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December 2013

• Change of focus • Doug decelerates • Chippy celebrations •

Decking solutions

NEWS

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 2

Specialist timber firm goes on the market

A

STRONG work ethic has always been a critical part of Gareth Lazarides’ life but after more than five decades of honest, solid toil he wants to retire. Strange, isn’t it, how you can couch timelines ...

50 years, five decades, half a century, more than half a life ... but they all highlight a tenacity, a willingness to learn, and a love of the job at hand.

Gareth was born in Mackay, north Queensland.

His parents had moved there after his father was discharged from the army in 1946 and they settled on a small cane farm.

After several moves as he grew up the family spent a number of years on another cane farm on the banks of the Maroochy River at Bli Bli. It was there that Gareth and his brother earned pocket money cutting a wagon load (about 2 tons) of sugar cane each weekend and after school.

This is also where Gareth finished his schooling part way through the junior year at Nambour High School.

Even at a tender young age he felt there were better things than school and he readily admits that he “didn’t apply myself in the last year, something I learned in later life was not the brightest thing to do”.

Gareth was first employed by Thomas Moxon from Moxon & Co. in April 1964 as a general trainee at their South Brisbane yard. “This yard was closed a few years later; all their operations were transferred to Yeronga, where they remained until

very recently. Under Tom’s guidance I was trained in all aspects of this particular section of the industry rising to the position of General Manager, the position he held at the time of leaving Moxon & Co. to branch out on his own.

He established Lazarides Timber Agencies in March 1989, working from his home and storing small volumes of timber at a warehouse at Nudgee.

After a couple of fears he leased his first small shed in Bunya Street, Eagle Farm. It was there that he was joined by his son Troy as his first employee on a part time basis. Troy is still involved in the business today and has played a large part in the development of the company.

Within a few years they had to move to larger premises just along Kingsford- smith Drive, also at Eagle Farm. After a further 4-5 years Gareth decided it was time to take the plunge and purchased a slightly larger shed and yard at 15 Hurricane Street, where the business is still located today, now with a staff of three hard working and loyal employees.

This move saw the business expand quiet dramatically. The new warehouse being is situated on approximately 4000m² of land with 1500m² under shed and a further (approx.) 1500m² of hard stand. The location — on the north-eastern area of Brisbane - which is close to the Gateway Motorway — the main Highway taking traffic north and south — a few minutes to

the Brisbane Airport and about 20-25 minutes to the port area of Brisbane and the Brisbane CBD, allows for quick access to the premises for clients and transport companies picking up and delivering timber.

A visit to the showroom will show a wide range of colours, species and shapes that a lot of people have never seen before. The range of species stocked is believed to be one of the largest in Australia.

Over the years Lazarides Timber Agencies has always been involved in the furniture /joinery/ cabinetmaking /shop fitting / boat building industries and over the past few years has become involved in the supply of timber for caravan fit outs and the hobby industry. “We can see this (hobby) part of our market increasing every year,” he says.

To this end Gareth and Troy have installed several pieces of machinery that enable the company to offer a limited contract machining service “or we can outsource the machining for special profile to clients either trades people or hobbyists.

Gareth believes that Lazarides Timber Agencies is the only merchant in Queensland that is offering this type of service.

“We also offer

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Troy Lazarides

sponsorships or prizes for many of the Woodcraft clubs around south-east Queensland and other parts of Australia”.

Gareth and Troy have a special interest in helping school students who show an excellent aptitude to anything involving timber. To this end the company has helped sponsor competitions for schools and supplied many students with materials for their year 11 & 12 projects.

In fact, Lazarides Timber Agencies has been a preferred supplier to the Queensland Education Department for the past four years.

During his time in the industry he travelled widely throughout Australia and overseas to establish contacts and to inspect a wide range of timbers.

Today, Lazarides Timber continues to market fine timbers from all parts of the globe.

In the early years Gareth spent lot of time travelling to all of the sawmills in north Queensland. “In those years North Queensland sawmillers supplied large volumes of cabinet timbers to all parts of Australia and the world,” he recalls.

“Back then about 8-10 major and probably another dozen smaller sawmills were operating. Today that is reduced to 2-3 small operations -- as result of

the major mills closed by the Hawke Government,” he said.

Gareth still draws a significant amount of cabinet timbers from this area. His relationship with one of the mills goes back 40 years.

Now, though, Gareth is concentrating on his retirement plans and the sale of his business. As he says ... “maybe there’s

n

a person, a family, an organisation that wants to get the same feeling of satisfaction as I have had from the business”.

“I would be more than willing to talk to any persons who has a genuine interest in purchasing the business and the warehouse, or they can contact David Ginnane at Sunbelt Business Brokers (07 5529 3700).”

G areth Lazarides - retiring after 50 years of hard work

NEWS

3 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

THE TASMANIAN Sawmillers Association (TSA) has welcomed Government backing for Torenius Timber. TSA chairman Fred Ralph said an upgrade, facilitated thanks to $750,000 grant under the Tasmanian Forest Agreement, would not only create jobs and support the local community, it would maximise the output of the mill and more efficiently utilise their log supply. By providing certainty over the input of logs going forward, the agreement has allowed Torenius Timber to invest in upgrading their facility so that they can maximise how they utilize that log supply, making the operation more efficient and sustainable. The TSA is working with industry stakeholders to deliver further investments in the sector going forward.”

Change of focus for Tasmanian timber mill

By Rosemary Ann Ogilvie

I

T WASN’T so long ago that it looked like Torenius Timber wouldn’t be celebrating its forty-fifth anniversary.

“With all the uncertainty in the industry, we just didn’t know which way to go,” says manager Robert Torenius. “In fact, we were looking at an exit package, but that didn’t eventuate because the funds weren’t available to all the mills that wanted to exit.”

The Torenius sawmill has been operating on the same site at Arthur Highway, Forcett, in southern Tasmania, since 1967.

“Traditionally we’ve been a framing-grade sawmill, utilising more of the lower-grade, category-two sawlogs,” says Torenius.

“Then over the last 20-odd years, we’ve moved more and more into kiln-dried materials, F17 and some appearance grade.”

The acquisition of a highquality sawlog contract that runs until 2027 demanded an upgrade of the company’s drying, planing, and storage facilities in order to fulfil the demand. “It’s a good contract to have,” says Torenius. “There are now just 12 sawmills in the State, and we were fortunate to be one of the businesses to win one of those contracts following Gunns exit from the industry.

“It gives us the surety of a resource base,” Torenius continues. “We’ve been in the industry for so long and it’s good to finally have a security of resource of reasonable quality.” The only risk he sees for the future is a possible move into small end-diameter logs, which means less recovery, making it in

turn less profitable. The $1.05m plant upgrade includes the construction of a second solar kiln, the creation of an integrated firewood-handling facility to process mill residues, and the installation of a new finger-jointing line. So the announcement by deputy premier Bryan Green in mid-October of a $750,000 grant under the Tasmanian Forest Agreement to help finance this work was very welcome. “However, that

Million dollar upgrade for Forcett plant sort of money doesn’t go very far with the sort of machinery we need, so we have to be fairly frugal and try to get the best bang for our dollar,” comments Torenius.

For the past decade, the mill has used a solar kiln backed up by gas, and its effectiveness is the reason they decided to install second 70m3 kiln. “Obviously that will swallow a big part of the funding,” says Torenius, who estimates at least 80% of their sawn timber goes straight into the rack

for drying. The loss of the woodchip market created a real problem in terms of the 4000 tonne of sawmill residue produced by the mill each year. “Since the Triabunna mill closed, we haven’t had a destination for it,” says Torenius. “We sell a small amount of chip for landscaping, and while there’s a woodchip facility at the other end of the island, transport costs of $40 a tonne makes it unfeasible for us to send it.

Currently a subsidy is paid for chips going up north, but this is very short-term.”

Because the slabs come off the mill in long lengths, the decision was made to implement some sort of solid-wood processing.

They installed a Holtec pack saw, which cuts the packs into solid firewood lengths.

“Hopefully this will take up some of the slack,” says Torenius. “So that’s another area where the funding will be used – and in fact the pack saw is already in place. We started that well before we even knew about the grant.”

Also in the pipeline is the installation of a simple finger joining line for F17 long floor joists and similar work. “We’ve been doing what’s called a muscle beam, which is a platejoint product, for the last 20 years, and this allows us utilise the shorts. We’ve actually purchased the machine, so it’s just a matter of putting it all together.”

A Weinig six-head planing machine, which takes boards up to 300mm, will also be installed as the current Weinig will only do 230mm.

The timeframe for the project is about 12 months

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Robert Torenius operating the new pack saw.

– and it’s quite a job, says Torenius. “I wish it had come 20 years earlier, I can tell you. It’s a big commitment financially: we already have a major investment here and this is just adding to it.

“Since the demise of Gunns, the milling of highquality, mature-growth hardwood timber is only a fraction of what it was,” he continues. “So we have to reinvent the wheel again.

The mills that are left in the industry have to pick up and run with it, and so we have to upgrade our machinery and facilities to cater for the changed circumstances.”

The company currently employs 14 permanent staff. Torenius believes they’ve still got some way to go in terms of numbers: as production increases, there’ll be opportunities to employ more people.

Change of focus

While appearancegrade products – flooring and lining boards – are increasingly becoming the mill’s main focus, some timber still goes into F17 construction grade, mainly logs that have been downgraded due to faults. “However, the top end is where our market is now,” says Torenius. “Most product goes into the local market – locally built houses, and increasingly architectural homes with outside cladding made from Tasmanian hardwoods. We send a small amount to Melbourne.

“That’s why forestry

industry needs to be here: it would be a shame to deprive people of the opportunity to use timber that’s growing in their own state – and I know people are looking for the products we produce because we’ve got the order book,” adds Torenius. “So I believe there’s a future for the industry. It will be a much smaller, condensed, quality-hardwood industry, but I think it can be quite a good one.”

He believes the days of huge multinational wood chipping are over in Tasmania. “We fit more closely with the high-quality vineyards and salmon farming. We’re that sort of size, which probably suits Tasmania better. In fact, we supply a lot of timber for

those sorts of industries for their cellars and what have you.

“So it looks like our business is in for the long haul.”

Torenius admits his feelings about this are a little bit mixed. “Even with all its bumps and knocks, it’s been a good industry for us. It’s not a goldmine but it’s been okay. Now we really have to look forward, look ahead, and not worry about what might have been.”

And here’s hoping that when Torenius Timber celebrates its 50 years in business in a couple of years’ time, it will be against a background of a reinvigorated, vibrant industry with a clear future direction.

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NEWS

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 4

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Campaign to support pulp and paper industry T

HE CONSTRUCTION Forestry Mining and Energy Union has relaunched it’s ‘Don’t Shred Pulp and Paper Jobs’ initiative, which aims to promote the local pulp and paper industry, following an October 11 announcement of further job losses at the Shoalhaven paper mill on the NSW South Coast.

The cancellation of a shift, resulting in the loss of seven jobs, brings the total number of locals who have lost their jobs at the Shoalhaven mill to 148 since 2006.

“This mill, which like so many pulp and paper mills in communities across the country is the lifeblood of the local economy, is suffering a death by a thousand cuts,” said CFMEU Pulp and Paper Worker’s District secretary Alex Millar.

“Politicians of all stripes need to take a stand; take responsibility and stop the bleeding of local jobs in regional communities like this one.

“If their inaction continues, this mill and others around Australia will inevitably be forced to close, causing untold suffering to the regional communities and the local economies they support.”

The CFMEU said the Shoalhaven Local Government Area was already suffering 7.6% unemployment and 15.4% youth unemployment prior to the announcement.

The 148 job losses at the Shoalhaven mill since 2006 come on top of 700 direct job losses in the same period through machine and pulp mill closures in Burnie and Wesley Vale (Tasmania) and Millicent (South Australia).

The ‘Don’t Shred Pulp and Paper Jobs’ initiative is part of the CFMEU’s Let’s Spread it Around Campaign which has involved sustained activity from union members at pulp and paper mills in Shoalhaven, Maryvale, Botany, Box Hill, Springvale, Millicent, Boyer and Tumut as well as workers upstream and downstream in the supply chain.

It has successfully raised awareness of the significant challenges facing the industry among politicians, the printing sector and the general public.

Millar warned that the situation facing the industry remained dire, as evidenced by the latest announcement, and said real political support was needed to stop the haemorrhaging of jobs.

“Our union will write to all newlyelected, re-elected and continuing Federal MPs requesting specific commitments from them to set an example by buying Australian made paper products, and by supporting fair trade and sensible government procurement policies,” he said.

“Accompanying the letter will be a pledge form which asks MPs to state their positions on a series of initiatives the union is promoting to defend jobs.

“The responses will provide an indication of the level of support individual MPs have for the workers at the Shoalhaven mill, along with the thousands of pulp and paper workers and tens of thousands of other workers who depend on the industry, their families and communities across Australia.”

The union said it would be publicising the responses, as well as any MPs who refused to respond, in all possible forums.

“Our message to politicians is clear: if their inaction on these issues continues to result in the shredding of our members’ jobs, then workers, their families and their local communities will shred the politicians’ jobs,” Millar said.

According to the Shoalhaven Mill website, in January 1953, a 54 acre site for the Shoalhaven Paper Mill, located on the northern bank of the Shoalhaven River at Bomaderry, was purchased by Wiggins Teape and William Nash (both from England).

The building of the mill was substantially completed by the end of 1955. Two pre-loved machines were transported from England and erected in the mill.

On February 7, 1956, the first paper was reeled up on Shoalhaven No. 1 machine.

Six months later, No. 2 machine started up. The official opening of the mill was in February 1957. In November 1961 an expansion program was approved. This included the building of No. 2 mill in 1962.

In August 1970 Wiggins Teape Australia was merged with Associated Pulp and Paper Mills (APPM).

In 1993, APPM was sold to Amcor and the new company name announced in November that year was Australian Paper.

Australian Paper was purchased by the Nippon Paper Group in 2009.

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AUSTRALIAN PAPER, manufacturer of office paper including market leading Reflex®, has welcomed the Anti-Dumping Commission’s announcement of an investigation into A4 and A3 office paper from China.

“Paper manufacturing is a capital intensive industry. Australian jobs and the future of the local industry are under threat from low market prices and we welcome the ADC’s decision to investigate this important issue,” said Jim Henneberry, Australian Paper chief executive officer.

“The Australian office paper market is intensely competitive with imports continuing to flood in from around the world. Australian Paper has competed successfully against imported sources for many years and plans to do so into the future. We are committed to continuing to meet the challenges we face by producing quality products, significantly reducing costs and driving further innovation through all of our operations. However, market pricing has reached such low levels in recent years that our future as an important local manufacturer and employer is under serious threat.

