Timber Trader UK Magazine Issue 19 Winter 2022-2023

19

WINTER 2022-2023

www.timbermedia.co.uk

ISSN 2517–26X (PRINT)

TRADER UK

TIMBERMARK  18

Handheld thermal inkjet printers that provide economic and flexible stamping options for all timber types

SAM MOULDINGS  20

How investment into product improvement for 2023 will boost business across the UK

RACKING & STORAGE  30

SEMA’s health and safety training can help stop warehouse accidents before they happen

The latest news and views from across the industry.

12 Timber & UKCA Delays

The UK government has delayed the date when businesses must have switched from CE marking to UKCA marking on their products. What does this mean for the timber supply chain?

14 Intelligent Forestry

Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch are jointly developing an artificial intelligence application to identify forest storm and insect damage.

17 Alternatives to Plywood

The shortage of birch plywood is a cause of concern in the timber industry, with many suppliers and contractors looking for alternative places to source from.

18 Cover Story: Timbermark

Timbermark ID Systems and its range of handheld thermal inkjet printers are ideal for all types of wood including pallets and packaging.

20 Creating a New Mould

SAM is the UK’s leading manufacturer of interior and exterior MDF mouldings and is ready for a busy 2023. Gerard Wilson, sales director at SAM told us more.

29 Driving Efficiency & Specialist ERP

Chris Fisher from ECI Software Solutions explains how timber merchants can streamline their operations through the deployment of a specialist ERP system.

30 The Importance of Training

Have you considered the consequences if a bad accident happened at your workplace? The Storage Equipment Manufacturer’s Association can help stop a problem before it happens.

The Perfect Partner for the Timber Industry

Managing Editor: Terry Hanlon

 terry.hanlon@timbermedia.co.uk

 01925 872371

Artwork: Pete Awad

 artwork@timbermedia.co.uk

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 @Timber_Media

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Pallet LOOP Ramps Up for 2023

Bradfords Building Supplies has taken its first delivery of Tarmac bagged cement loaded on green Pallet LOOP pallets kicking off the first end-to-end trial of a new circular economy pallet reuse scheme for the UK construction sector.

After individually confirming the quality and durability of LOOP’s distinctive green pallets, Bradfords and Tarmac are now trialling their use to move goods between their businesses and out to a select number of Bradfords customers across Somerset.

Founded on the principles of recover, repair, reuse, The Pallet Loop is designed to help the construction industry meet its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and eliminate avoidable packaging waste from the building material supply chain.

Reinventing how pallets are used, The Pallet LOOP offers a range of 100% FSC pallets that have been purposely designed to carry various weights and types of material and engineered to be used multiple times. Easy to identify, the pallets all follow the same design standards, making them safer to move, manage and stack, while helping to maximise lorry distribution capacity.

The Pallet LOOP operates using a returnable pallet charge (RPC) that incentivises reuse. By attaching a value to the pallet, which is refunded at the point of return, The Pallet LOOP provides a financial motivation for individuals and companies to put pallets back into the LOOP, rather than skipping or scrapping them after just one use. This positive shift in behaviour will greatly reduce the burden that pallet production currently places on the environment and our forests. Switching to The Pallet LOOP also has the potential to save the sector significant amounts of money on waste costs.

Giles Bradford, head of sustainability at Bradfords Building Supplies, said: “We see examples of both unsafe pallets and pallet waste every day across our sector. They’re a crucial enabler for the construction industry, but the evidence of stacks of pallets clogging merchant branches or being skipped on-site is only too apparent. It’s important for us to assess environmental sustainability at every stage of the supply chain. Trialling The Pallet LOOP is the latest step in our efforts to reduce our own environmental impact but looks to support a much wider benefit across the sector. We are delighted to be supporting the initiative and looking forward to seeing how the trial progresses.

Garry Gregory, packed products director at Tarmac, said: “Pallets are a staple within the industry and are heavily relied upon to store and distribute construction goods and materials. The Pallet LOOP reuse scheme is key to reducing waste and the demand for natural resources, ensuring we use and supply pallets in a greener, more sustainable way - this aligns closely with our 2030 circular economy goals in Act – our sustainability strategy. We are looking forward to seeing how the trial progresses and hope to see a successful roll out of the scheme in the months ahead.”

