Australian & New Zealand Timberman

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• Frame & Truss special • Hill of content in Tassie • CLT features heavily • Carbon tax burden

S U P P L I E R S

May 2013

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NEWS

3 - April 2013, TIMBERMAN

ForestWorks facilitates funding for training F

ORESTWORKS, a not-forprofit advisory organisation for skills and workforce development in the forest, wood, paper and timber products and related industries across Australia, is renowned for its proactive and meticulous approach in ensuring workers have access to some of the most comprehensive training systems ever seen.

One such avenue to help workers gain higher skills sets is through the National Workforce Development Fund and ForestWorks ISC is committed to helping organisations engage with training and workforce development and can assist with guiding applicants through the process.

ForestWorks ISC can provide: • a dvice on how you can take advantage of subsidised training

places, including eligibility • assistance in developing an application that is compliant with the program guidelines • assist with compiling materials to support your application • assistance with identifying a suitable RTO if required Opportunities are now available for subsidised training places through the new National Workplace Development Fund.

Large enterprises will receive 34% of the cost of training, medium enterprises 50% and small enterprises 67%.

Northside Trusses and Frames employee Reggie Roache and his colleagues at NTF took their training with help from Federal Government funding via the Enterprise-Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP). [The EBPPP was the predecessor to

the current National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF)].

An industry veteran of 23 years, Reggie has been working for NTF since 2009. Despite his experience, a new qualification has proven of enormous benefit to his company and to Reggie personally.

He was able to achieve a Certificate IV in Timber Trusses and Frame Design, via distance learning. He said the new training had opened up options for him that otherwise would not have existed.

“I have more confidence to utilise my knowledge in my current role and take on more challenging projects,” Reggie said.

“This is just one of many success stories for employees and their employers and we are proud to have played a part in helping to facilitate the funding process,”

said ForestWorks chief executive officer Michael Hartman.

“If you would like to train your staff in a range of qualifications, from Certificate II to Vocational Graduate Diploma and help to develop your workforce now and into the future, this initiative is certainly the way to go. Just contact us and we will assist you to complete the application process,” he said.

The Fund is part of the Australian Government’s Building Australia’s Future Workforce package and also forms part of Australian Government Skills Connect, an initiative designed to link employers and industries to funding for whole of workforce (including language, literacy and numeracy training and mentoring of Australian Apprenticeships) planning and development.

 Michael Hartman.

Biodegradable nappies from recycled cardboard VTT TECHNICAL Research Centre of Finland (which has been contracted to conduct the Cellulose Fibre Chain Study in southeast South Australia) has developed a process that enables recycled paper and cardboard to be used as a raw material for nonwovens.

Hygiene and home care products, such as nappies, sanitary towels and cleaning cloths, are among the many items that can be manufactured from the biodegradable nonwovens.

The manufacturing costs of cardboard-based nonwovens are around 20% lower than for nonwovens produced from wood raw materials.

The forest industry will be among those likely to benefit from new business opportunities opened up by nonwovens based on recycled paper and cardboard.

Nonwovens are essentially consumer goods that once used will end up in a landfill site along with other community waste. In the metropolitan area alone, an estimated 10,000 tonnes of nappies and sanitary towels are disposed of each year.

The principle raw material in nonwovens manufacture is biologically non-degradable polyester. Up to now, market entry for bio-based nonwovens derived from wood has stalled because of prohibitive production costs.

“Now for the first time we can make use of recycled paper and cardboard as a nonwovens raw material,” says Ali Harlin, Research Professor at VTT. “The new process means that bio-based nonwovens are now more competitive on price in comparison with plastic-based products.

The manufacturing costs of

cardboard-based nonwovens are around 20% lower than for nonwovens produced from wood raw materials.

New business opportunities should open up fairly rapidly, since the technology required for manufacturing nonwovens from recycled materials is already in place.”

Every year Europe generates around 60 million tonnes of recycled paper, of which cardboard makes up around 40%.

The demand exists for new applications and technology for exploiting recycled paper due to the EU’s objective of raising the proportion of recycled paper to 70%.

The method developed by VTT could extend future possibilities for re-use, particularly in the case of cardboard, which is more cost-effective as a raw material than fine paper.

Cleansing the cardboard of filler material, lignin and hemicellulose is a key part of nonwovens manufacture.

VTT has matched several fibre-processing methods in the preparation of dissolving pulp to assist in obtaining pure cellulose from the recycled cardboard.

The dissolving pulp produced in the research

project was regenerated using VTT’s patented carbamate technology, which is safer and more environmentally friendly than the traditional viscose process. The nonwovens were manufactured with foam forming technology that uses little water.

Around 1.9 million tonnes of various types

of nonwovens were manufactured in Europe in 2011. Strong growth in the global market for nonwovens is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future.

Apart from hygiene, health and cleaning products, the nonwovens have further applications in, among others, the construction industry.

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THE QUEENSLAND Government and Timber Queensland have announced a Chain of Custody Support Scheme which will reimburse costs directly incurred in obtaining chain of custody certification under Australian Forestry Standard AS 4707 or the Forest Stewardship Council 40-004 (V2-1) EN. Rod McInnes, Timber Queensland’s chief executive officer, said eligible businesses can claim 100% of the eligible costs to a cap of $5000 (ex GST).

“Eligible businesses are Queensland operated primary processors, secondary processors and wholesalers of timber products sourced from certified timber grown and sourced in Queensland,” he said.

Examples of types of costs that can be claimed are the initial audit, chain of custody systems development, application fees to a recognised standard, registration and logo use charges.

Timber Queensland says recent research indicates that consumers purchase products from businesses that can prove their environmental credentials over those who cannot.

“Certification will help local businesses protect and enhance their brand and reputation as well as service customers such as State and Federal Governments who specify

certified products,” said McInnes. Businesses interested in participating in the Chain of Custody Support Scheme can access more information and register for the scheme at www.timberqueensland.com.au or request an information pack from coc@timberqueensland. com.au “Timber Queensland will then confirm your eligibility to participate in the scheme and then you will need to engage and pay a suitable service provider to develop the relevant procedures for your business, and an Auditor to confirm your procedures and issue the appropriate Certificate. Then you can submit a claim form to Timber Queensland,” McInnes said.

“Interested businesses should sign up and proceed with the Audit process as soon as possible, but they must be aware that registering their intent to participate will not ear mark funds for individual companies,” he said “Rebates will be paid to businesses in order of receipt of claim forms until all Queensland Government funding for the Scheme is allocated.”

To find out more visit www.timberqueensland. com.au or request an information pack from coc@timberqueensland.com.au

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FWPA

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 4

Shining light on treated pine timber

By Matthew Lovering

T

HE AUSTRALIAN building industry has come to rely on pine timbers for house framing and construction; the timbers are consistently strong, economical and in good supply but unfortunately they have limited natural resistance to attack by fungi and insects.

For building in regions where termites or borers might be active timbers treated to H2F level (i.e. above ground, inside use) are required.

While manufacturers of H2F products have reliable manufacturing processes in place to produce to the right specifications, sufficient to resist insect attack, this ultimately relies upon offsite testing away from the production line.

Recent research funded by Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) shows that near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can assess the preservative content in H2F treated

timber cheaply, quickly and accurately.

In Australia, H2F timber is commonly treated with a pyrethroid preservative such as bifenthrin or permethrin.

Both these preservatives only need to penetrate a few millimetres into the timber to be effective: 2 millimetres in the case of bifenthrin and 5 millimetres for permethrin.

Manufacturers treat sawn timbers by either spraying, dipping or pressure treating with preservative solution.

In essence, the molecules of bifenthrin or permethrin penetrate into the wood and remain there as they aren”t soluble in water and resist leaching from the wood.

Many years of work has gone into establishing the most effective concentrations of bifenthrin or permethrin in the timber necessary to keep away insects. Manufacturers can alter production variables such as the concentration of the chemical solution, the time timbers are treated or

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the speed they pass by the spray nozzles in order to develop the most effective and profitable production operation. However the cost and time required to determine the final preservative concentrations in treated timber is an expensive and time consuming process.

Currently it costs around $80 per sample and can take weeks, via an external testing laboratory to assess the quality of penetration and the concentration of the preservative in a timber sample.

There has to be a better way, and, hopefully, there is.

Dr Roger Meder is project leader of a CSIRO team determining whether NIR spectroscopy can measure the concentrations of bifenthrin and permethrin in H2F timber with similar accurately to traditional assessment methods, and in a much quicker timeframe.

The NIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum lies just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum; it”s part of the heat we feel from a light bulb.

To make sure they meet the H2F standard of 0.02 (% mass/mass) retention for both bifenthrin (at 2 millimetres inside the wood) and permethrin (at 5 millimetres), timber producers often use more treatment chemical than is necessary, which adds to their production costs and can affect prices.

“There are so many potential areas for sampling errors in traditional methods,” says Roger. “With permethrin, for example, the operator has to cut a wood sample at exactly 5 millimetres in depth, grind this up, soak it in a solvent for four hours, then analyse it using a Gas Chromatograph. But we found wood samples were coming from between 4.5 and 5.5 millimetres in depth— an error of plus or minus 10% over the 5 millimetres standard. Errors can also be introduced if the calibration standards have aged as they don”t contain a consistent amount of permethrin, and all this leads to possible error in determining the actual retention.”

Roger and his team used NIR spectroscopy to measure the vibration frequencies of the treatment chemical molecules when they absorb infrared radiation.

The more intense the frequency response was, the more treatment chemical had been deposited in the timber.

For the experiments the researchers used a portable NIR probe that used a stop block to ensure all measurements were taken consistently at either five or two millimetres depth inside the wood. They measured the NIR response from timber samples with known but

different concentrations of treatment chemicals to create a calibration chart. They then compared their models with samples from operating mills to see how accurate both the NIR method and the mill assessments actually were.

The research took over a year, but the results show NIR can deliver accurate and rapid results. “Using NIR it takes

30 seconds to determine the preservative levels in timber treated to the H2F level.

We”ve had a quick look at H3 timber, and, yes, we think it looks possible for NIR to work there as well. It might also work for H4 timber, but we haven”t looked at that,” says Roger. He adds that “one of the beauties of using NIR is that we reproducibly

measure a constant depth which removes one source of error in sampling”.

Having a cheap and accurate assessment method for screening the in-process production environment means manufacturers will be better able to monitor their treatment process and ultimately use less treatment chemical.

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.

5- 9 May 2013 World Building Congress 2013. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland.

