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NEWS
Grenfell fire has tainted established timber technology PHILIP HOPKINS
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BOUT 100 buildings in the
UK have been built from engineered wood in the past 15 years, but the reputation of the wellestablished technology has been made “toxic” by the Grenfell tower fire that killed 72 people. That was a key observation at the Timber Offsite Construction conference in Melbourne by a leading speaker – Anthony Thistleton, a founding director of Waugh Thistleton Architects (WTA), a London firm and a pioneer of CLT technology. Mr Thistleton said fire safety was paramount in the UK after the Grenfell disaster of 2017. (Cladding panels with a polyethylene (PE) core, used in the outer refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, were later found to have fuelled the blaze). Post-Grenfell, a legislative ban on combustible material in the external envelope of buildings had stopped CLT in tall buildings. “It has created a toxicity around CLT
as a whole,” Mr Thistleton said. “There are no new residential buildings with CLT at the moment; there is an impression of risk from building in timber,” he said. Mr Thistleton said WTA was carrying out a funding project in which a model building below height limits was going through a full regulation check with various authorities - warranty providers, building regulators, fire regulators, inspectors, fire departments, and insurers. The aim was to show how a set of details, if followed by building in CLT, could guarantee a low carbon building and fire safety, and satisfy insurers and other warranty providers. “The aim is to de-risk building in
timber and hopefully regenerate the move back to residential CLT in UK,” he said. Mr Thistleton said CLT had been a success in the UK. His own firm had completed 30 CLT buildings, and a book for the US Softwood Lumber Council had highlighted 100 UK timber projects, “some seven of our own”. The book showed the depth and range of CLT in UK - the types of buildings, the architects and developers. “This is not fashionable technology – it’s embedded technology,” he said. Mr Thistleton said over the past 15 years, he had been angry, belligerent and beating the drum in advocating engineered timber, an influence he partly attributed to Australian architect Harry Seidler. On his first day as an architect, he listened to Harry bombard a client, calling him an “barbarian”. “Some of that rubbed off on me and my business partner We must be an-
gry and forthright to make the changes we need,” he said. That challenge was the climate crisis, to which construction contributed. Timber, which sequestered CO2 from the atmosphere, should replace concrete and steel, both greenhouse gas-intensive materials. “The more we use timber, the more we drive reforestation by creating strong markets for timber and create commercial reasons for more trees,” he said. “Forestation is single best way to get out of the global greenhouse gas emergency.” Mr Thistleton said ever since designing the UK’s first CLT building, Murray Grove, 14 years ago, he had shown clients not interested in the environment that building CLT was “cheaper and quicker” than concrete and steel. The concept of ‘embodied carbon’ in a building had now become so mainstream that last year a major building Continues on page 5
The Forestry Corporation of New South Wales convicted of offences in relation to harvesting operations in Dampier State Forest in 2019 Forestry Corporation NSW has been convicted in the Land and Environment Court for an offence under the Forestry Act 2012 (NSW) for breaching three conditions of its integrated forestry operations approval.
The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
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The prosecution was brought by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (the EPA). The Forestry Corporation cooperated with the EPA during the investigation and pleaded guilty to the offences. The Forestry Corporation has been fined a total of $185,000 and ordered to pay an additional amount of $45,000 to the Australasian Bat Society Inc to undertake research into the impacts of a 2019/2020 wildfire on a key roost of the Eastern Horseshoe Bat on the South Coast. The Forestry Corporation has also agreed to pay the EPA’s legal costs as agreed or assessed. This notice was placed by order of the Land and Environment Court of NSW and was paid for by the Forestry Corporation.
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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Forestry Corporation NSW breached its approval by failing to carry out its licensed activities in Compartment 3133 of Dampier State Forest, near Bodalla. During the harvesting operations, on 2 May 2019, the Forestry Corporation failed to mark an environmentally sensitive area in the field. As a result, trees were felled within and around the exclusion zone for the subterranean bat roost for the Eastern Horseshoe Bat. The harvesting operations did not cause actual harm to the subterranean bat roost, but likely caused minor harm to any Eastern Horseshoe Bats roosting at the time. There was also a risk of actual harm in the circumstances of this incident.
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NEWS
australasian
AUGUST 2022
Issue 5 – Volume 31 Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman. Established 1977.
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News Timber Offsite Construction conference Flooring Associations
3-7 12 16-18
FRONT Cover: The Timber Offsite Construction conference saw more than 200 delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the UK and North America gain insight and inspiration from sessions in building design influences, construction productivity, manufacturing and technology, and global wood building projects.. PUBLISHER and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: Robyn Haworth Editor: Bruce Mitchell b.mitchelll@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9512 Advertising: Gavin de Almeida g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Creative Services: Tim Coleman Publication Design: Tim Coleman Timber classifieds: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9522 Subcription rates One-year (8 editions) $55 Two-years (16 editions) $95 Accounts: Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9514 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Melbourne Office: Suite 2262, 442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122 Phone: (03) 9810 3262 Find us on Facebook @AustralasianTimber Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA
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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 2022 © 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 publisher will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.
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Building a conference on fresh faces and new realities T HR EE years in the making due to Covid restrictions and backed by 23 years of experience and expertise, this year’s Timber Offsite Construction conference really did deliver the best timber offsite construction event yet. So how does a conference organiser build on that success? Kevin Ezard simply starts from scratch each year. The Timber Offsite Construction founder likes to think that it’ll be a brand new list of speakers that will be at the conference next year. “Each conference I’ve had I just start from scratch each time,” he said. “One of my things has been not repeating speakers. A lot of conferences have the ‘same old same old’. “So I like to think that it’ll be a brand new group of people
each time. There’s a couple I think I’ve had more than once, but it’s over a period of time. “So, I just start with a clean slate and start from there.” Two things came apparent very early on in this year’s Timber Offsite Construction conference in Melbourne; the concept that the future of timber in big builds would be in a hybrid model, and that the exceptional line-up of speakers were prepared to speak honestly about where the industry is heading. Over two days, more than 200 delegates from Australia,
Timber Offsite Construction founder Kevin Ezard. New Zealand, Europe, the UK and North America gained insight and inspiration from sessions in building design influences, construction productivity, manufacturing and technology, and global wood building projects; with a focus on identifying efficiencies, enhancing quality, and showing how innovation can create and determine new values and change how we design and construct. “I suppose my observation was that we had quite a few new people who’d never been to the conference before, and they were very, very impressed,” Mr Ezard said. Mr Ezard said the conference showed that the use of timber had evolved globally and there was more talk of timber being used as a hybrid solution. “And it’s really a bottom line
components that you can’t have 100 per cent wood because that’s not that’s inefficient, but you can have an awful lot of wood, and a bit of steel to make it all come together in a much more efficient package. “So I think this is a maturing view of the competitiveness in the marketplace for wood which has to be the best material for the best use,” he said. “The world still goes round on the basis of costs and benefits, so you can’t say (timber) is going to be great. You’re going to save the planet, but it’s going to cost you this much. “Well, I don’t think you’d sell too many developers on a concept like that. But the hybrid thing is,the solution. And that’s, that’s good for everybody.”