“The Australian Government has empowered the Anti-Dumping Commission to administer Australia’s anti-dumping system in compliance with World Trade Organisation rules and Australian legislation. The ADC’s investigation into office paper from China will determine whether Chinese manufacturers are operating fairly in this market.

“We look forward to the ADC’s determination as to whether office paper from China is being sold into this market at dumped prices,” Henneberry added.

Australian Paper is the largest private employer in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley and economic research has shown that Australian Paper supports almost 6,000 jobs nationally and

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J im Henneberry (top) and Ross Hampton (bottom)

contributes over $750 million to Australia’s GDP annually.

“Australian industry is vitally interested in the effectiveness of the anti-dumping system.

It must address instances of international subsidies, predatory and anti-competitive behavior,” said AFPA chief executive officer Ross Hampton said. “All industry wants is a level playing field.”

NEWS

5 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Collaborative approach at Sydney seminar A

SENSE of renewed industry collaboration to build growth in the timber sector and satisfaction that government was recognising wood’s sustainable credentials flowed through a busy Building Stronger Value Chains seminar in Sydney in October.

Organised jointly by Forest and Wood Products Australia, the Australian Timber Importers Federation and TABMA Australia, the seminar attracted more than 130 delegates from all States, New Zealand, Canada and Chile.

In a seminar summary, FWPA deputy chair John Simon said key industry issues were well addressed.

“There was a good turnup of industry players and we were impressed that Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Senator Richard Colbeck stayed through every session,” he said.

“The seminar reflected an improved level of confidence and positivity about where the industry is headed – much more so than we have experienced in the last couple of years.”

The introduction of a CEO panel reflected a powerful unity among industry leaders – a point that didn’t go unnoticed

by Senator Colbeck.

Joining the Senator in the opening sessions, NSW Primary Industries Minister

Katrina Hodgkinson said the Government was working to cut the costs of doing business – reducing the burden of regulation that reduced costs and lifted demand for new houses and timber.

“This will have a very real social impact for young Australians and take years and tens of thousands of dollars off the costs of entering the housing market,” she said.

She said the State’s foresters and industries operated in one of the most complex regulatory regimes in existence.”

Referring to the state’s integrated forestry operations approvals, Hodgkinson said they were complex, convoluted and counter-productive.

There were more than 2000 individual prescriptions that had to be checked-off in the planning and harvesting process – not all of which were practical.

“Compliance is fraught, and so are the costs; the preharvest planning process costs on average $25,000 per compartment, and takes months to complete,” she said.

“In some cases, the investment in meeting these compliance obligations exceeds the commercial return of the actual forestry operations.

“It’s almost as if the rules and regulations and restrictions around forestry in NSW were consciously but quietly designed by the former NSW Labor government to actually

n M alcolm McComb, Pentarch Forest Products, Vince Erasmus, director FWPA, and Vince Hurley, CEO, Australian Sustainable Hardwoods, Heyfield, Vic.

n S enator Richard Colbeck, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry (right) and David Cunningham, assistant secretary, natural resources, Department of Agriculture, Canberra (left) Ric Sinclair, managing director, Forest and Wood Products Australia, and Dr Michele Allan, director, FWPA.

undermine the commercial viability of forestry.” Senator Colbeck re-stated the Federal Government’s commitment to support research and development in the industry, with an investment of $15 million to make the sector more productive and competitive.

It would also benefit from the Government’s $100 million increase in rural R&D development expenditure.

Australia’s investment in forest research is dwarfed

by Canada’s expenditure on R&D, outlined by Trade Commissioner David Ingham.

Canada’s forest, paper and wood products sector alone invested more than $220 million in R&D last year.

“Business as usual is no longer an option for us,” Ingham said.

“If Canada’s forest sector is to maintain its competitive strength in the global marketplace and set the stage for long-term prosperity, innovation is critical.”

FPInnovations, Canada’s national wood products research institute supported by $95 million in mostly Government funds, has become the world’s largest public–private forest research body employing more than 500 people.

In a thought-provoking address, Professor Sue Holliday, managing director of the National Housing Supply Council, said timber stood to benefit greatly from Australia’s shift to low carbon living.

She said there was a huge underlying demand for homes right across Australia.

“Our cities are growing and we urgently need affordable homes in the right locations.

That is the foundation of a strong industry base,” she said.

“If innovation is the future competitive edge in a global world, then timber needs to be part of that.”

She encouraged delegates to join with colleagues and collaborate with industry partners who wanted to research and innovate timber solutions for the modest affordable home or apartment.

Prof. Holliday said joining the CRC for Low Carbon

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Living might get a project going, and it might put timber on an equal footing with steel for modular units.

She asked: “Is it possible for innovative products such as recycled timber, plantation timber or new timber composites to become the norm in modular, affordable, homes and apartments? That is the future that I’d like the industry to debate and then research.”

Outlining the operations of the Bunnings Group, Australia’s largest household chain, managing director John Gillam said customers wanted to understand more about the timber and wood products that they purchased.

“And as a retailer we need simplicity and transparency to be able to deliver trust for those customers,” he said.

Bunnings’ commitment to ensuring that timber is responsibly sourced began more than a decade ago when the company introduced a zero tolerance approach to illegally logged timber in its supply chain.

“This led to the introduction of our current timber policy, which has been in place since 2003,” Gillam said.

“Since then we’ve actively engaged with timber suppliers, industry groups, Government and ENGOs to promote responsible timber procurement.

“We can now state with confidence that more than 99% of business-wide timber products are from low risk plantation, verified legal or certified responsibly sourced forests.

“More than 84% of our total timber products are sourced from independently certified forest sources.”

Gillam said he also believed that helping to simplify purchasing choices was important for the growth of certified products within the broader timber industry.

“We would welcome candid and constructive dialogue on this issue as we believe that a simplified approach would benefit all industry stakeholders.”

A ndrew Hurford of Hurford Hardwood, Lismore, NSW, Evan Rolley, executive director, Ta Ann Tasmania, and Ross Hampton, CEO, Australian Forest Products Association.

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N ew chief executive of the NSW Forest Products Association Maree McCaskill (right) is introduced to industry at the FWPA industry dinner in Sydney by Lexie Hurford of Hurford Hardwood, Lismore.

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P eter Hutchison president of TABMA Australia (right) speakers Professor Andy Buchanan, department of civil and natural resources engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, David Ingham, Canadian High Commission, and Dr George Goroyias, Poyry Management Consulting.

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A ustralian Solar Timbers team from West Kempsey, Roy, Lisa and David Head.

n Re-elected chairman of Forest and Wood Products Australia Ron Adams (left) welcomes keynote speakers NSW Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson and Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Senator Richard Colbeck.

TIMBER PRESERVATION

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 8

Chips are down for standard MDF A

NEW biodegradable and recyclable form of medium density fibreboard (MDF) has been created that could dramatically reduce the problem of future waste. Professor Andrew Abbott has been awarded the Royal Society Brian Mercer Award for Innovation 2013 that will help him make the critical step from prototype to product.

Almost one million tonnes of MDF is produced in the UK every year. It is a cheap and popular engineered wood product widely used for furniture and other products in homes, offices and retail businesses. However, as MDF cannot be recycled, waste MDF either has to be incinerated or ends up in landfill.

Professor Abbott and his team at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Leicester have developed a new woodbased product similar to MDF that uses a resin based on starch from completely natural sources, including potatoes.

Professor Anthony Cheetham, Vice President and Treasurer of the Royal Society said: “It is impressive to see someone take a material that is commonplace in all of our homes and solve its key limitations.

Professor Abbott has managed to re-invent MDF, transforming it into a product that has much more relevance in an environmentally conscious society.”

A significant proportion of MDF is used for short term applications in the retail sector. The use of a material that can either be recycled or composted would be a significant benefit to an industry often criticised for the amount of waste it generates.

MDF is made by breaking down bits

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Example of furniture using the new biodegradable and recyclable MDF

of wood into wood fibres, which are then pressurised and stuck together with resin and wax. The resin is currently composed of urea and formaldehyde (UF), the use of which is restricted due to health concerns.

Professor Abbott’s new resin means that the use of UF is avoided and therefore so too are the associated concerns.

With the aid of colleagues at the

Biocomposites Centre, Bangor University and the Leicestershire-based retail design company Sheridan and Co., his team has produced starch-based boards which have been made into retail display units.

The practical studies were led by Dr Will Wise who said: “It has been a technological challenge to develop material with the correct properties, but it

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Professor Andrew Abbott ??????

is a great thrill to see the finished boards which look identical to the MDF which is so commonly used.”

The new material is easier to manufacture than existing MDF as the components are easily pre-mixed and only set on the application of heat and pressure; end user feedback suggests it is also easier to work with than currently available MDF boards.

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TIMBER PRESERVATION

9 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Doug decides to ‘decelerate’ A

FTER 20 years as TPAA National Secretary Doug Howick (pictured) said he wished to ‘decelerate’, so, the council considered expressions of Interest for the provision of Secretariat Services. In consequence, David Marlay has been appointed as TPAA National Secretary and has now commenced an orderly and effective assumption of the responsibilities and duties of the role by 31 December.

“However, I shall not softly and suddenly vanish away,” says Doug, “I have agreed to continue as the producer and Editor of this newsletter and as Registrar of the Timber Treatment Plant Registration Authority, which will continue to be managed and operated by TPAA. In an outgoing report to the TPAA Council and members Doug highlighted the need for a strong and vibrant organization. Following are extracts from that report: When TPAA started 50 years ago, concrete slab floors were a rarity, steel house framing was something unusual and composite decking hadn’t been invented. Yet it was still necessary to form an association to represent the timber treatment sector’s interests to the community, to Governments and to public authorities on matters relating to treated timber and the preservatives with which it was treated.

If it was necessary then, it is surely essential today!

Our major challenge now is for the industry to become more cohesive and to fall in more strongly behind its association. The big challenge for TPAA is to increase the size and scope of its representation.

The ability of Governments and legislators to discuss industry matters with the representative association rather than with a disparate collection of players often perceived to be “pushing their own barrow”, is an enormous asset. Governments like working with industry umbrella bodies, as long as those bodies are truly representative of the industry

New President! New Council!

Well, almost a new President! With his election to the Presidency at the 2013 Annual General meeting, Wayne Lewis has returned to a position from which he stood aside three years ago.

Wayne is Business Development and Export Manager for Koppers Wood Products.

Well, almost a new Council!

Our outgoing President Phil Burke (Australian United Timbers) was re-elected as a Councillor, as were Honorary Treasurer Patrick Shelton (Shelton Timber Treatment), Elias Akle (Osmose Australia), Tim Evans (Independent Verification Services), Harry Greaves (HG Consulting), Angelo Hrastov (Lonza Wood Protection)

… ideally the whole industry … and we are not quite there, yet.

However, now that we have accepted the responsibility of managing and maintaining the registration of timber treatment plants and brands – and are doing it successfully – we are already in a working partnership with all treaters. I believe that this provides the opportunity for TPAA to truly flourish and serve all industry interests effectively in support of the development and provision of a wide range of services to our stakeholders.

There are a lot of people in this room that you don’t see. We owe a great deal of our success to those who have gone before us, whose shoulders we stand on. TPAA could not have continued to flourish for 50 years without more than a fair share of dedicated, professional contributors, many of whom have freely and generously given so much of their time and talent to industry matters.

Just in my 20 years as National Secretary, we have been led by six Presidents: Lewis Fisher, Kevin French, David Marlay, Wayne Lewis, David Spence and Phil Burke. They have been backed by an active Technical Committee which, for the last 12 years has been chaired by Harry Greaves and by some

outstanding industry people as TPAA Councillors.

Those are the people who have demonstrated their commitment by their actions and have helped take the industry forward. They all have extremely busy lives and schedules and their time and commitment – and that of all major committee members – should not be taken for granted.

I believe that now is the time to build on their work, not to discard it.

The further development of TPAA as THE national Association representing all sectors of the timber treatment industry, is the key to a vast improvement in the industry’s perceived image. In earlier years, we have had a collection of companies and groups, all supplying similar services but all pulling in different directions in their attempts to achieve similar goals.

One cohesive, national Association should be able to speak with one voice in its representation of an industry selling knowledge, expertise and service to the community.

We are now at a time when our whole industry, its principles, its policies and its purposes, as well as its products, its processes and its practices, are being increasingly subjected to scrutiny under the microscope of legislation

and the magnifying glass of media attention.

The work of the TPAA Technical Committee can become our saving grace with the consumers who are our customers, because it demonstrates and delivers the professionalism we seek and which they increasingly demand. At such a time, and in a climate which is continually subject to change, the industry needs to become acutely aware of trends and the uses of both existing and new products.

Technologies developed by the researchers can only be transferred to the industry through improved

and Garrie James (Outdoor Timber Wholesale). Not only are we fortunate to have the benefit of the past experience of these returning Councillors, but they have now been joined by the new part of the 2013/2014 TPAA Council who have been elected to join them as Directors of the Association. So we especially welcome Carson Backhouse (Dongwha Timbers), Lewis Fisher (Fishers Timber Preservation ) - he’s a Past President too, Andy Forster (South East Pine Treatment), Gerard Gardiner (iTreat Timber), Max Jelleff (Jelfor Timbers) - he’s a Past Councillor, Neil Mora (TimTechChem International) and Andrew Sneddon (Tamworth Treated Timbers).

communications and professionalism.

To achieve these aims TPAA needs to strut its stuff!

I concede that as a matter of expediency in recent years, we have allowed the New Zealand-based Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) to take over the specialised conference and seminar role. But, the downside is that TPAA doesn’t seem to have as strong presence as, for example in 1995 when we attracted four or five hundred delegates to our conference in Cairns.

However, it is my belief

that the industry’s future lies in sticking together on a national basis and thus being able to speak with one voice.

It is essential to improve the industry from the inside, without trying to improve your own company image by destroying that of your opposition!

To continue under our present structure, we need to have your personal commitment to a clear and formatted program, including marketing, memberships and leadership for at least the next twelve months.

You are the Association – and you’re here to help!

Kalangadoo treatment plant to reopen under new management A MOUNT Gambier-based business has purchased the idle Kalangadoo timber treatment plant.

The 10.15ha site has been sold for an undisclosed sum to the Badenoch family that operates a logging company.

Established before World War II, the plant has had a string of owners, including Softwoods, Auspine and Gunns and employed 135 people during its peak.

Forestry union Green Triangle

secretary Brad Coates welcomed the announcement the plant would reopen.

He said the sale was good for the forestry sector, given it was one of two licensed creosote operations in Australia.