This triennial Congress will focus on the relationship between construction and society. How can research help to maximise the contribution of constructed assets to social goals? How will the research community meet emerging social needs?

These questions are addressed through CIB Research Commissions. All Commission interests will be covered at the Congress. http://worldbuildingcongress2013.com/ 6-10 May 2013 LIGNA Hannover. www.ligna.de/home 8-10 May 2013 2013 Appita Annual Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia. http://www.appita.com.au 9-11 May 2013 2nd Guangzhou International Wood & Wood Products Trade Show (Wood Guangzhou 2013), at the China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex. www.muyezhan.com 17-19 May 2013 Timber & Working With Wood Show. RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane. http://www. biztradeshows.com/timber-woodworkingbrisbane/ 5-7 June 2013 EXPO 2013 – the 32nd Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition, Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Centre. egee@ sfpa.org 5-8 June 2013 ElmiaWood - Jonkoping, Sweden. http:// www.elmia.se/en/wood/ 9-10 June 2013 17th International Symposium On Wood, Fibre and Pulping Chemistry (ISWFPC) Pre-Symposium, Victoria, Canada. www. wse2013.com/ 12-14 June 2013 17th International Symposium On Wood, Fibre and Pulping Chemistry (ISWFPC), Vancouver, Canada. www.paptac.ca 13-16 June 2013 Wood Tech India. International trade fair for wood and wood-processing industry.

Mumbai. www.woodtechindia.in

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

23 July 2013 FTMA Australia National Conference 2013.

QT Gold Coast venue. FTMA activities 22 July. Multinail Machinery Expo 24 July.

Kersten@ftmaaustralia.com.au 24-27 July AWFS Las Vegas, Nevada. International trade fair for woodworking and furniture manufacturing. www.awfsfair.org 26-28 July 2013 Timber & Working With Wood, Sydney.

Sydney Showground. http://www.iexh.com.au 4-7 August 2013 21st International Wood Machining Seminar (IWMS-21). Tsukuba, Japan http://www.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/en/symposium/ iwms21/ 7-8 August MobileTECH 2013 Wellington, New Zealand. www.mobiletechevents.com 30 August – 1 September 2013 Timber & Working With Wood, Canberra.

Exhibition Park. http://www.iexh.com.au 3-5 September 2013 WoodEXPO, Albury. www.wood-expo.com 6 September 2013 Annual assembly of Eumabois, the European federation that gathers 14 national associations of woodworking technology, tools and accessories manufacturers, Jyväskylä, where the meeting will be hosted by the Finnish association. http://www.woodandpanel.com 11-13 September 2013 WoodEXPO,Rotorua. www.wood-expo 8-13 September 2013 15th Fundamental Research Symposium, Cambridge, England. www.ppfrs.org 25-26 September Timber Expo, Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK. www.timber-expo.co.uk 25-28 September 2013 VietnamWOOD. Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC). Drying equipment, joinery equipment, joinery and moulded products, equipment and instruments for furniture industry, abrasive and cutting instruments, equipment and wood waste treating devices, machinery and equipment for primary wood treatment,.www.biztradeshows. com/trade-events/vietnam-wood

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BUILDING

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 6

Builders take on carbon tax burden T

HE CARBON tax is increasing the cost of building, but a surprisingly high proportion of building industry businesses have not yet adjusted their prices, according to the December 2012 Survey of Industry Conditions report released by Master Builders.

Paul Bidwell, Master Builders Director of Housing Policy, said the latest report investigated the impact on the building industry since the introduction of the carbon tax in July 2012.

“It didn’t come as any surprise to us that 78% of respondents reported that the new tax had increased the cost of building,” he said.

“However, what we did find surprising was that only 14% of businesses have increased their prices, while 64% have not yet adjusted their prices to incorporate the cost impact of the tax.”

The survey indicated there were two main reasons for

businesses not yet increasing their prices, with 28% of businesses taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to pricing and waiting until they have a better idea of the cost impact before they adjust their prices.

“We know it is considerably more difficult for businesses to determine what the carbon tax means for their bottom line than it was with the GST,” Bidwell said.

“This means the price adjustment process for builders, suppliers and contractors will occur gradually over time and as they gain a greater understanding of the cost impacts.”

The second reason relates to the tough trading conditions being experienced by the building industry, and the intense competition for available work. These conditions have limited the ability of many builders and contractors to pass through the additional costs associated with the carbon tax.

“The survey tells us that 36% of respondents have simply absorbed the additional costs to keep their prices down and remain competitive in such a tight market.

“This is particularly relevant in the housing sector where the carbon tax, along with other Government environmental requirements, is exacerbating the current price differential between new and established housing.

“We know that if the price of a new home goes too far above the price of a comparable established home, price-sensitive consumers will choose the established home.”

The cumulative cost of the raft of environmental and energy requirements on new housing is significant. For example, the carbon tax adds about $3,800 to the cost of construction of a standard four bedroom, brick veneer house, while the 6-star energy rating adds approximately

Modest gains in lending for new homes ABS HOUSING Finance figures showed that lending for new homes continued to make modest improvements in February, which, according to the Housing Industry Association, overall the changes have been in the right direction.

“We are almost back to the lending levels of October last year, which were then lost when a tentative recovery failed to be sustained,” said HIA’s Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale. (pictured) “We’re still not firmly on the path back to the healthy levels of new home lending which would be consistent with the strong residential construction recovery the economy and population requires.

“In terms of owner occupiers, the aggregate number of loans for the construction and purchase of new homes increased by 1.2% in the month of February 2013, while loans for established homes net of refinancing was up by 2.0%. Looking at lending to investors, finance for established dwellings has been rising fairly consistently – the value of loans increased by 3.3% over the three months to

February 2013, for example. However, investor lending into new dwellings fell by 3.2% in the February 2013 quarter, although the overall profile appears to have followed a path of improvement since mid-2012,” Dr Dale said.

In February 2013 the total number of seasonally adjusted loans to owner occupiers for the construction and purchase of new homes increased by 21.8% in the Australian Captial Territory, 14.9% in Queensland and 7.0% in New South Wales and the Northern Territory. The number of loans fell by 1.2% in Victoria, 1.7% in South Australia, 11.0% in Western Australia, and 13.3% in Tasmania.

$5,600, rain water tanks $6,000, and greenhouseefficient hot water systems up to $3,000 extra.

“We believe these measures were introduced without sufficient regard to the impact on the cost of construction of new houses and decisions were based on questionable cost benefit analysis.

“It is critical that all future environmental or energy requirements for new housing are subject to rigorous cost benefit analysis.

“The Queensland Government has demonstrated that it is acutely aware of the impact of these requirements and the fragile state of the housing industry, taking steps to reduce the cost of construction by recently removing the mandatory requirement for rainwater tanks and greenhouseefficient hot water systems.

“This decision allows home buyers to save the best part of $10,000 when

building a new home and, depending on the outcome of the federal election in September, the carbon tax could be scrapped as well.

“In the meantime, with the true impact of the carbon tax yet to fully flow on to the cost of building a new home, combined with low interest rates, relatively strong economic fundamentals and a very competitive building market, it couldn’t be a better time for anyone considering building or renovating.”

New wide board overlay flooring BORAL TIMBER has expanded its range of timber flooring solutions with the release of a 130mm wide board overlay solid strip flooring product.

The 14mm thick Boral overlay is solid hardwood tongue and groove strip flooring, designed to be laid directly over a level, flat solid structural surface.

The overlay can be installed using a direct stick method, eliminating the need for top nail fixing to leave a smooth, even finish. With no underside glue grooves, installers can achieve greater surface area contact between the timber and the subfloor, which results in better adhesion.

With an equivalent wear layer to the Boral solid strip flooring 13mm profile boards, Boral 14mm overlay solid strip flooring can be sanded several times during the lifespan of the timber.

The overlay is available in a 130mm width, in a wide range of species including Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Sydney Blue Gum, Aussie beech and Forest Reds. It is offered in natural grade and standard and better grade, which combines Classic and Australiana featured boards.

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 has been sourced from certified, legal and sustainably managed resources. The AFS is a member of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme Council (PEFC) - the world’s largest forest management certifier.

Wood panel system helps overcome floor flaws CINCINNATI-BASED Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products LLC has found a recovering economy requires major rework for numerous mezzanine floor materials in existing warehouses.

Flooring products such as concrete, plywood, bar and plank grate with time can create safety hazards and work barriers since they potentially peel, delaminate, crack, bend and gap causing items to fall through on workers below or just become very difficult to walk and roll wheels over.

The Internet and the marketplace require quick response time and a distribution warehouse cannot afford a bad floor to hinder those demands.

The team at Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products has found itself in a unique position of not only replacing these outdated damaged floors but in reworking them to avoid business interruptions and higher costs for their customers.

ResinDek® is an engineered wood panel that has been designed for the material handling marketplace, which means it performs better than plywood, concrete, plank grating or bar grating because it has been engineered for these fast moving logistical environments with heavy traffic and loads.

“What some customers like the most is that it can be installed on top of existing floors allowing work to continue while repairs and rework are occurring, “ said Keith Shipman, National Sales Manager at Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products, LLC. ResinDek® is offered in several grades for weight bearing load requirements and is available with enhanced finishes such as Diamond Seal®, certified static control and static guard.

FRAME & TRUSS

7 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

Plenty at “steak” at inaugural meeting O

K, YOU’RE a member of an organisation, an association or even a club, but have you ever stopped and thought how that body was formed; when it was formed; why it was formed; and the people behind its formation?

With today’s seemingly never-ending time demands there doesn’t seem to be much leeway to ponder these points but it IS worthwhile. Being virtually on the eve of the FTMA Australia National conference we thought it would be appropriate to cast the history lense over that organisation and Australian & New Zealand Timberman was able to glean the following information from Phil Ladson and Peter Wines, two of the “old stagers” of the now highly recognised national body.

“It was in 1988 that Maurie Drewer started talks with Ian Marks from the Timber Merchants Association (TMA) Victoria about the need for an association specifically for the Prefabricated Frame and Truss industry.

“There was a need to provide a united voice to approach industry issues,” they said, “and it was also noted that this industry was fast becoming a large user

of the timber produced in its products. {It should be noted that today the frame and truss industry is by far the largest user of pine produced and supplied to Australia.} “The talks with Maurie and Ian continued and they were joined by the likes of Doug Maxwell, Peter Holzer, Roger

the development of A.S 44401997/2004.

“Social events were held providing network opportunities sharing of common issues like, customers, staff, machinery, technology, timber grades, supply and quality. Industry tours of truss plants and

History of the FTMA Australia Hutton and Bill Phillips, until they held a meeting at The Steak House restaurant in Stud road Wantirna (Melbourne).