Timber has a place in commercial builds, but must be competitive
T
HER E is no doubt
that the building industry has advanced more than a little bit since the FRAME Timber Offsite Construction conference in 2019. The message then was simple; anything that can be built with steel can be built with engineered wood. Fast forward three years and the message at this year’s Timber Offsite Construction was that timber is a solution, not the solution. “Hybrid” was the word being used more than anything.
australasian
Timber, the message was, has its place, but more so in a hybrid model. And it need to be not just better; it needs to be competitive. It was observed that is a client wants a 20-storey building put up, telling the client he will save the planet by using timber just won’t wash. But if you say the building can be finished four weeks earlier by incorporating timber into the build, then the
response is going to be better. It’s a message the building industry needs to hear. Event founder Kevin Ezard pointed out that in the United States the push remains for timberonly which has annoyed the all-powerful steel industry. But as Mr Ezard pointed out, that because the US has access to a lot of timber. That honesty at the conference from major architects and building companies was refreshing. Too often conference speakers slip into the prac-
tice of telling the audience what they want to hear. Instead, a number of speakers were prepared to talk honestly about the issues they were facing and how they, sometimes, got around them. The bottom line is that there is a great future for timber in mid and high-rise buildings in Australia. There are issues – the problem of fire raised its head a number of time during the conference – but the industry firmly believes these issues can be overcome.
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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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Grenfell fire has tainted timber technology Continued from page 3
had been rejected due to its materials’ inadequate carbon performance. Mr Thistleton said that in his firm’s latest CLT project, he did not have to persuade the developer that ‘going green’ would save the world or help his grandchildren. The project was a building directly above the Channel Tunnel underground railway at St Pancras station. “We were prevented from doing deep piles,” he said, so the building was supported on a raft of conventional concrete. Concrete allowed seven stories as the maximum safely build. “With CLT, the frame was 20 per cent of the overall weight of a concrete could building. We could build up to 10 floors with 121 flats - 38 more than he would have got from concrete. That was all it needed to persuade him – save money, not the world,” he said. Mr Thistleton indicated that CLT could become a catalyst to upgrade the construction industry, whose practices had barely changed in the past 100 years. Construction’s productivity had declined by 19 per cent Anthony Thistleton in the past 50 years compared to a 250 per cent increase in manufacturing productivity. Even CLT had become
absorbed into the traditional workplace. “The overall process is broken; we are keen for new methods of offsite construction,” he said, such as offsite manufacturing assembly. “The modules are fully fitted out in the factory, lifted to site and craned into place.” Mr Thistleton said automotive, an industry that had modernised construction, had lessons for CLT production. “The Mitsubishi chassis is used in 24 models of cars across a number of different manufactures and ranges,” he said. The automotive supply chain had components manufactured by a range of suppliers and delivered to factory and assembled into other high quality, affordable final products. Similarly, Mr Thistleton said architects, highly paid professionals, designed structures such as floor to wall junctions from first principles “for the umpteenth time”. “It’s wasteful. You do not improve anything if doing it from the start,” he said.
• Anthony Thistleton, a founding director of Waugh Thistleton Architects
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Responsible Wood certified Axiom Lighting and Axis Design, a licensee of Fine Timber Tasmania showcasing Sassafras lampshade. Photo: Ian Hewitt.
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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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NEWS
Bendigo ‘govhub’ a pacesetter in timber T PHILIP HOPKINS
HE new Bendigo Government Hub is a pacesetter. It marks a new level in the use of mass engineered timber in a major building in Victoria. As Lyons Principal architect, Adam Pustola, put it: “It’s on a fantastic site in the heart of the city,” he said - a bustling gold era city with substantial civic architecture. “Our design is about creating a contemporary office – and civic building - for Bendigo, incorporating ways to talk to the history of Bendigo as a growing city,” he said. Mr Pustola was addressing the Timber Offsite Construction conference in Melbourne, which focussed on the design and construction of engineered wood and mass timber buildings. The Bendigo Government Hub, now called Galkangu to honour the site’s traditional owners, Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta, was a highlight of the conference. Mr Pustola said these groups had input into the design, the façade of which was designed by Jaru artist Natasha Carter. Also speaking were executives from Icon Fairbrother joint venture, which is managing and delivering the Hub, and Arup Engineering, which provides structural and mechanical expertise. Fairbrother is a Bendigo builder, while Icon is a large Australian and New Zealand construction company. Mr Pustola said a key decision early in the project was to use a timber structure. “To go with timber early influenced every design decision from that point,” he said. Mark Ayers, Associate Structural Engineer at Arup, said all the timber came from Victoria – CLT from X-Lam Australia in Wodonga and Glulam from Australian Sustainable Hardwoods in Heyfield.
