Australasian Timber Magazine - September 2020 by Provincial Press Group

September 2020

MANUFACTURE • TECHNOLOGY • DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION

Timber Construction Forum

2020

Developing glulam

from Eucalyptus nitens

Paving the way in prefabrication wall panels

CLT & GLT Making the planet more sustainable and liveable

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Framing & Offsite magazine

2020 event void filled with published and digital Forum

ith the COVID-19 crisis resulting in Timber Offsite Construction having to cancel this year’s event, there remains an industry information dissemination void that can and should be filled. To fill that void, this edition of Australasian Timber Magazine features a Timber Construction Forum in a one-off virtual event for 2020. Australasian Timber Magazine (ATM) has been serving the industry for more than 30 years (originally Australian Timberman) and is the ‘go to/solutions based’ journal for timber manufacture, technology, construction and design suppliers. In recent years, the advance-

Timber Construction Forum

Digital edition available The feature stories from this special Timber Construction Forum edition of Australasian Timber will also be available online at www.timberbiz.com.au from September 21, 2020.

2020

ment around the science of fasteners, connections, and glues has become a game-changer, enabling wood to compete on a level playing field with concrete and steel. Engineered wood is now being used more and more in commercial buildings across Australia. In the following pages we feature the advancements in engineered wood and prefabrication across Australia and overseas. We report on the important

research the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture, a South Australian plant specialising in panelisation, and Timberlink’s CLT and GLT plans. According to Timber Offsite Construction Conference founder, Kevin Ezard the construction industry globally is entering a new phase for building construction with timber and mass wood gaining major acceptance from substantial pro-

ductivity, financial and ‘green’ benefits available to developers and builders. He says faster construction times, higher quality buildings, less site labour, less waste, less disruption, less environmental impact, and importantly lower project cost are key to major growth trends underway. “In Australia, offsite timber and mass wood building in residential and commercial construction has doubled over the past two years,

with innovative projects including plans for the world’s tallest mass wood building in Sydney’s CBD. The use of timber and mass wood in building can now be a viable alternative to steel and concrete using prefabricated construction systems, even delivering projects that would not be possible using conventional building approaches,” he said. We hope you enjoy the Timber Construction Forum Pages 4-14.

Cloud over Tumbarumba mill’s future

Hyne Timber renews call for Federal Government support

HE family-owned 138-year-old Hyne Timber company is continuing to call for government support to direct Australian saw logs destined for China to its mill in Tumbarumba. Chief Executive Officer Jon Kleinschmidt said employees and the community were increasingly concerned about the mill’s future following last summer’s devastating bushfires, which decimated 40 per cent of Hyne’s local log supply. Following discussions with private growers in Victoria and South Australia, Hyne Timber has confirmed at least 441,000 cubic metres of sustainably grown, plantation pine can be made available to the mill over the next three years. But, with no Australian customer, the timber is exported to China. With government support, Mr Kleinschmidt said Hyne Timber could secure those logs for the Tumbarumba Mill which, in turn, would secure 181 jobs directly and ensure $70 million in wages and salaries continued to flow into the local economy. The additional logs would be processed at the mill to supply quality, sustainably grown, Australian timber for 10,000 new homes which would otherwise use imported timber. A further 199 jobs, he said, would be secured indirectly. The timber by-products would also support the economy with an estimated 104,526 tonnes of chip supplied to Visy in Tumut for paper and packaging production and up to 24,457 more tonnes of bark for commercial applications including potting mix. www.timberbiz.com.au

Dried wood shavings customer David Shandley has further warned of disruption to the food supply chain as a result of the bushfires and the impact on by-product availability. “Shandleys Transport buy 100 per cent of Hyne’s dried wood shavings, used as animal bedding for commercial food producers, and supplying the major supermarkets nationwide,” Mr Shandley said. “The 441,000 cubic metres of additional log volume means 14,109 more tonnes of dried wood shavings, supporting jobs in Holbrook and beyond. “We hope the government will work with Hyne to protect our supply chains and secure the flow of Australian logs, timber and by-product to benefit our own economy and regional communities.” Tumbarumba Mill employees James Davies and partner Jo-Anne Crane rely on the mill for their household income to support their young family. Their daughter, Alice, the latest addition to the family, was born in Wagga while the family were evacuated in January due to the bushfires. Mr Davies said he spent his working days looking to optimise performance at the $200 million enterprise. “This is a state-of-the art sawmill designed for high speed processing of large volumes of softwood,” he said, “therefore, the solution for our bushfire recovery and jobs is getting logs to the mill. There is no alternative. “There were rumours there were no more saw logs available but, thankfully, this simply isn’t true.”

Key Points ■■ Hyne Timber is continuing to call for government support to direct Australian saw logs

destined for China to its mill in Tumbarumba.

■■ At least 441,000 cubic metres of plantation pine can be made available to the Tumbarumba

Mill over the next three years.

■■ Future lies in the hands of the NSW and Federal governments

■■ Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Snowy Valleys Mayor James Hayes, Hyne CEO

John Kleinschmidt, and Albury MP Justin Clancy at Hyne’s Tumbarumba Mill.

Mr Davies said he and his colleagues hoped massive job losses at Tumbarumba were avoidable. It appears the future lies in the hands of the NSW and Federal governments. The mill needs both governments to fund 41 per cent of

the freight costs at a cost of $29 million. “If we can secure just under $10 million from the Berejiklian Government and a further $18.9 from the Morrison Government over three years on top of our own investment of over $42 million, we can freight these logs to Tumbarumba, retain hundreds of jobs and convert this investment into an estimated $173 million for the Australian economy,” Mr Kleinschmidt said. “The fact is, as long we allow saw logs to be exported to

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

China, there will be jobs lost in Tumbarumba, manufacturing resilience will be significantly impacted, and we simply cannot allow this to happen.” Mr Kleinschmidt said the mill continued to communicate transparently with its employees and Tumbarumba community stakeholders “They remain committed to supporting us during this bushfire recovery,” he said, “but there is only so much we can do in the face of this year of disasters – we can’t achieve this without government support.” 3

Timber Construction Forum 2020 australasian

September 2020 Issue 6 – Volume 28

Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman. Established 1977.

News: 3 Timber Construction Forum 2020: 3-14 Strapping: 16 Associations: 18-22 Classifieds: 23 Front Cover: Engineered wood is now being used more and more in commercial buildings through prefabrication across Australia. 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 Publication Design: Peter Frezzini 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 9555 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 Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA

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 2020 © 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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Developing glulam from fibremanaged plantation Eucalyptus nitens

LU E laminated timber,

commonly known as ‘glulam’, can be a highly attractive and versatile structural solution for architects and structural engineers. This is thanks to its ability to achieve long spans, form curved shapes, and provide reliable strength and aesthetic qualities. Worldwide, most glulam elements and other engineered wood products are made using softwoods, such as Pinus radiata. The research team at the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW), including Dr Hui Jiao and Dr Marcus Noh, are currently developing glulam for structural applications using Tasmania’s abundant, plantation hardwood resource. Funded by the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) and local Tasmanian timber industry partners, research is underway to determine the technical feasibility of making glulam elements from fibre-managed plantation Eucalyptus nitens boards. In Tasmania, much of the available E. nitens plantation resource is fibre-managed, or in other words, not thinned or pruned during it’s growth. There are several areas that this research will be focussing on, to best utilise fibre-managed E. nitens sawn boards for glulam in the future. Initially, sorting the timber stock is critical for predicating the strength of the final glulam products. Because plantation Eucalyptus nitens has not been thinned and pruned, and is harvested at a young age, sawn boards often contain a high percentage of unusual features and characteristics. These features do not have the same qualities or behaviours as those of other hardwood timbers. Subsequently, the relevant structural grading standard, ‘AS2082 Timber – Hardwood – Visually stress graded for structural purpose’ (Standards Australia, 2007) makes no allowance for the unusual characteristics of fibre-managed E. nitens. This means that most sawn boards are likely to be discarded as out-of-grade quality if sorted according to the criteria of AS2082. Therefore, using the standard visual grading method alone will most likely not be enough to distinguish highquality plantation E. nitens sawn boards from lower quality ones. Currently, one of the research goals is to develop a practi-

Key Points

■■ University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood is currently

developing glulam for structural applications using Tasmania’s plantation hardwood resource. ■■ The project is being funded by the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) and local Tasmanian timber industry partners. ■■ One of the research goals is to develop a practical rule-of-thumb for sorting plantation E. nitens boards to facilitate glulam production.

cal rule-of-thumb for sorting plantation E. nitens boards to facilitate glulam production. This means determining the relationship between visual characteristics and the actual structural performance of plantation E. nitens in a nondestructive way. The process being taken in the CSAW workshop includes thorough examination of visual characteristics (knots and checks), first on rough sawn, then dressed, and docked boards. Then the acoustic wave velocity generated by an impact to each specimen is measured. This non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method is used regularly with other species, like Pinus radiata, as a quick and economic sorting tool. The applicability of this test to E. nitens requires further investigation. Finally, the mechanical properties that determine a structural grade such as modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and density are being assessed using a 4-point bending test in accordance with Australian Standard AS 4063.1. It is hoped that a correlation between visual characteristics, acoustic wave velocity and density of fibre-managed plantation E. nitens specimens will shed light on their structural suitability for glulam and support development of an efficient sorting system. The above sorting trial will be followed by delamination tests and finger joint tests in collaboration with researchers at Bern University of Applied Science in Switzerland. It is hoped that this investigation about glulam samples made from Tasmanian plantation E. nitens will pave the way for the timber industry to utilise Tasmanian plantation hardwood resources for high-strength structural members in the near future.

