsible. The successful integration of human activity and environmental sensitivity ensures each project has a distinctive identity and sense of place.

MDG brings enthusiasm and expertise to each aspect of every project. Our aim is to create dynamic and functional solutions of the highest quality.”

MDG’s first client in 1992 was the Ministry of Housing leading to work with the Urban Land Authority and then the Shire of Mornington. The practice started with Barry Murphy and a part time RMIT student growing to 8 people in 3 years, gradually growing to 18 people in 5 years, to a steady 23 people after 24 years of operation.

Works of note completed by the practice include the multi-award winning Lynbrook Estate which set new benchmarks in water sensitive urban design, and the Aurora development which is the Victorian State Government’s flagship environmentally sustainable urban development project.

Other projects of note include Tooronga Village, Kew Cottages, Waverley Park and the Yarra’s Edge River Precinct.

Recent works that champion the use of timber in the landscape design include the recently constructed Mainview Stage 1 Park and Entry in Allura, South Truganina, which comprises a sculptural timber entry feature and timber and steel shelter, and

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Woodlea Park and Entry Boulevard in the Woodlea Estate, Rockbank, which includes an elevated timber and steel cubby house, timber and steel picnic structures and custom timber play equipment.

Many of the works MDG design focus on the use of timber as integral part of the project.

The prevailing goal of the Armstrong Creek urban growth area was to provide a sustainable community setting that provided a best practice benchmark in urban development for the area.

“This goal was reinforced at the Master planning level with the requirement to use materials which reflected the both its sustainability initiatives and the natural character of Armstrong Creek. This informed the brief assuring that the integration of timber was to be instrumental the detailed design of the project,” Jason said.

Timber features heavily in all areas of the landscape design including the creation of a playground and community areas, and a constructed wetland. These areas contain the key structures including the picnic shelter, sculptural posts, wetland boardwalk

and the furniture elements.

The design of the picnic shelter is comprised of large twin sections of back sawn Black Butt posts and beams.

These timbers provide the structural frame of the shelter that is required to hang the large floating ceiling and roof. The shelter’s wall and ceiling are comprised of evenly spaced repetitive pencil rounded Black Butt battens, which evokes the appearance of a living room that ultimately provides summer shade and shelter from the wind.

The expansive curvilinear wetland boardwalk has been constructed with Spotted Gum decking and stanchion facades that provide colour and texture to an otherwise grey structure and softens the cold steel’s structural form.

The suite of landscape furniture including a barbeque, custom lounge, coffee and banquet tables have been constructed with a cloak of Black Butt and Iron Gum battens from both reclaimed and FSC certified sources.

The sculptural Red Gum bollards used to demarcate spaces in the landscape have been repurposed from the demolition of the existing farm fences that originally crisscrossed the land. Some posts were left in their

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original position to reinforce the recent pastoral use of the site.

The landscape design’s use of timber provided a benchmark demonstration project that sets a high standard and strong aesthetic for the ongoing establishment of public spaces within the development.

“Winning the inaugural award in the category for Excellence in Timber Design – Landscape was a tremendous affirmation and recognition of the quality of design work we endeavor to provide for our clients,” said Jason.

“MDG will continue to actively champion our clients to use sustainability principles in our projects with our specification geared towards protect, enhance, reuse, recycle, local and low waste. This ethos applies to all materials and is particularly relevant to the use of CFS, recycled or reclaimed timbers where possible. Timber will continue to be used as one of the key elements in our design work,” he said.

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TIMBER DESIGN AWARDS

Award-winning project

uc od Pr

Project Name: Armstrong Creek West Park and Wetland Consultant: MDG Landscape Architects Landscape Architects: Jason Forde Associate Director AILA and Chris Calcraft Landscape Architect

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Developer: Villawood Properties Landscape Contractor: Programmed Property Services Photographer: James Newman

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FRAME

Senator says forest and wood industry future is looking good

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ENATOR ANNE Ruston, the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, believes Australia’s forest and wood products sector has a great story to tell and has exciting potential.

“The Turnbull Coalition team understands the value that this industry makes to our economic and social wellbeing, and we continue to support the industry to prosper,” Senator Ruston told the 250-plus people at the Frame Australia2016 Conference n Melbourne.

“I was delighted to today launch the paper developed by Ernst & Young that focuses on transforming Australia’s forest products industry, titled Megatrends and the Australian Forest and Wood Products Sector: Opportunities and Challenges for sustainable growth,” the Senator said

in her conference opening address..

The report, commissioned by Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA), examines how the megatrends effecting the global economy—such as a hungrier, wealthier world and transformative technologies—might impact on the Australian forestry industry.

“It builds on the premise that the forestry industry needs to remain agile and continue to adapt to these emerging trends, and I certainly know this is an industry that recognises and embraces the need to innovate,” the Senator said.

“The Turnbull Coalition supports innovation at every opportunity, including by working hard to reduce the regulatory burden on business.

“Reports such as this are important to anticipate future demand, and the good news is demand for all resources

¢ F rame was opened by Senator Anne Ruston, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources (pictured second from left) with Craig Muse (Development Director, Frasers Property Australia and Vice President, Housing Industry Association Victoria), Ray Thompson (General Manager – Innovation and Market Development, CSR Building Products) and John Simon (Chairman Forest and Wood Products Australia).

is set to rise with a hungrier and wealthier world.”

Senator Ruston said the industry contributed $7.7 billion to the GDP in 2013-14 and forest products exports were worth $2.8 billion.

‘Importantly, wood offers carbon benefits and is sustainable. It helps the environment and offers lightweight building benefits,” she said.