“It was here that the Roof Truss & Wall Frame Association Victoria (RTWFA) was formed in 1992. It is believed that about 15-20 people attended this meeting,” they said.

And so it all began!

Maurie Drewer was the first president followed by (in no particular order) Ashley Henkel, Peter Holzer, Leif Pettersson, Peter Wines and Phil Ladson.

The RTWFA was established under the TMA umbrella providing secretarial services etc., to the RTWFA. The association participated and pursued many projects on industry issues, including

timber mills including the harvesting were held providing an understanding of how other people do things and what it takes to get the timber to us,” Peter recalls.

“In 2004 the RTWFA changed its name to the Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association (Victoria),” said Phil.

“Over the years we saw FTMA New Zealand develop as a national association and employ a full time executive officer and this development was led by Lance Worthington, their president at the time. As we were the only Frame & Truss Association in Australia we were constantly asked by other fabricators around Australia if they could join us or could we make it a national

association so they could.

“With inspiration from our New Zealand colleagues and the increasing requests from other fabricators, the board decided to make it FTMA Australia Limited,” Peter and Phil said.

So, from Jan 2006 it became FTMA Australia leaving the TMA umbrella and becoming the independent national association it is today.

Both Phil and Peter, while quick to reminisce about those early days and the people paved the way for frame and truss manufacturers, were a little reticent to talk about their work for the organisation.

The truth is that both played a vital role in those formative days of the national body. To their credit, Peter and Phil managed to obtain Gold sponsors in Multinail and Pryda and later silver sponsors Phillips Insurance (now Austbrokers) and Osmose.

Next came the push nationally for members and meetings with fabricators were held in Perth, Adelaide, Tasmania, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Cairns.

Presentations were also made to other industry bodies advising them of what the

organisation was and what it was all about.

Finally the association was in the position to employ a full time Executive Officer and Nick Livanes was appointed with his official start date being 1 October 2007.

“Nick was well qualified for the position being well known in the industry for his engineering and timber knowledge; technically well suited to the position and also being a member of some Australian Standards committees assisting with guidance on standards that affect our industry.

“With the addition of Nick it complemented the board that was heavily involved with other bodies developing policies and procedures and training with the likes of WorkSafe Vic, ForestWorks, Australian institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS), TAFEs and colleges and the development of our roof truss installation CD,” Peter said.

At the end of 2008 Nick moved on to take up a position with Osmose but has remained as a support with technical and Australian Standards information and representation.

“In February 2009 Kersten Gentle joined us as the

Executive Officer and she remains in that position today.

Kersten comes from a timber background and has been involved in associations before. Kersten is well networked with a wide range of people including, politicians (Federal and State), union leaders and media. She is also very good at arranging functions such as our awards and conference on alternate years.

“Kersten’s leadership has guided us into a strong association that has positioned us as the only national association specifically and only for the Frame and Truss manufactures of Australia,” said Phil.

FTMA Australia currently has 108 Members broken into 81 Fabricators and 27 Suppliers throughout Australia with membership growing as fabricators learn about the great representation

by FTMA Australia and the increasing membership benefits that help fabricators with the day-to-day running of their businesses.

The FTMA Australia National Conference is being held at QT Gold Coast on 23 July with activities also scheduled for the 22 and 24 July.

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 FRONT PAGE PHOTO: FTMA Australia executive officer Kersten

Gentle was in Adelaide recently as part of her busy schedule of liaising with members and visited a home construction site in the new Mawson Lakes area where Pine Design-manufactured roof trusses were being delivered to site. Pine Design managing director John Oulton and Kersten were pictured in front of the framed up Henley home. Read more about the FTMA in this special segment.

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FRAME & TRUSS

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 8

Conference program is informative and interactive FTMA Australia National Conference 23 July, QT Gold Coast

N

O STONE has been left unturned in a bid to ensure the success of the 2013 FTMA Australia National Conference at QT on the famed Gold Coast.

Informative, interactive and yet intense would be the best way to describe the program for this special occasion. Conference sessions are short and quick allowing plenty of time for questions and discussions after each presentation.

The 2013 FTMA Australia National Conference is the only national conference in Australia specifically targeting the frame and truss industry with a particular focus on the fabricators.

FTMA Australia has previously held conferences in 2009 (Melbourne) and 2011 (Newcastle) with both conferences providing informative speakers focusing on the key issues facing the frame and truss industry.

“The feedback from previous conferences has been outstanding with delegates impressed by the wide ranging topics covered by speakers, the excellent and affordable venues and the professionalism with how the conferences have been run,” said FTMA executive officer Kersten Gentle.

“A 2013 National Conference survey provided great ideas for topics which we have

incorporated in to an exciting program and with more than 36 fabricators already expressing their intentions to attend this will be the biggest conference yet.

“QT Gold Coast, the outstanding venue for the conference, is at 7 Staghorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise, providing 5 star accommodation at affordable prices, and we guarantee all delegates will find the rooms, restaurants, bar and facilities unique and inviting. Rooms vary in price starting from $179 for a Mountain View or $209 for an Ocean View (room only).

We encourage you to book early by contacting QT Gold Coast directly on 1800 074 020 and quoting FTMA as your reference.”

The conference kicks off on Monday 22 July with the Red Specials Activity Day which is sponsored by Hyne and Pryda allowing delegates to arrive early and spend the day networking over a game of golf or testing their skills in the Holden Racing Challenge before the official welcome at the Ice-Breaker BBQ at the Carlton United Brewery.

Ensuring delegates make the most of their time away, Multinail is hosting a Machinery and Nailplate Manufacturing Tour at its Stapylton Plant on Wednesday 24 July allowing delegates to view the latest machinery on offer.

 The conference program is: 8.30am

FTMA Australia AGM

9.30am

Morning Tea

9.45am

Conference Welcome

9.55am

Do your plans say everything they need to? - This session explores the problem of plans not providing the information they should.

Who is responsible and what can you do to fix the problem?

10.30am

Accessing dollars through National Workforce Development Fund for training - Panel discussion on the benefits of training and accessing funding through NWDF.

11.15am

What are the sustainable figures for the Australian Frame & Truss Industry - Harley Dale HIA will outline the results of the Research into the linkages between industry capacity and future levels of new home starts.

12.25pm

Tilling Timber - Lunch Sponsor

12.30pm

Lunch sponsored by Tilling Timber

1.15pm

Timber Prefabricated Ground Floor Systems - Dr Alistair Woodard explores this new system which will provide new markets for the frame and truss industry.

1.55pm

Due Diligence with Delivery to Top Plate - Panel discussion on pros and cons of delivery to top plate

2.40pm

The benefits Mitre10’s Unbannered Customer Program - Brett Martin of Mitre10 will outline how your usiness can streamline your accounting and increase your buying power by being an unbannered customer.

3.00pm

Timber Roof Truss Design Standard - An update on the formation of the Timber Roof Truss Design Standard and other changes to Standards that affect the Frame and Truss Industry.

3.30pm

Afternoon Tea sponsored by Carter Holt Harvey Wood Products

3.45pm

What’s new in the European Markets? - International speaker from Randek Falkenberg, Sweden, looking at the benefits of fully automated plants in Europe and Australia

 Food for thought ... QT Gold Coast Marketplace Bazaar.

4.15pm

The dangers of cheap imported steel connectors

Banner Hardware joins forces with Mitre 10

4.45pm

How important is the Timber JD Rating to your business?

5.15pm

Conference Wrap up with conference concluding at 5.30pm

6.30pm

Interactive Marketplace Bazaar Conference Dinner sponsored by Multinail

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN family-owned Banner Hardware has joined forces with Australia’s largest independent hardware retailer, Mitre 10. The alliance is across the Banner network of six retail stores, two frame and truss manufacturing plants, distribution centre and Home Select showroom. Banner retail stores will be rebranded as Banner Mitre 10.

The new joint venture will see the Evins family continue to run the day-to-day operations of Banner Mitre 10. All staff will keep their jobs and remain in their current positions.

Managing Director Matt Evins and Director James Evins will retain their leadership roles.

The timing of the alliance coincides with a number of recent Banner initiatives aimed at increasing its support of the South Australian building industry:

• Trade First customer excellence program – a new program to be implemented this year, designed to deliver high standards of service delivery to Banner’s trade customers. It is the only program of its kind in the South Australian trade market and will enable Banner to get closer to its trade customers and their needs.

• Streamlined truss, manufacturing and distribution facility – Banner manufactures frames and trusses for construction from its streamlined facilities in Greenfields and Mt Gambier.

• Platinum Builders Club trade loyalty program – a premium trade loyalty club designed to reward and incentivise trade purchases.

Matt Evins, who will be Managing Director of Banner Mitre 10, said the new alliance would result in significant

benefits for trade customers.

“Mitre 10 is Australia’s best independent hardware brand while Banner is a South Australian icon with strong customer loyalty and a significant share of industry trade,” he said.

“Banner Mitre 10 will continue to be operated by the Evins family.

“This strategic alliance gives us the opportunity to join a branded national buying group while remaining independent. It will make our retail operations more efficient, enabling us to channel more energy into our trade relationships.

“We currently supply more than 3000 individual builders and small to medium size building companies in South Australia, with plans to grow our reach across the industry.

“To this end we have introduced a number of initiatives designed to

recognise our trade customers and improve our services to them. These will continue under the Banner Mitre 10 brand.

“The alliance also forms part of Banner’s longer-term strategy, giving us greater leverage to expand our network of locations as we actively look for more sites.

“We anticipate strong growth for Banner Mitre 10 and increased demand for our trade services into the future.”

Mitre 10 chief executive officer Mark Laidlaw, said the new alliance would allow the group to increase its trade presence in South Australia.

“Banner is a strong South Australian brand with a strong commitment to the State’s building industry,” he said.

“The Mitre10 brand is well known for its customer

focus, not only in retail but particularly for it dealing with tradespeople.

“We are delighted that Banner shares this commitment working closely with local tradespeople, these are people who know what they want, they need quick and efficient service and this is something Mitre 10 prides itself on.”

Director James Evins said South Australian trade customers would remain a key focus for Banner Mitre 10.

“Banner’s trade representatives plan to meet with all of our trade customers over the coming weeks,” he said.

“Our extensive range of products and services enables us to supply whole-of-house to the building industry. Our large sales team works individually

with builders to deliver value via our truss manufacturing facility and premium Home Selection centre.

“We save the builder time and their clients get better results.