■■ CSAW project officer, Dr Marcus Noh and UTAS provisional

PhD candidate Azin Ettelaei measuring and sorting boards according to their visual characteristics Photo credit: David Tanton

This research is funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments through the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) and local industry partners, including CLTP Panel Products Pty Ltd, Britton Timbers and Neville Smith Forest Products. The project team includes the University of Tasmania, the

Bern University of Applied Science in Switzerland, and members of the Tasmanian wood products industry. The project supports regional resilience and development in Australia through the sustainable, efficient and economic wood processing for building and design. More information about NIFPI is available at nifpi.org.au.

■■ Provisional PhD candidate Azin Ettelaei using an acoustic

wave velocity reading device

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

Photo credit: Marcus Noh www.timberbiz.com.au

Framing & Offsite

The time is right to develop a plan for the manufacturing sector M ANUFACTURING is undergoing a dramatic transformation, worldwide Manufacturers are creatively diversifying their focus across different stages of the manufacturing process, both before and after goods are produced. As production activities are gradually being outsourced to developing countries offering cheap labour, more Australian manufacturers are recognising the need to compete on value rather than cost. Most commonly, this involves contributing innovative products, components or services within global supply chains. Interestingly, Australia ranks last in manufacturing selfsufficiency among the world’s developed economies, with a new report showing the nation uses $565 billion worth of manufacturing output annually but produces only $380 billion (Financial Review, 2020). It is the right time for Australia to develop a comprehensive plan for the manufacturing sector,

not just in the traditional sense, however one that ‘reimagines’ what the sector looks like now and for the future. One such approach is the increased adoption and use of off-site fabrication and on-site integration to construction, otherwise known as prefabrication, or prefab. New supply pathways to construction represent a significant ‘local manufacturing’ opportunity. With international supply chains tested during the current pandemic, it is incumbent upon localised manufacturers and processes of material to drive a change. All that is needed is a change in mindset from ‘tra-

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ditional thinking’ (companies working independently in the supply chain) to a ‘modern methods of construction’ mindset (integration, collaboration and considered approaches to delivering value to customers). Prefab provides a platform for the construction sector to embrace a range of advanced manufacturing capabilities and characteristics. Prefab is now an accepted part of the design and construction of a whole range of buildings including but not limited to: schools; railway and police stations; childcare, community and healthcare centres; hospitals; hotels; aged care villages; correctional, sporting and student-accommodation facilities; highrise apartment buildings; and residential houses and holiday homes. Initiated by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, The Hon. Karen Andrews, the Prefab Innovation Hub (Hub) will support the development and growth of prefab in Australia, creating a plat-

■■ Prefab components provide a platform for the construction

sector to embrace a range of advanced manufacturing capabilities.

form for a globally competitive industry and thousands of new jobs. Specific outcomes from the Hub include: Growth of the manufactured building ecosystem; Increased consideration of prefab as a low-risk and costeffective option by government agencies; Increased number of prefabspecific government procurement programs, leading to substantial jobs growth; Increased value of prefab

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

contracts nationally, and in all States; Increased diversity of prefab building applications sought by government agencies; Pathways to scale through a variety of affordable housing programs around Australia An education program for government procurement officers. To register to be part of the Hub or the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) join here https://www.amgc.org.au/join/

17.08.20 10:49

Timber Construction Forum 2020

Paving way in prefab wall panels

australasian

Looking Back 2019

CONSTRUCTION industry leader, Big River Group is continuing to expand its national network and increase its product offering, with the acquisition of Big Hammer Building Supplies in Townsville North Queensland. Whilst Big River already operates a building supplies distribution site in Townsville, the opportunity to combine the strong and successful operating histories of both businesses to create a larger and more diversified business is especially attractive to Big River. Big Hammer has operated in the market for 26 years, and is particularly strong in the alterations and additions area as well as having a strong client base outside of the Townsville region.

2015

SWISS ARCHITECTS Herzog & De Meuron have taken big wood to new heights with a prefabricated engineered wood restaurant built on top of the Chäserugg at 2262 metres. It’s built right around the cable car station that’s been there since 1972. The new station is constructed in solid wood on a concrete foundation. It was prefabricated by local craftspeople in the valley and assembled on top of the mountain in the course of a summer.

2010

EIGHT ENGINEERING students from around Australia selected to attend the 11th World Conference on Timber Engineering in Italy last month say the experience was invaluable. The students, who attended the international conference through an initiative sponsored by Australia’s Wood. Naturally Better program, said the amount of information and product knowledge presented and the technological advances in the area of timber engineering were impressive and inspiring. The growing number of companies dedicated to research in this field and the use of wood by renowned architects and engineers is leading to a renaissance for the material. Wood as a building material has re-emerged in the construction world through technical innovation and developments are still going on rapidly and new possibilities and applications are far from being exhausted.

SA plant take wall frames to the next level

R OOK Chambers has a simple philosophy when it comes to building with wood. “We are huge advocates for timber; we love timber,’’ he said. “We will look for a timber solution for just about everything. “We feel it is the responsible thing to do in the market.’’ Brook is managing director of Flinders Timber and Building Supplies in South Australia. The company operates two Mitre 10 stores in southern Adelaide – at Reynella and Aldinga – as well as FrameWayze which specializes in roof trusses, floors and wall frames. However, it is in prefabricated wall panels where the company is making its mark. Brooke began life as a carpenter/builder. His father started the hardware story in Reynella in the 1970s as Homestead Hardware, then Banner, then Home Hardware. Brook joined his father, began focusing on the trade business in 2006, and became a Mitek fabricator in 2008. He took over the business in 2012 and changed it to Mitre 10. He now has a staff of around 70 with about 40 people at the Aldinga store with most involved in the prefabrication factory. “Trying to grow trade without a truss plant we were really hindered,’’ Brook said. “We were using other fabricators but we were at the mercy of their production and detailing. “So we started our own truss plant doing roof trusses pri-

Key Points ■■ Framewayze began turning wall frames into prefabricated panels in 2017. ■■ The company produces a panelised prefabricated building system that assists the builder

to reduce on site build time, reduce waste, minimise risk while improving quality.

■■ 3D modelling software is enabling Framewayze to attack more complex projects.

■■ Staff at Framewayze Aldinga plant prepare prefabricated wall panels.

marily. “Then we started doing floor trusses and then about four years ago, we began doing wall frames.’’ The company began turning wall frames into prefabricated panels in 2017 using timber primarily from the State’s South East and with LVLs coming from Wesbeam. Framewayze starts with a ba-

sic wall frame, then add a 6mm layer of Oriented Strand Board to the wall. “Once you have braced frame you can add value to it,’’ Brook said. “You can add sizelation on the wall, you can add windows to the wall, you can put the cladding on the wall. “So we put everything on the outside of the wall. “We are simply using a sticktimber frame and turning it into a panel,” he said. “It’s all about off-site production; it’s about the speed, the safety, the accuracy, doing it in a controlled environment and delivering a very high quality product to the builder that matches exactly the model we’ve got.” Brook knows that prefabrication is not new, but the growth in prefab is being driven by new technology. “3D modelling software is allowing us to do much more complex projects than we could have done with a pencil and paper,” he said. “We are able to overcome a lot of problems for a builder by modelling it. Having built that house in the software you overcome all the big issues.” Framewayze is primarily doing houses but the mid-rise commercial side is slowly growing.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

“We tend to be able to do much more complex structures where the value of the modelling is adding a lot of other benefits to the client,” Brook said. “It’s quick, less waste, and safer.” Cheaper? “The jury is still out on that,” Brook said. “It depends on what is factored in. “If we are doing a domestic home, if it’s just a run-of-themill simple single-story home, it is going to cost more using a panelisation system. “But the more complex the building then the value of that modelling is much greater.” The potential cost saving for the builder of avoiding errors, fix-ups, all those things are overcome in the office at no cost. “So that makes it cost-effective,” Brook said. “But the builder needs to have considered all of those things. “Builders who look at it from an holistic point of view find it very, very valuable.” Currently the company is principally working with architects for bespoke houses rather than the mass land developer estate-style projects. “But we are looking to grow because our capacity is quite large,” Brook said. www.timberbiz.com.au

Framing & Offsite

Combilift: Safety, Storage, Efficiency

Meet the team

Specialist manufacturer Combilift leads the way in the multidirectional & narrow aisle handling sector. If you handle long & awkward loads, palletised goods or oversized loads you can count on Combilift to make these procedures safer, more efficient & cost effective. As well as the multi-directional models, Combilift manufactures pedestrian stackers, sideloaders, stand-on forklifts, straddle carriers & the Aisle-Master VNA forklift. Lift capacities start at 1t to over 100t are available, with diesel, LPG or electric options. Benefits of all Combilift trucks is their versatility, indoor/outdoor capability & manoeuvrability. Being robust in design, gives the trucks an economical longlife operation. Combilift is the recognised leader in providing customised materials handling equipment for Australian industry.