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Lyons Principal architect, Adam Pustola
“This is a great building,” he said. ‘Engineering alchemy’ turned what could have been a commonplace concrete building into a great timber achievement. “The message is: ‘It broadened our horizons as to what timber buildings can be’.” The Hub, with $90 million funding from the Victorian Government, will
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house up to 1000 state and local government workers. The large project has a footprint comparable to a Melbourne CBD block. It topped out in June and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The building design will achieve a minimum 5-Star Green Star Rating System and will include indoor air quality systems, solar panels, and water and energy monitoring systems. Mr Pustola said the base had a concrete structure and car park, with three levels of timber on top. “All the timber is exposed on the ground floor and public and workplaces,” he said. The beams and columns are Glulam from ASH, while the floor slabs in most of the building are mainly 4000 cubic metres of CLT from X-Lam. The building has 256 columns and 469 beams, with the total Glulam volume about 1330 cubic metres. The timber is a big factor in the sustainability of the building; the timber stores carbon dioxide sequestered by the growing tree in contrast to the vast amounts of CO2 used to produce a concrete structure. Sustainability is enhanced by photovoltaics on the roof that offset some of the energy usage, and high-performance double-glazed glass, which is screened with louvres. With sustainability a key issue, showing the attractive timber structure removes the need to add materials, such as cladding and joinery, that
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
hide the traditional structure. The interior, the public space, was warm and based on biophilic design, Mr Pustola said. “No one is more than 10 metres from a window. Every workstation has a view to the courtyard and landscapes.” Mr Ayers acknowledge the huge engineering design effort required upfront from the multi-skilled team to get the optimal outcomes. “This is not just a timber building, not a ‘timber for timber’s sake’ building. There were no blank cheques. We had to meet the Development Victoria budget and achieve it. There was not a cost premium but having an efficient holistic design to achieve this great building,” he said. The connections to the beams required care, but sensible and efficient solutions were achieved. “The connections maximise the hardwood strength capacity, the robustness strategy and feed into the fire strategy. They look great, very clean,” he said. Mr Ayers said building services did not go through the Glulam in order to mitigate against fire risk approval. “The vision for the exposed timber needed a clean, softer strategy. The underfloor air distribution system has the full benefit of the beautiful timber, reinforcing the holistic design that underpinned it all,” he said. Matt Ginnivan, project manager at Icon Fairbrother, said there were www.timberbiz.com.au
NEWS
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4 specific requirements for the glue needed in fire engineering, with the Covid pandemic putting pressure on glue supply. The builder focussed on safety, the speed of install, minimising the time on the crane, efficiency in fixings and efficiency that stipulated a maximum panel size of 12x 2.4 metres. Mr Ginnivan said the challenges included logistics. Wodonga and Heyfield were more than three hours away from the site, which made deliveries complex. With bad weather, quick adjustments meant trucks had to be unloaded at local yards, stacked away from rain, then later redelivered. www.timberbiz.com.au
5 “Weather varied from up to 40 degrees on site and negative 2 at later stages. An entire CLT deck became frozen at one stage,” he said. “The movement of mass timber is easy to be part of when the environmental and economic benefits are so clearly displayed. It has been great demonstration of what regional Victoria can achieve.” The Government estimates that the development will inject $130 million into the local economy, with 90 per cent of contracts with local groups. Construction is creating 200 new jobs and another 1000 jobs in the supply chain.
1. Adam Shears and Aschien Paolo from Theca Timber/Rubner. 2. Declan Poynter and Nicolas Henriquez from BeA. 3. Georgie Coutsodimitropoulos, Luca Brown, Daniele Vicario and Jeff Moss at the NeXTimber by Timberlink booth. 4. Andrew Ferguson and Chris Fodor from Siegware Architectural Innovations. 5. Charlie Hutchings, Max Schmoelz and Barry Sheridan from Hundegger AG.
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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NEWS
‘Billion Trees’ vital to meet fibre needs
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RGENT progress on the Billion Trees Plan is required if Australia is to have sufficient fibre to meet its future needs, according to the Australian Forest Products Association. “Getting more trees in the ground now is an absolute must,” AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said. “Trees are the most economically efficient and effective way to take carbon from the atmosphere and turn it into a form that is useful and valuable, whether that is sawn timber for use in housing construction, or fibre used to make life’s essentials in paper, packaging or tissues. “Only forestry industries offer such an array of climatepositive solutions that are available right now, including long-term, stable carbon sequestration, decarbonisation of energy systems and substitution for single-use and problematic plastics,” he said. “However, we won’t achieve anything near what we need to unless we can get more trees in the ground starting today. “It is also vital we maintain strong processing and manufacturing capacity to create the products that we need from fibre grown in Australia.” The pandemic had revealed how perilous it was to be too dependent on global supply chains. “We have welcomed the Labor Government’s strong support for local manufacturing through its Made in Australia policy and its Buy Australian Plans,” Mr Hampton said. “It is important too that the Federal Government deliver policy consistency.” Mr Hampton said that this week the government had announced financial support for some local and regional newspaper publishers to assist them absorb price rises associated with newsprint. “Whilst keeping the presses turning everywhere in Australia is to be applauded, it needs to be noted that the price rises were only being faced by those publishers who had not chosen to lock in contracts with domestic newsprint suppliers and instead taken their chances with the global spot price market,” he said. 8
Peter Adams at his Birregurra mill with a stockpile of imported timber.
Logging ban sends mill hunting overseas for timber PHILIP HOPKINS
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ETER Adams acknowledges the paradox: his sawmill at Birregurra cannot source native hardwood from the neighbouring Otways Ranges, where harvesting of the forest’s beautiful timber is largely banned under State Government policy. So where does he get his hardwood timber from? The United States and Tasmania, of course. “We have been buying American hardwoods for about six years now,” he said. “The timber is easy to deal with. Australian hardwoods are a diminishing resource.” Mr Adams, a 40-year veteran of the timber industry, previously owned a sawmill at nearby Forrest; he was the fourth owner of the mill, founded in 1891 by Thomas Cowley. The Forrest operation processed 15,000 cubic metres of Mountain Ash and Blackwood timber at its height and was the second largest Blackwood mill in Australia at the time. In 2000, Mr Adams bought the Birregurra sawmill, established in 1892, from W.H. Bennett & Sons. It used to be the largest timber processor in the Otways. The Birregurra business, however, still operates under Mr Adams’ old brand name, Forrest Timber Products Australia.