“Our challenge is to build in Australian timber,” she added.

Frame 2016 conference success THE FRAME Australia 2016 conference was highly successful with architects, engineers, developers and builders attending in record numbers, along with a strong showing from timber, engineered wood and prefabrication. In fact, more than 250 delegates participated.

Session presentations revealed an amazing line-up of timber building projects now under way in Australia with delegates expressing surprise at the rapid progress in timber construction since last year’s Frame event.

Major projects announced included apartments and a range of residential developments from 4 to 10-storeys in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide to be built in both lightweight timber frame and CLT construction systems.

The tallest CLT building in Australia is currently under way, and other projects above 5-storeys described by speakers included buildings requiring some 6,000 cubic metres of CLT in each development.

In addition, some huge mid-rise housing developments commencing this year will use lightweight timber framing produced in ‘closed wall’ construction systems to be manufactured in new automated prefabrication plants currently being installed in Melbourne and Sydney.

Developers at Frame revealing plans for timber construction in residential and commercial buildings in the next 12 months included Grocon, Frasers Property, Mirvac, and Strongbuild, along with Architect and Engineer presenters disclosing features of innovative designs for timber buildings that have not yet been announced.

David Waldren, Head of Culture and Innovation at Grocon Group, said that Grocon had recently submitted 14

a planning permit application of a new office building in Collingwood which includes a five level 100% timber structure as part of the campus development.

This will be Grocon’s first all-timber structure, and work is presently under way for a CLT apartment building to be built in Sydney not long after.

Later in the session TTW’s Barry Young made mention of another Grocon project that had been conceived with TTW using a massive glulam structure in a “bearer and joist” arrangement for a commercial office building.

The speakers program had equal representation from architects and engineers, developers and builders, timber and building materials, and timber prefabrication.

Highlights included an opening address by Senator Anne Ruston, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, who launched the report ‘Megatrends and the Australian Forest and Wood Products Sector: Opportunities and Challenges for sustainable growth’.

And Rob De Brincat of XLam Australia made the official announcement of a game-changing new development in the Australian CLT market with a manufacturing plant for Cross Laminated Timber in the Albury/Wodonga area due for completion next year.

Robotics and automation in prefabrication was a hot topic for fabricators, and Charlie Hutchings of Hundegger Australasia presented videos of the world’s latest technologies.

These were keenly watched to see the future directions for plant concepts now being implemented not only internationally but in Australia, which is the beginning of a major transformation within the local timber and engineered wood prefabrication industry.

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¢ N ew Zealand-based Xlam announced at FRAME a new truss construction factory will be built at Albury-Wodonga. Pictured is Kevin Ezard (right) toasting the announcement with Xlam Business Development Manager Rob De Brincat.

“With this extraordinary growth in building projects and new prefabrication plants in such a short time, the Frame Australia 2017 Conference and Exhibition is already being planned to keep pace with the market changes that are destined to be the greatest opportunity for timber in building that has been seen in decades,” said conference director Kevin Ezard. www.timberbiz.com.au

FRAME

Innovation in design for timber building projects

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ESIGNING FOR timber construction, and realising economic, environmental and efficiency dividends in your projects is all about preparation, innovation and fresh thinking, according to Dylan Brady, Conductor at Decibel Architecture, formerly of studio505.

“The simplicities, complexities and nuances of design for timber need to be understood and communicated clearly within your team, and importantly to your client.

“Engineered timber is not simply a substitute for concrete, as this discounts the many benefits of timber design freed from concrete thinking, and the current alignment of technology, market and speed are enabling real projects to flourish in this re-discovered material” he stated.

Dylan provided a stunning presentation at Frame Australia 2016 on the topic ‘Shaping Design for Timber-Real Creative Solutions’ Another presenter Geoff

Croker, Principal fjmt Studio, Architects stated “We’re passionate about designing with timber and natural products” Last year the firm won the $125 million Casey Cultural Precinct design competition, currently under construction and the first 5 Star Green Star “as built” project using timber that has been locally sourced in a value chain through a local sawmill in Warrnambool.

A blend of material sequences and outdoor spaces integrates the landscape with the design of the buildings, forming the common thread linking together the distinct spaces – the 800-seat performing arts centre, regional art gallery, civic centre and council offices, and community plaza.

Geoff affirmed that sustainable and verifiable chain of custody product selections are now increasingly demanded by both government and private sector clients in what he called a ‘cultural shift’ for developers.

Engineered wood rises to 80 storeys high AN UPSURGE of timber towers being proposed or under construction has gripped the architecture world over the past few years, with heights becoming greater and world records regularly tumbling.

The latest record, at 80 stories high, will be London’s first wooden skyscraper, and another addition to the growing trend for structures made entirely of timber.

While these heights are not yet envisaged in Australia, changes this month to the National Construction Code mean that architects and engineers will have the opportunity to design timber structures up to eight storeys in height for the first time using deemed to satisfy provisions.

This has created a new situation for structural engineering design with

www.timberbiz.com.au

timber connections requiring large capacity lateral bracing, building overturning resistance with tie down and uplift connections, shear walls and moment frames to name a few.

To meet the emerging requirement for specialist connector products, a range of solutions will be available to designers and builders in Australia from major North American supplier Simpson Strong-Tie, to be introduced this year.

At the Frame Australia 2016 conference, Joe Polder of Simpson Strong-Tie North America presented “Design of structural connections for mid-rise lightweight timber framed buildings” covering the building design requirements and provided guidance to engineers for the design and selection of the most effective solutions.