Chris Littlewood Country Manager - Australia, Combilift

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Jarad Wilson Straddle Carrier Product Manager - Asia Pacific, Combilift jarad.wilson@combilift.com

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Covering the timber industry news everyday

Meet the team

From the dry sawmill to the finished product, Australasian Timber Magazine has been the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouthpiece for nearly 44 years. Its scope takes in all manner of timber construction including frames and trusses, flooring, doors and windows through to the sawmills, furniture and cabinet making and beyond. It is the sounding board and outlet for new timber manufacturing product ideas and design, with a circulation of 3000 copies which yields a readership of around 8000. Readers also access it online via Timberbiz.com.au and it has a digital profile through Daily Timber News, the most frequent eNewsletter servicing the Australian timber and forestry industry, reaching 6700 engaged subscribers three times a week.

Gavin de Almeida Advertising Sales Manager g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au +61 (08) 8369 9517

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Get in touch today www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Timber Construction Forum 2020

Stora Enso backs CLT with â&#x201A;Ź79m expansion

TORA Enso has decided to invest approximately EUR â&#x201A;Ź79 million in a new production line for CLT at its Ĺ˝dĂrec sawmill in the Czech Republic. The investment will further enhance Stora Ensoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as a global provider of highquality engineered wooden elements and as a market leader in CLT. Production is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2022. The estimated annual production capacity will be approximately 120 000 mÂł after ramp-up. The investment is expected to generate annual sales of approximately â&#x201A;Ź70 million when run at full capacity and to meet the Wood Products divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profitability target of 20% operational return on operating capital (ROOC). â&#x20AC;&#x153;This investment enables us to accelerate our growth within the mass timber construction market. It is well in line with our strategic integrated mill

concept. It will further improve our capabilities to offer a highquality range of building solutions for our customers around the world. CLT is showing significant growth potential in the market, with characteristics that make it possible to build higher, lighter and yet stronger than ever before. With our wellproven building concepts and supporting digital tools, we intend to inspire and drive the construction industry towards a more sustainable future, built on renewable materials,â&#x20AC;? says Lars VĂślkel, Executive Vice Pres-

â&#x2013; â&#x2013; AleĹĄ Vala, production manager with Pavel Urban, mill manager, Ĺ˝dĂrec

ident, Stora Enso Wood Products division. Construction is expected to start during the first quarter of 2021. Stora Enso invests in the latest technology, which, together with fully integrated production at the Ĺ˝dĂrec sawmill, will provide customers with cost-efficient solutions

and premium products. Integration with the existing sawmill will also add benefits in, for example, raw material and energy supply, and logistics. The Ĺ˝dĂrec sawmill is favourably located close to the European markets of Stora Enso. The investment is estimated to increase the number of em-

ployees at the mill by approximately 110 FTEs. Stora Enso has received all required permits for the project. Currently, Stora Enso has three CLT production units with a total capacity of 270 000 m3: GruvĂśn in Sweden and Ybbs and Bad St. Leonhard in Austria.

AUSTRALIAN MADE AND GROWN

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Framing & Offsite

Life spent pondering better ways of working

ERNARD Kennelly – a 30 -year veteran of Pryda and currently their Market Development Engineer – has spent a professional lifetime pondering better ways of working inside fabrication plants and on building sites. He’s shaken hands with threefingered cut-saw operators, played a leading role in close to 30 patents, masterminded industry-defining products, including Pryda’s Longreach Floor Truss, SpeedTruss, floor cassettes, and his personal favourite, the company’s premanufactured roof truss webs, called Turb-O-Webs, which he says used to travel by the train load from Canada to the US until tariffs killed off trade at the border.

“Whatever we can provide to fabricators to make them more competitive makes us more competitive and builders more competitive,” Bernard said. The thinking is evident in Pryda’s modern day marketing call to arms: Safer, faster, smarter, easier – a mantra ■■ Bernard Kennelly. Bernard has applied, unconsciously perhaps, to his work since he first qualified as an engineer in the 70s – decades before marketing riffs infused company vernacular. “If I saw something that Fortunate he may be, but Ber- didn’t tick the box on a catenard’s success – and by exten- gory, I tried to improve it. The sion Pryda’s – rises on a passion safer, faster, smarter, easier for solving problems inside the idea served as the criteria to fabricator to improve things measure my effectiveness,” he said. outside, on the building site.

Back in the day he applied his craft using slide rules and pencil sketches, but took to computers, 3D modelling, and computer-controlled fabrication processes as the technology emerged. “Technology has changed, but the problem-solving philosophy remains the same,” he said. The shift is most evident in the recent development of Pryda’s SpeedTruss, which makes the job of truss installation safer and faster, without asking builders to do things much differently. “Simple can be harder than complex – you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple,” Bernard said. “Because asking builders

to change the way they work, with new tools or convoluted instructions, just ain’t going to fly.” Underscoring the significance simplicity and the sweat and tears the end product belies, Pryda’s SpeedTruss involved a four-year development process based on 600-plus observations informing 57 early-stage design ideas from market research conducted in the USA, the UK and ANZ. Bernard quickly concedes that design doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and as soon as circumstances allow, he’ll head back to the places where design magic happens – on building sites and in the fabrication plant.

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Timber Construction Forum 2020

CLT and GLT making the planet more sustainable and liveable

■■ Timber beams inside the glass shell at the 25 King street

building in Brisbane

I M B E RL I N K is excited

to be entering the growing market mass timber market with a brand new CLT and GLT manufacturing facility due to be completed in 2023. Timberlink’s CLT & GLT plant will be the first of its kind in Australia, combing both CLT and GLT in the one facility. The growing mass timber construction market is going to contribute to both the modernisation of the Australian building and architectural landscapes as well as reducing the emissions by using the ultimate renewable, Timber. With new technologies come new opportunities and there is no doubt that the potential of laminated timbers is only just beginning to be realised around the globe and in Australia. Professor Alex de Rijke is responsible for the often quoted statement, “If the 20th century was the century of concrete, then the 21st century is about engineered timber.” Prof. de Rijke has a record of pioneering the innovative use of engineered wood products. The global cross laminated

timber (CLT) market is expected to reach $1.6b in 2024, growing by around 15% per year between 2018 and 2024. The cross laminated timber (CLT) market is likely to be driven by rising product demand for construction and building applications, due to its cost-effectiveness and low carbon footprint. Timberlink is at the forefront of this building revolution and looks forward to working with architects, specifiers and developers to deliver the green buildings of our renewable future. Benefits of CLT & GLT The FWPA’s (Forest Wood Products Association) Mid-Rise Program Advisor Paolo Lavisci says “studies and lived experiences reveal a variety of benefits to the use of structural wood products, ranging from production through to the end user. Perhaps the most pertinent of these impacts lies in the growth of structural wood products themselves. Trees receive

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

much of the energy required for growth through the process of photosynthesis in which the plant absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, locking it away for as long as the wood remains solid, as even after their first use structural timber elements can easily be re-used or re-processed into other wood products.“ As we know, timber is the ultimate renewable! A calculation based on the effective growth data of Australian sustainable softwood plantations only (no virgin or oldgrowth forests), that is typically used by local manufacturers of structural glulam and CLT, and on the current production yields, shows that the times for sustainably growing the structures of a building are really short, just hours. The below shows how quickly softwood plantations grow. The entire amount of timber from these buildings is regrown in just hours. And when that timber is grown it is absorbing CO2 and releasing oxygen into the air. Conversely, alternative materials like concrete or steel create mass amounts of pollution. “For a tenant, choosing a wood-based