Paul Lewis, founder of The Pallet LOOP, said: “We are delighted that Tarmac and Bradfords have initiated the first end-to-end trial of our pallets. Both companies are forward-thinking in their approach

to sustainability and have clearly recognised the value that a circular economy pallet reuse scheme will have not just for their businesses – but also their customers, the wider industry, and the environment. We’ve spent the last year speaking to key players throughout the construction sector, explaining the simplicity of our model and how easily it can be integrated into the sector. Tarmac and Bradfords are now proving that in practice – putting the LOOP to the test.”

To service its circular economy pallet reuse scheme, The Pallet LOOP operates a network of collection sites and repair hubs nationwide. Pallets are taken back to the nearest site where they reenter the pallet pool – after being checked for damage.

Once The Pallet LOOP is fully operational in early 2023, the pallet collection process will work the same way as in this trial. Smaller developers and trades will be able to return pallets to the merchant branch that delivered them or call them to discuss the possibility of backhauling when additional deliveries are made to site or vehicles are in proximity. Larger developers and principal contractors will be able to book a collection slot for multiple pallets to be picked up directly by The Pallet LOOP.

More at  www.thepalletloop.com

Economic value of the UK’s individual trees revealed

The economic value of individual trees planted outside of our forests and woodlands has been revealed for the first time at £3.8 billion. The figures are revealed in a new ground-breaking study published by Forest Research and Defra as part of National Tree Week.

Trees outside woodlands are defined as single trees in urban and rural areas and are some of the most iconic trees in our landscape, ranging from the classic, spreading hedgerow to the single trees lining our streets, making up almost a quarter of trees in Great Britain.

The valuation is based on the important role they play in sequestering and storing carbon, regulating temperatures, strengthening flood resilience and reducing noise and air pollution. Together, these help to mitigate against climate change, reducing damage to infrastructure and people from the impact of flooding, cooling our cities in summer and improving health and wellbeing.

By quantifying their significant value, the report will help to incentivise councils, land managers and local communities to plant more trees outside of woodlands for the varied and numerous benefits they provide. This will contribute to wider Government efforts to treble planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament and achieve net zero by 2050.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said: “Today’s groundbreaking research reaffirms the unique value of non-woodland trees which exist all around us - from the trees lining our streets to those dotted around our beautiful countryside. It makes clear the immense environmental and economic value and benefits trees bring to society which cannot be underestimated. As set out in our England Trees Action Plan, we have committed to trebling tree planting rates in England by 2024 and by quantifying the significant value of trees, this research will help to incentivise planting in our communities across our country.”

Kieron Doick, head of the Urban Forest Research Group, Forest Research said: “While our valuation of non-woodland trees is substantial, we recognise that our research valued just a handful of the many benefits that trees provide. Future research will allow greater understanding

and increased values as more of the benefits are included. Our report shows that trees are valuable infrastructure assets across multiple land uses, much as one might think about lampposts or drains. Moreover, it highlights the much greater role of mature trees in delivering benefit to society - in comparison to their younger counterparts.”

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive, Forestry Commission, added: “This first-of-its-kind research demonstrates the dynamism of trees outside woodlands – from tackling many of the prevailing issues of our time, like air quality and climate change, to damping down noise and helping people to get a better night’s sleep. This landmark report will inform the continued rollout of our England Trees Action Plan and be instrumental to future policymaking.”

The report estimates the Natural Capital Value of non-woodland trees to be between £68.5 billion and £151.5 billion, in 2020 prices. This represents the value of the trees over the course of a century and provides a useful means of comparison to other natural assets.

The report can be downloaded free of charge at:

 www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/valuing-non-woodland-trees

Timbeter nominated for Future Unicorn Award 2023

Running for the sixth year in a row, the Future Unicorn Award celebrates scale-ups from across Europe that have the potential to become the bloc’s future tech giants. The shortlist is compiled in collaboration with DIGITALEUROPE’s national trade associations, representing the digital and technology sector in 29 European countries. The winner will be announced on 8 March at Masters of Digital, DIGITALEUROPE’s annual flagship conference, by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

Timbeter’s digital solution is changing the forestry sector by enabling sustainable forest management, increasing the safety of employees, maximizing the value of each log, helping to optimize logistics and guaranteeing fair trades. Also, it helps with monitoring and controlling the timber supply chain, supporting governments and law enforcement agencies to prevent illegal logging and keep a better overview on the volumes harvested.