Mr Adams moved from Forrest because the transition from sawmilling to dry milling required a drier and more spacious site, which Birregurra offered. “Forrest is close to the forest, which is ideal for minimising log transport costs, but it also has high rainfall – not so good for airdrying timber,” he said. About the same time as the move to Birregurra, however, came the big blow: the Bracks Labor Government arbitrarily decided to close the native timber industry in the Otways, which are located near Geelong and about 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne. When it came to power in 2000, the Bracks Government signed the West Regional Forest Agreement with the Federal Government. Under the RFA, industry was promised 20 years’ access to the Otways forest. A subsequent investigation by Southern Cross University’s Forestry Professor, Jerry Vanclay, found that the level of timber harvesting in the Otways was sustainable. However, before the next State Government election, the Bracks Government announced that the Otways would become a national park. “It was appalling, a bitter pill. We were not informed AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
about it, but heard about it through the media,” Mr Adams said. “Bracks flew in, made the announcement and flew out. It was all about the Green vote. It still is.” The election images of Mr Bracks hugging a tree duly appeared on television and in the newspapers. Timber harvesting was subsequently banned in the Otways, apart from some specialist timbers whose removal is supervised by VicForests. (See separate story). The Birregurra operation is now processing about 300 cubic metres of timber a month – about 3600m3 a year. “We are operating at about one quarter of our potential throughput. We could do four times as much,” he said. The mill employs 14 people but would need 20 to operate at full scale. The problem is getting labour. “We advertise but get no recipients to the ads. The biggest employers are in (nearby) Colac, where wages are higher. If we were in Forrest, it would be even worse as it is more isolated,” he said. “However, most businesses are having labour troubles now.” Birregurra receives its timber already sawn; it does not process logs. About half comes from Tasmania, although “Tassie Oak is getting
hard to get”. The other half is from northern US states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, and even Canada. “We deal directly with the sawmills in the US. It’s unique timber. We have to handle random widths and turn it into set widths. The prices are competitive with local timber, but Tassie Oak is cheaper,” he said. Because of the Covid pandemic, transport and freight issues are tough at the moment. The Birregurra operation specialises in timber flooring, decking and laminating. “Hardwood floors are particularly popular,” Mr Adams said. The processing of the sawn timber produces residues such as shavings, which are mainly used as biofuel for the company’s drying kilns. “There is no cheap alternative, with no natural gas in the area,” he said. “There are plenty of markets for left-over shavings, such as chook and pig farms.” Mr Adams is confident about the mill’s potential capacity. “Our machinery is up-todate. We have invested over a period of time. We were the second after Boral to install specialist scanning equipment,” he said. The problem is to find the required labour for his workforce. www.timberbiz.com.au
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Lietz putting sustainability into practice
• Sam Czyczelis, Min Lu, Rachel Soysa, Ryan Wyley, Rob Cleary and Andrew Bismire at the Backpacks 4 VIC Kids HQ at Canbourne in Victoria.
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O R generations, long-term thinking and sustainability have been at the forefront of the values of Leitz Tooling Systems. With the recent launch of the global WeCare initiative, Leitz brings social responsibility to life by combining community based, charitable and sustainability focused activities in all Leitz’s subsidiaries worldwide. In April 2022, all employees of the Leitz, Boehlerit and Bilz companies were encouraged to volunteer to take part in different heart projects focused on environmental conservation or community involvement for the launch of WeCare. More than 110 projects were completed throughout the two week launch program. In 31 countries, ap-
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proximately 1 500 employees contributed over 2 600 volunteer hours collectively across a wide range of projects; more the 6 000 trees were planted, over 3 500kg of waste was collected and 1 400kg of clothing was donated. Some teams opted to set up nesting boxes and bee colonies to
support the biodiversity in their areas. In addition, a total of 40 000 euros was raised to be donated to charities in Leitz communities. In Australia and New Zealand, Leitz Tooling Systems has been making strides in community engagement and environmental sustainability, taking the WeCare ethos and integrating it into every part of Leitz’s operations. Leitz ANZ has recently launched a carbide tool recycling program, ensuring guardianship of Leitz’s tools throughout their entire life cycle. Customers can submit their used tools to Leitz representatives or directly to Leitz’s service centres, at no additional cost. 95% of the collected carbide can be recycled into new tools, conserving natural raw materials and protecting Leitz’s environment. All proceeds received from the submission of the carbide for recycling are donated directly to partner charity Backpacks 4 VIC Kids, providing material aid to children entering emergency care. This program allows Leitz and Leitz’s customers to work sustainably while supporting the welfare of displaced children in the community. Leitz’s partnership with Backpacks 4 VIC Kids has shown great progress, with more than $6000 raised by Leitz so far for 2022 through carbide recycling and generous donations from Leitz’s colleagues and customers. This has aided over 90 children year to date. Leitz’s team also spent a day
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
volunteering at Backpacks 4 VIC Kids HQ, packing essentials packs and sorting donated items. In April, Leitz’s Auckland team undertook a clean-up on the Onehunga Taumanu Reserve foreshore, collecting over 37kg rubbish. Since his commencement with Leitz in 2019 Sam Czyczelis, Managing Director of Leitz ANZ, has ensured investment within the company to increase Leitz sustainability. A voltage optimizer and solar panel installation was recently completed in the Melbourne head office and workshop, providing quality power and almost removing reliance on the grid. Installation of green cooling systems in Leitz’s Sydney and Brisbane workshops reduces electricity consumption by 80% compared to conventional air conditioning. 2022 will also bring solar panels for the Sydney offices and workshop. In today’s environment, customers are more aware than ever of the sustainability of their businesses, including those that they associate with. With implementation of these initiatives through Leitz globally, and continual focus locally, customers in Australia and New Zealand can be assured that the tools they use support sustainability from manufacture, all the way through to the end of the tool life cycle. Visit Leitz’s website to learn more: https://www.leitz.org/en-au/company/wecare/ www.timberbiz.com.au
NEWS
ARC funding for new research hubs T HE role of forest products as industries of the future has been affirmed with this week’s announcement of funding from the Australian Research Council for new research hubs and training centres. Funding for the research hubs and training centres including an Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment Hub - is provided through the ARC’s Industrial Transformation Research Program. In 2022 critical industry priorities included advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and recycling and clean energy.
The ARC funding complements other recent commitments to innovation for the sector including the establishment of a $100 million National Institute for Forest Products Innovation and the $300 million Timber Building Program through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to encourage the use of low-emissions engineered mass timber and reduce the carbon footprint of the construction sector. Acting CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association Victor Violante said the funding highlighted the essential role being played by forest industries in delivering
clean and smart solutions for big challenges including addressing climate change and developing next generation products and processes for the building and construction industries. “Timber is the ultimate renewable and low-emission building material for the 21st century, so it’s terrific the Federal Government through the ARC is backing innovation particularly for next generation engineered wood products and architectural design with advanced manufacturing,” Mr Violante said. “As Australia looks for ways to reach net zero by 2050, tim-
ber in the built environment must be part of that plan. Wood products store carbon over their lifetime meaning that our houses and other buildings can be a massive positive carbon sink. “It’s also why it is crucial that Australia secures future fibre supplies to meet its needs in coming decades, and that we prioritise the Billion Trees Plan.” Victorian Forest Products Association CEO Deb Kerr said the significant investment of $17.7 million to develop the hubs cements the role forestry can play in fighting climate change,
Three of the four hubs will, directly or indirectly, support forestry. “Forestry is a future industry – and future-ready,” Ms Kerr said. “Growing trees and capturing and storing carbon is the most natural process in the world. The fact that wood products keep storing carbon is an often-underestimated bonus of using wood products or building with timber. “It’s a continuous cycle because foresters replant trees after harvest. At scale, forestry can be an important part of the fight against climate change,” she said.