“It is sad to see former timber processing sites sitting idle as you drive around the region, such as at Mount Burr, Dartmoor, Lakeside and Pine Mouldings in Mount Gambier.” – The Border Watch

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TIMBER PRESERVATION

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 10

Pine preservation has been the backbone of business T

I M B E R PRESERVATION of pine species has been the backbone of the Tarmac Group of companies since its inception in 1978. With CCA and H2F spray-line treatment facilities in Tarmac South Australia which services SA, Vic, WA & NT and two CCA plants, MicroPro, H2F spray-line, & LOSP plants in Tarmac Queensland, which services QLD and NSW, the company has a fair grasp of treatment processes and market requirements. Product range includes; treated landscape in both softwood & hardwood, (sleeper, post, rail, paling, decking & agricultural roundwood) a full range of F7 dried after CCA pine section, MGP pine framing in H2, H3, LOSP & H2f ‘SafeFrame’. Facilities for custom treatment and manufacturing are available including; re-saw/planer mill, pack docking, strip & grading line, kiln drying etc.

Osmose provide chemical supply and technical support to the Tarmac Group. A long-standing relationship has been effective in Quality Assurance, developing and

implementing environmental monitoring systems and procedures and keeping abreast of new trends and technologies.

The implementation of a micronized copper treatment process last year has gone a long way toward improving environmental, practical

product. The quick turn around times and product stability that Light Organic Solvent Process (non redry) facilitates has become a favoured treatment option, particularly of framing product in a visual application.

For purely structural applications

A long-standing relationship has been effective in Quality Assurance, developing and implementing environmental monitoring systems and procedures and keeping abreast of new trends and technologies. and aesthetic criteria as an alternative to ACQ treatment.

Although the APVMA have put in place controls around CCA treatment in certain applications, we find CCA is still the benchmark for durability and much of our volume remains in this

of framing, the H2F blue sprayed bifenthrin marketed as SafeFrame, is gaining market share and a prudent choice for termite protection within structures.

Tarmac Qld have recently undergone an upgrade to the water borne (CCA &

Wholesale suppliers of quality pine & hardwood.

Timber preservation treatment facilities include, LOSP, CCA, MicroPro, H2f A full range of pine product is available ex stock, including framing, landscape, treated hardwood, F7 sections, decking, custom profiles, post, rail, paling, flooring, ply, export & domestic pallet, battens & all structural grades.

Since 1978 Tarmac has grown to provide a reliable supply of quality product at competitive pricing, call for best service.

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MicroPro) treatment plant via the implementation of the latest Process Control System as developed by Osmose in their American facility.

The system is much more than a pretty new computer interface. Along with the addition of a Variable Speed Drive on the pressure pump and a fresh pneumatic micro-switch board for the full plant, the PCS allows greater control of the process throughout and increased reporting features and functions. Pressure cycles have historically ended abruptly. The introduction of slow relief valves added a degree of control that improved control of uptake and reduced dripping of chemical from the product directly after treatment. The level of control available using a VSD to effectively ramp down from full pressure is infinite. Although a medium need be struck between excessive cycle time and improved results, the benefit is apparent and measurable.

Accountability in process is necessary as a base function of Quality Assurance.

Whether for internal checks on activity and product compliance or client requirements and requests for proof of treatment result, clear, credible data need be available. The capability to search result by date, charge number, section or pack number is a welcome improvement. As a key indicator of treatment results in terms of uptakes, the PCS reports are invaluable.

Obviously testing for penetration and fixation remain an import adjunct to the QA system. Productivity can be gauged by direct access to charge and change over summary reports.

Reporting of reconciliation of chemical usage between delivered chemical stock, stock on hand and uptakes recorded, provide an instant base from which to react to issues as they arise, rather than the delayed reaction possible from waiting for P&L figures showing a disparity.

There is no doubt that treated timber will continue to be an important product within the complete timber range. New formulations and processes may enable cost efficiencies and product improvements.

Market requirements drive product acceptability as much as legislative and licensing factors limiting or directing the proper use of chemicals.

Yet it is disturbing to see, on occasion, inferior product being sold into the market.

Any treatment plants

taking ‘shortcuts’, whether by treating un-seasoned sleepers, undertreating or otherwise not adhering to Australian Standards, must realize that it is the integrity of the product as whole which is being brought into disrepute. The timber

industry in general should take seriously any action that may result in bad press as a result of service product failure. Better that the industry self regulate than reduce the market perception and credibility of such a robust and diverse product.

TIMBER PRESERVATION

11 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Wood groups protest EPA proposed formaldehyde rule

By Karen Koenig Woodworking Network

A

M E R I C A N FORMALDEHYDE emissions regulations proposed by the EPA are being criticized by a number of wood industry groups for their inclusion of laminated products and the ban on adhesives containing urea formaldehyde.

Calling the proposed regulations a “jobs killer,” the groups say EPA’s proposed emissions regulations ignore the directive by Congress and instead go beyond the scope of the formaldehyde rules set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Formaldehyde emissions regulations impact producers of panels and products made from particleboard, mediumdensity fiberboard (MDF) and hardwood plywood, including cabinetry, furniture and casegoods. Also affected are sellers of these products.

Comments challenging the EPA’s proposed rule “Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products,” have been filed by the Federal Wood Industries Coalition (FWIC)

and its members, which include: the Composite Panel Association, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, the American Chemistry Council, the American Home Furnishings Alliance, APA – The Engineered Wood Association, Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers, Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association, European Panel Federation, International Wood Products Association, Moulding & Millwork Producers Association, National Association of Music Merchants, National Retail Federation, and National Wood Flooring Association.

“EPA’s proposals will be a jobs killer for American manufacturing due to the agency’s departure from what was intended by Congress, and that must change,” Tom Julia, CPA president, said in a statement. “The proposed regulations would impose costly, unnecessary burdens to finished products manufacturers that could shutdown domestic production across several industries.”

Julia added, “We applaud

EPA’s consultations with industry over the past three years and its stated desire to synchronize the national standard with California’s ATCM. This makes it especially surprising that EPA has moved in an alarming direction on a number of key provisions.”

The KCMA agreed, saying in a statement that it did not expect EPA’s inclusion of laminated products in the broad definition of hardwood plywood and

that the proposed regulation “departs dramatically from the performance-based approach adopted by CARB” which distinguished between panel producers and fabricators.

“The single most costly and burdensome aspect of EPA’s proposed rule is the agency’s decision to disregard CARB, KCMA and others on the treatment of ‘laminated products.’ Instead of following the ATCM as intended by Congress, EPA dramatically

expanded the requirements.

This represents the single most significant variation from the approach taken by the current California rule,” KCMA Executive Vice President Dick Titus said in a statement.

There are two parts to EPA’s formaldehyde rule: “ThirdParty Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products” (TPC rule) and “Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for

Australian perspective

“The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a registered CARB certification body and we can certify Australian manufacturing organisations against the US formaldehyde regulations,” said EWPAA general manger Simon Dorries.

“The significant point of opposition in the US is that under the original CARB regulation (Califoirnia only), only panel manufacturers (plywood, MDF, PB etc) were regulated and had to be certified. This, while costly and inconvenient, was easily achievable for most medium to large companies making these products.

“The proposed Federal regulation casts a far wider net and captures small furniture manufacturers or any business that uses adhesive to bond a laminate onto wood panels.

This includes two and three person boutique furniture manufacturing operations. To expect such micro and small businesses to carry the cost of certification (5-10K/yr), plus the fact that close to 50,000 such businesses in the US must now be certified is potentially unworkable.

“In Australia, any funiture manufacturer or joiner overlaying decorative veneers onto furniture for the US will be required by US law to be certified as meeting formaldehyde

Composite Wood Products” (the implementation rule). Other changes that the FWIC has said it would like to see for the federal formaldehyde regulation include: a strengthening of third-party certifier requirements; the inclusion of a de minimis exemption; the replacement of EPA’s proposal for noncomplying lots with a 72hour notice provision; and the protection of confidential business information.

emission standards. “The penalties under current Californian legislation for supplying non-certified materials is $10,000 for each day the materials are within borders of California. I assume the new Federal penalties will be similar. I am unsure if any furniture manufactured in Australia is exported to the US and if there any impacts in Australia.

“The EWPAA strongly supports formaldehyde reduction in wood panels and supports the principles behind the Federal Legislation.

However, we have concerns over the cost and practicalities of enforcing the proposed legislation for small businesses,” Dorries said.

HOUSING & BUILDING

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 12

New home sales show positive growth N

EW HOME sales increased in both the month and quarter of September 2013, according to a Housing Industry Association report.

“Total new home sales reached their highest level in over two years in September 2013,” said HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale. “Given the recovery in sales is occurring from a record low and that the upward momentum appeared to be stalling in mid-2013, this September outcome is very positive.”

The HIA New Home Sales report, a survey of Australia’s largest volume builders, showed that total seasonally adjusted new home sales increased by 6.4% in September 2013, the fastest monthly growth since April last year. The increase reflected a 4.5% rise in detached house sales and a 19.9% jump in multi-unit sales.

“There is clear upward momentum in detached house sales which grew by 3.7% in the September 2013 quarter to be up by 25.2% when compared with the same quarter last year,” said Dr Dale. “Sales of multi-units fell by 5.7% in the quarter and were largely flat compared with the

same period in 2012. “A strong September result for new home sales needs to gather further steam and clear upward momentum for building approvals and new housing finance needs to occur over the foreseeable future.

“These outcomes would provide confidence that the first round new home building recovery seen in 2012/13 can gather legs this financial year,” added Dr Dale.

In the month of September 2013 private detached house sales increased by 15.7% in Victoria, 4.6% in South Australia, and 2.1% in Western Australia. Monthly sales fell in New South Wales (-2.9%) and Queensland (-5.1%). Over the September 2013 quarter, detached house sales increased in three of the surveyed states – NSW (+3.5%), Victoria (+10.2%), and Queensland (+3.8%). Detached house sales declined over the September quarter in SA (-0.7%) and WA (-3.3%). Compared to their long term average, detached house sales are lower in four out of the five states, with WA being the exception. The largest shortfalls are evident for Queensland and SA.

Builders join industry call for urgent workers comp reform MASTER BUILDERS has joined with Queensland’s peak industry bodies to call for urgent amendments to the Queensland Workers’ Compensation Scheme.

Executive Director Grant Galvin said it was a first to see key industry players getting together in one room and agreeing on the need to urgently address Queensland’s current unrestricted access to common law.

“Common law damages claims remain well above the historical average and account for a disproportionate amount of the overall cost of the scheme,” Galvin said.

“In the building and construction industry, there has been a 23% increase in premiums in the last four years, with some sectors such as bricklaying and concreting up more than 30%.

“This is a massive concern for Master Builders, particularly as many of our members are small businesses and are finding these premiums unsustainable.

“Currently, the common law process represents an expensive means of awarding compensation to workers

compared to the statutory process particularly for injuries assessed as zero or a low WRI per cent.

“We understand that sometimes a worker must seek recourse through common law and indeed we do not seek to deny access to compensation for workers who have significant ongoing impairment as the result of sustaining a work related injury.

“Rather, we believe this issue must be considered against achieving the most efficient means of delivering fair outcomes for all stakeholders.”

Attending a Brisbane meeting were representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, Australian Industry Group, Housing Industry Association, Queensland Trucking Association, Association of Self Insured Employers and the Australian Sugar Milling Council.

The push has also been supported strongly by Timber Queensland, Queensland Farmers’ Federation and Master Electricians Australia.

Galvin said Queensland and the ACT were the

only jurisdictions that provided unrestricted access to common law.

“But Queensland employers consider that the statutory process provides appropriate compensation outcomes for work related injuries (WRI) assessed as zero or a low WRI per cent,” Galvin said.

“A threshold of at least 5% WRI would provide due relief for employers as well as allowing injured workers with higher WRI assessments to still have appropriate recourse to common law.

“For example, the implementation a 5% threshold would reduce an average premium from $1.45 to $1.23, which is a 15% reduction.

“This, in-turn, would provide significant stimulus in the economy.

“We are committed to best practice workers’ compensation arrangements for the protection of all Queensland employers and workers.

“While the outcome from the recent review was disappointing, the Government should not be deterred from reforming the scheme".

No Melbourne Cup rate surprise “IT WAS universally expected that interest rates would be held steady so there was no surprise winner,” said HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale, when commenting on the Reserve Bank’s Melbourne Cup day decision to put rates on hold..

“The key focus was always what the RBA had to say in the accompanying statement because a growing divide was emerging as to whether or not there will be further interest rate cuts in this cycle,” remarked Dr Dale.

“The RBA has left the door ajar for a further interest rate reduction given the current

Dates for your Diary

Promote your events in this publication (and also on our electronic Daily Timber News).

Lodge details at j.hudswell@ryanmediapl.com.au or phone (08) 7127 6370.

23 November 2013 Queensland Timber Industry Annual Gala Dinner hosted by TABMA QLD. 6:30pm Moda Events, Portside Wharf, Hamilton.

Enquiries to Alicia Oelkers 07 3254 3166 or alicia@tabma.com.au

14-17 January 2014 Western Pallet Association Annual Meeting - Rancho Mirage, California, United States. Email: wpa@westernpallet. org. Web: http://www.westernpallet.org/ annual_meeting.htm

25-27 November 2013 6th International Colloquium on Eucalyptus Pulp (ICEP), Colonia del Sacramento, Uraguay. www.fing.edu.uy/ iiq/6thicep/

4-14 February 2014 International Builders’ Show - Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Email: NAHB@ experient-inc.com Web: http://www.buildersshow.com/

26-29 November 2013 13th International Specialised Exhibition Woodex. Woodex is the largest specialized trade fair introducing the leading international manufacturers of timber and woodworking equipment.

For 15 years Woodex have been the leading woodworking forum in Russia attracting more participants and visitors every year. www.woodexpo.ru

17-21 February 2014.

Gottstein Wood Science Course, Melbourne, www.gottsteintrust.org or secretary@gottsteintrust.org or phone Silvia Pongracic 0418 764 954

2014

10-12 March 2014 RISI European Pulp & Paper Outlook Conference.Prague, Czech Republic.

14-15 January 2014Truck Loggers Association Annual Convention and Expo - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Email: contact@tla.ca.

Web: http://www.tla.ca

uncertain economic environment and, in particular, what it terms the ‘uncomfortably high’ exchange rate.

“A new home building recovery appears to be gathering legs but actual activity data has yet to confirm this, while renovations activity is endeavouring to recover from a decade low.

“The RBA’s inclination to adopt a wait and see approach rather than ruling out future interest rate cuts is entirely appropriate at this juncture in the economic cycle,” said Dr Dale.

4-6 March 2014 Ecobuild, ExCel, London Email: info@ ecobuild.co.uk. URL: http://ecobuild. co.uk/

19 March 2014 ForestWood. Wellington, New Zealand. www.forestwood.org.nz

1-3 April 2014 Russian Wood & Timber Conference.

InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya Hotel

14-21 August 2014 Aseanwood Woodtech - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Email: info@tradelink.com.my Web: http://www.tradelink.com.my/ woodtech/index.php

15 May 2014 Timber Trades’ Benevolent Society Timber testing AGM. Royal Air Force Club, 128 30 August – 1and September 2014 Piccadilly. info@ttbs.org.uk. www.ttbs.quality Timber & Working With Wood, Canberra. assurance org.uk Exhibition Park For timber treatment plant operators

Providing confidence for all market 19 May 2014 14-15 September 2014sectors users Paper / China Forest - Shanghai, Frame Australia. Park Hyatt Melbourne.and endChina www.frameaustralia.com China. Email: phoebe@ejkbeijing.com Web: http://www.chinapaperexpo.cn/ 16-18 May 2014 Timber & Working With Wood, Brisbane.

7-8 October 2014 RNA Showgrounds Timber Expo. Birmingham NEC. loretta. sales@timber-expo.co.uk.

The IVS Timber Preservation http://www.

Quality 4-6 June 2014 timber-expo.co.uk/ Assurance Programme, demonstrates to Carrefour International du Bois. La your clients that your timber is Beaujoire Exhibition Park, Nantes, 14-15 October 2014 fit-for-purpose and will meet expected levels France. info@timbershow.com. http:// Timber Processing and Energy of durability and product safety. Expo www.timbershow.com Portland, Oregon, United States. Email: dianne@hattonbrown.com.

Web: http:// IVS, working with you to achieve quality 9-11 June 2014 www.timberprocessingandenergyexpo.

RISI Asian Pulp & Paper Outlook com/ Independent Audit Body Competitive Pricing • World Class Testing Conference. Shanghai, China Online Testing Portal and Chemical Reconciliation 15-18 October 2014 Branded Timber – Quality Assurance for Consumers 25-27 July 2014 World Forestry Congress - XIII - Buenos Timber & Working With Wood, Sydney.

Aires, Argentina. Email: info@cfm2009.org Sydney Olympic Park For more information contact

6-9 August AWISA Exhibition. Brisbane

Tim Evans Business Development - Australia m 0417 726 741 p 1800 812 498 e tim.evans@ivsltd.com.au www.ivsltd.com.au

Brought to you by

ABN 95 127 158 512

FRAME AUSTRALIA

13 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Expanding markets for prefabrication TO MEET the emerging demand for building modules to be produced off-site, a session on the manufacture and supply of pre-fabricated timber and engineered wood building systems will be included in the Frame Australia 2014 conference program.

Pre-fabricated components include truss and frame, cassette, panellised, and engineered timber products required by developers and builders of detached housing, multiresidential and commercial building developments.

The Frame conference titled “Prefab Timber and Engineered Wood in Building Construction” will be held in May next year when, following several years of low market activity, the increase in new dwelling construction is predicted to continue.

Frame Conference director Kevin Ezard said the increase now underway in residential demand had resulted in builders seeking options to speed up the dwelling construction process to expand their capacity for sales.

“It could be said that site-based building in Australia and New Zealand has reached the limit of construction speed that can be realistically achieved using traditional methods and systems,” he said.

Importantly, medium-density housing is also gaining ground in the use of timber construction systems, and is increasingly seen as essential if cities are to grow and remain sustainable.

Alternative forms of construction such as panelised prefabrication provide real opportunities to

move beyond the current levels of productivity, health and safety, speed of construction and build quality in order to achieve these goals.

In Europe, where site-based stick framing or building with ‘open’ wall frames is virtually unheard of, has been using timber prefabrication and panelised construction for many years and is highly advanced in the efficient delivery of residential dwellings and multi-storey high performance buildings.

Serving as an example for us to follow, the Continent is now leading the charge to use wood as the preferred material for prefabricated buildings.

However, building construction in Europe is somewhat different to Australia and New Zealand, and the prefab manufacturing systems may need adaptation to fit Australian building construction methods and building codes.

An initiative for a study tour of Europe in December, to be led by principal of js betz consulting in New Zealand, Johann Betz, will discover

how prefabrication is undertaken on the Continent.

Johann is a leading expert on panelised prefabrication and has assembled a group comprising architects, engineers, builders, sawmillers, wood processors, truss and frame fabricators from both New Zealand and Australia.

“I have studied both the European and New Zealand/Australian methods of construction, and it is obvious panelised prefabrication can act as a catalyst to more quickly create higher performance and better quality buildings,” Johann said.

“The object of the European study tour is to understand how their panelised prefabrication industry works and what concepts can be transferred to Australia and New Zealand to help raise the productivity and quality of our built environment.

“We also want to know how to set up, and the costs involved, of a panelised prefab operation, to understand the technology from design to production and assembly, and how prefabricators

manage the information flow from estimation to completion to achieve maximum productivity.

“What’s more, as can be seen from overseas experience, this form of construction also creates a pull-through for wood and other associated building materials from small residential to larger multi-storey buildings.”

Kevin said organisers were delighted that Johann would summarise the findings of the study tour at the Frame 2014 conference, particularly from the vastly different perspectives of the participants.

“It will be interesting to hear their views on the future for prefabrication based on what they experienced in Europe,” he said.

Limited time availability for potential conference delegates has meant Frame Australia 2014 has been condensed to a one-day event from the normal two days in the past. As a result, organisers have reviewed the speaker sessions and plan to fit topics to the one-day format without

lessening the “real” content of the program.

With the shortened time allocation comes a resultant reduction in delegate registration fee costs of 40% – with sponsorship levels reduced by 30% to a low of $3500 for an exhibitor display.

Organisers believe that not only will a one-day conference hold greater appeal, it will increase the number of delegates from all sectors of the industry, including prefabrication, timber supply and building construction.

Frame Australia conferences have been held for the past 15 years and the 2014 event will be held on 19 May at the Park Hyatt Melbourne.

For more information visit www. frameaustralia.com

Summer time and the BAL rings ALREADY WE’VE experienced serious bushfires in New South Wales and it isn’t even summer yet. Standards are in place to ensure that at least in bushfire prone areas there are regulations on what can be used in construction and it is important to gain an understanding of the Bushfire Attack Levels (BAL).

Boris Iskra, of Wood Products Victoria, spoke at a recent TMA breakfast in Melbourne on the subject of BAL and the standards surrounding timber use in designated bushfire areas.

“I’ve had quite a bit of involvement in the development of the standard itself, the Bushfire Standard,” said Iskra.

“Those Standards are for use of timber products in fire both in the residential and commercial buildings.

“So the basic objective of the standard is to enhance the performance of buildings and hopefully offer occupants some additional safety during the event of a fire.

Some refuge.”

There are six Bushfire Attack Levels: BAL-LOW; BAL-12.5; BAL-19; BAL-29; BAL-40 and BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) that form part of the Australian Standard for construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas (AS 3959-2009).

“So the standard provides a whole lot of solutions for construction, in the standard there are six BAL levels but now in Victoria you can’t use BAL low if you are in a designated bushfire area,” explained Iskra.

And there is a vast amount of area in Victoria that is a designated bushfire area.

Some areas are quite a bit closer to suburbia than you might think.

In effect we’ve got five BAL levels in Victoria. BAL 12.5 is the minimum

requirement; BAL 29 is the cut off for timber products (there’s BAL 12.5, 19 and 29).

At BAL 29 you start to get unpiloted ignition of timber, there’s also BAL 40 and BAL-FZ, which is in effect getting touched by flames.

The 12.5 and 19 relates to radiant heat as a value in kW per square metre – at 10kW a square metre a person would feel pain in three seconds that’s at the lowest value.

The standards and the types of timber that can be used at the various BAL levels are too complex to detail here.

Australia has a number of high-density timbers that provide an inherent natural bushfire resistance. Seven of these are defined as bushfire-resisting timbers and are specified in AS3959-2009. They are solid, dense hardwoods that performed well in extensive fire testing.

A guide has also been published, Building with Timber in Bushfire-prone areas that provides a detailed overview on what is required in each BAL to design and build with timber.

To get further information visit w w w.w p v. o r g . a u / b u s h f i r e s . h t m Boris Iskra, of Wood Products Victoria

Knowledge for a sustainable Australia

Call for expressions of interest for FWPA R&D project funding opportunities November 2013 Forest and Wood Products Australia invites the submission of research proposals for projects commencing from 1 July 2014 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. Details of forest and wood products industry priorities can be found in the series of active industry investment plans available from http://www.fwpa.com.au/Investment-Plans-andPriorities Each investment plan provides details of industry outcomes expected from successfully completed projects in addition to guidance regarding the level of available FWPA funding within each priority area. Preference will be directed towards project proposals containing significant levels of co-investment by project partners and collaborators.

Total FWPA funding of $1.5 Million is available for the 2014/15 financial year with an expectation that increasing levels of funding will be accessible for subsequent financial years.

Funding proposals, due by Friday 12 February 2014, should be submitted using the form available from http://www.fwpa.com.au/information-forresearchers. Completed proposals should be submitted to chris.lafferty@ fwpa.com.au Note this funding call is specifically for projects described within currently active FWPA R&D investment plans.

Further information is available from Chris Lafferty Manager, Research Development and Extension (03) 9927 3220 Chris.Lafferty@fwpa.com.au

DECKING

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 14

Blackbutt timber species an ideal decking solution

A

U S T R A L I A N HARDWOOD species are an excellent choice for decking and outdoor landscaping because of their high density, toughness and natural beauty.

“When selecting a decking timber, it is essential to choose the right species for the job. Factors that will impact the decision may include location, durability, aesthetic preferences and how easily the timber complements other materials,” according to Clinton Skeoch, market development manager with Boral Timber.

“Blackbutt is renowned for its strength and versatility and has

an attractive blonde colour which is suitable for both flooring and decking.

Blackbutt timber is naturally fire and termite resistant1, treatment free and non-susceptible to lyctus borer making it ideal for the Australian climate.

“Combine it with F27 structural timber to complete outdoor timber requirements such as bearers and joists, stair components and exposed external beams.”

With its fire resistant properties, Blackbutt is suitable for use in bush-fire prone areas and in BAL 29 areas, as set out under Australian Standard AS3959.

Boral Blackbutt decking is

manufactured from Australian Coastal Blackbutt that has proven durability in Australian conditions.

Blackbutt has one of the highest Janka (hardness) ratings of 9.1 and is a durability class one timber above ground2, making it a durable species for decking.

When constructing a deck, all building codes and Australian Standards need to be adhered to.

Depending on the scope of the deck, detailed plans and building approvals may also be required.

Boral decking is offered in a vast range of Australian hardwood species which are seasoned for our climate and can blend harmoniously

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Residential renovation featuring Blackbutt flooring.

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with any style of outdoor area. In addition to Blackbutt, other popular species include Grey Ironbark, Spotted Gum and Tallowwood.

Boral has also achieved Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) chain of custody certification (AS 47072006) for its timber products. This means that timber used to produce Boral Timber’s hardwood flooring, decking and structural timber has been sourced from certified, legal and sustainably managed resources. The Australian Forestry Standard Scheme also has mutual recognition by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme (PEFC) - the

world’s largest forest management certifier.

Creating a continuous flow from the indoors to an outdoor space is a popular residential renovation project. Boral hardwood timber in the Australian species of Blackbutt was used for both the internal flooring and exterior timber applications in the renovation of this Sydney home. The 90mm wide boards selected both indoors and out achieved a seamless visual effect in both colour and symmetry.

1 Australian Standard AS 3660.1-2000 2 Australian Standard AS 5604-200

esidential renovation highlighting the kitchen.

R and living area... seamless visual effect.

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aised deck in R Blackbutt.

Decked out with top award CAMPBELLFIELD BUILDING products business, ModWood Technologies, has won the Innovative Products or Services category in the Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2013 for its bushfire-resistant decking product, Flame Shield®.

ModWood Flame Shield® decking is a woodplastic composite designed and manufactured in Victoria, suitable for use in high risk bushfireprone areas up to and including Bushfire Attack Level 40 (BAL 40) - extreme bushfire conditions.

Other BAL 40 decking materials on the market are only available as aluminium or steel products.

Sustainability Victoria CEO, Stan Krpan, congratulated the ModWood team for their innovative work in developing and marketing Flame Shield®.

“ModWood Technologies makes Flame Shield® using 90% reclaimed and recycled content, recovering resources from waste streams. Significantly, product life in service also exceeds alternative hardwood products.

“ModWood is a great example of a Victorian business responding to increasing demand for clean and green products,” he said.

Now in their eleventh year, the Premier’s Sustainability Awards celebrate efficient use of water, resources and energy, better waste management and recycling practices, the enhancement of the environment and effective, practical community action.

Overall winner for the night, recipient of the Premier’s Recognition Award, was a project

by Moonee Valley City Council and Wingate Avenue Community Centre for introducing recycling to a community housing estate.

The full list of winners of the Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2013: The Premier’s Recognition Award - Moonee Valley City Council and Wingate Avenue Community Centre, taking recycling to public housing residents

n David Cooper, general manager of ModWood, with the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Ryan Smith.

The Premier’s Regional Recognition Award - Victoria Carpets, for their work in energy and emissions reduction in their Bendigo plant Innovative Products or Services Award ModWood Technologies for development of Flame Shield®, a wood-plastic composite for building in bushfire areas Infrastructure and Buildings Award - RMIT University for their Swanston Academic Building: a progressive tertiary learning environment Environmental Protection Award - Mallee Catchment Management Authority’s project: Restoring the balance in the drought-riven Hattah Lakes Education Award - Bentleigh Secondary College - a world recognised, very sustainable school Small and Medium Enterprises Award – RaeLine for embedding sustainability practices in manufacturing soft trim components for trucks Large Business Award – Victoria Carpets Community Award - Moonee Valley City Council and Wingate Avenue Community Centre.

ENGINEERED WOOD

15 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

EWPAA ‘flies’ safe message on industry’s emission levels A

POINT-of-sale flier that guarantees Australian and NZ engineered wood products are tested to conform to safe emission levels demanded by health authorities adds to an on-going consumer awareness campaign by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

The fliers, which will be attached to product packs at distribution points, carry a message that products manufactured by EWPAA members are certified Super E0, EO and E1 under a strict JAS-ANZ accredited system.

The campaign, which also includes the distribution of thousands of adhesive labels with a similar message to furniture manufacturers, kitchen makers and joiners, follows concerns about imported material, mostly from Asia, that has failed Australian standards

formaldehyde emissions.

Laboratory tests by EWPAA have shown some imported wood panels with emissions greater than 3 mg/L, well above safe levels recommended by the Federal Government’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS).