Other presenters on engineering topics included Barry Young of Taylor Thomson Whitting who said “unless we can deliver a timber building that is more cost efficient than a conventional concrete building the project will not go ahead.

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“We must develop systems that will improve floor cycle times and reduce material costs, as builders want systems that will achieve longer spans without secondary trades such as concrete toppings,” he concluded.

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FRAME

Housing construction time cut by 10 weeks

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ROPERTY DEVELOPER Mirvac has partnered with building materials giant CSR to prototype a new construction methodology through engineered prefabricated wall and floor systems with amazing results in reducing time, leading to an entire 300 home development in Sydney now being built with this concept.

Builders are turning to prefab construction methods to significantly reduce work times amidst a labour shortage in the building sector, which is encouraging development of highly automated prefabrication plants to meet rising demand.

At the Frame Australia 2016 conference, Ray Thompson, General Manager of Innovation & Market Development at CSR Building Products presented on CSR Velocity’s production-line manufactured housing with fully closed floor and wall systems.

“Clearly this is a growing trend and a hot topic for the industry with new systems of construction developed that change the game - as frame & truss manufacturing did some 20-30 years ago,” Ray told attendees.

“The production line is designed to create fully clad and insulated walls with windows, doors and external cladding, plumbing and electrical systems needed to be built-in for speed of construction, and has a capacity to supply more than 600 homes per year.

“Developments in digital design technology have greatly enhanced the attractiveness of prefabrication due

to the lower cost of integration into existing architectural designs and the panelisation software talking directly to the CNC machinery.

“Shipped to site and then craned into place can lower the time taken to construct a house by up to 10 weeks, with a higher quality finish and benefits of reduced site waste, improved site safety and less weather risks, as well as increasing sustainability options and building performance,” he said.

¢ P erry Forsythe (centre), Professor of Construction Manager, Faculty of Design Architecture and Building, UTS Sydney chaired the session Prefabricated Panel Systems and Supply with Laurent Decosterd (President, Cadwork Canada), Ryan Slater (Technical Sales Executive, HOMAG Australia), Hansbert Ott (Managing Director, HOMAG/Weinmann, Germany) and Martin Smith (Managing Director, Modular Building Automation, UK).

¢ C raig Kay (National Product Manager, Tilling) and Simon Dorries (CEO Australian Forestry Standard/PEFC).

¢ W endell MacLoud (Director Thorlynne Pty Ltd), Bronwyn Foord (WADIC) and Michael McCollum (Roseburg, Director Engineered Wood Products).

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Superior Fastening Systems ¢ D avid Waldren (Head of Culture and Innovation, Grollo Group) chaired the topic, Engineering and Management of Timber Building Construction (centre) with speakers Mark Ayers (Senior Structural Engineer Buildings, ARUP Melbourne), Stuart Jones (Director Building Structures, ARCADIS 6 Engineers), Jarrod Kerrins (Project/Production Manager, Timberbuilt Solutions), Joe Polder (Territory Manager, Orange County California, Simpson Strong-Tie), Barry Young (Director Taylor Thompson Whitting).

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¢ A ctive Fasteners – BEA was represented at Frame by John Perez, Harry Jamieson, Ron Dingle, David Jamieson.

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www.timberbiz.com.au

REAL WOOD

Real wood, not plastic

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T’S EASY to lose sight of what is real in the plastic jungle, but you can trust that Briggs Veneers will keep bringing you the real thing. Supplying timber veneers for 79 years, Briggs Veneers offer nearly 100 sustainable veneers from Australia and around the world – natural wood straight from the tree, just as nature made it. Being from sustainably managed forests and woodlots, the trees used to make our veneers are regrown at a rate greater than or equal to the rate of harvest, ensuring supply in perpetuity.

Not only that, but every project in real wood is special, unique – no tree or piece of wood is quite the same as any other. No plastic, paint, plasterboard or metal surface can achieve that.

“Of course our veneer is more than just a beautiful natural sustainable product,” says company principal Juel Briggs.

Briggs offers compliance, cost, leadtime, acoustic and durability veneer solutions,” she says with obvious pride.

“For instance, to meet Building Code (BCA) fire compliance requirements for interiors, we have the FLAMEBLOCKTM solution fully backed by fire certificates from Warrington Exova. Specify our veneer to be laminated onto Briggs FLAMEBLOCK Fire Retardant MDF and the product will reach the various Fire Hazard Group numbers required by the BCA for interior walls and ceilings.”

FLAMEBLOCK MDF can be machined just like ordinary MDF and so either painted or veneered is ideal for acoustic panels. Black FLAMEBLOCK is also available, and looks especially good as drilled or slotted acoustic panels or wherever the core or edge of the MDF is visible.

“FLAMEBLOCK is PEFCTM certified for sustainability plus we offer more than 30 FSC® and PEFCTM certified natural veneers. Briggs also offers a very large range of certified veneers in the dyed Woodstock and TrueGrain reconstituted veneer products,” says Juel.

“If durability, price and short lead-times are important, we have the InnatoTM and Oberflex® ranges of prefinished veneers.

Made from real timber veneer in a range of species from Australia and around the world, Innato comes prefinished with a cured, hard, durable,

¢ Walnut Greige veneer in use at the Wagga Courthouse

clear-coating and with a real wood grain texture. It is more wear-, scratch-, impact-, stain- and moisture-resistant than ordinary veneer, making it ideal for high wear interior applications such as desk-tops and panelling in public spaces. It has reduced fabrication time and is extremely economical to use compared to ordinary veneer.