Anna-Greta Tsahkna, CEO of Timbeter, stated: “Being one of the Future Unicorn Award 2023 nominees is great recognition to our team. Working with organizations across all the continents proves that our solution solves universal challenges related to transparency, traceability, efficiency and accountability in the forestry sector. The one thing we owe our success to is dedication on R&D and trust of our investors for seeing a long-term perspective. It is fascinating to witness how the regulators and very traditional forest industry is slowly indicating interest for more transparent, traceable and accurate forest information. Climate policy being an important driver here. We strongly believe that digital

transformation and harnessing innovative technology in the forestry industry is 100% required for a more sustainable future.”

Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, said: “Today, only 12% of the world’s unicorns are European. This is far from enough, at a time when Europe seeks to assert its global competitive edge. This year’s impressive shortlist of the most brilliant scale-ups represent critical sectors from energy and green tech to cyber security. They clearly reflect Europe’s most burning challenges and the power of European innovators to deliver solutions.”

More at  www.timbeter.com

Alloway Timber announces company rebrand

Alloway Timber, a family-owned timber merchant, has announced that it has completed a major rebranding. This involves merging with its sister company, Putney Builders Merchants (PBM). The new company, Alloway Timber & Builders Merchants, will allow them to simplify their offering to their customers by ensuring all products are available under one roof.

Alloway Timber was founded in 1971 by Joe Alloway (senior) and continued under the stewardship of his two sons, Joe & Peter Alloway, supplying anything timber related from skirtings and architraves to roof truss rafters and beyond. After listening to their customers’ needs in helping to support their projects from start to finish, they opened PBM in 2003. Alloway Timber & Builders Merchants is the latest development in the history of this company.

Jez Avens, managing director, says: “This change will further enhance our position as leaders in customer service. Our customers will have only one account to manage and most importantly our level of service and their experience in dealing with us will only improve as we

share our colleagues’ knowledge across the two businesses. Also, by making this change we will be able to utilise our transport fleet better to enable a greener environment.”

Alloway Timber & Builders Merchants will continue to trade from their five locations – Cheam, Mitcham, Byfleet, Putney and Kingston. The new logo will be introduced to the branch signs.

More at  www.allowaytimber.com

BSW acquires Scott Group

BSW Timber Ltd, the largest integrated timber and forestry business in the UK, and a member of Binderholz, has acquired Scott Group, a leading supplier of timber pallets and bespoke timber packaging solutions.

Based near Dunfermline in Scotland, with an annual turnover in excess of £250m and 1,300 employees, Scott Group is an awardwinning, sustainable manufacturer of new, bespoke, and reconditioned timber pallets, producing over 30 million pallets per year.

The Scott Group was founded in 1987 and operates across 32 sites, from Shetland to Devon, working with customers to promote the circular economy, which is emphasised by its pallet recovery, repair and reuse service, while it also operates a timber sourcing arm in Latvia.

Tony Hackney, CEO of BSW Group, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have acquired Scott Group. It’s a move which further strengthens our product and service offering. It ties into our vision of not only making use of the full value of timber, but also of achieving the best uses for timber across the BSW Group, whilst fully utilising the logistical firepower of the combined businesses.

“This strategic acquisition means that we are poised ready to serve our customers when we see the economic recovery and upturn. Much like us, Scott Group has grown organically and through acquisition over the last decade, and we’re confident that with the expertise and experience of BSW and Scott together we can continue to build on this both in the UK and further afield.”

Norman Scott, owner and group operations director at Scott Group, added: “This is a huge move for both Scott Group and the wider timber

industry, helping us to cement our status as the UK’s most innovative manufacturer and supplier of timber pallets. It also helps us to ensure that we can work even closer with customers to provide solutions that fit their requirements and deliver value.”

With the acquisition of Scott Group, BSW Group now employs 3,000 people across the sector, and has an annual turnover of approximately £900m, with Binderholz Group turnover reaching almost €2.8bn.

BSW CEO Tony Hackney and CFO Alan Milne will join the existing Scott Group Board of Directors, who will continue in their current roles.

Yorkshire Family Timber Business Marks 50th Anniversary

Ramsey Timber Group, the Bradford-based timber component manufacturer to the UK bed industry, is marking its 50th anniversary with the appointment of third generation family members into the business.

The milestone year sees Josh and Jake Ramsey, sons of managing director Mike Ramsey, join the family-owned and run business as they look to bring valuable skills and fresh perspective, ensuring the continuity and future success of the highly respected business.