“Random testing reveals unsafe materials are still entering the Australian market – a potentially serious problem,” EWPAA general manager Simon Dorries said.

Recently, plywood and veneer wardrobes and joinery items imported from China and installed on a multi-unit building project in northern NSW were condemned after the Department of Housing found emission levels had “soared through the roof” and the health and safety of occupants was put at risk.

The project cost the developers an additional $1.3 million to replace the furniture and employ plumbers and electricians for a complete re-build after the non-compliance order.

NICNAS, which is responsible for the assessment and safe use of industrial chemicals, has advised construction workers and wood panel users against the use of products that contain formaldehyde exceeding the low emission limits of E0 and E1.

Products meeting E0 and E1 are considered safe in all applications including indoor and poorly ventilated applications.

A report by NICNAS has detailed the potential health hazards associated with formaldehyde exposure from pressed wood products that fail to meet low emission standards.

Wide interest in EWPAA product knowledge days WELL SUPPORTED and covering the full gamut of engineered wood products, the EWPAA product knowledge course on the Gold Coast attracted more than 25 speakers and representatives of member companies from four States, New Zealand and Fiji.

“The interaction and feedback from the group stamped the course as a ‘must-attend’ event for the industry,” said Simon Dorries, general manger of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia, at the close of three days of presentations and site visits.

Sessions included structural properties

n

WPAA executive assistant Sonia Moore is pictured at Plywood House in E Brisbane sorting the fliers for distribution to members.

and applications of plywoods, LVL, particleboard, and MDF; timber preservation; finishing and detailing; durability; forrmaldehyde emission tests; panel quality control; 5 Star and greater energy efficiency and the effects on engineered wood products; and forest certification.

Strong interest centred on sessions about close scrutiny of important EWPAA standard products in various market segments and ‘selling’ product advantages and how to deal with substitutes in the sales situation.

Be sure. Be safe. n

Investing in knowledge on the Gold Coast – standing, from left, Sonia Moore executive assistant, EWPAA, Andy McNaught, technical manager, EWPAA. Lauren Smart, Zelam, Shane Devereaux, Jowat Adhesives, Glenn Ryan, industry consultant, Simon Dorries, EWPAA general manager, Justin Skehan, Big River, Mukhtar Ali-Valebasoga and Abid Afjal-Valebasoga, Fiji, Matthew Rafferty, Big River, Lizan Yee, Austral Plywoods, and Peter Law, Wesbeam. Bottom row, from left, Andrew McGregor, Big River, Stephen King, Gerflor, Michael Kelaart, Brad Stinson Greg Nicol and Dave Moffatt, all from Big River, Cassey Lindberg, Carter Holt Harvey New Zealand, and Joanne Cichero, Gerflor.

ENGINEERED WOOD

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 16

EWPAA to run STIC program in NZ T

HE STRUCTURAL Timber Innovation Co (STIC) is now managed by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia since funding of the NZbased research consortium has ended.

STIC guided a $12 million program to develop and commercialise new technologies to allow structural timber to compete more effectively in the building and construction market.

The company continues with three shareholders, all producers of LVL: • Wesbeam, a Western Australian owned, unlisted public company operating from a $100 million LVL manufacturing plant in Neerabup, north of Perth.

• Carter Holt Harvey, Australasia’s most comprehensive wood manufacturing, distribution and sales business producing sawn timber, plywood, LVL and particleboard flooring products.

• Nelson Pine Ltd, based at Richmond in the NZ South Island, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry Co Ltd of Tokyo, Japan.

Former STIC chief executive officer Dr Robert Finch has taken a full-time position as director of the Quake Centre at the University of Canterbury, established in March this year

to work with industry on joint-venture earthquake engineering research projects.

STIC’S former research director Dr Andy Buchanan, a professor in timber design at the University of Canterbury, will have a ‘watching brief’ on the new management structure and will act as a consultant as required.

STIC developed a portfolio of new pre-fabricated LVL and glulam structural building systems that has enabled multi-

materials of choice in these market segments.

“EWPAA will manage STIC as an ongoing concern and provide technical support,” EWPAA general manager Simon Dorries said.

“It’s good that STIC remains under industry control,” he said.

“If anyone calls looking for technical information, there will be someone on the other end of the line.”

Dorries said the EXPAN building method developed at the Universities of Canterbury, Auckland, and Technology Sydney, as part of STIC, represented exciting technology as economics changed in the industry, providing a readily adaptable system for large-scale buildings.

EXPAN buildings can be constructed quickly, at an equivalent cost to steel or concrete, and with all the reassurance of lightweight construction. The unique post-tensioned technology combined with the flexibility of timber also enables superior seismic capabilities.

Already, there are seven EXPAN buildings in New Zealand and the number looks set to grow substantially, with more than 260 companies across Australasia signing up for the EXPAN design and installation and fabricators licences.

“If anyone calls looking for technical information, there will be someone on the other end of the line.” storey commercial and long-span industrial portal framed buildings to be easily designed and rapidly constructed using engineered timber products.

These include design guidelines and span tables, analysis software, material properties, ratings for fire resistance, sound transmission and impact insulation, and embodied energy and sustainable building information. These are accessible by way of online registration – www.stic.co.nz. Commercialisation of these new technologies is enabling timber to effectively compete with structural concrete and steel, the two present

Climate-smart building for World Ski Championships STORA ENSO has a special tradition of partnership with the Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden, and the company is now taking another clear step in this collaboration and is ensuring the realisation of a building for the World Ski Championships at the Lugnet Arena.

“We have been given the opportunity to become involved and assume responsibility using our wood products, and ensure that we build a climatesmart centre that will be of great use to the World Ski Championships and

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Falun residents. Wooden houses and wood products store carbon dioxide throughout their lifetimes and we believe that wood construction is the way of the future. With this new building, we will be able to clearly show these advantages to our stakeholders,” says KarlHenrik Sundström, EVP, Printing and Living.

The two-storey building will be constructed at Lugnet and serve as an administrative building with space for office premises. It will comprise a wooden frame and include the

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use of prefabricated CLT elements (cross-laminated timber), and paint will be supplied by Falu Rödfärg.

Prefabricated CLT elements are a sustainable, efficient and safe method of building offering a freedom of architecture and design. With CLT elements the construction of the building at Lugnet Arena will take only six months from start to finish.

“It is highly gratifying that a global company such as Stora Enso with a strong local presence in our region has decided to invest in the World Ski Championships.

Stora Enso works exclusively with renewable materials and it was natural for us to work together with the company on constructing a climate-smart World Ski Championships building.

The building will last into the future to the delight for many people and forthcoming events at Lugnet,” says Sven von Holst, CEO WSC 2015.

“The World Ski Championships in Falun are extremely positive for the region of Dalarna and Sweden. We want to be involved and contribute to a successful and responsible event by being a main sponsor. This construction project is an excellent example of how, through partnership with local stakeholders, a global company can assume responsibility and contribute to making Lugnet a more attractive arena – even after the Championships have taken place,” says Per Lyrvall, Country Senior Executive, Sweden, Stora Enso.

10/23/13 11:42

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oveted award .. Michael Murphy, Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts, C Melbourne (right) presents the popular EWPAA Geoffrey Sanderson Trophy for excellence in design using LVL, plywood and wood panels to Andrea Quagliola of MORQ Architects, Fremantle, for the Karri Loop House at Margaret River, WA, entered in the Australian Timber Design Awards.

EWPAA trophy tells the story A NATIONAL trophy for excellence in design using plywood and laminated veneer lumber captured the imagination of architects and specifiers at the recent Australian Timber Design Awards in Melbourne.

“This is a great honour and I am pleased to be recognised among the plaques on the trophy that list architects who have won the award over the years,” said Fremantle, WA, designer Andrea Quagliola of MORQ Architecture who won the trophy presented by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

EWPAA general manager Simon Dorries said the perpetual Geoffrey Sanderson Trophy recognised the service given to the industry by “a true entrepreneur and a real innovator” who was president of the Plywood Association of Australasia (PAA) in 1988-89 and 1998-2003.

Master wood craftsman Robert Dunlop was commissioned to create the $2500

trophy; his work reflects every aspect of the beauty, strength and versatility of certified plywood and LVL. “It tells tell the plywood story,” Dunlop said.

“The trophy is a solid piece of work displaying all the qualities and colours of different plywoods – a darker piece here, a lighter piece there – that will entice questions about this wonderful material.”

The dramatic globe piece of the trophy, resting on an LVL base, has a length of 6mm laminated veneer running right through it to highlight what can be achieved with plywood laminates.

Plaques on the trophy announce the winners since the award was first presented in 2007: MORQ, Fremantle (2013), Paul Haar, Thornbury, Vic (2012), Morrison Breytenbach Architects, Hobart (2011), Bates Smart Architects, Sydney (2010), Vos Construction and Joinery, Hobart (2009), Birrelli Architects, Launceston (2008), Wright Feldhusen Architects, Subiaco, WA (2007).

ENGINEERED WOOD

17 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

CLT stars in ABC TV show T

HE EWPAA’s laboratory in Brisbane became an impromptu television studio when ABCTV’s current affairs program Landline decided its national audience should know more about engineered wood, and cross-laminated timber in particular.

The program will start with the rejoinder that every

impact on the construction industry. Talking up what has been described as ‘jumbo ply’, he said it was a remarkable idea, a remarkable product and maybe one day Australia would have its own CLT manufacturing plant.

CLT is made from solid wood planks bonded together into large panels

Fronting the camera… EWPAA general manger Simon Dorries.

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, ker Street 5/42 Clin 4076 Darra, Qld 5 7722 Ph: 07 371 7733 5 Fax: 07 371

com.au rsystems. .com.au info@timbe ersystems www.timb

.com.au .timberbiz Web: www G , an.net.au S I N @timberm C E S l: norm P R O 4840 Emai B E R (03) 9888 T I M 4820 Fax: (03) 9888 20 Ph: Vol. 5 2012, Issue August

ding tory buil • Forte s ilt plant e bu • Purpos y ion is ke • Innovat ology n ch te • CNC

and then sandwiched into three, five or seven layers with the in-between layers running cross directionally.

“It is stronger and more resistant than typical wood frame construction. “You can’t destroy a wall easily – it is really very, very resistant,” Dorries told Landline.

“Buildings using CLT are a quarter of the weight of the same building using concrete. Having less mass also means they will behave better during ground disturbances such as earthquakes.”

Panning the laboratory, the camera picked up shelves of tested engineered wood samples – structural plywood, LVL, formwork and I-beams.

Landline, with more than two million viewers, and many more watching online and on iPod, has been ABC-TV’s main vehicle for current affairs coverage of regional and rural issues and events since 1991.

The multi-award winning show typically features stories, ranging across agri-politics and economics, business and product innovation, animal and crop science, regional infrastructure, climate and weather trends, regional and rural services, music and lifestyle.

CROSS-LAMINATED timber is a new construction material that arrives on site ready to snap together. So, it was fitting that the first building in Ottawa to use the emerging technology was a store that carries Lego.

Architect Rickson Outhet was reminded of it as he watched the big box store take shape. “Just like a toy building assembly, all of the walls were part of a pre-manufactured kit and were erected right out of the package which came from Austria,” he says.

“It’s the product of the future.It’s green beyond anything we can do in Canada.”

Playvalue was the third project in Ontario to use the product.

The environmental benefits come from using a renewable resource: young, fast-growing trees that are replaced. It takes less energy to make lumber than steel and concrete. “The whole building acts as a carbon sink,” says store owner Doug Jones.

Inside the store, creamy panels of spruce are exposed; a finished surface means additional material such as drywall is not needed.

“It’s spectacular. It’s not like anything else. The entire inside of the building is wood from floor to ceiling,” said construction manager Brad Morley.

Jones, who is a structural engineer by training, likes wood. He was intrigued by the system when he saw it a couple of years ago at a seminar by Wood WORKS!, a program of the Canadian Wood Council which promotes use of wood for non-residential projects.

He was impressed by the thermal and sound insulation and fire rating and also cost and speed.

The material for the building — 156 panels — cost less than $300,000 including shipping and duties. “It’s totally amazing.”

From order to delivery took eight weeks. The drawings were fed into a computer and in a day the panels were cut and ready. “The whole building went through their factory in one day,” says Jones.

About 200 cubic metres of panel arrived numbered and labelled from Austria to Montreal by ship on nine containers and then trucked to Ottawa. The panels are 28 feet high, four feet wide and five inches thick. They were packed in the order they would be used.

“It’s something we could be shipping to the world, rather than buying from Austria,” says Outhet.

There are two Canadian producers, in British Columbia and Quebec, but the Austrian firm Binderholz was chosen because they had more experience and “the product was vastly superior in finish,” says Outhet.

The biggest challenge was training the construction crew and bracing the panels. The final panel “dropped in like butter,” says Outhet. “It was amazing. We had one guy with a 10-pound sledgehammer at the top to give it a final tap. Everything fitted.”

FRAME AUSTRALIA

FRAME AUSTRALIA

buildingSmart with BIM J

OHN MITCHELL, chairman of buildingSmart Australasia looked around the room at the FRAME conference in Melbourne and asked if anyone knew what BIM was. Did anyone use BIM? The silence was telling.

Certainly there were people in the audience who had some knowledge while some like Claudelle Taylor of the Leighton Group had experience with BIM but mostly the audience was struck dumb.

As Mitchell went on to say, the building industry is not renowned for its affinity with and use of high tech computer software programs but it is time. Other industries have already embraced similar systems, and other countries are embracing Building Industry Modelling (BIM).

So what is Building Industry Modelling?

“BIM is 3D object model that is like a building database, easily visualized,” said Mitchell. “We can extract significant intelligence out of it.”

Currently there is a lack of integration along the supply chain linking parties and between project phases but it’s not impossible to fix.

As Mitchell said other industries such as the Australian Air Conditioning Manufacturers Association has already started supply chain integration.

Other issues that plague the building industry are its reliance on the lowest bid strategy rather than a value for money proposition. There is poor understanding of optimized and properly documented designs. According to Mitchell the “Getting it Right” study in Queensland in 2005 identified this problem. That was seven years ago and it still lingers.

There is also inadequate and ineffective use of technology and a lack of appreciation of the benefits of open communication.

In 2010 Mitchell’s organization commissioned a survey with the Commonwealth’s help that looked at adopting BIM in the Australian construction sector.

Implementation Plan. The starting point was the outcomes of the MESH conferences in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in early 2011.

The roadblocks are these: • Lack of model building protocols • Little product data for BIM object libraries • Legal and insurance impediments

We do need it, we need to build better, we need to make better use of resources.

“The economic potential is extraordinary, extraordinary, a $4 billion potential per annum - $4 billion productivity potential per annum, this mirrors many other studies around the world,” said Mitchell.