“Oberflex is our super-tough pre-finished real wood veneer. It has a surface impregnated with cured melamine resin, glued under high pressure to a laminate backer. Available in a range of species, textures, cuts, gloss-levels and tints it is ideal for vertical and horizontal applications where ultra-high wear- , damp-, scratch- and stain-resistance is required such as restaurant table tops, reception counter tops and fronts, vanity doors and kitchen doors.

“Of course, Innato and Obeflex prefinished veneers are fully fire certified to meet the BCA requirements for interior walls and ceilings.

“Veneer can be laid onto thin MDF

and bent around a curve, it can be used as the surface of moulded plywood and on interior doors, walls, ceilings and cabinetry. It’s hard to imagine where it can’t be used! And it is a truly amazingly efficient way to use

high grade timber - one cubic metre of wood will make more than 1,000m2 of veneer.”

Always growing, always unique, always real – that’s natural timber veneer from Briggs!

Real wood products since 1908

Cost outcomes – timber systems versus concrete THE FACTS are now beyond doubt. Timber doesn’t just compete with traditional concrete in mid-rise construction - it wins!

“Timber should be a default option in every feasibility study” said Richard Smith of MBM international construction cost consultants in his presentation at Frame 2016.

He presented the outcome of a detailed analysis for cost comparisons in an 8-storey lightweight timber framed apartment building compared to a traditional concrete frame structure confirmed this result. www.timberbiz.com.au

“The unarguable fact that timber can compete with traditional construction in terms of cost and time is literally just the beginning, and offers an opportunity to change our construction landscape,” he told the audience.

The presentation also included analysis of the construction costs differences and savings, including the changes to the design approach and thinking of tall lightweight timber framed buildings compared to traditional low-rise timber frame dwellings.

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www.briggs.com.au 409 Victoria St, Wetherill Park, NSW, 2164 Australia Phone: +612 9732 7888 Fax: +612 9732 7800 JUNE 2016

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NEWS

TimberLab’s monster CNC tames engineered timber

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AST YEAR one of the largest and most sophisticated woodworking machines currently available in the world arrived at Auckland-based company TimberLab Solutions. At over four metres high, nine metres across and running along rails stretching half the length of their factory, the WMP 240 is a 10 tonne monster capable of wielding enormous power or delicate and detailed machining – and a key component of TimberLab’s growing local and international reputation in engineered timber design and fabrication.

Based at East Tamaki, TimberLab provides custom designed and engineered timber solutions for both local and offshore customers. The company was formed in 2012 with a collaborative merger between McIntosh Timber Laminates and TimberBond Industries – two long standing players in New Zealand’s engineered timber design and manufacturing industry, working with glulam, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and other structural timber products. With over 75 years of experience between them, together as TimberLab they offer sophisticated, innovative and efficient solutions for anyone working with engineered timber.

Sales and Marketing Director Owen Griffiths describes how the two companies came to merge.

“McIntosh had over 50 years working with engineered timber design and fabrication in the commercial market.

TimberBond had over 20 years working with structural glulam and mid-floor solutions,” he explains. “We realised there’d be a synergy working together, and doing so would give us the critical mass we’d need to take the quantum step forward from manual to automated processing.”

With the two teams working as one they quickly embarked on a search to identify the most suitable machinery to suit their ambitions. They had already established that CNC production was the obvious step towards greater productivity, efficiency and accuracy integrating their design and engineering processes with shop-floor production.

CNC also offered the most effective way to ramp up the capacity for their traditional work while enabling them to take on work previously not possible.

“We started by surveying the market for what machinery was available,” says CEO Grant McIntosh. “Given the variety of shapes and materials

we work with, particularly the large curved glulam elements for which we are renowned, then the first decision we reached was the need for a gantry machine.”

Such a CNC machine (often called a “gantry portal machine”) travels over a static workpiece, picking up and using the appropriate tool for the processing required.

“It wasn’t long before we realised we needed 5-axis technology to enable the level of detail we wanted to be able to offer,” says Grant. “We work with a lot of complex structural connections involving complex angles, rebates, pocketing, drilling and such.

So being able to move a tool in five axes gives a lot more flexibility.” Other factors including cost, reputation and local technical support all came into the mix, and eventually they settled on a WMP 240 from the German machinery specialists WEINMANN, sold and supported locally by W & R Jack Ltd. The WMP 240 is the biggest CNC bridge WEINMANN offer, designed specifically to cater for the large, often long workpieces available in engineered timber. The entire gantry is enclosed in a large safety housing 4.1 metres high, 9 metres across and 4.7 metres deep within which processing takes place. The maximum length of workpiece the machine can process is determined by the length of the rails it runs on – 44 metres in TimberLab’s case. TimberLab have the area along the rails configured so they can work on one very long workpiece, or with two ‘zones’ – whereby the machine can be working in one zone while in the other staff can be working previous or upcoming workpieces. To ensure safety a removable two metre solid wall as well as light barriers keeps staff and machine processing separate. Another feature important to TimberLab is the ability to remove everything from the processing area, including all the support tables, to allow processing of extremely large elements.

Mounted to the gantry the WEINMANN has two 30kW processing centres. The first wields a massive sawblade measuring just under a metre across, while the other offers a variety of drills, cutters, and other tooling. In addition to the supersized router cutters, drills and hoggers there is also a deep drill capable of drilling horizontally up to

1.2m into a workpiece, and a 450mm chainsaw. Also part of the tool chest is a smaller, flangeless saw: perfectly smooth on one side, enabling the WMP to cut depths of over 500mm.