Josh brings with him a background in technology consulting from a Big 4 firm. He is leading an IT transformation programme to modernise systems and improve operational efficiencies. While Jake brings his background in sales with him to focus on building relationships with existing and new customers, as well as driving growth in new product ranges, including the Ramsey Bedstead – one of the few bedstead options on the market that is manufactured in the UK and offers short and consistent lead times versus imported alternatives.

Established by Peter Ramsey in 1972 and joined soon after by his sons, Mike and Nick, Ramsey Timber began trading imported timber from a portacabin in Denholme, Bradford, to builders’ merchants and the DIY market. Over the last 50 years, Peter’s sons have grown and shaped the business to be a leading supplier of timber components to the UK bedding sector, generating £24m of turnover in its last financial year.

As the firm looks ahead, the focus will be on continuing to deliver the best Divan and Ottoman bed frames in the UK. Strong relationships with Scandinavian sawmills and board product suppliers have enabled the firm to provide continuity of supply to its customers during the tumultuous last two years, so reinforcing these relationships further will be key for the business, as the market faces continued uncertainty into 2023.

Mike Ramsey, managing director, commented: “We’re extremely proud to be a highly respected third generation family-owned business

EPD investment for Tanalith® E

To help timber manufacturers provide transparency on the environmental performance of their products, Arxada has invested in updating the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Tanalith® E.

The EPD for Tanalith® E, a high-pressure water-based wood preservative, provides a cradle-to-gate assessment covering raw materials, emissions in the manufacturing, shipping and distribution processes, and packaging. Carried out by Dutch consultants, SHR, the EPD has been updated to help Arxada’s customers create a full cradleto-grave assessment, looking at the environmental impact of timber treated with Tanalith® E throughout its full life cycle.

Within the UK, EPDs are voluntary, but their use is rapidly becoming more common in line with growing environmental awareness. Andrew Hodge, marketing director for Arxada EIMEA Wood Protection division, speaks of the recently published Tanalith® E EPD:

“Both public and private stakeholders are increasingly demanding EPDs.

and to reach the milestone of 50 years trading. It’s a humbling moment for me personally and I’m excited to see the positive change that Josh and Jake will undoubtedly bring to the business. Our future priorities, as ever, are centred around delivering great service to our customers. We are building our in-house manufacturing capabilities, as well as developing existing and new supply partnerships.”

2023 will see further improvements planned around its machinery and in-house fleet in an effort to retain its place as the leading supplier of Divan and Ottoman bed components in the UK continue to deliver cost effective solutions to its customers.

More at  www.ramsey-uk.com

More importantly, as a company committed to sustainability, we think they are simply the right and responsible thing to do going forward. We are investing in EPDs and Life Cycle Analysis across the portfolio of our products.”

“As an industry we do have pushback on the environmental credentials of pressure treated timber. We are looking forward to working with customers across Europe to build the EPD into their own environmental systems, helping to show how treated timber performs against more carbon-intensive materials, and untreated timber, across its entire life cycle.”

More at  www.arxada.com/en/wood-protection/eu

L-R Jake Ramsey, Mike Ramsey, Elaine Ramsey, Peter Ramsey, Nick Ramsey and Josh Ramsey

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Travis Perkins Certified as Top Employer

Travis Perkins plc, a leading partner to the construction industry and the UK’s largest distributor of building materials, has been certified as a 2023 Top Employer.

This year’s rigorous review looked at the people practises the Group has in place for its 20,000 colleagues in a range of areas, including strategy and leadership, organisation and change, digital HR and work environment, employer branding, and talent acquisition and onboarding.

The Group was recognised for its strong purpose-led decision making, integration of wellbeing and the use of colleague champions to successfully enable business change. Employee listening, the recruitment of new talent and the way we measure candidate experience were also identified as key strengths.

Group chief HR officer, Emma Rose, said: “We have made significant investments in making colleague learning and development more accessible, engaging and fun through a new system and app and a virtual reality onboarding platform. We’re also enabling colleagues to share their voice and opinions more easily through our new survey tool. Authenticity and equal opportunity were two of our top scoring questions in the latest survey, which demonstrates the progress we’re making on diversity and inclusion.

“Our apprenticeship programme has continued to go from strength to strength. During 2022 we even opened our apprenticeships up to the wider industry to help build the next generation of talent across our sector, so we unlock sustainable growth within our own business and construction more widely.