“Our trade sales support centre provides a more tailored and personalised approach, while our streamlined manufacturing and distribution facilities enable significant efficiencies to be passed on to South Australian builders.

“Banner has a proud reputation as the supplier of choice for South Australia’s building industry and this will continue under the Banner Mitre 10 brand.”

Banner Hardware was established by the Evins family in 1979. Mitre 10 was established in 1959 and is part of Metcash Limited.

FRAME & TRUSS

9 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

Benefits of being a member of FTMA Australia

By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA

F

TMA AUSTRALIA is the only national association that specifically exists to represent the frame and truss industry.

As you have read in this edition of Timberman we have grown from a Victorianbased association to a national group representing fabricators and suppliers to the frame and

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www.ftmaaustralia.com.au FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT KERSTEN GENTLE:

0418 226 242

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truss industry in every state and territory in Australia.

Over the years our voice has continued to grow with industry stakeholders and Government alike referring to our Association on relevant issues whilst we continue to represent the industry on the three Australia Standards committees, various ForestWorks committees, Worksafe Committees and the National Forest & Wood Products Council.

Over the past few years we have worked hard to build resources for our membership resulting in FTMA Australia being the first port of call for members inquiring on issues ranging from OHS, Industrial Relations, Administrative support and Standards and if we don’t know the answer we will either get back to the member with the information they seek or point them in the right direction.

FTMA Australia has created Membership folders which contain: • FTMA Australia documents such as Code of Ethics and Conditions of Membership • Incident & Injuries record template • Promotional material which be tailored with members company logo • Latest Award rates for the timber industry including hardware, clerical and storage • 12 Industrial relations fact sheets covering key issues (including website access login details) • Commercial Credit Application Form and other administrative forms.

• Details on how to access National Workforce Development Funds for training • Health and Travel Insurance benefits for the member company and their employees • Information on FTMA Australia Sponsors.

The idea is to continue to build resources for members to add to their folders ensuring they have the information they need at their fingertips. This year we have already designed a new Employment Contract for members to use as a template which recognises the Award requirements as well as a few policies which will be distributed to members shortly.

To any business these benefits would cost in excess of $3,000 to develop and FTMA Australia is pleased to provide members with these as part of their membership.

Since March 2012 we have helped fabricators access over $1.8million in funding for training and we were instrumental in the development of the new qualifications for the Frame and Truss industry working with other key stakeholders such as Timber Queensland,

the three nail plate companies and a range of fabricators.

These qualifications have been designed by industry for the industry and we encourage fabricators to take up the great opportunities in Government funding to train your production and design staff now as already this year we have seen cuts to the training incentives. FTMA Australia believes lifting the skills in our industry is paramount and therefore whether you are a member of not we are happy to assist in accessing this funding for you, which effectively means if you meet the criteria your employees will be trained in the new qualifications at no cost to your business, so give me a call to ensure you do not miss out on this great opportunity.

There are many other ways we have helped members such as assisting as a mediator in home owner/builder versus fabricator payment disputes, assisting fabricators in disputes against builders and ensuring timber suppliers support the companies that keep them in business by providing a fit-for-purpose product and follow-up sales support.

FTMA Australia runs events such as our conference at prices that are affordable to all fabricators as we believe it is our role to ensure information is available to the industry. But keeping prices at affordable levels is something our association prides itself on.

Our membership fees are also kept to a minimum and I think you would find it hard to

match the benefits to the costs of membership with anyone else. Our membership fee (GST inclusive) is based on the size of your business with the categories being: • Small: 1 – 15 Employees $726.00 • Medium: 16 – 40 Employees $1089.00 • Large: 41+ Employees $1452.00 We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 FTMA Australia National Conference where every topic is targeted at the frame and truss industry.

If you want further information on FTMA Australia, the National Conference or the fantastic benefits to members please give me a call on 0418 226 242 or email me at kersten@ ftmaaustralia.com.au.

 Kersten Gentle.

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 10

FRAME & TRUSS

 Safety is paramount … workers received a torch each in recognition of achieving 125,000 hours without a loss time accident in 2012. The reasoning behind the torch was an attempt to push the safety message, not just at work but also to our employee’s homes.

Ongoing training can be a win/win for all N

O R T H S I D E TRUSSES & Frames (NTF) had its humble beginnings in 1983 - in the back yard of a property under some old mango trees in Kallangur on Brisbane’s north side. Just two years later, NTF moved to its own premises.

By 1992, the company had outgrown those premises, so they made the move to the present 5 hectare site at Brendale in January 1993.

The company is owned by Greg Dummer and Don Gynther; growth has been constant for the past 30 years.

The company employs around 90 people.

NTF has used Mitek nailplates and software for the past 20 years and has developed unique Just-inTime production lines for both trusses and frames.

“This process has reduced the manual input by employees providing a safer and more enjoyable work system.

Workcover costs have halved as a result,” says NTF general manager Chris Hay. NTF’s client base is a mix of major project home builders, multi-residential developers and a number of smaller builders.

As with any business it is the careful mix of leadership, planning and a committed and well trained workforce that helps build success.

To that end, NTF sees ongoing training as a crucial component.

Take the case of Reggie Roache who started with NTF in since November 2009. He has well rounded experience working for 23 years in the truss and frame industry in

Queensland. Along with a number of his colleagues Reggie started the Certificate IV in Timber Trusses and Frame Design in 2011.

“From an employer’s point of view training has challenges. While wanting to ensure employees improve their skills, the time taken to train does create some challenges to meet customer demands. However, like any investment there is a cost and the return has been extremely beneficial to the business and to Reggie,” said Chris.

“The advantage of the training through Fitec Australia Inc. is that it allowed a flexible learning process that fitted in with demand commitments.”

Chris said 10 NTF employees had completed their Certificate 4 and 3 training; two completed Diploma qualifications.

Training periods took around 18 months.

“It was interesting to see some of the more experienced students opted to complete full units rather than the RPL system (Recognizing Prior Learning). This really reflected the desire to learn, not just get a qualification,” Chris said.

“The training provides an opportunity for some new thinking to be involved.

Technical teams tend to follow a standard way of doing things.

This training introduces the concept of thinking outside of the square. Can the training provide greater technical expertise? Maybe not, as most technical practitioners are experienced in the normal way. The training provides the

opportunity to bring change into a business potentially reducing costs and creating a more interesting workplace.

We all know that introducing change is a hard road.

“Builders are taking a more sophisticated view to their supply chain. They demand environmental, quality and safety levels previously not required.

“From a design point of view NTF can demonstrate that their estimators and detailers have completed training that reinforces their competency to complete the task. So, the training creates an advantage to the student.

They gain a qualification they can proudly hang on the wall. It also reinforces their practical skill. From an employer’s point of view it meets a due diligence process and improves efficiency as skill sets improve,” Chris said.

FRAME & TRUSS

11 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

This “lift” in business is a regular occurrence F

TMA Australia executive officer Kersten Gentle was in Adelaide recently as part of her busy schedule of liaising with members and visited a home construction site in the new Mawson Lakes area where Pine Design-manufactured roof trusses were being delivered to site.

Pine Design managing director John Oulton was there to ensure everything went smoothly.

These photos show the delivery in progress.

Evolving over more than 30 years, Pine Design Truss and Timber has undergone changes in name and ownership. Originally owned and operated by Cowels, then bought out

by Auspine in 1996, who subsequently sold to Gunns Ltd in 2008. Under Gunns, the business underwent a name change in November 2009 to Pine Design Truss

and Timber and was sold via a management buy-out to Pine Design’s current owner/manager, John Oulton on 1 November 2010. Pine Design is a member of FTMA.

 Pine Design managing director John Oulton and Kersten Gentle (FTMA Australia executive officer) were pictured in front of the framed up twostorey Henley home as the roof trusses were lifted into place.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 12

Changing with the tim O

Hill uses ATS to fitout facility TO FITOUT Barry Hill Timbers’ new facility Hill turned to the company that he has used in the past and has provided him with the equipment and backup that he needs. That was Advanced Timber Systems (ATS).

ATS is a Queensland based company located in Darra near Brisbane, but servicing and selling Australia wide and to New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

“We used ATS because we used them last time,” said Hill. “They’re good to deal with and the price was good.

“They offer us a very good service.”

ATS has been around for 16 years

servicing Australia’s timber industry and has a good range of machinery both new and used. The company’s used products include machines in as traded, cleaned and serviced or refurbished condition.

Hill’s choice was new machinery which included a Fullpower 6-head moulder, a Fullpower finger jointing profiler, as well as a continuous finger jointing assembler, a Fullpower air docker and a 600mm wide Fullpower planner.

While Hill chose the ATS Fullpower equipment for his company ATS stocks and works with other machinery such as Iida, Wadkin, Weinig, SCM, Leadermac and Mida.

LD SCHOOL that’s what in today’s parlance you would call Barry Hill, in earlier times you would have called him laconic.

In anyone’s language he is economic with his words and not prone to back slapping, especially not back slapping himself for the achievements he’s made.

Hill, together with his wife, are owners of Barry Hill Timbers, Barry Hill Trusses and Bazam Beams, the latter is his latest venture – the glulam business - but he is hardly a newbie in the industry.

“We’ve been here 34 years and we started cutting the green timber for housing,” said Hill from his North Motton, Tasmania factory.

“After a while we moved onto drying timbers and 23 years ago we started up a roof truss plant.”

Now he sees the future for his business also lies in glulam products.

“As the industry changed to roof trusses more than conventional pitching, that was what that was about,”

Hill said about moving from green timber to trusses.

“Then we moved through until seven years ago when we started a glue lamination plant. Now we are building an additional new factory.”

Hill’s businesses are all together in one location although the company no longer works with green timber at all.

“We shut that about five years just owing to the log situation in Tasmania,” he said.

The company started off employing three people and now employs 10 and is working towards 13 with the new plant, which should be finished in early April.

All up the new facility will have taken around about six months from building start to completion and will double the capacity for glulam beams.

Currently the company can produce 70m of glulam a day and Hill is hoping for at least 140m of glulam a day with the new plant and equipment.

With that much output, is the company looking at expanding further afield than just sending glulam to the ‘mainland’?

“We’re currently just Tassie (and Australia) but we’re looking further afield.

We’re actually tendering to the Solomon Islands,” said Hill.

“We’re actually tendering for some stuff, we don’t know whether we’ll get it but we’re there.

We’re doing this overseas bit in conjunction with some other people. “We’re negotiating but because

it’s with the government of the Solomons, and with government it could be sometime before we know about that one.”