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FASTENERS
Labour shortage leads to higher level of automation T HE labour shortage in most industrialised countries is leading to a strong increase in demand for automation. Entrepreneurs and management are beginning to rethink their approach, especially in production that has traditionally been very much geared to manual labour. In classic production operations such as furniture construction, prefabricated house construction, pallet production or the packaging industry, significant savings can be achieved through automation. The BeA Group, a German manufacturer with over 100 years of experience in fastening technology, offers comprehensive and individual
solutions for these industries. With the Autotec brand, the BeA Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of automation solutions in the fastening sector. The Autotec devices can process staples and nails of the most varied types. All devices offered can be equipped with a wide variety of accessories and can be easily integrated into all automated systems. This means that the often very different customer requirements in terms of the material to be processed and the application can be met.
Autotec units are available with different magazines for the respective fasteners. The decisive factors here are the space available in the system and the fastener to be processed. For example, an Autotec unit can be combined with an interchangeable cassette, a side loader, a top loader, a long magazine or with a fully automatic loading station, which significantly increases the pure productive time of the units. The planning for this is done individually with the customer and the system builder. Various service packages are available for the Autotec units, which include everything from on-site maintenance to 24/7 spare parts
supply. Always with the aim of providing the customer with a trouble-free and economical production process. The BeA Group was founded back in 1910 and is one of the world’s leading companies in fastening technology, with a turnover passing 150 million euros and a global network of branches and representatives. The Autotec division is regarded worldwide as a reliable partner in the automation of production processes where stapling or nailing is required. Many large companies trust in the competence of the brand and the reliability of the devices from Autotec. More than 15,000 Autotec devices are in use worldwide and the number is growing daily. In a wide variety of
industries, such as the prefabricated house industry, furniture construction, the pallet industry, the packaging industry and many others, our equipment ensures reliable production and consistently high product quality.
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FLOORING
Pentarch Forestry’s new chapter for Aussie hardwood products F O L LOWING Pentarch Group’s acquisition of the Boral Timber portfolio of building products and materials in 2021, the Pentarch Forestry branded range is now an established name in the timber and flooring market. Including hardwood products that celebrate the natural beauty of Australian timber species, Pentarch Forestry offers decking, flooring, cladding, lining and structural timber, providing a sustainable and local source of Australianmade products for interior and exterior building and design projects. According to Leon Travis, Pentarch Forestry general manager sales and distribution, “We are pleased to have now fully introduced the Pentarch Forestry brand to our customers. It has been a smooth transition and the feedback has been extremely positive. With our long-established
heritage in wood products and expertise in forestry operations, we continue to showcase this high-quality Australian hardwood range and plan to further invest in local manufacturing and regional communities.” Pentarch Forestry also incorporates broader specialist services to forest owners, including forest management, harvesting and haulage, and optimising forestry returns by accessing the domestic and export markets with bulk woodchip, and hardwood and softwood log offerings. “Pentarch Forestry has adopted the philosophy of adding as much value as possible to the round wood that we are entrusted to use in our manufacturing processes,” added Travis. “To this end, we continue to invest in new technology to make full use of all wood that enters our sites including in the manufacture of briquettes and firewood
Pentarch’s wideboard engineered Blackbutt flooring. from what would otherwise be a waste product.” A strong presence on the North and South coasts of New South Wales, whilst also being able to source raw material from other states, enables 95 per cent of Pentarch Forestry timber products to be Australian made. The beauty of Australian hardwoods is extremely difficult to replicate, and
Pentarch Forestry is committed to ensuring this natural and renewable resource is recognised for its superior performance, as well as its wellbeing and environmental advantages. Pentarch Forestry solid hardwood products have Responsible Wood Chain of Custody certification, the only Australian forest certification scheme with an Australian Stand-
ard (AS4707), encouraging sustainable forest management. In support of the local industry, Pentarch Forestry will be promoting Australian timber products among builders, architects, specifiers and consumers as the market seeks to find superior, sustainable and striking building materials for residential and commercial applications.
BeA delivers high quality and performance tools and fasteners that simply work. BeA staplers and automatic nailers are handy, robust, and work reliably even in multi-shift operation, in factories or on construction sites and many other operational areas.
P: W: E:
1300 232 287 www.bea-group.com sales-au@bea-group.com
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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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FORKLIFT
Right truck for the right application I
T may seem like an obvious statement, but getting the right truck can make a world of difference to your operation. Materials handling is complex work, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for every business. Every workplace will have its own individual needs, its own individual challenges, and its own individual standards. It’s fair to say that some trucks are all-rounders and some are specialists. The right mix of trucks will be making your workplace more efficient, productive, and safer. Businesses may opt for a fleet of all-rounders that can do all the parts fairly well. For some, that will be a perfectly valid approach, especially when truck utilization is relative low or when there are
only a few peaks during the day when the lift trucks are needed. An advantage of running a fleet with, for example, only counterbalance trucks requires less driver training than an operation with high level order pickers. Also, less operator would be qualified to drive the specialist machines. But an all-rounder isn’t always the best choice for everyone and making sure you have the best truck for the job can make a tremendous impact. If floor space is at an absolute premium then you may want to utilize higher rackings in combination with reach trucks. If forklifts are regularly driving in and out of trucks then a model with a lower mast or a free lift fea-
ture would be more suitable. You may have to consider the specific roles your staff are doing and look at whether they could also use a simple pedestrian pallet truck. If your forklift has a low utilization rate, then consider a stacker instead, depending on the load weight and beam heights. Waterproofing, suitability for clean environments such as food preparation, tight turning circles — there are hundreds of features or characteristics that could make a truck more suitable to the work being undertaken. With margins increasingly tight in highly competitive industries, operators are often under a lot of time pressure in their job, and giving them the correct tools can help in reducing accidents, improv-
ing productivity, and countless other benefits From power pallets and multi-way reach trucks to order pickers and stackers. Rising platforms, scissor lifts, cold cabins — if you have specific requirements, talk to your supplier about exactly what you need. When it comes to replacing trucks or expanding your fleet, take it as an opportunity to revaluate your requirements or warehouse lay-out. See if you can utilize special-
ist trucks for specific jobs your operator’s lives easier and his work more efficient. Think of it as the difference between a business suit and a dinner suit. They both do the same job, and in a lot of cases you’d opt for the former as it’s far more versatile and works in a variety of situations. Sometimes though the occasion calls for a dinner suit and nothing else will do.