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Framing & Offsite title of “world’s tallest timber building” is the 53-metre-high Brock Commons Tallwood House in Vancouver. The Brock Commons is a hybrid structure with wood and concrete forming the core. Pleasingly the builders found that it was even quicker and easier to build with timber than they expected. “We found that working with wood, we could reduce timelines for construction. The assembly of the wood structure went up incredibly quickly, faster than we even expected”, John Metras, Managing Director of Infrastructure Development at UBC was reported to have said. The Aurecon building— 25 King Street, Brisbane, Australia ■■ The Brock Commons hybrid structure during construction — is currently Australia’s largest engineered timber building. It opened in Brisbane in 2018 and was designed by Bates Smart. ■■ Timberlink’s CLT & GLT plant will be the first of its kind in Australia. It stands at 10 stories tall or 45 ■■ Global CLT market is expected to reach $1.6b in 2024, growing by around 15% per year meters in height. It is used as an open plan office complex and between 2018 and 2024. ■■ The CLT market is likely to be driven by rising product demand for construction and pushes the boundaries of what people in Australia thought was building applications, due to its cost-effectiveness and low carbon footprint. possible from a timber conbuilding is the best way to vali- Finished sites Around the built using cross-laminated struction. Docklands Library, Melbourne timber (CLT). Sitting aside Nordate their intentions of tackling world Mjøstårnet Brumunddal, Nor- way’s largest lake, the build- does it all on the environmental climate change” says Paolo. We thought we would take a way is officially the world’s ing used local resources where front. It is clad from reclaimed look at some of the high-profile tallest timber building as as- possible to keep its carbon hardwood and made from FSC approved timber. The building sites that have used laminat- sessed by the Council on Tall footprint as low as possible. Brock Commons, Vancouver is designed to use natural ventied timbers both at home and Buildings and Urban Habitat. The 85 metre-high tower was was a previous holder of the lation, and this is all contributes abroad.

Key Points

to it being Australia’s first building to be awarded 6 stars in the green star award rating system. The 3 story building sits atop a heritage listed wharf and was built in a partnership with Places Victoria, The City of Melbourne and Lendlease. The building is hub for Docklands life and can be used for exhibitions, performances and has entertainment spaces, digital studios and a café. Other Completed Major Timber Projects in Australia Aveo, Sydney; Kambri, Canberra; Gillies Hall, Frankston;The Seed House, Sydney; Adelaide Oval; Taronga Zoo, Sydney; LaTrobe Uni student accommodation, Bundoora; Northumberland street, Collingwood; Ballarat GovHub; Monterey Apartments, Brisbane; Melbourne Connect. Upcoming ProjecTS 55 South Bank - Melbourne; The worlds tallest timber vertical extension, made possible by CLT, Atlassian tower - Sydney; 2 offices (Hines); Melbourne Central (GPT); Bendigo GovHub; Geelong (Watpac). If you would like to talk to Timberlink about a future CLT or GLT project please visit www.timberlinkaustralia.com. au/contact-us and send us your details.

Walker Bros harnessed the power of our numbers and found true Independence. How long have you been in hardware? Walker Bros has been supplying Timber & Building supplies on the Central Coast of NSW since 1933.

What has been the biggest difference you’ve noticed since joining HBT? Immediately, we had significantly improved pricing and representation from suppliers which allowed us to compete against our many local competitors.

Why did you join HBT? We joined to ensure our longevity in the industry and collectively work together for the benefit of the group, plus the rebates and better pricing are terrific.

What has a HBT membership done for your business?

For more information and membership applications call 1300 428 477 I hbt.net.au WALKER BROS TIMBER & BUILDING SUPPLIES North Gosford, NSW

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We have 5 competitors, plus the big box within 20 minutes of our business and the membership has not only allowed as to remain competitive in our market, we have had significant growth in the past 3 years.

What would you say to someone thinking about joining HBT? Make the call to the HBT team now.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

Timber Construction Forum 2020

Sydney Metro project picks up 2019 Richard Stanton award T HE sustainability man-

agers from the construction team behind Sydney Metro Northwest, Australia’s largest public transport infrastructure project in recent years, have accepted the 2019 Richard Stanton Memorial Prize for Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management. The award and prize recognises the life of a man devoted to the forest industry, both in Australia and internationally. Awarded for the first time to joint winners, the award was won by Nick Clarke and Thirukumaran Jallendran (Thiru), formerly sustainability managers for the Sydney Metro Northwest project delivering the Operations, Trains and Stations infrastructure. The prize recognises the significant contribution of both men in achieving what is the largest complex infrastructure project successfully achieving the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Responsible Wood (RW) project certification. SCS Global Services conducted the certification assessments under the PEFC/RW and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards and nominated both men for the coveted prize. In accepting the award, both reflected on the project experience and its lasting power for good. Nick explains: “In many ways it felt like we were starting from scratch, sourcing industrial scale timber from certified forests was an experience in itself.” “Australia’s forests are valued for their diverse ecosystems and unique biodiversity, for their ability to regenerate and regrow and sequester carbon, for their provision of wood products and

■■ Castle Hill, one of seven stations included in the Responsible Wood project certification scope.

for their aesthetic value and recreational opportunities.” “Wood really is the ultimate renewable. A sophisticated alternative to other materials that use more carbon in their production.” “We met the saw millers, travelled to the local Australian forests, where timber is harvested/ grown sustainably, and gained a strong appreciation for forest based sustainable management practices.” In timber was chosen for the project due to its biophilic qualities and its natural and renewable qualities. “One of my lasting memories of the project is taking a trip with a station project manager and quality manager into sustainably certified forests; meeting with forest managers in the forest was an amazing experience, it provided the project team with tremendous value.”

For Thiru, the take-up of certification by supplies in the project is deeply satisfying. “A number of ‘chain-of-custody’ certificate holders that have sought Responsible Wood and PEFC chain-of-custody certification for this project and have indicated that they wish to maintain chain-of-custody for future projects.” “And this is the long term benefit of project certification, it creates a demand for sustainable timber from certified forests, which is carried through the supply chain.” “Working closely with multiple stakeholders, conducting training, auditing the suppliers, keeping track of the timber movement, collecting and collating required evidence for verification was challenging, but well worth the trouble.” “In the end, we can proudly say that we managed to step up

to the challenge and use only certified timber on the project, which was a world first on a mega infrastructure project.” The dual award winners worked tirelessly with suppliers far and wide to deliver Responsible Wood and PEFC project certification across seven of eight Sydney Metro stations and four commuter car parks accommodating 4000 car spaces. The Metro North West Line opened in May 2019 from Tallawong to Chatswood. Metro rail is being extended from Chatswood under Sydney Harbour through new underground city stations and beyond to the south west. In 2024, Sydney will have 31 new metro stations and a 66km standalone metro railway system. In July 2020 Responsible Wood opened up nominations for the 2020 Richard Stanton

Memorial Award for Excellence in Forest Management or Chain of Custody. Nominations for the award are open to individuals who have contributed significantly to either forest management or chain-of-custody certification under the Responsible Wood certification program. The award nominees will be those who have contributed to sustainable forest management under AS4708 or chain of custody under AS4707. The award is open to, but not restricted to, forest owners and managers; chain-of-custody certificate holders; staff of certification bodies; forest scientists and researchers; and designers of products manufactured from sustainable timber. For more information about the Richard Stanton Award please visit the Responsible Wood website.

Beautiful. Natural. Sustainable. Australian. responsiblewood.org.au You can be assured that wood carrying the Responsible Wood mark has come from certiﬁed Australian forests that are sustainably managed to the highest global standards.

Hyne Timber Glue Laminated Structure at Mon Repos Turtle Centre, Queensland

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Framing & Offsite

Building bridges the new way

Pre-fab engineered timber bridges deliver minimal disruption to community

he development of pre-fabricated engineered timber bridges by Big River Group, has provided a cost effective and timely solution to replacing bridges with minimal disruption to the local community. Big River Group’s latest bridge replacement project at Cheviot Hills Road, Drake, near Tenterfield NSW, saw the replacement of an old timber bridge used to access a number of rural residential properties, with a pre-fabricated bridge built off-site which was craned and dropped onto the bridge’s foundation in just seven minutes. The traditionally made timber pole and timber sleeper deck on the old bridge had been in service for some time to allow vehicles on Cheviot Hills Road to cross Plumbago Creek, and had become run down, rickety and a high concern for Tenterfield Council. As this bridge provided quick access into town, an efficient solution was sought so as not to interfere with local residents’ day to day commuting. This ruled out a lengthy concrete bridge construction. Big River were able to provide assistance by pre-fabricating the bridge at Big River Grafton, which included Big River engineered Bridge Girder Beams, Plywood Bridge Decking and engineered Bridge Kerbing. The majority of the road surfacing was also com-

pleted in the factory which meant that the only site works required would be to remove the old bridge structure and lower the pre-fabricated bridge into place before completing any height variance road works that were necessary. This meant the old bridge could be pulled up and the new bridge installed in the same day. “In fact, the road was closed at 7AM and reopened just eight hours later when the job was completed. The pre-fabricated bridge was craned into place and was a perfect fit,” said Big River’s Grafton General Manager, Jason Blanch. Blanch continues, “It is all about strength to weight – light and strong. The solution for old timber bridges and girders that are in bad condition, is to remove the old deck and put in a super lightweight engineered deck, one that meets all the requirements and standards – and stiffen them up for a much longer life. The new engineered timber girder is around 22 percent lighter, 35 percent stronger and five percent