Another handy feature of having processing available in five axes is the ability to use a V-shaped router cutter to produce a 90 degree corner – by inclining the tool and driving down at

¢ Bent glulam elements.

¢ 5 -axis.

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the same time. All these tools are held in a tool-changing ‘room’ within the large processing cabin, to which the machine comes to collect and mount the tool as required.

As Owen explains, the benefits of having such sophisticated processing are many. “Previously we were manufacturing by hand, so the improvement in speed in particular

¢ Inclined tenon produced with solid wood portal.

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NEWS is very significant,” he says. “We’re also now quoting for and getting work we didn’t used to be able to do, so we’ve certainly widened our repertoire. Having this level of CNC capacity has also given us a credibility in both the local and international market - customers have a high level of confidence in our capability, and the finished result they’ll get.”

TimberLab often works from concept drawings, taking a project from these drawings through structural design to a very high level of prefabrication. The repeatable accuracy and quality available from their WEINMANN is giving them another advantage: “We have customers in regions of the world with limited skilled labour,” explains Owen.

“To be able to provide a solution that not only fulfils the structural requirements of the project, but also facilitates simple construction is an added selling point. With the CNC being able to process such detailed rebates, bevels or cutouts then many of the connections between structural elements can be prefabricated to such a degree that joining them on site is simple, and fast. The accuracy has been machined into the elements we provide and so doesn’t need to be created at the building site.”

TimberLab knew an inevitable consequence of moving to CNC production would be a steep learning curve for their design department.

“We’re doing a lot more work with 3D modelling,” says Owen. “We’ve using Cadwork to design and model our project, drawing on both in-house and external resources depending on

¢ Royal Maternity Hospital Bahrain.

demand.” Perfecting the 3D modelling for a project before processing is crucial because the pieces TimberLab are processing are of very high value.

“The machine will cut or route or drill wherever it’s told – and fast – so it’s imperative the details of the job are spot on,” says Grant.

“While the machine does have its

own CAM software and can simulate operations to check for collisions, it won’t find errors with the design. So we’re doing a lot of 3D modelling before any machining to ensure that everything that goes into the CNC machine is 100% correct.”

Another factor essential to getting millimetre accurate results across

huge workpieces is ensuring the WMP knows the exact dimensions and location of whatever it has to process.

The machine projects a laser cross hair that can be lined up with the edges and corners of the workpiece – thereby setting reference points.

With a year of production under their belt the team at TimberLab can now look back at the revolutionary changes their production processes have undergone. “It’s hard to overstate the changes stepping up to CNC manufacture on this scale has thrown up,” says Owen “but with a hardworking team along with support from WEINMANN and Jacks we’ve worked through them. As well as learning how to operate the machine there are issues to contend with: extraction; health and safety implications; implementing the design software. We’ve done a lot of experimenting with which tooling to use for which processes, and how the tooling behaves with different materials.”

And as their production experience has grown, TimberLab has been sharing it. “We’re collaborating with others using WEINMANN machines in Europe,” explains Grant “sharing our learnings and hearing about theirs.

As an educational opportunity it’s very useful.”

Education is a continuing theme in another area too - and that’s educating the industry about what Timberlab equipped with a WEINMANN WMP now offers. “Our gradual implementation has been a deliberate strategy,” says Owen. “We knew it would take time to adopt new methods and we needed to accommodate our ongoing workload while we were learning.” But now TimberLab have reached the point where they’ve tamed the monster that resides in their factory, and are ready to let it off the leash.

“What we need now,” says Owen “is the designers and fabricators to understand the enormous potential we have here, and together we can really investigate what engineered timber structures can offer.”

¢ High performance solid wood portal can process work pieces of extremely large dimensions.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

JUNE 2016

19

RESEARCH

Scion’s environmentally-friendly bioadhesives and resins made from natural sources, are contributing to a reduction in the use of fossil resources and greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing the New Zealand wood processing industry’s licence to operate.

This is a stick-up ... and it’s environmentally friendly!

I

T’S BEEN a long and sometimes sticky road to success for Scion’s bioadhesives research team. After seven years of learning to mix and match assorted ingredients from forestry and agricultural waste to produce a recipe for a healthy ‘green’ bio-based adhesive, the research team is ready to take their technology to the next step -- industrial commercialisation.

The commercial availability of Scion’s bioadhesives to the wood processing industry comes on the back of commercial trials held late last year, which involved the manufacture and product testing of the liquid resins at tonne-scale.

Following this, commercial-scale trials were run at two industrial plywood mills, each using two different types of adhesive application.

Program leader, Dr Warren Grigsby, says the trials were a great success.

“We had to deal with a few teething problems along the way and learned new things in the process, but we’re very happy with the outcomes.

“The mills had their own unique conditions and challenges to overcome.

For example, each used different

equipment with specific requirements, and the veneers they were using had different characteristics, but we were able to adapt our product to suit the different glue application methods of each mill and produce the desired result.”

Warren likens it to baking a cake where a range of products can be made by combining different ingredients.

In this case, adhesives were adapted to suit interior grade plywood and laminated veneer lumber products.

“Different formulations of adhesive have different properties, and the blend of ingredients depends on what wood finish is being used, and the composite or wood panel being manufactured.”

New Zealand manufacturers of medium density fibreboard (MDF) have been looking at ways to reduce formaldehyde emissions of products for many years, in response to regulatory pressure from overseas markets. In late 2008, Scion initiated a research program to create ‘green’ bioadhesives without using formaldehyde or petrochemicals.