He’s not relying solely on those sorts of tenders; he’s been around a long time and knows how fortunes can change. Although it’s hard to get him to say why he has been so good at doing business you can sense that it’s been planned and thought out well though he’s more likely to say it’s a bit of luck.

“Our future is very bright, the main reason for that is that Gunns who was the primary producer in Tasmania have been liquidated and the other competitor … they’ve just been liquidated,” he said.

“All my competitors have folded. Gunns had all sorts of troubles, and the other firm was in operation in Tassie for 50 years and they’ve just gone broke in a big way. I don’t know what happened there.

“We now haven’t just got the lion’s share, we’ve got the lot.”

With Tasmania in the throes of possible new legislation and the bitter battle that has been waging for years between the government, the Greens and the timber industry does Hill see that as a threat?

“Our resource we can get from the mainland or here – the legislation isn’t going to bother greatly unless we can’t get our basic stocks but what they’re trying to do here is catastrophic for Tasmania. You can print that one for me.

“It’s just ludicrous what they’re trying to do at the

BUSINESS PROFILE

13 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

mes leaves Hill of content in Tasmania

moment, I think they’re offering them a hundred million dollars for a billion dollar a year industry. But

that’s governments for you.

“All Australia needs is some stable government and we’d be right.”

He wouldn’t be drawn any further but it was clear that he was less than impressed with the state of

the nation. In some ways it’s good for Hill because there is no shortage of labour although in truth

he only needs to employ a handful of people for the new facility.

“There’s that many unemployed in Tasmania I’m frightened to advertise at the moment. They’re going down like flies there’s probably hundreds a day going unemployed on the north east coast where we are and that’s scary,” he said.

So in a State that’s in a bad state Hill feels his business is secure and profitable, he’s just spent around $600,000 in the new facility and he wouldn’t have done that without good reason.

“Yea, our future it’s with the glulam we believe, but the trusses are okay too … at this stage we’re not planning to move into any other area,” Hill said.

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TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 14

BUSINESS PROFILE

New Woori Yallock site gives STS volume V

OLUME AND expansion has been on Giosserano’s mind since he started as a wholesaler of outdoor timber about 11 years ago working out of Capital Drive in Dandenong South.

“It was 2002 that we started in Capital Drive Dandenong, we sort of outgrew that fairly quickly especially with the truck traffic so then we ended up buying Dura-Pine in Hammond Road [Dandenong], “ said Giosserano. “That was probably six or six and half years ago.”

By 2010 the company was struggling for space again as it was working up to capacity with timber treatment volumes and then the opportunity came up to purchase a 90 acre site in rural Woori Yallock that had been owned by Dave Spencer.

“We were up to capacity with what we could procure with stock and then this

we took this over 18 months ago. September 2011 was the official date.”

With the purchase and use of the new site it became obvious that three sites was just one too many – there

two sites,” said Giosserano.

“This place has given us the room and the treatment capacity. With the two previous plants we were up around the 3200 or 3300 cubic metres a month, with

The cylinder at Capital Drive goes full steam ahead six days a week. In today’s game it’s all about volume,” said Peter Giosserano, director of Victorian timber wholesaling company STS came up as an opportunity,” said Giosserano.

“I’ve known Dave Spencer for a lot of years and he was saying he wanted to get out because he had sold his other interests, and I thought this was a good opportunity so

was the Capital Drive site, the Dura-Pine site and the new Woori Yallock site.

“In October last year we decided to close Dura-Pine down. We went from one site to two sites to three sites but we’ve now consolidated to

the two plants we’ve got now we’re up around the 5000 cubic metres a month. So we’re still on two sites but we’ve got better capacity than before.”

The cylinder at Capital Drive goes full steam ahead six days a week but the one in Hammond road was only capable of doing 700 or 800 cubic metres at best because it was an old small manual cylinder.

“Dura-Pine had a treatment plant there but it was reasonably old and it was a smaller one,” added Craig Cunningham STS operations manager.

“In today’s game it’s all about volume. For me to get that up to some sort of level where I could get more volume I would have to put new sheds up, upgrade - it would have been just too expensive,” said Giosserano.

“So that’s why this site

at Woori Yallock was so good because it was already operational. We didn’t have to stop anything; once I got into here we had the 7ft cylinder already operational which allowed us to put in a second cylinder. Once we got two operational we found that we really didn’t need Hammond Road.”

STS Timber Wholesale is a company that concentrates only on outdoor timber: wood for carports, pergolas, pine and merbau decking, cypress, sleepers and fencing materials.

One of the products that is gaining acceptance in today’s environment is nonarsenic based formulation treated wood but Giosserano says the Osmose treatment that he uses is not as well known in the marketplace as Ecowood.

“My feeling is that the market seems to think the

Ecowood is the only product out there that is a non arsenic based formulation.

People just don’t know about NatureWood, it’s a similar thing,” said Giosserano.

“Like I tell customers it’s like Pepsi and Coca-Cola they’re both colas but one is owned by Pepsi and the other by Coca-Cola. They’re in opposition but it’s a similar product.

“People have the idea that they’ve been told they’ve got to use Ecowood, whereas it’s just a brand name. NatureWood is a very similar thing – it’s a non arsenic based formula.”

Treated and processed NatureWood products behave in a similar way to CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) treated wood products – both are pressure treated, long lasting and durable.

NatureWood products offer termite and

fungal decay protection similar to that of CCA treated wood.

The ACQ NatureWood system is based on copper combined with an organic quaternary compound and is applied to wood by pressure treatment. Copper and organic quaternary ammonium compounds are effective fungicides and termiticides. Together they provide protection against a broad spectrum of decay fungi, borer and termites.

STS doesn’t stop at just working with NatureWood or at wholesaling outdoor timber the company has a customer base that is also interested in having its own products treated.

“We are able to do that.

We have a customer base that we do CCA treatment for and a customer base that we do ACQ treatment for, it’s a part of what we do.”

WOOD EXPO

15 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

Wood processors look to innovations at upcoming summit W

ORLD LEADERS of wood processing, manufacturing and new product technologies are converging on Australasia in September. The major drawcard is this region’s first “business to business” wood industry show, WoodEXPO 2013. Albury, NSW, will host the first three-day WoodEXPO event in the series on 3-5 September.

The second event in the series will be run for New Zealand wood products companies the week after on 11-13 September.

“The objective of the new EXPO is to provide local companies - management as well as production staff - with exposure to new technologies that can improve their own efficiencies and productive capability,” says FIEA

director, Brent Apthorp. “By running the two EXPOs over a short two week period, leading technology providers from Europe, North America and Asia can join in with each of the main equipment and product suppliers from New Zealand and Australia.

It ensures local companies are accessing the very latest developments and the international technology providers participating in the event can maximise their time while in this part of the world”.

It’s no secret that the Australasian wood products industry has seen better days. The industry has been hammered by commodity pricing, exchange rate fluctuations, supply problems and competition in key markets from other major

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Constructed from a custom made beech plywood frame paired with several different wooden panels, this bike actually comes packaged the same way a model car kit would allowing the user to build out the bike piece by piece. Included in the kit is a 1:1 scale model, giving the user the option to use or not use the mechanical components of the bicycle.

wood producing nations.

One of the industry’s main challenges is to transform its value chains and improve its market position and returns through quality, diversification and the application of innovation.

Clearly, current thinking needs to change.

True innovation though is doing more than just R&D. It’s about exploring innovative approaches to new product development; from how the technology is being commercialised and transferred to industry, to how we’re producing and marketing our wood.

As part of WoodEXPO 2013, a one-day Wood Processing Summit is being run. It’s designed to encourage senior managers to “think outside the square” -

to look at global technologies that have the potential to provide a “step change” to what we’re producing and how we’re processing our wood resource.

The Wood Processing Summit will be exploring strategies for future growth and, rather than small incremental steps for improving processing efficiencies, it will be exploring the true “gamebreakers” that could make a significant difference to our local companies future profitability.

Examples of technologies that have the potential to change the shape and operation of the industry include; 3D printing, automation and robotics in manufacturing, CT scanning for log and lumber

optimisation, innovative new building and construction systems and a new super wood-based material, Nanocrystalline Cellulose (projected to become a US$600-billion industry within the next eight years).

3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing), is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from digital models is currently a hot topic in manufacturing.

In U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union address, he referred to 3D-printing as “having the potential to revolutionise the way we make almost everything”. Advances in computer programming, 3D printing and robotics have opened the door to exciting new architectural forms

 Brent Apthorp. made from lightweight composite materials such as carbon fibre, fibreglass and Kevlar. The race is currently on to build the first 3D printed house within the year and it provides real opportunities to local companies to diversify their current manufacturing operations.

The Wood Processing Summit in September will provide a special gathering for a very special three day event, WoodEXPO 2013.

Full details on the Expo, Summit and Technology Workshops can now be found on the event website, www.woodexpo2013.com

CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 16

Glulam becoming increasingly important T

HERE IS a strong trend towards increased use of engineered wood products in Europe.

This trend has particularly benefitted Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam). Glulam, comprising several layers of small-sized dimensioned lumber glued together into a single component, is used widely both structurally and for joinery applications.

Glulam offers numerous technical and environmental advantages. Glulam has a high strength to weight ratio, is naturally durable and robust, has good fire resistance, and performs consistently and predictably. It can be used structurally to create vast interior spaces with no internal supports.

Glulam also allows efficient use of small dimension material to produce stable, strong and yet light products in a very wide range of sizes.

Glulam has proven particularly well suited to manufacture of modern factory-finished joinery products conforming to tough quality and environmental standards and offered with life-time guarantees.

Glulam has also been a

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major beneficiary of the move to install highly insulated triple-glazed windows in parts of Europe, notably Germany, as a measure to increase energy efficiency.

This has required window framing materials that are extremely strong but also light-weight, a combination of readily achieved by glulam but which only a few expensive wood species can achieve in their natural state.

Europe is now the world’s largest market for glulam, accounting for close to 60% of all global consumption in 2010.

In that year, Europe consumed around 2.8 million m3 of glulam, down from a peak level of 3.3 million m3 in 2007.

Imports form a small, but increasing, component of overall supply. In 2010, around 135,000 m3 (5%) of EU glulam consumption was imported. The leading external suppliers of glulam to the EU are Malaysia and Indonesia, followed by China.

In 2011, EU imports of glulam from China had a value of €22.5 million, around 17% of total EU imports of €129 million.