■■ Engineers unload a pre-fab bridge component near Tenterfield in New South Wales.

stiffer than a traditional F22 hardwood girder.” The decks are a combination of treated radiata and Queensland hoop pine, while the girders consist of treated softwoods and hardwoods. So far, Big River has installed and completed timber bridges across Queensland and northern NSW, offering a viable option for both maintaining timber bridge net-

works, and for new bridge construction for local access, forestry access and fire road service. Tenterfield Council has commented that this was a perfect solution for this bridge with minimal disruption, low cost and a certified structure provided for years of service to come, and are looking at this format as their go-to solution for same day bridge replacements.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

25/08/2020 14:37:13

Timber Construction Forum 2020

Tall Wood Buildings – Design, Construction, and Performance Sean Ruthen

N the history of architecture and construction, there has never been a building material that has had as rough a ride as wood. This is not without reason. It has a limited record of use from ancient history simply because of its inability to withstand the ravages of time. Furthermore, its combustibility has vilified it. By the end of the nineteenth century, cities all around the world had had their own devastating version of the Great Fire of London in 1666, in which 80% of that city’s building stock was lost. For this reason alone, building codes around the globe have not seen significant change in regards to the use of wood for some time. This is reflected in Canada where, since the 1950’s (and up until just recently), wood buildings have not been permitted to be built above four storeys. Prior to the reformation of poor forestry management practices of the 1970’s, concrete and steel was touted in the construction industry as preferable to wood because of the issue of mass deforestation. With images of clear-cutting practices still fresh in the minds of environmentalists, new urban construction has primarily been predominated by concrete and steel, relegating wood to the single family house construction sector. As pointed out in the new edition of Tall Wood Buildings by architects Michael Green and Jim Taggart, the advancement in the past four years alone around the science of fasteners, connections, and glues has become a game-changer, enabling wood to now compete with all the material strengths and efficiencies of concrete and steel, without any of the environmental fallout. At an urban scale, and as cities continue to grow in size and numbers around the world, the ramifications are understandably huge - certainly as renewable resources are being eyed by municipalities, with wood and mass timber technologies possibly able to be one of several needed solutions to mitigate climate change. As such, Michael Green and Jim Taggart have provided an updated introduction and conclusion to the original 2017 edition, to discuss more recent achievements and breakthroughs in tall wood 14

Key Points ■■ Wood has a limited record of use from ancient history simply because of its inability to

withstand the ravages of time.

■■ For some time new urban construction has been dominated by concrete and steel,

relegating wood to the housing construction sector

■■ The advancement around the science of fasteners, connections, and glues has become a

game-changer, enabling wood to now compete.

■■ The nine-story 25 King building in Brisbane which is currently Australia’s tallest commercial

timber building.

building science, including five new case studies added to the original book’s thirteen. And already it appears the book will require a third edition, to provide for how recent changes to municipal building codes will have been adopted by the development and construction industry. Following the recent change in building codes, the book’s authors point out that in the U.S. 18-storey mass timber construction has been permitted for some time now. Green and Taggart’s book then arrives at a poignant moment, as it can help the many building officials, fire marshals, and municipal planners to understand wood construction better, and that when used properly, it can effectively reduce the carbon footprint of a building, while offering the same level of fire and seismic protection as steel or concrete. For this reason, many of the

case studies featured in both editions of Tall Wood Buildings include examples of tall wood design from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy and the U.K. More recent examples in North America and Australia are also being watched closely, especially those that have had to contend with harsh local conditions, whether cold winter months in Canada or fire and termites in Australia. Also apparent in the updates to this book is the fact that the prescriptive nature of building codes are the biggest hurdle to building taller in wood. By adopting objective-based building codes in the global marketplace, Green and Taggart believe the industry could be transformed when it comes to tall building construction. And with the many engineered wood products featured here in the materials chapter now accepted and available in the

construction industry, the time is right to look at building taller. Other highlights include an updated diagram in the book’s opening pages, placing all 18 buildings featured in the case study section in ascending order of height, graphically demonstrating their place in comparison to a 60-metre tall Douglas fir. Only the recently completed 24-storey HoHo Wien in Austria and the 18-storey Mjostarnet in Norway are taller effectively illustrating that there is still a long way to go before we see monuments like the Empire State Building constructed of wood. But this is precisely where the authors of the book think we can, and should, be going. The outcome of the featured case studies will also help to direct the future conversations about building our cities out of wood, a subject which both authors have had much experience in. For Michael Green, this book is a fitting companion to

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

his Case for Tall Wood Buildings (2020), as well as a continuation of Jim Taggart’s own discourse on the subject in his Toward a Culture of Wood Architecture (2011). With the updated introduction remarking on current trends in forestry science, the opening chapter provides much on the state of global forestry management, and how forest plantations are providing new and exciting opportunities for understanding the relationship between a building material’s life-cycle and its connection to the biosphere. And with transportation infrastructure starting to shift to renewable energy, one case study in the book demonstrates its ability to have a smaller carbon footprint with CLT panels fabricated off-site and transported from a neighbouring country than to construct the building of poured in place concrete. Tall Wood Buildings also features three much lauded Canadian projects, including Brock Commons Tallwood House at UBC by Acton Ostry Architects, the new Earth Sciences Building also at UBC by Perkins + Will, along with Michael Green’s own and much celebrated Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George. As such, the book is an important update to the discussion around tall wood design, advocating for its use in tall office and residential tower construction, and how the wood industry is now poised to be a panacea to our environmental woes, by providing a much needed earth friendly choice to the GHG-heavy conventional materials tall towers have traditionally been made of. An indispensable resource on this timely topic, as Jim Taggart sees it: “Beyond the prerequisite for third party certified sustainable forest management, it is new products and technologies, building science and fire engineering that really underpin the whole tall wood initiative. We see this book as adding momentum to the evidence based approach that will ultimately inspire market confidence and drive industry transformation.” Tall Wood Buildings written by Michael Green and Jim Taggart– Second and Expanded Edition (Birkhauser Press, 2020) Sean Ruthen is a Metro Vancouver-based architect and the current RAIC regional director for BC and Yukon. www.timberbiz.com.au

research

Embracing timber’s natural variation and ‘imperfections’

f you’ve a timber yard, or

driven past a lumber truck, you’ve seen the rows upon rows of stacked timber, all cut to uniform lengths and widths. Have you ever wondered why we’re so fixated on this uniformity, rather than embracing the natural variation or ‘imperfections’ in timber that can actually add character and strength to a structure? Did you also know that the timber industry wastes huge amounts of time, money, and resources removing pieces that are considered to be ‘defective’? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of those questions, you are in good company. Dr Joe Gattas of UQ’s School of Civil Engineering believes we should flip the current equation and design buildings or usages specific to the qualities of the available timber, rather than using only those pieces that fit our rigid traditional requirements. “In sustainable construction, one of the biggest unknowns lies in how we can reduce resource consumption, and sub-

sequently and importantly, reduce total carbon emissions,” says Dr Gattas. “There’s significant scope to reduce waste. We’re talking about going from using 40 per cent of the tree to being able to use 80 per cent. “How do we use all those defects and funny looking bits and include them as part of a structure that creates added meaning and value? “Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to show people around your building and, not only has that building been given a unique personality, but there’s also a story to tell about where the material is from and the history behind it?” In addition to being a senior lecturer at UQ, Dr Gattas is a Chief Investigator at the Future Timber Hub, a collaboration funded by the Australian Research Council. The Hub is a partnership between UQ, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Arup, Hyne Timber, Lendlease, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Scion NZ and fellow universities from

Australia, Canada and New Zealand. “If we better understand the ways trees grow, and how they are processed as building materials, we can design their end-use to match specific natural attributes and reduce the environmental impact of our building construction,” he says. Rather than literally trying to jam a round peg into a square hole by cutting what nature provides into existing ‘standard’ sizes, the project seeks to observe, track and record the qualities of the stock available before the timber is even harvested. Dr Gattas describes this as a “digital passport” for timber materials, adding it to a database that drastically increases the industry’s knowledge about available construction assets, and allows for more educated apportioning and final usages. Ultimately, this data-driven approach means that from the outset, researchers and construction companies can access data from forests at the planning stages of a project, which means they can accurately pre-

dict building materials required through digital fabrication and mass customisation. “That way, we don’t have to pick timber out of a lumber yard or hardware store,” says Dr Gattas. “We can pick timber straight from the forest, and can choose the exact piece of timber that

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best suits what we are trying to do. “We are ensuring that the properties of any available piece are used where they can be most effective.” Learn more about the myriad directions you can take by studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at UQ.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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strapping