Warren and his team had to start from scratch, extracting chemicals

¢ Testing the tensile strength of plywood made using Scion’s bioadhesives.

20

¢ S cion’s Dr Warren Grigsby and his research team have developed biobased adhesives from natural, renewable sources that have a lower environmental footprint than their formaldehyde-based counterparts.

from forestry and agricultural residues such as Kraft liquor from pulp and paper mills, and arable crop processing waste. They then re-formulated the ingredients in new ways to create the building blocks for bioadhesives. After suffering a few flops along the way, the team eventually developed a recipe capable of holding together an MDF panel, and things started cooking from there.

And, says Warren, the products’ green credentials will provide manufacturers with a competitive advantage over wood panel processers using conventional petrochemical adhesives and resins.

“Adhesives and resins made from natural sources have a lower environmental footprint and are considered more socially acceptable than their traditional formaldehydebased counterparts. We conducted an analysis of our bioadhesives in 2014, which showed the engineered wood products have a 22% lower environmental impact over their lifecycle than those using adhesives derived from petrochemicals.”

Warren also spent several weeks at the Forest & Forest Products Research Institute in Japan last year working on a collaborative project to assess emissions produced from wood panels made using bioadhesives, and their individual components.

“We measured the volatile organic compounds emitted during the hot press manufacturing of hardwood plywood panels made using our bioadhesives, and the subsequent emissions released over seven days. The results clearly showed that our bioadhesives have very low formaldehyde emissions, which were lower than wood alone, and that the use of our ingredients contributed to this.

“While we are still developing some of the fundamentals, such as the heat and flow interactions, we

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can confidently say our ingredients and formulations can be prepared to be truly recyclable, compostable or durable in engineered wood products and packaging.”

In New Zealand, 20% of the plywood manufactured is interior grade and used for wall linings, doors and furniture.

Warren would eventually like to see all interior grade plywood made using bioadhesives to support a healthier living environment for kiwis.

At this stage, seeing a range of quality furniture made from wood panels using ‘green’ bioadhesives will be a well-deserved reward for seven years in the Scion master kitchen.

The panels produced during the commercial trials have already been released to several design companies to see what they come up with.

The next step towards commercialisation of the products will be to fine tune formulations for the wider engineered wood products and panels market, and for the packaging industry for use in liner and corrugated packaging boards.

The bioadhesives research programme received a Gold ranking by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, for performance and outcomes that The next step towards commercialisation of the products will be to fine tune formulations for the wider engineered wood products market.

This is a well-deserved icing on to the programme’s success for Warren and the research team, after years of hard work to develop suitable products for scale-up, fostering industry relationships and international connections, and achieving the necessary steps towards commercialisation.

Sweet reward for a small, dedicated team of scientists!

www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

Information cycle has changed and so has consumer assistance

By Eric Siegers Principal, The Market Bytes

W

ELL, AMAZON are opening books stores. The very company that upset the veritable book store “apple cart” is now in the bricks and mortar retail game. It’s a fascinating story because it tells so much of how the information cycle has changed because of the very tools that led to the demise of so many stores.

In the past people would go to the store and hope that the shop assistant would know and have a great deal of confidence about the product they were interested in. From televisions to hardware; cars to houses were pretty much sold the same way.

Then the internet changed everything, not just the way things were purchased but, importantly, the way people acquired information.

What really changed was the information cycle. Customers/ consumers are now able to access independent information of the selling process, and as has been reported by Forbes in the article “The Disappearing Sales Process,” “customers reported to being nearly 60 percent through the sales process before engaging a sales rep.”

This means for businesses in the timber industry this is a major challenge. Most of the businesses are family businesses with a small amount of staff that don’t have the resources to stay abreast of product and service changes and importantly to have the breadth of knowledge as client expectations change.

As an example, when building a deck we have noticed at the Timber Hub that when people want to build a deck they also want to finish the deck. This is when the “one stop

shop mentality” kicks in. Not all merchants have a paint section, nor are they necessarily able to answer the important questions of which coatings work best with which timbers or how to prepare the different timbers for the various types of coatings. That’s knowledge that is often left for paint stores or the paint rep!

This is where organisations such as the Timber Advisory and Display Centre are so important. We handle those types of requests every day, and find ways to help consumers build or have built their deck or outdoor room, finish their floors or build their kitchens. This is a resource that provides industry a massive amount of information about consumer trends and habits. As any marketer knows this is invaluable information. By comparing this information with IBIS

Change of name is now official world, and ABS data, we have learned the centre is a bell weather for the industry and therefore a powerful tool.

The TADC has been be rebranded to The Timber Hub, because the reality is we are a hub of information and service to the broader merchant and manufacturer sectors and a disseminator of information to the public.

This gives you the opportunity to become part of it, subscribe to the centre (at the very minimum) to find out how we can help you challenge the information cycle and build sustainable responses to the market place.

Tried and trusted for over 30 years!

The same industry-leading news, views and ad’s you’re reading in this issue are now available on-line as well.

While we know print is the most convenient form for reading in the yard, lunchroom or highlighting an important point for the next reader, we also know that many of our readers want to go straight to websites or send emails or links from the articles and ad’s they’re reading.

MEDIA

Now available on-line Visit www.timberbiz.com.au/atm today to view your copy online

I N D E P E N D E N T & FA M I LY O W N E D

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER

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21

NEWS

TTIA successfully pushes back on late claims for unfair dismissal Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer Timber Trade Industrial Association

T

HE FAIR Work Act 2009 states that an application for unfair dismissal must be made within 21 days after the dismissal took effect. Employees often commence their claim outside the 21 day period and this provides an opportunity for an employer to raise a jurisdictional objection to the application. The TTIA has recently been successful with two out of time unfair dismissal applications made against companies in the timber industry, preventing lengthy and time consuming matters continuing to a hearing before a member of the Fair Work Commission.