“We do need it, we need to build better, we need to make better use of resources, we need to be more efficient and deliver higher value for money.”

The lessons from the 2D CAD current technology are clear, after 20 years there are still no common guidelines, no consensus in either government or industry and the documentation instead of improving is deteriorating.

“There is significant risk if we do not align with international BIM developments – it’s a worldwide turn to BIM,” said Mitchell. buildingSMART Australasia was commissioned at the end of 2111 to undertake the development of a BIM

• Poor standards for information exchange • Inconsistencies in information handover protocols • Skills gaps • Lack of strategic research focus • Industry resistance to process change The participants at the stakeholder consultation workshops conducted by buildingSmart proposed key recommendations. First and foremost was that a BIM adoption roadmap should be completed.

Commonwealth, State and Territory governments should be encouraged to require full collaborative BIM for their building procurements and they should develop procurement processes and assistance packages to encourage its adoption.

Legal and technical instruments needed to support the introduction of BIM should

7 - August 2012, TIMBERMAN

Lend Lease lends its might to CLT be developed and aligned with relevant international codes and standards. We must think globally.

Education is a must to enable the industry to meet the demands of technology for new workers and re-training for those already in the industry.

Easy access must be facilitated to building product manufacturer’s certified information for use in all types of modelbased applications through an Australian on-line BIM products library.

Open standard data exchange protocols should be established that support collaboration and facilitate integration of the briefing, design, construction, manufacturing and maintenance supply chain throughout the entire life of a built facility.

Governments around the world are seeing the advantage of BIM as it can be used to support automated code checking, ensure buildings meet environmental and energy performance requirements, make certain asset and management information is available at all tiers of government for operational, maintenance, fiscal and strategic planning.

The global construction software industry is well advanced in the change to BIM. All the major vendors Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Nemetscheck Allplan and Bentley Triforma have IFC certification, and now Autodesk Revit has committed to IFC compliance.

Only by adopting BIM, by accepting new processes and by sharing information will the building industry stay competitive.

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FTER LISTENING to Andrew Neiland from Lend Lease it was difficult to understand why it has taken so long for Australia to embrace CLT, and even harder to understand why it has taken the major construction companies this long to make it all add up.

Initially it seemed odd that Neiland, who comes from the accounting side of the Lend Lease business, was presenting to a timberoriented audience at the Frame Australia conference.

That soon passed as he recounted the reductions that Lend Lease faced through the use of CLT in its new multi-storey Forte apartment building in Melbourne.

Admittedly it won’t be just reduced costs – but that’s the main take-away point, the other reductions relate to significantly lower construction noise, less occupational health and safety issues, and a smaller environmental footprint.

The big cost reduction will come courtesy of reduced construction time, reduced truck movements, less labour, reduced building weight leading to reduced foundation requirements and more.

“It’s lightweight, timber is roughly a fifth the weight of concrete,” said Neiland. “[with precast concrete] you only get a couple of pieces on a truck and that’s about it, you can truck a vast number of CLT panels in one go, so get a huge reduction in truck movements.

“In terms of how the site looks the general comments we have from our construction teams is clean, and how quiet and how orderly the site is,” said Neiland.

“One mobile crane, a couple days of CLT ready for installation and a crew of four guys putting it into place - very quiet and efficient process.”

Victoria Harbour was the instigator Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour has been a development hot spot for some time and Lend Lease was trying to make the most of the limited land available. On North Wharf the company was faced with a problem.

“The building conditions are not great, it’s on silt so we looked for a lightweight construction solution and came up with CLT,” said Neiland.

“That was most viable option and we found a lot more benefits than just light weight. So they assembled a team of designers and engineers to go and have a look at it.

“They saw the opportunity immediately – for an all expenses paid trip to Europe.”

It paid off, representatives from Lend Lease visited 14 projects in Europe, they visited the CLT producers and met with architects who had worked on similar projects and came away very impressed.

“They came away very impressed that it was a proven solution where the owners and occupiers really enjoyed the outcome, and really enjoyed living in these buildings,” he said.

Due diligence on the project took three years to complete.

What Lend Lease did discover and what the company has brought into play with the Forte construction in Bourke Street, Melbourne – only a few doors down from Lend Lease HQ – is that using CLT is a design process.

“It’s not taking a concrete building and replacing concrete with timber, it’s a new process. It’s about completing all your design up-front rather designing as your going,” said Neiland.

“It’s about a factory process where you sign off on the drawings, you work out all the crane movements, you work out the logistics, the truck movements then you manufacture. By doing

this we are minimizing waste and reducing errors and building faster.

“If you design it well it will last, if you design it poorly it won’t.”

Australia’s building code doesn’t take into account timber buildings taller than three storeys so for Forte Lend Lease had to undertake a fire engineered solution and that’s not something that everyone can do. It may be a barrier to highrise CLT construction in Australia unless it is addressed.

Forte is nine storeys tall (with a ground floor retail area) with 23 apartments and four townhouses.

Lend Lease was faced with a certain amount of dismay when it came to fire approvals.

“Melissa Chandler who is our building codes expert said it was the most interesting conversation she’s ever had with the fire brigade in her life.

“Saying we’re building 10 storeys of timber, the lift well, the fire stairs and we’re leaving the fire stairs exposed timber. The look on their faces was priceless. We convinced them it was a good idea,” said Neiland. “We did the fire testing of the CLT panels with the CSIRO to achieve our approvals.

“While it is not of a size that requires sprinklers we are installing sprinklers for this one,” he added.

As the ground floor is to be a retail space that floor is designed very differently to the apartments and so it is mounted on a concrete slab which was laid in February this year. The CLT installation started in June and it is anticipated that it will take eight weeks to put up and should be finished in August.

The whole building should be finished in October this year.

Neiland said that for his company it wasn’t just about building a building in CLT it needed to be a step change in sustainability and that is

certainly what has happened. This will be the first 5-star green star building built in a residential environment.

Each apartment is dual aspect and will take 25% less energy to heat and cool compared with a typical apartment, which equates to roughly $300 a year saved. All apartments will have a smart meter to link to an in-home display, which shows real time and historic data on energy consumption.

Not only that, but simply by using timber 1451 tonnes of carbon is saved (cradle to site).

Like every new idea there were challenges, the biggest was the logistics of shipping a building from Europe to Australia. KLH in Europe is the manufacturer of CLT for the Forte construction and so the panels had to be shipped to Australia and then stored awaiting installation.

Out it came – 485 tonnes of timber, 759 CLT panels shipped in 25 containers in two ships.

Lend Lease then did some other due diligence on the project, at 32.17 metres tall was it the tallest timber building in the world?

“We came across Nikolai (Sutyagin) who was friendly old chap in Russia who was lonely and in 1992 he started to build a timber house for himself. He went a couple of storeys up and just kept going and he didn’t stop until he got to about 44 metres.

“So we couldn’t go out with the claim that it is the tallest timber building so we modified it with a clause that it’s the tallest apartment timber building,” said Neiland.

For the future Neiland said that Lend Lease is considering building up to 50% of its residential apartments using CLT. “For us Forte is not a one-off demonstration building,” he said.

You can see live webcam vision of the Forte building under construction at http://www. forteliving.com.au

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Fronting the camera, EWPAA general manger Simon Dorries said he believed new CLT technology would have a similarly revolutionary

Dropped in like butter

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RECYCLED TIMBER

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 18

Reclaimed wood design exhibition experiences a surge in popularity T

HE USE of reclaimed wood is presently one of the hottest design trends, as demonstrated by the overwhelming interest in the ‘Create from a Crate’ Competition and Exhibition.

Following a six-year hiatus, the Woodworkers Association in partnership with Waste Converters have re-launched the successful competition in 2014, receiving more than double the applications than in previous years. Skilled furniture makers, sculptors, turners and carvers from around Australia have taken up the challenge to produce a prize-winning design or artwork from just two recycled wooden pallets used to import product to Australia from the USA Every year hundreds of thousands of crates and pallets containing goods and components from all over the world are imported into Australia. Much of this packaging ends up in landfill, and it is estimated that over 500,000 tonnes of timber waste is disposed of each year in Victoria, enough to fill the MCG 1.5 times.

Ward Petherbridge from Waste Converters Recycling launched the exhibition as a way of educating the community about wood-packaging waste.

“Our business recycles over 20,000 tonnes of packaging waste annually. Much of the timber processed is from exotic foreign timber species including oak,

cherry, maple and elm. On-site we repair and re-purpose a significant volume of timber pallets but unfortunately a percentage still gets pulverised into low-grade mulch.

The exhibition goes some way towards preserving and showcasing the inherent beauty of timber waste,” said Petherbridge.

Create from a Crate entrants clockmaker Will Mattysen and furniture-maker Kristen Montgomery from Sneaky Boarding Design agree. “The crates have been made from beautiful timber and are worth recycling,” said Matthysen.

According to Montgomery, ‘”he advantages are that every piece you make is unique. There is also the feeling of accomplishment you receive once you have completed a project that started off looking like a beaten and broken crate and now looks like a beautiful piece of furniture”.

Entries closed on 31 October. An exhibition will take place in both metro Melbourne and Ballarat in February and March next year.

Awards will be presented in several categories and will be judged by a panel of woodwork professionals and recycling experts. Awards include: First prize of $3,000, second prize of $2,000, third prize of $1,000 and a Waste Converters Award of $1000.

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Ward Petherbridge

Data analysis used in hunt to find lost pallets WE LIVE in a world where an extraordinary amount of data is generated every day. Much of this data is simply collected, stored and sits unused. However, corporations that analyse and interpret their data can achieve substantial economic gains.

Pallets are one of the necessary evils in the transport industry. In theory, the rental of pallets should have minimal or no impact on a transport operator’s bottom line pallets are transferred onto the operator’s account for the duration of the haul and then transferred off on delivery. Yet lost pallets seem to be a growing cost to transport operators in both rental and replacement cost.

In recent years, pallet audits by pallet providers CHEP and Loscam have found that thousands of dollars have been incurred by transport operators in lost pallets.

Customers are charged upwards of $24 by CHEP and Loscam for each pallet which is ‘lost’ or cannot be accounted for. This has prompted many transport operators to review their procedures and controls to ensure better pallet management across their networks.

Ideally, the transfer of pallets should take place when pallets are either picked up or dropped off, however, this is often not the case, and differences arise between the pallet balance in the books of transport operators and the number of pallets physically on hand.

The following reasons play a part in creating this difference: • • • • • •

exchange of pallet dockets does not take place at pick-up and/or delivery unbranded pallets are exchanged on deliveries excess pallets are not returned to pallet depot but are sold on the black market pallets are ‘de-hired’ on the wrong account staff incorrectly enter the pallet documentation into the pallet management system mismatch between consignment and pallet documentation.

With multiple warehouses, depots, transport terminals and distribution centres, the timely recording of movements can be a complex exercise prone to errors.

So, what steps can be taken to improve the capture of pallet movements? And is there a way to identify the location of the lost pallets?

Finding pallets...with data analytics Where pallets are lost, the key to their recovery can often be found in system data.

Good information management will ensure the transport operator is in a position to provide evidentiary data to assist in the recovery of these lost pallets.

KordaMentha Forensic were engaged to assist a large transport operator in locating their lost pallets using data analytics. After months of poor management and neglect, the difference between the book balance and physical pallets on hand was escalating and this was costing the company dearly.

The company was not only paying rental for the pallets it did not have, it had to record the contingent liability for the replacement cost of the lost pallets.

We assisted the company by utilising data analytics techniques to reconcile data from the consignment, financial and pallet management systems. Due to the incomplete and inconsistent nature of the data across the systems, the matching exercise was performed in multiple stages using a combination of values and ‘fuzzy’ text matching.2 As an example, one stage of the matching exercise was to compare the number of pallets loaded onto the consignment at the pick-up point (‘transferred on’, Point A below) with the number of pallets ‘transferred off’ at the final delivery point (Point B below).

Any movement in pallet balance between data sets A and B suggested that the final delivery point was a likely location of lost pallets - as not all pallets were properly ‘transferred off’ at that point. Such consignments were flagged for further investigation and reviewed back to proof of delivery documentation. This exercise was

undertaken for thousands of pallets. The results were then summarised to identify the combinations of recipients and locations for lost pallets. From this analysis, we identified that the top ten recipients of consignments accounted for 70% of the lost pallets. This allowed for minimal effort by the company’s management to negotiate and recover most of the pallets.

Saving costs with data analytics The loss of pallets can have a substantial financial effect on the organisation, as is shown in the example below.

During the annual stocktake of pallets, ‘Haulage Ltd’ was unable to locate 50,000 pallets. As Haulage Ltd was charged a daily rental charge for un-returned pallets, this suggested Haulage Ltd had been paying $1,750 a day (based on 3.5 cents/day) in rental cost for pallets it did not have on hand.

At this point, Haulage Ltd had the option of either paying the replacement cost of $25 per pallet (amounting to $1.25 million), or attempting to locate the ‘lost’ pallets and return them.

But as every additional day added $1,750 in rental costs, timing was crucial.

Manual reconciliation of 50,000 pallet movements would have been complex and time consuming but using data analytics, Haulage Ltd was able to quickly identify the potential location of the lost pallets.

As well as saving a substantial amount of money, Haulage Ltd identified the underlying control weakness to prevent the repeat of such losses.

The unpalatable truth: the user must pay It appears that this issue is not just restricted to transport operators. Other companies who retain pallets delivered to them may also need to pay rental costs for lost pallets, as a case against hardware retailer Bunnings in 2010 suggests.

In May 2010, the NSW Supreme Court ordered Bunnings to pay CHEP $10.98

million plus interest for the daily hire of almost 65,000 pallets between January 2002 and mid-20072. Bunnings was found liable because they had used CHEP pallets that were left behind with deliveries by transport operators for commercial uses such as: to display goods in their stores to rack goods for longer-term storage to shift goods from store to store.

The case puts forward a significant proposition – the user of the pallets may be liable for the rental cost even though they are not a CHEP customer. This suggests that companies which receive their deliveries on large volumes of pallets may need to implement their own pallet management systems to avoid incurring similar costs.

Conclusion Whenever there is data, analytics can be used as a powerful tool to drive substantial economic gains for any corporation. The benefits include: forming high level decisions backed by data driven facts identifying previously hidden insights through a reconciliation across multiple apparently un-related data sources achieving competitive advantages.

In the lost pallets example, we were able to reconcile large volumes of our client’s data across multiple data sources. This allowed our client to prioritise the recovery of pallets, negotiate a settlement with the pallet company and benefit from a reduction in substantial ongoing costs.