BRIEFS Win for Timber Hub THE Suspended Remnants - Timber Pavilion, a structure created from a collaboration between two ARC Future Timber Hub Projects, has been recognised in the 2020 Good Design Week awards. The project which looked at alternative uses for undervalued sawmill products in innovative timber structures and Prefabrication and digital fabrication strategies for large-scale timber construction, received a prestigious Good Design Award Gold Accolade in the Engineering Design category in recognition for outstanding design and innovation. Virus effects on construction AFTER a minor rally in the middle of the year, the Australian construction industry has felt the effects of the Victorian COVID-19 lockdown in the latest AiG/HIA joint survey. The Australian Performance Construction Index (PCI) has had its improving July figures cut short after dropping by 4.8 points to 37.9 in August. Victoria’s Stage 4 restrictions and other border closures around the nation have adversely affected builders and reduced confidence, with construction activity down 14.5 points to 31.1 points. Declines were also seen in the new orders index, which declined by 8.4 points to 35.1, despite earlier improvements in July. Mill back in action AKD Caboolture Sawmill has recommenced following its brief closure due to a storage shed fire in June. This recommencement has been made possible due to the rebuilding of the fuel handling system which will make for a safer and more sustainable business in the long term. In addition, AKD has announced new growth and investment plans for the Caboolture site. Through key investment in additional processing capacity and people, AKD intends on at least doubling the log intake. Working collaboratively with and supported by our log supplier, HQPlantations, this will secure the current jobs as well as provide additional permanent roles. 16

New products, better technologies Signode a global company with a local flavour across Australia

HE timber industry is

a good example of the wide range of products and services that SIGNODE has to offer, with considerable factors that set Signode ahead of its competitors across Australia and New Zealand. Starting with more than 100 years of experience and being a Global business that not only conducts business across multiple industries, but a company that is known for developing new products and technologies. A global company with a local flavour, supporting your business with sales and service teams located in every state across Australia as well as on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Signode is easy to talk to and easy to do business with, we make it our business to understand your business. Steel strap solutions include our seal-less manual combination tool (SCM) and the only battery powered tools able to process steel strap in the SIGNODE GRIP PACK range of tools. For PET strap, Signode leads the way with the BXT3 battery powered combination tool, the worlds’ first touch screen technology tool. The intuitive display keeps operation simple with visual displays of tension values, sealing time and Auto, Semi-Auto or Manual mode. The BXT3 will retain two sets of strapping parameters making it quick and efficient to switch between applications. Additional features such as the blow through vent for clearing dust from the tool makes the BXT3 a firm favourite in the rugged environment of the timber industry. The Australian and New Zealand Timber Industry has long since stepped into the world of automation with the goals of higher productivity and reduced cost per cubic meter produced. Sigonode is your ideal partner in this space with a number of unique innovations; Modularity is a key feature of Signode equipment where key features of a typical strapping machine (strap feed & take up, tensioning the strap and strap seal & cut-off) are not locked up in one cumbersome block of steel. Signode’s modular design separates each of these functions into individual operating modules that can each be removed by hand without the use of tools or lifting equipment. This means that modules are switched over in approximately two minutes and production continues uninter-

Key Points ■■ Signode Australia & New Zealand manufacture load containment & protective packaging

systems engineered specifically to protect products and streamline production.

■■ Signode products and equipment are used throughout the world in a broad range of

industries to secure everything from wool bales and timber to steel coils and corrugated cartons. ■■ Signode is a global company but has sales and service teams in every state across Australia as well as New Zealand.

■■ Signode's BXT3 battery powered combination tool keeps

operation simple with visual displays of tension values, sealing time and Auto, Semi-Auto or Manual mode.

rupted as modules are serviced off line. The Signode Robotic NM2000 Bearer Placement System brings a new level of reliability and technology to the Timber and Panel Industry through the ability of the robot to read the position of the batten before attempting to lift it. In a production environment, bearers are seldom presented in

ing and placing the bearers with precision. Retained strap tension is a key factor to maintaining secure loads through the logistics cycle. Signode have developed the Z30 strapping solution that can be fitted to multiple press solutions. The system is of course modular, with functions split into three key modules; Feed, Take-up and Sealing modules. The key to the Z30 achieving the highest levels of retained tension lies in the method of applying tension to the strap.

■■ Signode’s NM2000 detects the position of the batten and

quickly adjusts its angle of approach to suit, lifting and placing the bearers with precision.

perfect neat stacks. Inevitably bearers are out of square and in random positions, causing problems for conventional solutions. Signode’s NM2000 detects the position of the batten and quickly adjusts its angle of approach to suit, lift-

Convention has tension being applied to one end of the strap by a tension wheel while the other end is held by a gripper in the strapping head. Signode’s Z30 grips both ends of strap, one in each head on the press. The heads then drive apart on a rack-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

and-pinion applying tension evenly from both ends and overcoming the problem of lost tension at each corner that the strap passes over in the conventional method. Higher strap tension is achieved with less force applied to the corners of the pack, reducing the chance of damage and reducing the risk of strap breaks through over tensioning. Additional benefits of the Signode Z30 include improved safety with strap being fed into the system from outside of the Safety Access Zone. The Feed Module is located at ground level and is easy to reach, avoiding operators having to climb onto the machine to feed strap to the head. Automatic refeed further improves productivity by avoiding stoppages. The Z30 will detect when a strap path is blocked and will automatically withdraw the strap from the chute and refeed the strap up to three times, usually clearing the obstruction and successfully completing the strap cycle. Add to this that Signode is the only manufacturer in Australia of Steel and PET Strap and you have found your perfect load containment partner. We would appreciate the opportunity of talking about your business with you and finding the best solution for your specific circumstances. www.timberbiz.com.au

Daily Timber News

What was making news in Daily Timber News

Climate change increasing forest productivity CLIMATE change has increased the productivity of forests, according to a new study that synthesizes hundreds of thousands of carbon observations collected over the last quarter century at the Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research site, one of the most intensively studied forests in the world. The study, published in Ecological Monographs, reveals that the rate at which carbon is captured from the atmosphere at Harvard Forest nearly doubled between 1992 and 2015. The scientists attribute much of the increase in storage capacity to the growth of 100-year-old oak trees, still vigorously rebounding from colonial-era land clearing, intensive timber harvest, and the 1938 Hurricane - and bolstered more recently by increasing temperatures and a longer growing season due to climate change.

Built environments boosts wellbeing. RESEARCH has found that the built environment has a significant effect on overall wellbeing as the industry has seen a steady increase in the use of decorative timber in commercial spaces, such as

offices, libraries, hospitality venues and retail stores. The materials surrounding people on a daily basis that offer a deeper connection to earth and nature, such as the natural beauty and uniqueness of wood are being embraced by designers for this reason. While some building materials can look hard and cold, the warmth of timber brings a sense of nature and wellbeing into public buildings and offers a certain luxury. According to the Australian company Big River Group, using materials and patterns that mimic nature can help achieve a sense of comfort and happiness which is at the core of biophilic design.

Buy Aussie Timber First campaign COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are putting immense pressure on Aussie jobs, businesses and livelihoods.

whole Aussie supply chain, including forest growers, plantation owners, harvest and haulage suppliers, value add timber manufacturers, timber wholesalers, merchants and fabricators, to get behind the message and make conscious and supportive purchase decisions in their businesses.

AKD still waiting on support SIX months on from the devastating Dunns Road Fire that tore through the Snowy Valleys, the timber industry is waiting on government support to help ensure the viability of the industry into the future. The Sector Development Grant, one of two funding streams in the NSW Government’s $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package, aims to support the medium to longterm resilience of the forestry, horticulture and agriculture industries impacted by bushfires since August 31 last year.

Site Manager at AKD’s Tumut mill, Rab Green, expressed his appreciation to all the employees In response, Australia’s softwood who have been hard at work timber processing industry has since the Dunns Road Fire deployed a ‘Buy Aussie Timber swept across the local area, First’ messaging campaign which devastating forestry, farmland focuses on why buying Aussie and properties. timber framing is so important at this crucial time. Visy support for Snowy The campaign asks that the

First with Industry News

THE Foundation for Rural &

Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Pratt Foundation, has granted a further $241,386 to support 13 community-led projects in the Snowy Valleys region. The Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund was established in February 2020 to support community-led projects designed to address a diverse range of bushfire recovery needs and community priorities in the Snowy Valleys. A total of $970,386 in funding has been granted to 36 projects over the last seven months, and the program is now closed.