European glulam producers are concentrated in Germany

info@skookum.co.nz

and Austria. Their sales are primarily focused on the European market, the only exception being interregional sales to Japan. A large proportion of European production is focused on spruce as attempts to establish pine products on the European market have only been partially successful.

Larch glulam has also come to be appreciated by specifiers wishing to ensure a greater degree of natural durability without the necessity for pressure treatment. Amongst hardwood species, European oak and American white oak are most regularly used for manufacturing glulam in Europe. Hardwood glulam imported into Europe from South East Asia comprises mainly meranti.

While Germany and Austria have traditionally been the key markets for glulam, Italy showed very rapid growth in consumption of glulam in the 12 years up to 2010 – from 100,000 m3 in 1998 to 870,000 m3 in 2010, after a high of 1,050,000 m3 in 2007.

The rise in consumption of glulam in Italy can be attributed to its use in the

+64 9 276 2402

construction of homes, home patios and agricultural buildings.

While the European glulam market has grown over the last decade, it is currently suffering from saturation. Glulam production in both Austria and Germany grew steadily between 2000 and 2010, but the increased production

capacity outstripped domestic demand.

Producers therefore focused strongly on increasing exports, notably in Italy, France, and Japan. However, opportunities in these countries are now constrained by weak construction sector activity.

Successful participation

in the European glulam sector is a complex and capital intensive process.

Supply of glulam is subject to standards covering the production process, quality control, production t e c h n i q u e / t e c h n o l o g y, computer-analysis processes, and construction safety documentation. – ITTO

 Glulam beams.

www.skookum.com.au

darreno@skookum.com.au

FREEPHONE 1800 600 053

CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER

17 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

CLT features heavily at PrefabNZ’s inaugural conference A

S JOINT Gold Sponsors of the PrefabNZ Conference held in New Plymouth last month, CLT manufacturers XLam NZ featured not only as the main exhibitors but within many of the presentations as well. Attended by a mix of engineers, architects, manufacturers and suppliers, the conference theme was ‘Collaboration for Growth, Economic Resilience and FutureProofing’ – a topic that included international examples of successful prefabrication, many of which featured CLT. Exhibiting alongside their machinery suppliers W & R Jack, XLam NZ were represented by Directors Ian and Robin Jack – and a striking display stand constructed entirely from CLT. During his presentation to the conference Robin Jack spoke of the many opportunities CLT offered – from reduced costs for commercial building through to the

export prospects for NZ’s solid timber industry.

His enthusiasm for CLT was echoed by speakers thoughout the conference – from sectors including architecture, construction, and academia.

“CLT is a perfect match with the ideals of prefabrication,” explained Robin Jack. “Worldwide, the benefits of offsite construction are being coming more and more obvious. Reduced site time, repeatable quality, less waste, – these are more than just buzzwords in today’s commercial construction industry, and we know CLT is well placed to satisfy these requirements.”

PrefabNZ is a selfsustaining non-profit society representing the interests of a wide range of materials and stakeholders in New Zealand’s design and construction sector: from clients through to designers, specifiers, manufacturers, contractors and government.

PrefabAus -an equivalent Australian body – has just been established.

 Ian (sitting) and Robin Jack in front of their CLT stand at the conference.

Prefabrication primes productivity THE LIFECYCLE of a building can be better understood thanks to a project funded by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) and Crown Research Institute, Scion.

The recently completed project had examined the key components, interactions, influences and critical intervention points in the lifecycle of a building. Using a systems approach, this knowledge will help improve the New Zealand construction industry’s productivity gains. The research was undertaken by Dr Jeff Seadon, a research leader in Scion’s Sustainable Design Group.

A driver for this research is to understand how the construction processes can be most effectively leveraged to increase value.

New Zealand’s Building and Construction Productivity Partnership has a goal to achieve a 20% increase in productivity of the construction sector by 2020. This can play a part in developing an affordable housing supply for urban centres such as Auckland and Christchurch where demand exceeds current supply.

The systems approach taken by Dr Seadon was designed to find ways to increase construction sector profitability in a way that recognises the sector has many components including raw materials, manufacturing components, building, use and end of life. Furthermore, all of these phases in the lifecycle of a building are influenced by a variety of factors, often with complicated flows of materials and information.

To help define this inherently complex system, 41 people with sound knowledge in these areas were interviewed. Then, system maps that show causes and effects of actions in the construction lifecycle and feedback loops indicating interventions to affect the construction life cycle system were identified.

The results of this systems mapping exercise were the discussed with many experts in the industry to identify options for overcoming inefficiencies in the building cycle.

Prefabrication was found to be a significant factor that could be used to improve productivity gains. To be effective, prefabrication needs to be introduced alongside: increased standardisation of materials and building processes in the industry; building information management (BIM); and the appropriate use of buffers on site to reduce clashes and waste.

A key outcome of the systems mapping process was that potential changes to productivity in the New Zealand construction sector and potential downstream effects of increasing prefabrication were identified.

Among these, a greater use of prefabrication in the New Zealand construction industry was found to: • increase standardisation of both materials used and building processes • lower financial risk and building costs for both the builder and building owner • encourage use of better material quality (due to more widespread use of standardised and tested materials) which increases the building lifespan • use a lower number of materials so that in the end-of-life stage, deconstruction becomes a more viable option than demolition; deconstruction improves the ability to segregate materials, making them more marketable • increase uptake of innovative manufactured products • increase uptake of novel processes which encourages innovative design and • promote greater potential for modularisation.

The results of Dr Seadon’s research will be used to inform the Building and Construction Productivity Partnership on interventions to increase productivity in the construction sector.

The full report will be available on request from the author jeff.seadon@scionresearch. com

Cross Laminated Timber XLam NZ offers the ultimate engineered panel product for residential & commercial construction, including prefabricated flooring, walls & roofing.

Design Guide available now!

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Any size up to 15.3m x 3.5m Thicknesses from 60 to 250mm or more Fire resistant Thermally efficient From fully sustainable resources Proven earthquake performance

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TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 18

CUTTING EDGE

Spotlight on the latest technology W

EINIG WILL feature 30 exhibits over 3,800m2, including innovations and evolutions in all four product segments, at Ligna Hannover (6-10 May).

Weinig’s core expertise of planing and profiling puts the spotlight on modern processing technology, which can achieve significant savings, increase timber yield and open up new markets.

The Powermat series, exhibited in full with the 600, 1200, 2400 and 2500 models, offers an ideal platform in this area. Demonstrations will include an angled spindle, vertical floating spindle and 3D structuring. The new back-pressure system prevents “snipes” and “dips” at the final lower spindle.

MemoryPlus: The new entry-level control system from Weinig for customers with a small variety of profiles. The EasySet function corrects any measuring errors on the tool quickly and easily.

MemoryPlus allows the mobile spindle as well as a chamfering unit to be controlled or glazing beads to be separated.

Pointed tooth roller 2.0:

The outstanding feature of the new generation of Weinig feed rollers is their better grip, which ensures optimized workpiece transport. The lower contact pressure reduces indentations in the wood. Reduced wear and build-up of debris also extend the service life of the rollers.

90° chamfering unit: The new chamfering unit has axles that are independent of the spindles. The installation at a 90°-angle allows the production of chamfers with curves and radii.

Further developments with CUBE and Powermat With the new automatic stacker, Weinig extends the range of accessories for the compact entry-level 4-sider CUBE. Operation and charging are now significantly easier. The tried and tested Powermat 2400 SP splitting unit has been optimized. An improved splitting wedge system ensures longer tool service life, precision and increased safety.

Conturex Compact: The new model extends the renowned Conturex series

with a machine particularly tailored to the requirements of small workshop businesses.

To cater for the wide variety of products, the Conturex Compact has a similarly high degree of flexibility to the series in the upper performance segment, which have also been optimized in terms of flexibility and performance.

This enhancement can be seen at LIGNA as Conturex 124.

To use the braking energy, the Conturex is equipped with an energy refeed unit. In addition, frequency converters facilitate demand-oriented drive depending on processing parameters such as speed and feed speed.

New Multirex generation: Has an external tool magazine with a length of 6.5m and its own axle. This enables transfer of the tool to the tool holder in the machine with no loss of time - regardless of the current position of the machine with the main spindle. In addition, the new Multirex generation is in a position to automatically control peripherals. This enables problem-free exchange of data from the cutting list or data for subsequent driving in of dowels.

Pre-cutting and optimizing product segment

 Powermat 2400: Ideal platform for series production.

Weinig will be exhibiting the world’s first fully-automated pre-cutting system in Hanover in OptiLink, the Weinig software solution for 2D optimization. The line includes a CombiScan 200 R scanner for ripsawing and cutting, a ProfiRip 450 Speed optimizing

 Multirex: New generation with minimized set-up times. circular saw and an OptiCut 450 FJ+ III high-speed optimizing cross-cut saw with ST 10-1500 automatic stacker. The entire system is connected via the OptiLink software, which was initially presented as a concept in 2011 and now comes to the market as a solution for the networked production process of production lines with several scanners. Additional highlights of the system include the new generation of the servo drive for maximum cutting performance under continuous operation and the fixed length cutting from 80 mm for higher timber yields. The modular system concept enables capacity to be extended up to 4 OptiCut units.

The system comprising the EasyScan scanner and OptiCut 200 Elite optimizing cross-cut saw celebrates its premiere as a standard solution for simple applications in rip optimizing.

OptiCom Direct enables the system to be consistently operated and controlled.

Weinig will also be presenting a new range of accessories for pushfeed saws in Hanover. These will

Our Services. Your advantage.

Finger jointing lines The high-performance WEINIG GreconLine for finger jointing technology offers ultimate precision combined with maximum value enhancement. Minimum dimensional allowance, wood loss and operating costs ensure profitable wood processing and upgrading for all users in the wood-processing industry. The modular production line designs are highly flexible and can be adapted to different requirements at any time. There are lines for horizontal or vertical jointing, for laminated wood or solid construction timber – WEINIG GreconLine satisfies all your needs.

enable work processes that follow “cutting” to be further automated or integrated into the process. The new Superdrill unit combines the work processes of cutting / drilling and cutting / milling in a single pass. The IPPC branding iron automatically burns the logo into the workpiece following cutting. In the saw outfeed, the package stacker provides reliable stacking of the fixed lengths cut in the package.

ProfiPress II Comfort: A high-frequency gluing press has semi-automatic glue delivery with a conveyor belt and charging via a plate chain. A further highlight is press cylinders with height adjustment that can be switched off via solenoid valves. The gluing press is characterized by simple operation, optimal use of energy and low floor space requirement combined with high performance.