Footnotes 1’Fuzzy’ text matching refers to the technique of finding words that sound or look alike. Matching the names ‘Smith’ to ‘Smythe’ is an example. Using this technique becomes a necessity when dealing with free form text fields, that is, data that is filled in manually.

2Chep v Bunnings [2010] NSWSC 301.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter.

Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

FLOORING

19 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Parquetry adds a premium finish to commercial premises U

SED IN some of the world’s grandest buildings, parquetry provides a practical and aesthetically adaptable solution for heavy traffic areas in commercial premises.

Durable and distinctive, this flooring style is ideal for retail and hospitality refurbishments, enabling modern or classic patterning using contrasting timber colours and grains.

According to Boral Timber’s Clinton Skeoch while timber flooring has long been viewed as a practical flooring solution, business owners can create unique focal points using the beautiful geometric patterns of parquet flooring.

“The customisable nature of block parquetry makes it perfect for adding a distinctive touch to a property, whether it’s a fashion retailer, designer hotel or busy restaurant”, said Skeoch. “Building owners can use a mix of timber species, or just one species, to design custom patterns or recreate popular patterns such as herringbone or basketweave.

“For a complete and complementary flooring solution, designers can opt for a mix of timber flooring products throughout a commercial space; the hard-wearing nature of parquetry for high traffic areas and the simplicity of hardwood timber solid strip in other areas.”

Parquetry flooring can be easily maintained and any damage can be simply fixed by replacing just the affected blocks. Furthermore, after years of wear and tear the entire floor can be restored by sanding and resealing.

The Boral parquetry range is available in a wide selection of Australian hardwood timber species including Blackbutt,

Sydney Blue Gum, Brushbox, Flooded (Rose) Gum, Ironbark, Spotted Gum and Red Mahogany.

Boral Timber has achieved Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) Chain of Custody certification for its timber products.

This means that timber used to produce Boral Timber’s hardwood flooring and decking has been sourced from certified, legal and sustainably managed resources.

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Stunning, practical parquetry.

While actual indexes of national economic conditions and climate for Investment remained relatively unchanged in contractionary territory in September, their expectation indicators for the December quarter have moved further into positive territory, to their highest levels in three years.

Over the next 12 months, business expects price pressures to remain contained; wage growth is expected to moderate and the unemployment rate is expected to improve marginally over the same period.

on the importance of a list of 20 factors as constraints on the level of investment in plant and equipment. The overall, or average, index level for all constraints showed that constraints on investment fell to 35.9 in the September quarter from 37.5 in the June quarter.

The list presented shows the 10 most important constraints on business investment and shows that the current major impediments to investment flow from four main sources: Government taxes and regulations, the labour market, financial issues such as the level of interest rates and bank charges, as well as macroeconomic conditions.

Business taxes and Government charges remained the largest constraint on business investment for the 21st successive quarter in September. It is concerning that Government regulatory requirements continued to put significant constraints on business capital expenditure plans.

Federal and State Government regulations fell to fourth and fifth positions respectively over the quarter, while Local Government regulations remained at tenth position. These findings marked the sixth successive quarter in which all impediments related to Government regulations and levies are ranked within the top 10 constraints on business investment.

Continued softness in domestic demand have seen insufficient demand and local competition increasing from fourth and sixth positions respectively to second and third largest impediments on investment in the September quarter. Despite weak trading conditions, costs of hiring workers have remained elevated with non-wage labour costs edging up to sixth from seventh position, and wage costs declining from fifth to seventh position.

Financial constraints remained prominent in the top 10 over the quarter, with Insufficient retained earnings and current levels of debt remaining at eighth and ninth positions respectively.

Quarterly constraints on investment

Top 10 constraints on investment

Own business

While the current index of own business conditions moved into positive territory for the first time in more than two years, sales and profitability remained relatively unchanged in negative territory over the September quarter.

Nonetheless, forward projections for these indicators for the December quarter have improved significantly to their highest level since December 2010.

The index of expected number of full-time employees continued to fall marginally in September, defying the upward trend observed in most of the other expectation indicators in this survey. This reading indicates that business hiring intentions over the final quarter of 2013 and early 2014 will remain lacklustre.

National economy

ACCI’s quarterly index of constraints on investment found that business taxes and Government charges remains the largest constraint on business investment in each successive quarter since June 2008. It is concerning that Government regulatory requirements have continued to inhibit business capital expenditure plans, with Federal, State and Local Government regulations remaining in the top-ten largest impediments on business investment for the sixth successive quarter.

Constraints on investment – red tape burden remains prominent The ACCI survey seeks information from respondents

Beetle infected forest.

Photo by Lorraine Maclauchlan

Beetle battle is floored!

Improvement in business confidence despite weakness in actual business conditions THE OCTOBER 2013 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Survey of Investor Confidence has found that while business expectations improved significantly over the September quarter, actual business conditions remained relatively unchanged at low levels over the quarter. Despite the welcome improvement in business expectations, from past experience, this optimism is unlikely to translate into actual outcomes given the continued weakness in current trading conditions.

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1. Business taxes and Government charges (1) 2. Insufficient demand (4) 3. Local competition (6) 4. Federal Government regulations (2) 5. State Government regulations (3) 6. Non-wage labour costs (7) 7. Wage costs (5) 8. Insufficient retained earnings (8) 9. Current levels of debt (9) 10. Local Government regulations (10) + The figures in brackets show the ranking in the June 2013 quarter.

GAYLORD HARDWOOD Flooring, a family business based in Tweed, Ontario, is increasingly using trees affected by emerald ash borer to make hardwood flooring at its mill in southwest Ontario.

Greg Gaylord, who operates the company’s Ottawa outlet, says the company is buying up the wood, which he says makes excellent floorboards.

The ash borer, first noticed in North America in 2002, feeds on the bark of ash trees and has killed millions of trees in Ontario and the United States.

The city of Ottawa has been waging a war against the invasive beetle since it first appeared in Ottawa in 2008.

But it has been a losing battle, as the prevalence of ash — they make up about a quarter of the forest cover in the city — has allowed the beetle to spread across neighbourhoods.

Gaylord said getting some value out of the wood is the next best alternative when the trees can’t be saved.

The floors go through a kiln-drying process, which kills all the beetles, said Gaylord.

FOREST SCIENCE COURSE 2014 The 5 day Gottstein Wood Science course aims to provide an understanding of wood and the origin of the properties which affect its processing and end-use. This will give an insight into the potential for development of new products and to provide an appreciation of environmental issues and international strategic trends in the forest products industries.

Date anD Venue The next Wood Science Course will take place 17-21 February, 2014 in Melbourne, at CSIRO, Clayton, and the University of Melbourne, Parkville.

Who ShoulD attenD Senior and potential managers as well as consultants within the forest industry. The course will be of particular relevance to those who may have recently joined the industry.

Why you ShoulD attenD A fuller understanding at a professional level of wood science and its application to forest products technology is essential if our industry is to achieve its full potential. This course will provide you with the understanding to improve your personal and business performance and to view your operations within the national and international contexts.

The course is limited to about 35 participants.

InVIteD SPeakeRS The 2014 course will once again feature guest speakers with wide experience in the industry, and keynote speakers at two dinners.

RegIStRatIon Fee Full course fee is $2530 (inclusive of GST). For Patrons and Subscribers of the Trust, the course fee is at the reduced rate of $2300.

CouRSe PRogRaM The full 2014 Wood Science Course programme can be downloaded from www.gottsteintrust.org/media/WSC 2014.pdf

FuRtheR InFoRMatIon Contact Course Director, Dr. Silvia Pongracic 0418 764 954 or secretary@gottsteintrust.org

CARPENTRY DAY

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 20

Another cheerful chapter in chippy celebrations Y

EP, THEY nailed it again! Aussie chippies turned out in force to celebrate National Carpenters Day late in October.

In fact, it was estimated that more than 10,000 carpenters, students and carpentry businesses attended barbecues around Australia held by timber merchants, building companies, and a whole host of organisations and businesses associated with the industry.

Wood. Naturally Better was the major sponsor for 2013 National Carpenters Day which was first celebrated back in April 2009. Other Sponsors for the event were: Paslode, Irwin, Hitachi, 360 South, Leading Edge Events, Master Builders Australia, NAWIC, Make It Wood - Planet Ark, World Skills Australia, Australian Men’s Shed Association, The Lady Tradies Australia.

National Carpenters Day honours carpenters as some of Australia’s unsung heroes and custodians of one of the oldest crafts. The story would resonate with communities across Australia, with many of us knowing a chippy or having experienced their craftsmanship.

We often take wood for granted, but from home to work, wood and the work of carpenters is an essential part of our lives.

Every carpenter is working for our environment, too, because wood is our only large scale renewable building material. And wood also helps tackle climate change because some 50% of the weight of dry wood is carbon, stored for life by a growing tree. Plus wood has low embodied energy (the energy, usually fossil fuels that has been used to produce and process it) compared to other building materials.

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aslode Tool display (another sponsor) P cleaning your tools demonstration.

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BQ shot - eggs for bacon and B egg rolls!

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And with the special day come special awards: National Carpenter of the Year: Nicholas Power (Victoria).

State Carpenter of the Year winners: NSW/ACT - Josh Slater WA - Ben Ward SA/NT - Jayce Richardson QLD - Jesse Zielke VIC/TAS - Nicholas Power

National Apprentice Carpenter of the Year: Bradley Altmann (Queensland).

State Apprentice Carpenter of the Year winners: NSW/ACT - Nick Guldbransen SA/NT - Alex McKay QLD - Bradley Altmann VIC/TAS - Adam Garrett n

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Band playing at NMIT carpentry BBQ.

tudents looking at Wood. Naturally Better and National Carpenters Day information and ‘liking’ us on S Facebook to get a pack.

BBQ at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE - carpentry students lining up.

n R ic Sinclair, MD of FWPA on behalf of Wood. Naturally Better, presenting a trophy and certificate to Carpenter of the Year - Nick Power at NMIT carpentry BBQ.

ASSOCIATION

21 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Exceptionally busy and productive year for FTMA Australia

By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA Australia

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HEY SAY the older you get the quicker times flies. Well, I must be 80 as the past year has simply flown and has been busier than ever. As another year draws to an end I thought it was a great opportunity to reflect on what FTMA Australia has achieved.

FTMA Australia has continued to build strategic alliances within the wider timber and construction industries and we have built ourselves to the stage where we are referred to by a range of stakeholders when seeking information on the frame and truss industry.

For example, in Victoria FTMA Australia was approached by the Victorian Volume Home Builders Safety Alliance to join their safety group and have input in to concerns or issues that were raised during the installation of frames and trusses on site. This has allowed us to ensure that the best interests of the fabricator and of course the best installation practices for our products are adhered to.

It was therefore a natural attrition for Forest Wood Products Australia to hand over their pilot program in to the Prefabricated Ground Floor Systems to FTMA Australia to continue research and expand the installation process. As a result FTMA Australia, working in conjunction with the three nail plate suppliers, Alistair Woodard of Wood Products Victoria and Charles Simpson of Holmesglen TAFE; we ran three seminars at the end of August and put together a team of fabricators in Victoria, NSW and Queensland to form the Market Implementation Group for the FTMA Australia Prefabricated Ground Floor Project. The group has met a couple of times and is working on introducing the product slowly in to the market ensuring we tick all boxes as we move ahead.

Stakeholders including ITI Australia, James Hardie, Carter Holt Harvey Wood Products, Meyer Timber, Hyne and UBIQ Pty Ltd have all recognized the importance of product GOLD SPONSORS

development for our sector and contributed financial support for the development of the prefabricated ground floor systems.

We thank these stakeholders for their support as without their innovative thinking products like this would be harder to introduce in to the market. If your company is interested in being involved in the Market Implementation Group as a Stakeholder for this exciting project please give me a call on 0418 226 242.

There is no doubt our industry is seeing some of the toughest times we have seen in many years and as a result we have unfortunately lost some great members throughout the country.

Some businesses have restructured which has resulted in some plants closing and of course some businesses have closed due to tough markets.

This year alone we have lost four members due to closures; however our membership has continued to grow. The 2013 membership is currently 99 members which when broken down is: 2 ACT, 14 NSW, 10 QLD, 11 SA, 4 TAS, 52 VIC and 6 WA. These figures reflect businesses not individual plants, so representation in the industry is greater when we take into account the number of plants some of the larger companies have. Therefore, as far as fabricator plants go, FTMA Australia represents over 28% of National Plants.

The 2013 FTMA Australia National Conference was a highlight for the year with over 130 people attending the conference and bringing added guests to the dinner which resulted in the conference being the largest fabricator attended event for a number of years. The conference wasn’t just about networking but provided informative presentations with every presentation targeting the fabricator. This is the only

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National event that has done this and we pride ourselves on the fact that our fabricators are our number 1 priority, always!

The conference was described by some as being the best industry conference they had attended due to the format, cost, venue, exhibitors and content. The next conference will be held in South Australia in 2015 and once again will be focusing on issues to help the fabricators.

FTMA Australia still provides representation for the industry on the TM1, TM2 & TM3 Standards Australia Committees and during the standards restructure we are confident of retaining a place on these important standards committees. We also provide the frame and truss industry with representation on the Forest & Wood Products Council with the

fabricators. Unfortunately Kevin Rudd’s final gift to training was to cut the traineeship funding the day before the election which has a huge impact on businesses wanting to undertake training in this tight economic environment. However, the two RTO’s are working on ways which will benefit fabricators so we encourage fabricators to at least have the discussion with the RTO’s as they are both passionate about training and meeting your needs.

Continuing with training, FTMA Australia is finishing the year working with ForestWorks on the Innovative Skills Program of which I am a steering committee member. Shortly we will be informing fabricators of seminars in the New Year throughout the country that will help your business increase business value and generate greater productivity through the development of innovative skills.

During our meetings we have talked issues such as having a blueprint for the industry’s future, understanding the true costs of business, having the capacity to change and supply chain efficiency so stay tuned for future programs in 2014.

For members, we have provided the most benefit through the development of our membership folders which contain information on Award rates, Industrial Relations Fact Sheets, OHS Fact Sheets, information on Training, Insurance Benefits, Credit Application Forms, New Employment Contracts and a range of other administrative forms. These fact sheets have just been revised to ensure they meet the latest changes in the areas of industrial relations and are being mailed out shortly to members.

These folders provide members with information that can assist them day to day and potentially save members thousands of dollars, such as the credit application form which includes all the necessary PPSR legislative requirements and would cost an individual company thousands to create. Our pro-forma has been developed in conjunction with lawyers and Austbrokers Phillips Trade Credit Department who are experts in this field and is provided to members for free.