MBA wants community building grants MASTER Builders is calling on the Federal Government to fund a new initiative, CommunityBuilder Grants, in the October Federal Budget. In its Pre-Budget Budget Submission released today the MBA says the grants would activate the construction of community and non-for-profit facilities. “We are calling for the Federal Government to adapt the highly effective HomeBuilder scheme model to do for the commercial construction sector what they done for the housing sector,” the CEO of Master Builders Australia Denita Wawn said.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

Associations

ACFA builds a new relationship

Australian Made to support local cabinet and furniture manufacturing

o support the continued growth of Australia’s local furnishing and furniture manufacturing sector, the Australian Cabinet and Furniture Association (ACFA) has signed an associate partnership with the Australian Made Campaign (AMCL). As Australia’s primary industry association for furnishing, cabinetmaking and joinery manufacturers, ACFA has a clear mandate to support the growth of the local manufacturing sector and this partnership is delivering on this commitment. Products tags with one of Australia’s most recognised, trusted and widely used country of origin symbol - the Australian Made logo provide consumers with confidence in their purchase decision. Ask yourself, when faced with two similar products, which do you choose - the one carrying the green and gold Australian Made logo or the other option? Through the partnership, members licenced to use the logo will have their products certified as being au-

thentically Australian by this trusted third-party accreditation system. Currently, Australian retailers and manufacturers have seen a resurgence in consumers preferencing Australian Made products. According to Roy Morgan research, the majority (60%) of Australians prefer to buy Australian-made furniture and home furnishings with 88% of Australians confident products displaying the Australia Made logo had been manufactured or grown within Australia. Ben Lazzaro, Chief Executive of the AMCL confirms “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Australian Cabinet and Furniture Association. In these times of global competition, it is essential that we foster a local manufacturing environment that encourages and assists manufacturers to innovate, build on their success and provides pathways to new markets.”

The Australian furnishings and furniture manufacturing sector is known for its leading design skills, craftsmanship, and quality production. Designated with the Australia Made logo, consumers can rest assured products are made to Australia’s high manufacturing and safety standards. Consumers will also feel a sense of pride knowing their

purchase is helping to support local industry, jobs and the economy. ‘This exciting new partnership will deliver ACFA members further opportunities to promote their products and grow their local and export markets. Our local furnishing and furniture manufacturers are world leaders, providing local and international cus-

tomers with superior products and services’ reinforced ACFA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dean Brakell. To find locally manufactured products, visit Australia’s biggest online directory of genuine Aussie products at www. australianmade.com.au. For more information on the partnership opportunities, go to www.acfa.net.au.

The business solution to TV boredom. WoodSolutions videos.

From silviculture and product manufacturing to material applications and design and construction case studies, WoodSolutions videos cover a wide range of topics. Many videos are also available for FWPA members to use and promote to their customers. More information? Email eileen.newbury@fwpa.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Associations

Turning untreated timber waste into a new revenue source M GA TMA is developing

a platform to assist all member businesses take advantage of reducing waste costs to be turned into a new source of revenue. It is increasingly common practice to recycle and reuse timber residue into new products. The environmental benefits of such reuse are obvious – not only is the service life of the timber extended but the carbon contained within the recycled timber is store for the life of the new product. Waste Problems faced by independent timber merchants and manufacturers: Effective & sustainable waste management and reduction in Methane,CO2 emissions and fuel reduction are becoming increasingly important in today’s market Customers and Business are becoming more environmentally aware and are looking to help by supporting sustainable businesses. Currently there’s little infor-

mation detailing the waste composition of independent timber merchants to present resource recovery in a circular economy. Effective and sustainable waste management is becoming more important: Ineffective and unsustainable waste management practices are becoming increasingly risky in terms of both environmental impact and financial burden for Independent Grosser and Timber Merchants. Businesses that embrace sustainable solutions can enjoy multiple benefits including cheaper waste costs, creation of sellable by-products through resource recovery and positive community perception. The changes in legislation coming in 2020 places the burden of effective waste management on all parties involved with management of the waste.

■■ Waste timber at a construction site. The MGA TMA believes operators with poor

environmental management risk losing customers. Customers are becoming more stringent on the environmental policies of the businesses they choose to do business with. Operators with poor environmental management risk losing loyal and return customers. Effective environmental management can help businesses achieve competitive advantages and attract new and keep existing customers

Effective management of wood waste enables businesses to divert significant quantities of carbon from landfill, meaning they may be eligible for government funded emissions reduction incentives. In collaboration with TMA Corporate Partner - Aussie NRG www.aussienrg.com our focus is to understand, analyse and gather information for: Type of waste (wood grade, ie

high, medium, low); Quantity of waste; Investigating product deployment solutions for minimising waste to landfill for TMA members. For information about MGA TMA – Timber Merchants Australia or our Waste Management program – contact Ann Sanfey, National Membership Manager - ann.sanfey@mga. asn.au or M#0411 886 716

Our species offer choice

IMBER veneers produced from Australian species are subject to our strict forest management regulations. Details about the management of Australian forests can be found in the ‘State of the Forests’ report series, produced every five years under the National Forest Inventory program. Australia has a total of 134 million hectares of forest, which is equivalent to 17% of Australia’s land area. Of this total forest area, determined as at 2016, 132 million hectares (98%) are defined as ‘native forests’. Somewhat surprisingly, given our mostly dry continent, Australia is the country with the seventh largest forest area globally, according to the Government’s Department of Agriculture. While Australian species offer a wide choice, many types of veneer are imported, and in this case the legality of harvesting the logs from which the veneers are sliced is controlled through Australia’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulations 2012. Of course, timber veneers have to be laid onto a substrate before they can be used in building work. The usual substrates are particleboard and MDF, or sometimes plywood. In order to offer a fully sustainable product that can be specified responsibly, the substrate must also stand up to scrutiny. To help in this regard, Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) has produced a series of Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) under the Wood Solutions banner.

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2020 / 2021 MEMBERSHIP

The association helping furnishing, joinery, cabinetmaking, kitchen and bathroom businesses succeed.

Benefits

■■ Picture: Veneered acoustic wall,

Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts, Pymble Ladies’ College Sydney

The series includes EPD’s on Australian-made particleboard, MDF and plywood, and provide information on the raw materials and production of these materials. The EPD’s give specifiers full transparency on the environmental impacts of these commonly used substrates. The Wood Solutions Environmental Product Declarations can be found on the net at this location: https://www. woodsolutions.com.au/articles/environmental-product-declarations. A range of publications and technical data sheets can be accessed on the Timber Veneer Association’s own website at https://timberveneer.asn.au.

24/7 access to critical COVID-19 and business resources via ACFA website Unlimited workplace relations calls, including minimum wage* & allowances*, to real people Up-to-date information and timely communications for COVID-19, workplace laws and legislation Unlock industry specific policies*, checklists and fact sheets Discounted rates for NSW, VIC, SA Building contracts Plus more...

* subject to membership category

Join on line today at www.acfa.net.au For further information 1300 342 248 or membership@acfa.net.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Dealing with the uncertainty

Fabricators step up to ensure workforce is safe

t’ s hard to believe we are entering the last quarter of the year and there is no doubt, 2020, will go down in history as one of the worst years in modern history. Fires, drought, Pandemic, Bird Flu, and the list goes on, I mean even the AFL Grand Final is being played in QLD! I have been so proud of FTMA members Australia wide for the way they have handled the Pandemic and the uncertainty thrust at them. Fabricators have stepped up to ensure the safety of their workforce by implementing either COVID Safe Plans or by simply putting in place new WHS Guidelines and have increased communication throughout the business. There is no doubt that whether you live in Victoria and are in lockdown or live in QLD where things are under control the everyday added stress is taking its toll on peoples mental health and we were extremely pleased to see how many participated in the Mental Health in the Workplace Webinars coordinated by ForestWorks which we covered in last month’s Australasian Timber column. FTMA Australia is continuing our Webinar series and so far, we have held Webinars on: • 3 Part FTMA Mid-Rise Webinar Series • Converting Steel to Timber • Mental Health in the Workplace Training • Sales Training • Tips on Grant Writing • Top 100 Builders Feedback • How You Can Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence There are more planned Webinars and in the meantime, if members have missed any of the Webinars, they can view them or register for new events at https://ftmanews.com/webinars/ Given the last Pandemic of this scale was the Spanish Flu, we are all dealing with new challenges as we won’t be going back to the old normal, but a new normal that will no doubt have a big impact on businesses moving forward. Fabricators must learn to adapt to the new normal and even though we don’t know what that will look like for the long term, you can prepare yourself for change and FTMA Australia is helping all members by sending them a copy of Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. Over the past 25 years, I have 20

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 mult-billion dollar industry.

FTMA Australia thanks our dedicated supporters and encourages you to support those who support your industry GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS “We support you!”

Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA Australia

purchased at least 30 of these books and have given them to people who have gone through a cancer scare, have suffered a marriage breakup, have gone bankrupt, sawmillers who have lost log supply or simply to people who I have seen struggle with life. I know for a fact that this book has changed the life of many I have given it to. The book is a quick read (less than an hour) and usually I get feedback after someone has read the book two or three times and realised that the time for change is upon them. For example, I gave this book to a sawmiller, who after decades and decades had lost their log allocation. They asked for my assistance to fight for their resource, however, I knew they had no chance of getting that particular resource so I gave him the book and told him to read and once he had, to give me a call. A month past and I received a call saying “Okay, I get it, there is no more Cheese and I have to find a Cheese”. The sawmiller went on to successful tender for a log allocation in another species where he found the right markets and transitioned his business.