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FINANCE
More for super accounts under 1 July changes T HE July 1, 2022, changes to super focused mainly on increasing employer contributions and making it easier for individuals to boost their super balances. And while super may not be top of mind right now with cost-of-living putting a crunch on businesses and bank accounts, it’s still worth knowing what’s changed so you can capitalise in future. And for any employers, you’ll want to check your payroll’s ready to go for your next Super Guarantee (SG) run.
0.5% BUMP TO SUPER CONTRIBUTIONS Super Guarantee contributions (the super paid by employers) is legislated to increase every year until it reaches 12% in 2025. This year’s rise took the SG rate up to 10.5%, which means as a percentage of salary, super is now 0.5% higher. For example, on a salary of $2,000 per month, the SG would change from $200 (previous 10% SG rate) to $210 per month on the new rate. If you’re in charge of paying super, you’ll want to be sure your payroll systems are calculating super at the new rate so there are no hiccups when SG comes due. And one more thing to keep in mind – there’s a maximum income threshold for SG, so if any employees are earning more than $60,220 per quarter you don’t have to pay SG on earnings above this limit. SUPER KICKS IN FOR LOWER-PAID WORKERS Around 300,000 more employees suddenly became eligible for SG
contributions on 1 July, thanks to the removal of the $450 income threshold. This means there’s no longer a requirement to earn $450 or more per month to qualify for SG. It’s an important move for growing the retirement savings of many lower-income workers, particularly women, as more women fall into this category. The change applies to fulltime, part-time, casual and temporary resident workers – basically, anyone who would normally be eligible for SG without the income limit. This change is another one for the payroll team to check before SG payment time. RELAXED CONTRIBUTION RULES FOR OVER 60S There’s a raft of changes for this group. Let’s get stuck in. • You may not be familiar with the ‘work test’ unless you’re aged 67 to 75 – so here’s the short version. If you’re in this age bracket, in the past you’ve had to prove you’ve worked a certain number of hours in a financial year to be allowed to make voluntary contributions to super. (These are contributions other than SG from an employer.) However, from 1 July 2022 the work test was mostly removed. You now no longer need to prove anything UNLESS you’re planning to claim a tax deduction for your contribution. If you’re self-employed, this might be something you regularly do – so no changes for you on this one, unfortunately.
• The ‘bring-forward rule’ age limit was expanded to include anyone up to age 75. This rule lets super members bypass the non-concessional cap of $110,000 (which is normally the most you can contribute to super after tax in a single financial year) and contribute up to 3 years’ worth of the cap over a shorter time instead. For some, it’s a way of loading up their super quickly before retirement. For others, it’s a way to put aside savings from a windfall or inheritance. • And finally, the downsizer age limit changed too. Now anyone aged 60 or over (down from age 65) can pour up to $300,000 of the proceeds from their house sale into their super to use for retirement. Eligibility rules apply, like owning the house for 10 years and contributing to super within 90 days of the sale. HIGHER SAVINGS LIMIT FOR SUPER HOUSE DEPOSIT The First Home Super Saver Scheme is a way of saving all or part of a house deposit inside your super. What’s the appeal? Super is taxed favourably, and the return earned on your savings could be higher than what you save in a bank account. The scheme works by making voluntary contributions to a super account, which are later withdrawn, along with deemed earnings and minus any tax. The amount that can be saved this way was recently boosted from $30,000 to $50,000. Remember, this scheme is run by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), so while your super fund can help you make sense of it, you’ll need to meet ATO criteria.
NEED HELP MAKING THE MOST OF THESE CHANGES? When super changes, it can be hard to wrap your head around. But your super fund can help you understand all the rules, eligibility and how-to’s. And at First Super, we also offer members hands-on service, with regional Coordinators who can visit you one-on-one or at the workplace, plus various levels of advice (some at no extra cost) from our Financial Planners. If you don’t know us yet, we’re the fund for regional Australia. We grew out of the furniture and joinery, pulp and paper and timber industries, and we now cover members from every occupation. Learn more at firstsuper. com.au/why-first-super or call 1300 360 988. Issued by First Super Pty Limited (ABN 42 053 498 472, AFSL 223988) as Trustee of First Super (ABN 56 286 625 181). This article contains general advice only and does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is right for you and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before taking any action. PDS and Target Market Determination available at firstsuper.com. au/pds.
Offsite Construction Guide released
T
HE Victorian Government has
published its much-anticipated Offsite Construction Guide that delivers its agencies a road map towards embracing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). “The Offsite Construction Guide seeks to ensure Victorian Government staff continue as leaders in delivering projects using modern methods of construction,” State Treasurer Tim Pallas said. “Increasing the uptake of Offsite Construction on Victorian Government projects will drive investment in prefabrication and modularisation technologies, cementing the state’s reputation as a leader in manufacturing.” The objective of publishing The Offsite Construction Guide is to improve the way projects are designed and delivered by increasing the uptake of modern methods of construction in Victorian major infrastructure projects. www.timberbiz.com.au
According to the Government, it will provide instructions to government departments and agencies on how to plan, design and deliver social, transport, health and education infrastructure for Victorians.
tion Guide, Luke Belfield, Victorian Chief Engineer, said: “The evidence is clear: rationalisation, standardisation, modularisation and offsite construction can drive better results with quicker, safer, higher quality
and more cost-efficient projects. The Offsite Construction Guide has been developed to facilitate the uptake of more efficient and modern methods of construction in Victorian major infrastructure projects.”
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GUIDE ARE TO: Provides practical instruction to support decision making Assists project teams to clarify their expectations at each stage of project delivery Aimed towards the Victorian Government, increasing knowledge and understanding of Offsite Construction methods within project teams. The Guide also provides users with a practical tool to assist departments and agencies in evaluating their project’s suitability for offsite construction. On publishing The Offsite ConstrucAUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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ASSOCIATIONS FRAME & TRUSS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
FTMA Australia is an independent, national organisation representing fabricators of and suppliers to the timber prefabricated truss and wall frame industry in all Australian states & territories providing a unified voice, to protect and advance our multi-billion dollar industry.