Before the Fair Work Commission can make a decision in relation to these types of claims it is required by law to take into account a number of criteria that are outlined in the Fair Work Act 2009.

This includes whether there were exceptional reasons for the delay, whether the employee knew they had been dismissed, any prejudice to the employer if the claim is allowed to proceed, the merits of the employee’s claim against the employer and fairness between the employee and other employees in a similar position.

Sometimes these out of time jurisdictional hearings are decided on paper by a Member of the Commission taking into consideration the submissions made by each party, avoiding attendance at the Commission. On other occasions both parties are required to attend the Commission. Managing these matters requires a thorough understanding of the facts of the matter. In one case an employee claimed the reason for their late application related to illness but provided no medical evidence to support this claim. The employer knew that the employee had been running his own business during the period when the employee said he was ill. The TTIA made submissions and provided evidence of this activity to support the submissions to the Fair Work Commission and the matter was subsequently dismissed.

In another matter, an employee commenced his unfair dismissal application 70 days outside the prescribed period of 21 days. The employee argued that he had wrongly filed his application for unfair dismissal with the Fair Work Ombudsman instead of the Fair Work Commission. The TTIA provided evidence illustrating how the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website makes it very clear that unfair dismissal applications must be filed with the Fair Work Commission and that the employee had not provided exceptional reasons covering the whole period of the delay. The Fair Work Commission dismissed the employee’s application citing the arguments developed by the TTIA for the employer.

The TTIA regularly manages employment related litigation for Members in the timber industry across

TABMA Australia continues to gain strength

Australia. If you are not a Member, now would be an ideal time to join. If you need help with a matter or to discuss membership please contact the Association on 02 9264 0011.

Annual wage review The Fair Work Commission has released the 2016 Annual Wage Review decision under the Fair Work Act, 2009 on 31 May 2016. This is the seventh annual minimum wage review to be conducted by the Fair Work Commission.

This decision increases the modern award wage rates by 2.4% and the national minimum wage from $656.90 to $672.70 per week, being $17.70 per hour, based on a 38 hour working week. This constitutes an increase of $15.80 per week.

Last year’s increase was 2.5%.

The ACTU were seeking an increase to the national minimum wage to $686.90 a week or $18.07 per hour.

The increased rates will take effect from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2016.

Employers should ensure they meet the new minimum obligations from 1 July 2016. Please remember, the increase is fully absorbable into over award payments.

TTIA Members with digests will be sent new wage summary sheets in due course. Employers who are not Members are advised to contact the Association on (02) 9264 0011 and look at the minimal cost of joining your non-profit, national timber industry industrial relations association.

TVAA publications freely available

By Peter Llewellyn Technical Representative Timber Veneer Association of Australia (TVAA)

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Aust.) Ltd IN THIS our 76th year it is worth noting that TABMA now has 247 trainees and apprentices placed nationally. We have placements in every State plus the ACT. We also have 134 trainees placed with FITEC for training. FITEC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TABMA (Australia) Limited.

In total and including FITEC, TABMA has 30 direct employees and 247 indirect.

We are now represented in every State.

TABMA has a national Board of Directors: Peter Hutchison (Chairman) - Mitek Danny Gattone – Swadling Group Andrew Bone (Deputy Chairman) - Glenn Johnston - Stockwells Bone Timber Joinery Brenton Christopher (Deputy David Little – Hardware & General Chairman) - John Cook & Sons John Stewart – Simmonds Lumber Roy Edwards – Heyden Frame & Truss Gary Walker – Belmont Timber Michael Gaske – Ozline Timbers We also have a Board representing TABMA Queensland, a Board representing FITEC, as both are Pty Ltd companies, and a management committee in South Australia.

Earlier this year we entered Victoria and a major concentration is establishing ourselves in that State.

To match our growth, Sydney Head Office has moved into larger premises at 154 Pacific Highway, St Leonards.

The myriad of services offered by TABMA to members now includes Industrial Relations advice and a regenerated WH&S program.

It our goal to continue to be the peak timber association in Australia and to continue to provide our members with practical solutions to improve business growth, management and profitability.

22

THE TIMBER Veneer Association of Australia reminds all veneer users and specifiers that copies of the recently updated TVAA manual, simply titled Veneer, are still available on request, free of charge.

Veneer explains the technical terms used in specifying and supplying various types of veneer and shows how different visual effects can be achieved such as book matching, slip matching, and so on. The manual also covers topical issues including carbon storage, fire hazard and chain of custody certification.

The Veneer manual is one of the most commonly downloaded publications from the TVAA website at www.timberveneer. asn.au, but some in the industry prefer to have a hard copy for easy reference and TVAA is happy to oblige.

To obtain a copy of Veneer, send postal address details to info@timberveneer.asn. au or phone the TVAA Info Line on 1300 303 982.

For the serious veneer user A Manual for Decorative Wood Veneering Technology contains all the answers. Written by Dr Barbara Ozarska, Leader of the Forest Products Research Group at the University of Melbourne, the manual is an authoritative guide to all the factors involved in the successful use of wood veneers.

The latest edition expands upon the 1st edition, released in 2003, and incorporates

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the latest research results, including advice on dealing with potential discolouration of veneers exposed to UV light. Graphics and diagrams have been expanded and updated.