Only recently I was telling a friend I purchased these books for FTMA Members and he said, thanks, I have my copy you gave me years ago and you have reminded me it is worth reading again. This book is an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life and I encourage all FTMA Members to read the book, share the book within their workplace and then re-read the book as every time I’ve read it, which is at least 16 times, I learn something new. The book says: Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life – whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money, or a possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind. Discover the secrets for yourself and learn how to deal with change, so that you suffer less stress and enjoy more success in your work and in life” The new normal that is facing your businesses can be what you want it to be and this is a great opportunity to press reset within your business, and ensure at the end of this terrible Pandemic, your business not only survives, but finds new cheese to take you in to the future.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

BRONZE SPONSORS

For a full list of the conditions of membership and a downloadable application form visit: www.ftmanews.com.au www.timberbiz.com.au

Associations

Court preserves industry practice regarding personal leave accruals I cludes a declaration on the meaning of the expression of ’10 days’ in s96(1) of the Fair Work Act, as follows: “The expression ’10 days’ in s91(1) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) means an amount of paid personal/carer’s leave accruing for every year of service equivalent to an employee’s ordinary hours of work in a week over a two-week (fortnightly) period, or 1/26 of the employee’s ordinary hours of work in a year. A ‘day’ for the purpose of s96(1) refers to a ‘notional day’ consisting of one-tenth of the equivalent of an employee’s ordinary hours of work in a two-week (fortnightly) period.”

N a decision strongly welcomed by TTIA, and handed down on 13 August, the High Court of Australia allowed the appeal by Mondelez and the Minister of Industrial Relations against the 2019 Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia (Full Federal Court) decision on the meaning of ‘day’ in the entitlement to ‘10 days’ of personal/carer’s leave per year of service in the National Employment Standards.

Background Employers who are Members of TTIA will be aware, from TTIA Circular 5/2019, that the Full Federal Court handed down a significant decision (21 August 2019) concerning how personal/carer’s leave is accrued and paid. The relevant section of the Fair Work Act, under consideration by the court, provides that “for each year of service with his or her employer, an employee is entitled to 10 days of paid personal carer’s leave”. This provision had become a controversial issue at a Mondelez worksite where employees were typically engaged for 36 hours each week and worked those hours on three days of 12 hours each. The Full Federal Court’s majority decision significantly concluded that: 1. The meaning of ‘day’ for the purpose of this section meant the portion of a 24 hour period that would otherwise be allotted to work (a “working day”); 2. An employee taking a day of personal/carer’s leave was then entitled to be paid for the ordinary hours they would have worked on that ‘day’;

Brian Beecroft Executive Officer FTMA Australia

3. Personal/carer’s leave there accrued and could be taken in days or part days; and 4. The entitlement to 10 days per year is not subject to pro-rata based upon the employee’s ordinary hours of work (i.e. part time employees receive 10 days per year, the same as a full-time employee). The Full Federal Court’s decision was unexpected to many, including the Federal Government, who supported the appeal of this decision to the High Court. The High Court decision The High Court’s majority judgement observed that the interpretation in the Full Federal Court’s majority decision would entitle every employee, regardless of their pattern of

Serving independent timber and

What does this mean for employers? The High Court decision has clarified the meaning of ’10 days’ for the purpose of the amount of personal/carer’s work or distribution of hours leave accrued in each year of to be absent without loss of service. Employers who conpay on ten working days per tinued to calculate personal/ year. This was referred to in the carer’s leave accruals as 1/26th Federal Court’s decision as the of an employee’s ordinary hours of work will not need to ‘working day’ construction. In overturning the Full Fed- make any adjustments. eral Court’s decision, the High Court majority judgement ob- EXTENSION OF PAID served that the ‘working day’ PANDEMIC LEAVE SCHEME Workers living in New South construction would: • give rise to absurd results Wales and South Australia but work in Victoria are now and inequitable outcomes; • would be contrary to the eligible for the federal governlegislative purposes of fair- ment’s paid pandemic leave ness and flexibility in the Fair scheme. The federal government anWork Act; and • would be contrary to the ex- nounced last week the extentrinsic materials (such as the sion of the payment to people explanatory memorandum) who do not live in Victoria but who work in Victoria. and the legislative history. In addition, Victorians who Clarity on the meaning of were directed to self-isolate on or after 5 July can now also sub’10 days’ provided The High Court decision in- mit a claim for this payment.

Legal and HR

“This is to ensure people who were not able to access the Victorian payment during this time don’t miss out on support,” Prime Minister Morrison said. The announcement comes after Tasmania signed on to the scheme last week, the second state to do so after Victoria. Paid pandemic leave is a $1,500 lump-sum payment to help workers should they be required to self-isolate for 14 days but have used up all their leave entitlements, including any special pandemic leave. Individuals may be eligible to claim this payment if they’ve been directed by health officials to stay home from work. Further, individuals may also be eligible to make a claim if they’re the parent or guardian of a child aged 16 or under who is a close contact or has tested positive for COVID-19. Workers are also eligible for this payment if they’re not receiving any other income, including JobKeeper payment or other forms of Australian government income support. TTIA is one of the largest and most influential advisory organisations in the timber products industry in Australia and our staff and resources are committed to assisting timber and timber products businesses and protecting their interests. We provide assistance with checking wage rates, workplace relations advice, documents and templates, TTIA legal service and workplace health and safety assistance. Contact the TTIA Hotline on (02) 9264 0011 should you require further information on membership or the above article.

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National Support Centre 1800 888 479 (Option 1) www.mgatma.com.au

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2020

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Boosting forestry knowledge amongst young online learners Launch of WoodChat Episode 17

he latest installment of WoodChat, the Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) podcast series, focuses on a program of online learning options to educate children about the sustainable nature of forestry. ForestLearning includes various resources developed to enable school children to engage with and understand the world of forestry, and even pay virtual visits to locations they would not normally have had access to — all without leaving the classroom! The current situation with COVID-19 has meant that teachers, parents and schoolchildren are seeking out new opportunities for remote learning. And for that reason, ForestLearning has continued to investigate, develop and roll out new resources. The program includes everything from online work sheets and quizzes, to opportunities to connect with foresters out in the field via Zoom, and the use

of virtual reality to allow students to experience forest and mill environments first-hand. During the episode listeners will hear from Beth Welden, Program Manager of ForestLearning, who explains how the program is driven by the idea that engaging students early will help them establish informed opinions about the forestry industry. “We hope to provide meaningful educational experiences, aligned to the Australian Curriculum, that truly engage students on sustainable and renewable forest and wood

products,” Welden said. “We are hoping that by accessing ForestLearning resources, today’s young people will grow up with an appreciation of the sustainable and renewable nature of our forests. “As the decision makers, voters and consumers of the future, it is important that today’s school children have an affiliation with wood and are fully aware of the benefits.” During the episode, the hosts

also hear from industry representatives involved with the initiative, teachers who have adopted the resources in their classrooms, and students who have experienced them. This episode is the latest in the WoodChat podcast series, and follows topics including new business models to inspire investment in trees on farms, building safely with timber in bushfire-prone areas, amd new technology that’s supporting

the prediction of wood quality in standing trees. WoodChat represents FWPA’s ongoing commitment to engaging ways of communicating news and innovations to the industry and beyond. Each episode includes in-depth conversations with experts on recent discoveries and current initiatives. You can listen to WoodChat on SoundCloud, iTunes and Spotify.

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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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Classifieds advertising has long been regarded as one of the best value for money forms of advertising — because it’s been proven to work, time and time again Now you can sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee through the new classified pages of Australasian Timber Magazine. Booking a classified advertisement in Australasian Timber Magazine is as easy as phoning or emailing Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

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DELIVERING PRECISION The Vekta Razer V5 is the ultimate linear saw, designed to have maximum safety, flexibility and capability. The Razer can be customised to suit• Your budget: Fully installed systems starting at $220,000 AUD, with upgrade options as your budget and needs change over time. • Your workflow: Left-to-right or right-to-left timber flow, as well as in from the front or back and out to the front or back. • Your Space: Fully customisable to fit into even the smallest plants. Everything is built to order, so Vekta can customise virtually any aspect of your machine. • Your Processes: Highly configurable software that easily lets you choose where and how optimising is done, what you want printed on each different member type, cut orders, options to go paperless and so much more.

Don’t just look at the outputs. You need to consider the entire package. The support, being a local supplier and not international, the servicing requirements and costs, optimisation, absolutely everything. Vekta and the Razer ticks all the boxes. Andrew Sternberg, Dahlsens

info@vekta.com.au I vekta.com.au