FTMA Australia thanks our dedicated supporters and encourages you to support those who support your industry GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
For a full list of the conditions of membership and a downloadable application form visit: www.ftmanews.com.au 16
Martella Service to Industry Award F
T M A Australia has always passionately celebrated outstanding people within our industry, with our highest honour being the prestigious Clive Martella Service to Industry Award. Clive Martella was an FTMA Board Member and Director of MB Prefab Framing in Geelong (now part of Big River Group) and a was down to earth, funny, straight up, hardworking and such an honest person. Clive was an essential person within the FTMA Board, being a founding director and a key player in setting up the National Association. Whether it was technical, production or business issues, Clive was always willing to support the association and fabricators and he was always willing to share information to improve the standards of the industry and help his competitors. A group of four industry leaders who were all Clive’s friends, Michael Read (Keith Timber & Hardware), Phil Ladson (former FTMA Director), Steve Collier (TimberTruss) and Phil McCormack (McCormacks Australia) are our selection committee. The criteria for this award is simply to showcase someone who goes out of their way to help people and businesses within the industry. Someone who is honest and committed to seeing the national frame and truss industry innovate and grow and someone who has themselves, made a great commitment to our industry, as this is who Clive was. This year was a tight contest with some outstanding nominations received with the runner up for the 2022 Clive Martella Service to Industry Award being the impressive Bob Lang of Langs Building Supplies who has made huge contributions to the frame and truss industry for many decades. The winner of the 2022 Clive Martella Service to Industry Award was Tom Donohue from Australian Timber & Trusses on the Gold Coast. Tom Donohue began working in the industry at Wilkinson’s in 1970 and within eight years, he started his own Frame & Truss business with
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
KERSTEN GENTLE Executive Officer FTMA Australia
“We support you!”
business partner, Leon Hill. The business was initially called Tom’s Trusses before being renamed Australian Timber & Trusses (ATT) a few years later and they are still based on the Gold Coast. In the 1970’s Tom was heavily involved in the Gang Nails EqA System. Tom promoted this system to other fabricators for accurate quoting, plant scheduling, output monitoring, employee incentives, and what if scenarios for new equipment purchases and cost monitoring. By the early 1980’s this information was used for benchmarking against three other fabrication companies in different markets who were using different equipment. This was extremely beneficial to all fabricators, as everyone learnt where improvements could be made from sawing, pressing, storage, loading and delivery, and we heard today, how important this still is today. Tom was instrumental in having the first six bladed computerised saws made and put into production, so that improvements could be made before the machine was released to other fabricators. Tom was always happy to be the guinea pig to maximise benefits for the whole
industry. In the 2000’s, a similar project was instigated in the pressing area, with the development of a fully computerised multi press head jig. Throughout the years, Kersten was often told that noone knows costs like Tom and many younger people in the industry say that Tom was someone they idolised and learnt so much from. Whether it was his articles in Timber Trader News or presentations at Frame Australia, Tom was always willing to share his knowledge, in the hope of building a stronger industry. Tom built his business from ground up and today they employ over 100 locals. He was chairman of the Gold Coast Timber Association for six years in the 1980’s, was vice-Chairman of the Queensland Timber Board for five years and in the 1990’s was President of the Brisbane Hoo Hoo Club (1994-96) and in 1996-97, he even served as JIV President. Tom’s support goes beyond the industry and he has passionately supported the Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane, where he is a major sponsor. He has also been a major sponsor of the Life Education Centre on the Gold Coast and is a sponsor of various Gold Coast soccer Clubs. Tom’s wife Terri has always right by his side throughout the journey as have his children Coby & Shaun with Shaun joining the business 28 years ago and has worked his way up to Production Manager.
• Shaun Donohue (Australian Timber & Trusses) who
accepted the Martella Award on behalf of his father Tom, with Treina Martella, Ruth Martella and Phil McCormack. www.timberbiz.com.au
MGA TMA industry events return A FTE R two and a half
years of COVID lockdowns and restrictions, it was great that MGA TMA could return to face-toface events and host our industry breakfast on June 22. Members and industry connections attended the event which was held at ‘The Views’ function centre in Port Melbourne. It provided a picturesque venue as delegates arrived just in time to see the sun rise over Port Phillip Bay while enjoying their breakfast. It was fantastic to see everyone warmly greet familiar faces and have in person introductions to new connections. There were handshakes a plenty around the room – much better than the on-line platforms we’ve adjusted to using. I welcomed everyone to the event and outlined several challenges that continue to disrupt the industry despite the country finally coming out of lockdowns and the easing of COVID restrictions. I also talked to the important work that MGA TMA had carried out during the pandemic to support its members and to keep them operating in very challenging times, while also touching on the MGA TMA employment law team who continue to dedicate their time to assist members however possible. President of MGA TMA’s Management Committee, Peter Alexander, also addressed the group and spoke about the important role of the committee and how it continues to serve members by being an avenue for members to direct industry issues and seek resolution. Peter also spoke of the dedication that the MGA TMA team has for serving our members. MGA TMA’s Corporate Partners, AB Phillips and First Super have remained wonderful contributors to the industry and were invited to attend the event. First Super’s Tony Papantoniou also addressed the group and spoke about voluntary superannuation contributions and changes to employer contributions. We were lucky to have two guest speakers attend the event including Tim Woods from Industry Edge and Craig Kay of Tilling Timber. Tim is Managing Director of
www.timberbiz.com.au
MARIE-CLAIRE MCKIERNAN NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
Industry Edge, which is Australia and New Zealand’s only trade data and market analysis, intelligence and strategy firm in the fibre resources, wood processing, pulp, paper and paper products sectors. Tim expertly presented on Australia’s current demand and supply issues, how inflation suppresses demand, the impact of low population on the industry, finding the bottom of the market and finished off with the outlook on timber supply and pricing.
The audience was riveted to Tim’s presentation, with many great questions addressed by the audience at the conclusion of Tim’s presentation. The second and final guest presenter to speak during the breakfast was Craig Kay, Engineering Manager at Tilling Timber. Craig has worked for Tilling’s for over 27 years. He is incredibly well regarded in the industry with a number of our members personally approaching Craig for advice on timber issues. Craig’s content covered off on LVL Australian Standards and National Construction Code (NCC) compliance. Craig believes that due to the emergence of new imported products into the Australian market, it is important that everyone is aware of the quality of products they are receiving. As Craig put it, “Every piece of LVL from that manufacturer is a proprietary product and therefore must be accompanied with comprehen-
ASSOCIATIONS australasian
Looking back 2019 sive design information and span tables with the product. Simply quoting an E (stiffness value) is ignoring other mandatory characteristic values producers must provide for their LVL.” Craig also presented images of the contrasting ways LVL can be manufactured, from the fully CNC-controlled ‘robotic’ continuous flow production lines to the manual process production lines where small sheets of veneer are laid out before being cold-pressed and then hot pressed. MGA TMA’s next event is planned for late 2022 and it is hoped that more members and industry leaders are able to attend as staff shortages and influenza cases lessen. After a significant hiatus from events thanks to COVID-19, it was great to be back together in a face-to-face setting, and we are excited about further networking opportunities for members in the future. Stay tuned!