For the first time, the optimizing circular saw ProfiRip 450 is presented with a cutting width of 450mm and up to 4-fold blade adjustment.

In a further innovation, the optimizing circular saw ProfiRip 310 is presented with a cutting width of 310mm and up to 3-fold blade adjustment. The flexible longitudinal circular saw FlexiRip 3200 has been enhanced with new features.

These include automatic cutting height recognition, load-dependent feed control and a width optimization program.

Band resaw BK60 / BK80: The new band saw reaches feed rates of up to 60 m/min in standard configuration, and up to 80 m/min with the high-performance package.

Sensor-based measurement of the boards prior to infeed allows for optimized outfeed of three equally wide pieces. The

BK features a sound-insulated safety cabin. All adjustments are made conveniently from the outside.

Finger jointing and finishing product segment Weinig will also be using LIGNA to present the fastest compact finger jointing line on the market in the glulam production segment. The new ProfiJoint 8 allows timber with up to 8 connections to be centrally milled and pressed per minute. The finger jointing line will be on display at the Alfeld plant. Not far from Hanover, the plant has additional finger jointing lines on display in the Ultra, ProfiJoint and Turbo-S with dividing saw, which will be available for demonstration throughout LIGNA for any interested visitors.

Ultra TT 2000: From the GreconLine this is a package finger jointing line for incoming lengths of up to 2,000mm. The combination of a full-automated rotary table and a belt before the packet chamfer makes this system a performance giant.

When a timber package is milled, the rotary table can be simultaneously charged with an unprocessed timber package.

The new double-end machine reinforces Weinig’s orientation as a complete provider. The double-end machine is the logical extension of the finishing construction kit, which previously focused on finger jointing lines at the Alfeld operation. The doubleend machine allows Weinig to particularly address companies in the furniture, board, window, flooring, insulation, construction timber and solid wood industries.

Your WEINIG expert at www.weinig.com WEINIG OFFERS MORE

 Modern planing technologies: Greater timber yield with the angled spindle.

CUTTING EDGE

19 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

Small logs are definitely big business HewSaw hosts a special trip in North America to explore the logistics and practicalities of small log processing.

S

MALL LOGS can offer many advantages to the sawmill seeking to gain some extra fibre and recovery from what can be a low input-cost resource.

Recognising this and having a long established tradition – particularly in North America of small log processing HewSaw Pty. Ltd prepared an itinerary and invited interested members of the Australian and New Zealand market an opportunity to be part of a small group to discover the opportunities and challenges of small log processing.

The tour began on March 9 in Vancouver with a welcome dinner and introduction to the HewSaw Inc North America personnel who also accompanied this Small Log Safari. A sightseeing day around the Vancouver area on the Sunday shook out the cobwebs of the long flight over from Australia and provided an opportunity to get to know each other a little better and begin the discussions about small log processing.

Over the next three days four sawmills were inspected across varied sites beginning with a specialist processing site of the Ledcor Group that produced 4” x 4” and 6” x 4” cants from pre-sorted logs for everything from form work and railroad ties (sleepers) to high grade export cants.

Interestingly, a lot of the logs were sourced from beetle kill areas, which created additional challenges, but still successfully processed in a HewSaw R200 A.1 saw line. Ledcor actually trade

high end logs to gain access to lower grade and “pulp” logs to produce the cants for this very successful operation.

Another fascinating operation was a visit to Vaagen Brothers Lumber in Colville, Washington. This integrated site produces around 330,000m3 sawn per year in just two shifts with a HewSaw R200 A.1 saw line.

With a massive log yard and a 20,000kg grapple, on an overhead gantry crane, the mobile plant on this site has been pared back to a bare minimum. Whole stems are processed in a twin bucking station and a 30 pocket log sorter. With lengths from 2.4m to 6.0m and five species, the sorter line is working fast to keep the production moving.

The pre-sorted logs range from 110mm to 280mm SED in batches and are scanned for shape and rotation directly before the HewSaw. Minimal log gaps also means high production.

The Colville site accepts green sawn material from two other Vaagen Brothers operations and has a dry mill output of almost 590,000m3 sawn pa.

Possibly the most exciting visit was to another Vaagen Brothers mill at Midway, just on the Canadian/USA border.

At this site, small diameter logs are again processed in a HewSaw A.1, but this time with the addition of shape and pattern scanning up front, so is able to run completely unsorted logs utilising movable saw arbour technology. This mill was rebuilt in 2011 and is a 100% scan and set operation

 Cants at Ledcor.

 Scan-and-Set means optimum recovery of a large range of lengths and diameters.

with up to eight patterns being processed on a log-by-log basis.

The finale to the Small Log Safari was two days spent in Cour D’Alene attending the biennial Small Log Conference. A fascinating insight to the scale of small log production in North America, encompassing the whole process with papers delivered on topics as diverse as biofuel production for Jet Engines, asbestos contamination cleanup from a mine in a forest, funding opportunities from Environmental Groups to manage forests for sawmilling, challenges and technology developments in machinery for small log processing and much more.

 The logyard at Vaagen Brothers in Colville.

 Small Log Conference venue in Cour D’Alene.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 20

Placement of trainees and apprentices: does it really cost more?

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Australia)

F

OR TOO long, it has been an urban myth that it’s more expensive to use a Group Training Organisation (GTO) to recruit and employ new entrant workers. Often Group Training is referred to as the best kept secret in vocational education and training, and the truth about Group Training may surprise some of you!

It reveals that companies can save money while investing in the training of their workers. Their workers receive a national qualification and the company obtains a fully qualified practitioner that is fully trained to your company requirements at a reasonable cost. As you may be aware, TABMA is a notfor-profit GTO and we keep our services priced to benefit our members, our host trainers and our industry.

The chart compares a new entrant worker with entry level experience in the various roles detailed below and compares those new entrant workers with an Australian Apprentice sourced through TABMA Group Training. The results include superannuation guarantee levy, workers compensation, annual leave, sick leave, public holidays for both the new entrant and the TABMA sourced

Australian Apprentice. For example: • a 25 year old person • with some experience working in a related field • no experience working in the job role.

These comparisons are calculated on fulltime employment (38 hours per week) and paid as per the requirements of the applicable Modern Award.

Each award name has been detailed. (see table) In addition TABMA recruit the Australian Apprentice, take care of all the statutory requirements, access funding for training, source quality training delivered through a mixture of on-the-job training, assignments, workbooks and e-learning utilising several nationally registered training providers.

In addition, TABMA pay the mandated training costs and provide a mentor (field officer) to assist your worker complete the training and obtain their formal and nationally recognised qualification.

Finally, at the end of the agreed training period there are no recruitment or placement fees.

 TABMA Annual Australian Apprenticeship Cost Comparison Chart Job Role

Directly Employed

TABMA Group Training

Additional cost to use TABMA

Yards person Timber Salesperson Timber Worker

$41,822.75

$35,847.68

Saving: $5,975.07

MA00084 Storage Service and Wholesale award

Storeman

$39,446.11

$327,04.32

Saving: $6,741.79

MA00002 Private Clerks Award

Receptionist

$37,965.77

$37,118.40

Saving: $847.37

MA00002 Private Clerks Award

Admin Assistant

$41,371.71

$37,118.40

Saving: $4253.31

MA00002 Private Clerks Award

Accounts Clerk

$43,912.02

$37,118.40

Saving: $6793.62

MA00004 General Retail Industry Award

Retail Assistant

$39,028.04

$35,847.68

Saving: $3180.36

Phone sales Customer service Agent

$43,912.02

$37,118.40

Saving: $6793.62

Frame & Truss Fabricator

$41,822.75

$35,847.68

Saving: $5,975.07

Award

MA000071 Timber Industry Award

MA00002 Private Clerks Award MA000071 Timber Industry Award

Please note these figures are based on NSW requirements and funding. Other States are similar but may vary slightly. Correct at time of publication but may vary.

TABMA NSW

TABMA SA

TABMA NSW is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Adamski to the role of Field Officer. Peter has vast experience in the group training arena and brings many skills to his new role at TABMA.

TABMA South Australia has recently appointed Andrew Koch to the role of State Manager SA. Rapid growth in SA has necessitated this appointment and Andrew commenced with TABMA on April 8. Andrew was

previously with B & D Doors and prior to that with Business SA. TABMA QLD At a meeting on March 13, it was unanimously agreed at a general meeting of members, to reduce the number of

Board members from 10 to 9. Following a secret ballot of Board members the following were elected: •M ichael Gaske - Ozline Timbers – Chairman •G raham Leddy – Versace Timbers – Deputy Chairman •K eith Maitland – Tasman KB •P aul Rutledge – Gunnersen

• Danny Meredith – Lindsay Meyers • Brad Saunders – Parkside Timbers • Mitch O’Mara – Tradeware Building Supplies • Roger Healy – Simmonds Lumber • Mal Goatham – Pacific Wood Products

TMA and the new status quo

By Eric Siegers Executive Officer TMA

I

N FEBRUARY The Age ran an article providing a stark warning claiming that with the completion of large scale infrastructure projects and a prediction that new housing starts will be down by 15.6% (VIC) on last year and will impact businesses that are strongly tied to new single dwelling construction. The interesting thing is the rise of the multi-storey construction; apartments now being touted by both the HIA and ABARES as becoming the mainstay of construction in the metropolitan areas.

This is confirmed by the massive increase in approvals for apartments being undertaken in Melbourne (for instance) that they now make up 38% of new construction.

As the society ages, more people want

low maintenance residences with access to increased services. While Gen Y and X are much more urban focused and likewise demand access to lifestyle choices. So the concern over capacity may be unfounded and combined with the move to open up fringe areas for development may in fact lead to improved housing affordability, a trend already being seen across Australia.

The question for our industry is how do we increase our share of multi-storey construction?

The developments of CLT and MRTFC now have a rich market opportunity to capitalize upon, and the merchant sector has the ability to pursue some unique opportunities. If we are able to seize the opportunities this could be a real shift for the sector.

This is where the role of the TMA has become vital. We represent a sector that sits in the middle of the supply chain of the timber and construction industries. Monitoring what

is happening at both the production end as well as consumers is vital to monitoring the health of the business environment. Consumers are changing the supply chain in a dramatic fashion, and studies by Ernst and Young in 2012, confirmed that businesses that work and listen to the supply chain are the ones advancing in this difficult economy.

TMA’s showroom, advisory line and website combine to give a very strong picture of what is happening at the consumer end of the supply chain. When this is correlated with our relationships at the production end of the industry we have developed an understanding that is invaluable for the business and political discussions, that as a representative organisation, the TMA is engaged in.