The TVAA acknowledges the funding assistance of Forest & Wood Products Australia in producing A Manual for Decorative Wood Veneering Technology, which ensured that this important resource could be made available to all users of veneer products.

A Manual for Decorative Wood Veneering Technology is not available in hard copy but can be downloaded from the Association’s website at www. timberveneer.asn.au along with many other publications providing practical advice. www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

Delivery remains a contentious area for members

By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer / FTMA Australia

W

HEN TRAVELLING around talking to fabricators there are always a few issues that are raised constantly. Things such as delivery difficulties, whether to top

plate or to the ever-decreasing house block, back charges, price cutting within the industry with people too often dropping their pants as they say to secure the job and of course the

¢ K evin Labrooy of Multinail with Ryan Mansell from Pine Design Truss & Timber from SA.

www.timberbiz.com.au

housing market.

Delivery is still a massive issue and one that in my opinion has been ignored far too long from the relevant Work Cover authorities.

As reported in the past FTMA tried, unsuccessfully, to have guidelines included during the development of the National Harmonisation laws. In Victoria we worked in consultation with the Victorian WorkCover Authority to develop the Site Hazard Identification and Control Checklist for FTMA Members to be completed by the builders before delivery takes place.

Some fabricators have used this form, with great success, whereas others have had builders refuse to complete the form, which in effect puts at risk fabricators businesses in the event that anything goes wrong.

Some builders believe by having a large sticker saying the structure is sound to deliver to top plate is efficient, however, they are WRONG. The Work Cover legislation states that this is a two person task, with a representative from both the delivery company and building site present during the delivery.

So why do the authorities run away from this issue? Why turn a blind eye to builders pressuring fabricators to do it how THEY want it? We can introduce best practice, we can develop guidelines and documentation to assist in the sharing of information, but nothing will be solved until the relevant Work Cover authorities regulate or legislate the correct delivery method for us ALL to follow.

When things go wrong it is so easy for the builder to blame the fabricator but as we know, 99.9% of the time the error is not due to the engineered products, but due to the slab or the installation. When this issue is raised, the advice from FTMA is to document, double check and photograph all your work.

It is easy for us to say if it’s not your problem then don’t fix it but of course in reality this doesn’t work when it’s your customer relationship on the line.

People dropping their pants….. well that’s not something any of us want to think about and of course not something we can legally talk about.

However, what we can say is that you don’t work to lose money, you don’t spend all your time away from your family, busting your butt to lose money. It is important for businesses

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JUNE 2016

to fully understand their business costs and always keep the future of our industry in their minds.

Finally the housing market. At the moment most of the country is flat out with work out to 6-8 weeks in some areas. This is great, but the downside is it gets in the way of people focusing on the future and looking at the changes within the industry.

Panelisation is not something that is going to happen overnight but it is coming and it will affect our sector in a big way. We have amazing opportunities in front of us with the changes to the NCC resulting in commercial opportunities that previously didn’t exist, or if they did, always struggled due to the red tape needed to get around using timber.

We urge fabricators not to shy away from the commercial market opportunities and even though you are busy now, keep looking at that 2-5 year plan of where your business is headed.

Frame Australia had a number of presentations on the businesses currently working in this area and even though there weren’t too many fabricators present to see, we believe it is something our sector needs to look and FTMA will ensure we have this opportunity at upcoming events.

Rationalisation in our industry is inevitable and it’s up to you as to what role you will play in that rationalisation.

We are facing new problems in our industry but these are best served by new thinking, so look outside the square and you will see opportunities waiting

New Members FTMA Australia would like to welcome our newest members over the past six weeks. Accurate Roof Trusses in Hallam, AAA Trusses & Windows in Hallam and Universal Trusses in Hume ACT have all joined the FTMA family and we look forward to working with them in the future.

23

Supporting Multinail Truss Plants to reach new heights 1

2

"T1" TIMBER ROOF TRUSSES

TRUSS TO BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT WALKWAY LOADS LOAD OF COLUMN C3 HANGS FROM ROOF TRUSS. DEAD LOAD = 15KN LIVE LOAD = 29KN

30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALL TOP PLATE & BLOCKING ABOVE BRACING WALL WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS

30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALLS WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS @ MAX 600CRS

ROOF 14800

LOAD BEARING WALL

LOAD BEARING WALL C3

INDIVIDUAL UNIT MODULES REFER S06 30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALL TOP PLATE & BLOCKING ABOVE BRACING WALL WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS

D S08

30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALLS WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS @ MAX 600CRS

TENSION ONLY MEMBER

LEVEL 3 12040

D82331 ABSORBER STRIPE, 800mm LONG x 100mm WIDE BY ROTHOBLAAS OR SIMILAR APPROVED. C3

INDIVIDUAL UNIT MODULES REFER S06

TENSION ONLY MEMBER

30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALL TOP PLATE & BLOCKING ABOVE BRACING WALL WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS

30 x 10mm FLAT BAR FIXED TO MODULE WALLS WITH M10 x 100mm COACH SCREWS @ MAX 600CRS

LEVEL 2 9000

D82341 ABSORBER STRIPE, 800mm LONG x 100mm WIDE BY ROTHOBLAAS OR SIMILAR APPROVED. C3

INDIVIDUAL UNIT MODULES REFER S06

B S13

B2 BR1

B6

C1

C1

BOL

BOL S2

GROUND 2500 PC1

PC1

P2

SECTION 1 1 : 50

LEVEL 1 5960

BR1

B6

01 S01

TENSION ONLY MEMBER

P2