Guest speaker Tim Woods from Industry Edge at the industry beakfast. AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
2019 THE agreement between Federal and State Building Ministers to commit to reform of building regulations has been welcomed across the industry groups, but the vexed question of the Professional Indemnity Insurance crisis remains. While there was acceptance that Australia’s building regulations need reform and, while this will lead to long term improvements in the building industry, Australian Institute of Building Surveyors CEO Brett Mace said nothing arising from the meeting would give comfort to building surveyors and other industry professionals faced with unworkable PI insurance policies right now. 2016 EIGHT EMERGING technologies were identified in a recent global survey of supply chain professionals. The Gartner survey found that these technologies will all have a major impact on traditional supply chains. They include; inventory and network optimisation tools, sensors and automatic identification, cloud computing and storage, robotics and automation, predictive analytics, wearable and mobile technology, 3D printing and driverless vehicles and drones. The underlying message from the survey is that companies that continue to rely on traditional supply chain models are going to struggle to remain competitive. 2011 TIMBER BUILDING codes adopted for northern Australia after Darwin’s Cyclone Tracy and continuously developed by industry over the last 35 years have scored high marks in a new report on the structural performance of buildings hit by tropical Cyclone Yasi in February. The report by post-cyclone investigators at James Cook University’s Townsville wind testing station says the low incidence of damage in buildings constructed or extensively modified since the 1980s indicated that where they were correctly applied, current building regulations were able to deliver a satisfactory outcome for most of the building structure. 17
ASSOCIATIONS
Matching timber veneers I
N previous columns we’ve talked about ‘sequence matching’ of veneers, where natural veneers from the same or a similar log are applied to create a grain progression and consistency around a room. We have also written about some of the techniques needed to successfully apply a colour stain to veneers, and the kinds of coatings needed to avoid UV colour change. There is another approach, and that is to specify reconstructed veneer. Reconstructed veneer (also known as recon, engineered, manufactured or man-made veneer) is made from readily available, light-coloured timbers such as poplar. Natural wood strips, dyed or undyed, are laminated together and sliced to create a unique patterned leaf. Because they are man-made, reconstructed veneers are more consistent in colour, pattern and grain. There will be some colour variation, more so in undyed recon veneers, but less than the variations in natural veneers. This makes them ideal for covering large areas such as wall panels, ceiling panels, doors and cabinetry. Timber veneers, reconstructed or natural, are also available pre-finished with a cured, hard, durable,
PETER LLEWELLYN Technical representative, Timber Veneer Association of Australia
clear-coating. Such products have a real wood grain texture and may be reinforced with a laminate backing sheet. Pre-finished veneers are more wear, scratch, impact, stain and moisture-resistant than ordinary veneers, making them ideal for medium-wear horizontal and vertical applications such as desk-tops and panelling in interior public spaces. Pre-finished veneers also offer reduced fabrication time, making them more economical to use than ordinary raw veneers. The finishing processes used are quality controlled in the factory in a way that is difficult for cabinetmakers to achieve. Application of a finish to raw veneer brings out the colour and features and to some extent changes its ap-
tailed guidance on specifying veneers. A copy can be downloaded from the Association’s website at www.timberveneer.asn.au, or hard copies are available free of charge on request to info@timberveneer.asn.au.
• Reconstructed ‘Silver Oak’ Veneer.
Working through annual wage review
Grow. Build. Plant. Repeat.
tur.org.au
When wood is harvested to make building materials for today, more trees are planted to provide for future generations. That’s why they call wood The Ultimate Renewable™.
Adam Dovile, builder and TV presenter
18
pearance. Consequently, an advantage of pre-finished veneer is that a specifier can see the final appearance at the selection stage. The Timber Veneer Association’s manual titled “Veneer” provides de-
O
N 15 June 2022, the Fair
Work Commission minimum wage panel announced the 2022 annual wage review decision under the Fair Work Act 2009. The FWC has applied wage increases as follows: • $40 per week (5.2%) to the national minimum wage; • $40 per week to award wage rates up to and including $869.60 per week; • Increases of 4.6% to award wage rates above $869.60 per week. This year’s increase is the highest wage increase in more than a decade. In its Decision the FWC took into account the position of various parties, the ACTU’s claim of 5.5%, the ‘peak’ employer group positions, the AiG (2.5%) and ACCI (3.0%), and the submissions of the new Federal Government which argued for an increase of 5.1%. The FWC noted the ‘sharp increase’ in inflation, and the reductions in unemployment and underemployment. The FWC concluded that the changes in economic conditions justified the increase awarded, although noting the 0.5% increase in superannuation effective 1 July 2022. The decision increases the national minimum wage by $40.00 (or 5.2%) from $772.60 per week to $812.60 per week based on a 38 hour week, or $21.38 per hour. For award covered employees, the minimum wage
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
BRIAN BEECROFT CEO, TTIA
rates in modern awards up to $869.60 per week were also increased by $40.00 per week, and minimum wage rates above $869.60 per week were increased by 4.6%. For most modern awards the wage increases were effective from the commencement of the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2022. Please note: The Superannuation Guarantee was increased to 10.5% from 1 July 2022. TTIA Members received updates to existing pay and allowance summaries outlining the impact of the wage review on awards that apply to the timber products industry. If you are not a TTIA Member, you are invited to contact the TTIA Employers Hotline on (02) 9264 0011 or email ttia@ttia.asn.au if you require further information re membership. www.timberbiz.com.au
Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee. For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au
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This is a unique opportunity to purchase a fully functioning timber mill, 450km west of Brisbane and easily accessible by road and rail. Situated on a 3.63ha^ site, this mill is complete with top-of-the-line machinery (see full list online*) including dressing yard, water tanks and water trucks. The mill processes timbers for manufacture of furniture products, flooring, cabinetry, wood-based panels, craft and toys. The supply chain is streamlined, timber is packed and transported to the Port of Brisbane.
BOOK TODAY Contact Gavin de Almeida (08) 8369 9517 or g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au www.timberbiz.com.au
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Massive Land area 3.63ha Shipping containers for storage (x 10) Contact Exclusive Agent FAL Property Group 40,000L water tank with pumps John Andrew: 0488 018 998 Hino diesel water trucks (x 2) john@falproperty.com.au Weighbridge 60 tonne capacity Bench saws, various log saws *see full list of plant & machinery online Tool & saw sharpeners Welders, air compressors, parts washer falproperty.com.au
^approximate square metres
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER August 2022
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