As the market undertakes a paradigm shift, there is no status quo any more, and our role of monitoring, engaging and having the resources to do so is invaluable because

 Eric Siegers. knowing how change affects us, means we can learn to respond faster and smarter. With the rise of the digital revolution, faster is no longer what we thought it was, luckily, we can always do what our grand parents did; role up our sleeves and get working!

Log on Today!

Visit www.timberbiz.com.au/dtn to sign up today.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

21 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

Consultation/major workplace change of hours of work; the need for retraining or transfer of employees to other work or locations; and the restructuring of jobs.

Employers are required to discuss the proposed changes with their employees. For the purposes

By Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer Timber Trade Industrial Association

T

HE CURRENT industrial relations system places considerable emphasis on employers consulting during major change at the workplace. This issue is particularly relevant at present with many employers seeking advice on their obligations in redundancy situations.

Timber Industry employers should be aware that there is a ‘standard clause’ in modern awards that requires employers to consult with employees and their representatives (if any) when a definite decision has been made to introduce major changes in the workplace that are likely to have significant effects on employees.

‘Significant effects’ includes termination of employment; major changes in the composition, operation or size of the employer’s workforce or in the skills required; the elimination or diminution of job opportunities, promotion opportunities or job tenure; the alteration

A

LTD XLAM NZ Street y 57 Beatt Nelson ALAND NEW ZE

about their business if the disclosure is contrary to the employer’s interests.

During the consultation meeting, employers must notify employees about: • t he introduction of the changes • t he impact the changes

an employer to follow an employee’s suggestions during consultation but, as outlined above, they must give employees an opportunity to make them.

In 2010, in a Federal Court case, an employer was fined $660,000 (reduced

“If you plan to make any changes within your workplace, consider whether those changes will have a significant effect on the employees.” of the consultation meeting, employers must provide the following information in writing to the employees: • a ll information about the proposed changes and the nature of the changes • how the employees will be affected by the changes, and any other matters likely to impact the employees • [Optional] inform the employee that they may reply in writing with their input or inform the employee that they will be given an opportunity to provide input at the consultation meeting or ask questions.

Employers are not required to disclose confidential information

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are likely to have on them • a ny measures being implemented by the employer to avert or mitigate the adverse effects of such changes, for example, possible redeployment opportunities where positions are being restructured.

The consultation clause provides that consultation discussions must occur as early as practicable after a definite decision has been made by an employer to make changes. Employers must give prompt consideration to matters raised by the employees in relation to the changes.

The consultation clause does not oblige

TIMBERMAN, August 2012 – 6

, 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 an.net.au @timberm l: norm 4840 Emai B E R (03) 9888 T I M 4820 Fax: (03) 9888 Ph: 20 5 Vol. 2012, Issue August

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to $384,000 on appeal) because the employer had ‘merely dictated… the proposal’ and ‘failed utterly to consult with [its] workers’.

Consultation during redundancy process A recent Fair Work Commission case demonstrates how important it is to comply with consultation clauses in modern awards when employers are going through a restructuring process.

In February this year, an IT manager who was made redundant was awarded nearly $11,0000 because there was no consultation

prior to his dismissal. The Fair Work Commission found that although there was a valid reason for the employee’s dismissal; because his job no longer existed and he was made redundant.

It was not a ‘genuine redundancy’ because there had been no consultation and the failure to consult amounted to a termination that was ‘unjust and unreasonable’.

The Commission also referred to the definition of ‘genuine redundancy’ in the Fair Work Act 2009 which provides that a person’s dismissal is a genuine redundancy if: • t he person’s job is no longer required to be performed by anyone because of operational changes to the employer’s business; and (emphasis added) • t he employer has complied with any obligation in a modern award or enterprise agreement that applied to the employment to consult about the redundancy.

In such cases, the Commission will also investigate if any reasonable attempts were made by the employer to redeploy the employee

FRAME AUSTRALIA

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

within their business or within an associated entity of their business.

If you plan to make any changes within your workplace, consider whether those changes will have a significant effect on the employees. If they do, to avoid any potential claims for unfair dismissal against your company, ensure that your consultation is in writing and in person and gives consideration to issues or alternatives raised by the employees.

If you have any questions about consultation requirements, please contact the TTIA on (02) 9264 0011.

FRAME AUSTRALIA

buildingSmart with BIM J

 Brian Beecroft.

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.

A

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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TIMBERMAN, May 2013 – 22

ASSOCIATION NEWS

ATTA sets sights on future with renewed purpose T HE 2013 Australian Timber Trainers Association (ATTA) Annual Workshop will be held on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 29-31 July (with optional activities on 1 August) under the theme ‘Looking ahead’, and there will be various sessions designed to explore the directions that VET and the timber industry are going in.

This year’s workshop is special. It’s 21 years since timber industry trainers from around Australia first came together under the ATTA banner to share their experiences and talk about the issues that concerned them.

Now, two decades later, the need for a strong national association representing trainers, assessors and RTOs in the industry is more important than ever. Over the last couple of years there have been some significant changes in the VET system, and with a federal election looming, there is likely to be much more to follow.

The timber industry has also been undergoing huge changes in recent times. In particular, the forest growing and harvesting sectors are facing some enormous challenges with direct flowon effects for the trainers and assessors working in these fields.

“Against this backdrop, ATTA is celebrating its 21st anniversary, not with a sense of nostalgia, but with renewed purpose. As a group of long-

standing professionals in the industry, we have seen Government policies come and go, companies rise and fall, and funding for training initiatives shift between different priorities,” says David McElvenny, ATTA Secretary “What hasn’t changed is our own belief in the essential role that high quality training plays in the success of every business, especially in times of change. We also know that in order to stay up-to-date and improve our own skills as professional trainers, we need to work together – sharing our knowledge and learning from each other.

This is the principle that has seen us through the last 21 years, and the conviction that will carry us into the future,” he says.

This year’s workshop will include a wide range of presentations and workshop sessions on current issues, including Training Package updates, assessment validation, the role of ASQA, the purpose of the ACSF, and emerging technologies in the way training is delivered. As always, our loyal sponsors – Stihl and ForestWorks – will host the three dinners and give presentations on their activities and plans for the future.

The lead organiser is Tim Isaacs, current ATTA president and general manager of Fitec Australia.

Tim and his staff at Fitec will coordinate the main venue arrangements and the field trip excursions.

These excursions will include tours of HQ (Hancock Queensland) Plantations near Caboolture, Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve at Maleny, as well as talks from local experts on fire management, forestry practices and sustainability programs.

The conference venue is the Ramada at Marcoola Beach. We have negotiated

special accommodation rates for workshop attendees. All meals are covered in the workshop registration fee.

For those who want to bring their families, apartment style accommodation is also available.

As the name of the venue suggests, the conference centre is right on the beach, with 180-degree views of the coastline. Some domestic airlines fly direct to the Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore, which is five minutes drive away.

Alternatively, you can fly to Brisbane and organise a hire car or other transport to the venue.

The Workshop registration fee is $450 for ATTA members and $650 for nonmembers. Note that the ATTA membership fee is $75, and non-members are welcome to join up prior to registering. The fee will cover the main three-day conference plus the optional fourth day.

All attendees of the main conference will receive a

certificate of attendance.

This will list the topics covered over the three days and provide excellent evidence of continuing professional development and industry consultation.

To see the current draft version of the workshop program, go to the ATTA website at: www.atta.org.au.

You can also register on-line by following the links.

For more information about the workshop, please contact the Secretary at: secretary@atta.org.au.

American hardwoods put in a solid performance THE LATEST information released from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows 2012 to have been a successful year for exports of American hardwood to Australia.

Figures show 8,556

cubic metres of American hardwood lumber exports to Australia in 2012 marking an increase of 11% over 2011 and a value of $US7.24m.

As in 2011, American white oak dominated in 2012 accounting for 75% of the total volume of lumber

 American hardwood forest.

shipped to Australian shores.

However, ash exports grew and red oak and tulipwood were shipped to Australia for the first time in 2012 as demand for a greater variety of species has risen.

“American hardwood species definitely gathered

momentum in 2012,” said Matthew Lee from Sydney’s Specialty Timber Traders.

“We have experienced a consistent demand from different sectors of the market and particularly in specified joinery applications.

The fact that the American species have strong environmental credentials certainly appears to have helped.”

Roderick Wiles, Director for the American Hardwood Export Council for Oceania, said the figures were very encouraging.

“Australian architects, specifiers and designers are increasingly well versed in what American hardwoods have to offer in the context of the market.

“The fact that these customers have the reputation for being discerning and environmentally conscious in their choice makes us particularly pleased that American hardwoods are being selected with greater frequency in Australia.”

 American hardwood kiln drying process.

TIMBERMAN Classifieds

23 - May 2013, TIMBERMAN

To advertise in the Timberman Classifieds call Norm Nelsen on: (03) 9888 4820

FOR SALE Spare parts for Grey Benches.

Good stocks of genuine parts.

Catalogue available.

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SAW DOCTOR ALL REPAIRS TO: Portable Mill Blades, Carriage Saws, Bench Ripsaws, Firewood Blades, Multisaw Blades, Pruning Sawblades CALL 03 5443 9846

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FOR SALE

Gibson Sawmill in good condition. Due to closing down, this mill, comprising a Gibson Carriage Line Bar and one man bench (both working right up to closure), is now for sale.

The equipment is available for inspection in situ at 3 Beavan Street, Gatton Queensland.

To arrange inspection, please call Brendan on 0428 950 035 or email brendanellis@newlands.com.au.

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Someone’s looking for what you’ve got....

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10 | Machinery Catalogue · 2013

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Minimum finished length Maximum finished length Minimum mitre angles Minimum cut angle

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1780

18 | Machinery Catalogue · 2013

Minimum finished length Maximum finished length Minimum angle Maximum angle Length of cut Depth of cut

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10627

2013 · Machinery Catalogue | 19

Hybrid Jig

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*C-type configuration shown

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Features • • • • • • •

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Quick action manual clamping Easy to manoeuvre flow through boxes Heavy duty construction Truss jigging equipment Flow through boxes Apex and heel jigging Locator and camber bars, quick set camber screws

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50 | Machinery Catalogue · 2013

Contact us for your copy 155 Burnside Rd · Stapylton QLD 4207· Australia T: +61 (0)7 3297 3280 · F: +61 (0)7 3382 0741 · E: enquiry@multinailmachinery.com · W: www.multinailmachinery.com