"There is no doubt our industry is seeing some of the toughest times we have seen in many years and as a result we have unfortunately lost some great members throughout the country" Federal Forestry Minister, Forest & Wood Products Australia Research Committee, various Worksafe, Forestworks, Wood Products Victoria and Women in Forest & Timber Committees as well as our involvement and financial support to the development of the Nail Plate Jointed Timber Roof Truss Design Standard.

We have continued our efforts in helping members and non-members access funding through the National Workforce Development Fund and I am extremely proud of the fact that the work FTMA Australia has done in this area is the most comprehensive of any association or company across the entire timber industry. The funding for the NWDF program alone for fabricators is close to $1 million and when we add in the funding through the Government’s previous traineeship program the figure nearly doubles.

FTMA Australia is fortunate to have excellent relationships with the two RTO’s that service our sector, FITEC and Timber Training Creswick. Tim Isaacs and Rob Rule and their teams have ensured they service the needs of

Some members contact us regularly, ringing with queries and if I don’t know the answer, I will either point them in the right direction or find the information for them. A few examples of specific areas we have helped fabricators include; A dodgy work cover claim – where the fabricator wanted to be sure they took all the necessary steps. When the employee returned to work and continued to breach safety standards we assisted in formatting the warning letter/s which ended up leading to the dismissal of the employee after six months of continued breaches.

A fabricator was being sued by a builder for what was perceived to be mouldy timber, whereas it was actually a bad treatment process that left the timber looking suspect. The fabricator was struggling to get support from the timber company until FTMA Australia spoke to the timber company which resulted in the fabricator receiving the support he needed.

A home owner was chasing computations for their house as the builder had gone broke owing a large sum of money to the fabricator. I explained the fabricator was a family business significantly out of pocket and in the end facilitated an agreement that resulted in the fabricator receiving 95% of what he was owed and the home owner their computations.

There have been many more inquiries, mostly relating to industrial relations or OHS support where the fabricator has saved time and money following up with FTMA Australia. I am not saying we have all the answers, but, as stated earlier, we will either find them or point members in the right direction such as the expert advice and representation in sticky situations

by Emma Watt at Emma Watt Consulting and Brian Beecroft and his team at TTIA. Emma and Brian provide outstanding services for the frame and truss sector and wider timber industry and I would encourage anyone who has a difficult IR or OHS situation to contact these experts and of course if you are an FTMA member you will be provided special rates.

Continued page 22

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ASSOCIATION

TIMBERMAN, December 2013 – 22

Christmas/ New Year closedown procedures

Industry Dinner & Awards

Big future in customisation

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Aust.) Ltd

By Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer Timber Trade Industrial Association

By Eric Siegers Executive Officer TMA

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The TABMA Award winners were:

The listed public holidays for the Christmas/New Year 2013–14 period are:

STUDY undertaken by David Rogers of Columbia University demonstrates how significantly the marketing landscape has changed. I’m a big supporter of his theory of “customer networks” which is based in the idea that …”today’s digital tools link all of us in a web of constant interaction that is changing our relationships to each other and to organisations of all kinds. To thrive in this digital age, businesses need a new model for customers...”

The rise of information mobility has been the most significant influencer in his ideas. Where five years ago we were admiring at the novel way the iPhone presented information, little did we realise the impact that the rise of the smart phone would have and how it continues to redefine how customers interact with each other and their suppliers. In Australia over 65% of the population have smartphones and 25% of people report they only use this type of device to access the internet. Mobility of information has been integrated to our way of life faster than many businesses have been able to react. The impact is huge and we all need to get on board.

It is important that we recognise that the customer is in charge of the supply chain more than ever before. Simply making products that are pushed through the supply chain is no longer the formula for success. Consequently, we have to be prepared to share information as we have never done before.

Often there is hesitancy to share information for fear that a competitor will use it.

A study by the Harvard Business School demonstrated that businesses that viewed competition from a perspective of “contest in partnership” were likely to be more successful than the more all too common tendency to view competition as “contest is war”. The former means that a business sharing market data with its competitors is able through more accurate information sharing able to provide a more tailored solution to their specific customer needs. In a dynamic market where nothing is a constant, sharing information means that everyone gains and the unique selling proposition of an organisation strengthened or even reinvented. Cookie cutter approaches just won’t work anymore.

There is a big future in customisation, and the numbers are starting to stack up and support this. The big upside of this is that customised solutions are more competitive and more profitable for a business, and leads to a more satisfied customer. It is my belief that this is where the timber and construction industries have a true unique selling proposition that can be strengthened at this critical time of market divergence.

Associations such as TMA have always encouraged the view of “contest in partnership” because as has been so often proven, active members of associations perform better in the market place. The sharing of information has always proven to be a formula for success.

HE 2013 Dinner and Awards night held in Sydney on October 11 was a spectacular event. Hosted by Todd McKenney more then 320 guests from every State and overseas enjoyed an evening of camaraderie and relaxation.

We thank the major sponsors Gunnersen, ITI, John Cook & Sons, Meyer Timber, ATS Timber, Mitre 10, Wood Solutions and Tilling Timber. Without the support of these fine companies plus our silver and bronze sponsors, nights like we all enjoyed would not be possible.

Best Frame & Truss Operation Northside Trusses & Frames (Qld) Best Timber Merchant Bone Timber Industries (SA) Best Building Materials Centre NHS Plasterboard & Timber (NSW)

TIA IS often asked by members to assist employers in planning for the closedown over the Christmas/New Year period.

The right of an employer to send an employee on an annual close-down will depend on the terms of the applicable modern award or enterprise agreement or, in the case of an award/agreement-free employee, the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009.

Christmas Day - Wednesday, 25 December 2013 Boxing Day (Proclamation Day - SA) Thursday, 26 December 2013 New Year’s Day - Wednesday, 1 January 2014 Australia Day - Monday, 27 January 2014

Wholesaler of the Year ITI(NSW)

In South Australia, the State Government has gazetted the following half day public holidays (7.00 pm – midnight) during the Christmas–New Year period:

Most Innovative Member Programmed Timber Supplies (NSW)

Christmas Eve - Tuesday, 24 December 2013 New Year’s Eve - Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Member of the Year 5 Star Timbers (Qld)

A provision regarding annual close down is not prescribed in every modern award, however the Timber Industry Award at Clause 33.8 does provide for annual close down and requirements.

Apprentice of the Year Shane Aitchison – A1 Poly (NSW) Trainee of the Year Blake Mulford – Stratco (NSW)

The key aspects are:

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Host Employer of the Year Prospect Frames & Trusses (NSW) Sales Representative of the Year Paul Anderton – Swan Le Messurier (NSW)

On behalf of the Australian Timber Importers Federation, a special award was presented by their chairman Nils Koren to industry stalwart Bob Frost.

TABMA Qld Industry Dinner

The Queensland Timber Industry Dinner, hosted by TABMA, will be held on November 23 at MODA, Portside, Brisbane. To secure your seat contact our Queensland State Manager, Alicia Oelkers, at alicia@tabma.com.au.

Seats are selling fast.

Staff recruitment

If you require staff from a yard person to a sales manager TABMA can help you. We provide a nationwide service at very competitive prices and most importantly we specialize in the timber industry. Let us help you.

Contact Alicia at alicia@tabma.com.au

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• • •

the employer gives not less than four weeks’ notice of intention to do so; an employee who has accrued sufficient leave to cover the period of the close‑down, is allowed leave and also paid for that leave at the appropriate wage; an employee who has not accrued sufficient leave to cover part or all of the close-down, is allowed paid leave for the period for which they have accrued sufficient leave and given unpaid leave for the remainder of the close-down; any leave taken by an employee as a result of a closedown counts as service; the employer may only close down the enterprise or part of it for one or two separate periods in a year; if the employer closes down the enterprise or part of it in two separate periods, one of the periods must be for a period of at least 14 consecutive days including non-working days;

Members requiring assistance with planning closedown are invited to ring the association’s national hotline on (02) 9264 0011.

A

Exceptionally busy and productive year for FTMA Australia From page 21 There have been less state meetings and dinners as, like many other groups and committees, people were simply too busy or not interested in attending meetings, no matter how good the presenters or subject matter .We understand people are busy and have changed the way we do things with more individual plant visits, taking our message to the fabricator.

FTMA Australia is a National Organisation. I still hear some

people say we are a Victorian organisation trying to be national and that we focus primarily on Victorian issues, which simply is not true. The issues we focus on are of national importance and I have worked hard to achieve this.

CIt does not matter where I am located, but what work we do.

Our sponsorship has grown and now includes: Gold Sponsors – Multinail & Pryda, Silver Sponsors – Austbrokers Phillips & Healthcare Insurance and Bronze Sponsors – Airco Fasteners, Bliss & Reels Pty Ltd, Daw

Trading, Fitec, Hyne, McCormack Hardwood Sales and Mitre10 Trade. We thank our new Bronze sponsors for coming on board and I especially would like to thank the staff of our Gold Sponsors, Pryda & Multinail who give so much more than money, but support on a personal level which I truly appreciate.

I would like to thank Trish Waters from Profit Wise Consulting who takes care of FTMA Australia finances and of course the FTMA Australia board who are simply amazing. The

board gives a lot of volunteer time to ensuring the Association stays on track and continues to support fabricators and without their extra effort and input we wouldn’t be as successful as we have been.

This year we said goodbye to Peter Owen of Owentruss who has been outstanding on the board and welcomed new board member Colin Clements of AAA Advanced Trusses who is already passionately supporting the Association.

I would like to finish by reminding people that FTMA Australia employs only one

fulltime person, and I believe we are, as a national association the best Association for this industry and achieve as much, if not more real benefits for our members than some others and of course our membership rates are very affordable.

If you are interested in anything in this article or becoming a member please give me a call on 0418 226 242. Otherwise I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Safe and Prosperous New Year. Fingers crossed 2014 will be a better year for our sector.

WOOD AWARDS

23 - December 2013, TIMBERMAN

Bishop Edward King Chapel takes the Wood Awards 2013 Gold Award B

ISHOP EDWARD King Chapel by Niall McLaughlin Architects has taken the Gold Award in the UK Wood Awards 2013 competition - the flagship for wood in the best of British architecture, furniture and design.

Announced at the Wood Awards winners’ ceremony held on 19 November hosted by the Worshipful Company of Carpenters in the City of London, the Bishop Edward King Chapel, Ripon College, Oxford, took the Structural category prize before being crowned the winner of winners in front of more than 200 leading industry and architectural figures.

Chairman of the judges, Michael Morrison of Purcell UK said: “Niall McLaughlin’s Bishop Edward King Chapel is a stunning and worthy Gold Award winner. It embodies the Wood Awards celebration of excellence in design and craftsmanship in wood, and even exceeds the hope that the building might be ‘a work of art which would touch the spirit’.”

The independent judging panel, which included previous Wood Awards winners Adam Khan and last year’s Gold Award winner David Morley, Hopkins Architect’s Jim Greaves and Andrew Lawrence from Arup, praised the team for its attention to detail, careful use of materials and elegant curved glulam columns and beams which create the light and soaring internal timber structure.

The Wood Awards category winners included The ColyerFergusson Building in Kent by Tim Ronalds Architects for the Commercial & Public Access Award; Church Walk in London by David Mikhail Architects for the Private Award – the second year in a row this practice has won the Private category; Magheralin Parish Church in Northern Ireland by Waddington-McClure Architects for the Repair & Adaptive Reuse Award, and the undulating RoominaRoom in London by Atmos Studio for the Small Project Award.

deliciously mad and completely refreshing.” The furniture judging panel includes Katie Walker of Katie Walker Furniture and previous Wood Awards winner, Rod Wales of Wales & Wales and renowned furniture designer John Makepeace.

For the first time this year, a surfboard maker was highly commended for their work in wood. Otter Surfboards from Cornwall was praised by the judges for their creativity and exceptional woodworking as well as their work with the National Trust, and “using wood’s best properties – naturally beautiful, strong and light”.

This year, the Wood Awards was launched at Ecobuild in March, the shortlisted Furniture categories pieces were exhibited in person at 100% Design - the biggest event during the London

Design Festival, and the full shortlist was showcased at Timber Expo in Birmingham, along with a series of talks from selected shortlisted projects. Chair of the judges, Michael Morrison said: “All the projects we inspected were showcasing both the versatility of timber as a building material as well as the great pool of talent in the design and construction industries.

Two things were particularly pleasing – the high standards of craftsmanship that we saw and, perhaps more importantly, that we were able to give awards this year to some modest schemes where the selection of timber, the design and the workmanship have produced a splendid result on a tight budget. This must surely be the message that these awards are design to spread – that wood is a beautiful and economical material that can be used to great advantage in any building project.”

As the flagship for wood in the best of British architecture, furniture and design, the Wood Awards is made possible by the major sponsorship of the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Canada Wood, the Carpenters’ Company, TRADA and Wood for Good. Other sponsors include American Softwoods, BRE and the Forestry Commission.

Gold Award & Structural Winner - Bishop Edward King Chapel by Niall McLaughlin Architects.

Bishop Edward King Chapel.

Bishop Edward King Chapel.

C&PA Winner - Colyer Fergusson by Tim Ronalds Architects. Credit CRichters Ripples by Edward Johnson.

Judges Special Award - Worldscape by Atmos Studio.

Production Made Furniture Award was won by Pengelly Design’s ‘Theo Chair’.

In the Wood Awards furniture categories, the Production Made Furniture Award was won by Pengelly Design’s ‘Theo Chair’, and EJ Bespoke Furniture’s chest of drawers ‘Ripples’ in 3D veneer European ash took the Bespoke Furniture Award.

‘Worldscape’, a second Atmos Studio project comprising 16 metres of continuous integrated furniture as a map of the world in Latvian birch plywood with seating for 80 people, was given the Wood Awards Judges’ Special Award.

Chair of the Wood Awards furniture judges, Sean Sutcliffe of Benchmark Furniture, said, “Pengelly Design’s Theo chair is a remarkable piece of design and manufacturing. Ripples by Edward Johnson beautifully exploits this relatively new material of 3D veneer and is an excellent combination of restraint and flamboyance, and the extraordinary translation of a huge idea into a functional product that is Alex Haw’s Worldscape is p G old Award & Structural Winner - Bishop Edward King Chapel by Niall McLaughlin Architects.

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z C &PA Winner - Colyer Fergusson by Tim Ronalds Architects. Credit CRichters { J udges Special Award - Worldscape by Atmos Studio.

Ripples by Edward Johnson. t P roduction Made Furniture Award was won by Pengelly Design’s ‘Theo Chair’.

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Multinail Australia supports you from project concept through our fabricator network to onsite construction.

A complete service and system supplier for the Australian pre-fabricated timber construction industry.

Head Office · 155 Burnside Rd · Stapylton · QLD 4207 +61 (0)7 3297 3250 · www.multinail.com.au · enquiry@multinail.com