“Wagestream has been an important and timely addition to the Group’s financial wellbeing offering, given the cost-of-living pressures

many of our people are facing, and 400+ colleagues helped shape our new values, which have become part of the Group’s everyday language and ways of working in a short space of time.

“Our progress has been considerable, but we’re ambitious and want to lead the way in building a culture of belonging where everyone has the skills, confidence and ambition to be their best. That means our work to build on all the positive impact our people strategy has made for our colleagues, the business and our sector very much continues.”

This marks the 14th year the Group, which operates market leading businesses including Travis Perkins Builders’ Merchants, Toolstation and a number of trade specialists, such as Keyline, BSS, CCF and many more has been accredited as a Top Employer.

More at  www.travisperkins.co.uk

BMF appoints digital specialist as board advisor

As the building materials industry advances towards digitalisation, the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has appointed James Mitchell, managing director of Kerridge Commercial Systems as a specialist advisor to the BMF Board.

James’ appointment brings a new skill set to the BMF Board. He has 28 years’ experience of IT and software solutions, and his current company provides digital solutions to many in the building materials sector. He has a BSc (Hons) in Business and Computer Science, an Executive MBA from Cranfield University Business School and he is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Commenting on the appointment, BMF Chairman, Richard Hill said: “The BMF Board is responsible for the general control and management of the Federation, developing strategy and scrutinising performance. It is,

therefore, important that its members bring a diverse range of experience and skills to the overall Board. James’ appointment reflects the increasing importance of digitalisation in our members’ business, and I am delighted to welcome him to the Board.”

On his appointment James Mitchell added: “I am delighted to be joining the BMF board as an advisor. The use of digital tools for business operations and processes is a subject I am very passionate about; the right digital tools generate efficiencies and improve services and importantly help merchants grow their business and profits sustainably. I am very much looking forward to working with the BMF board and its members to discuss, advise and provide insights on the future of digitalisation for the merchant industry.”

The BMF represents merchants and suppliers in the UK and Ireland and had a total membership on 1 January 2023 of 870 merchant and supplier companies

who together have combined sales of over £42bn and employ over 230,000 people in the building materials industry. BMF’s 443 merchant members operate from over 5,600 branches across the UK and Ireland.

More at  www.bmf.org.uk

Donaldson Timber Systems (DTS), is providing offsite timber frame training workshops after being awarded Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accreditation.

As the only timber frame company to secure CPD accreditation, DTS enables current and potential clients to expand their skillset and keep up to date with industry developments. Online workshops include a range of topics, from construction and technical aspects to commercial skills and client sales. Upon completion, participants achieve a certificate which can be logged towards CPD study or used to build career progression.

Rod Allan, managing director of DTS, said: “We are proud to have achieved CPD accreditation for our offsite timber frame training, which has already received overwhelmingly positive feedback and referrals. This marks a huge step for the timber industry and construction sector. Businesses have the opportunity to share their expertise to upskill staff, improve retention, and advance professional growth. By committing to lifelong learning and development, the industry as a whole can benefit.”

DTS prides itself on being highly sustainable, innovative and efficient. With unrivalled experience and knowledge in offsite construction, DTS has an established history of bringing new commercial and operational innovations to the market. One example is the Sigma II closed panel system, offering near-Passivhaus standards of performance and sustainability. The system is being widely used with housing developers,

particularly with those driven by whole life costs and fabric performance, contributing positively to fuel poverty challenges.

DTS is the UK’s market leading offsite timber systems manufacturer. For nearly 50 years, the business has been working with its partners in the UK housebuilding market, supplying them with state of the art open and closed panel timber frames. DTS was formerly known as Stewart Milne Timber Systems prior to its acquisition by the Donaldson Group in 2021.

More at  www.donaldsontimbersystems.com

Donaldson Timber Systems provide offsite timber frame training Winners revealed at BWF Awards 2022

the winner of the award in recognition of its multifaceted renovation of a heritage property in Suffolk. The BWF Award judges recognised the project as an example of great capability and skill, which used modern joinery techniques to sympathetically blend structures into the existing fabric of the building.

Scott Grimwood, director at Precision Made Joinery, said: “The whole team is incredibly proud of the end result of this project, and we’re delighted that our hard work has been recognised by the BWF Awards.”

The winners of the prestigious British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Awards 2022 were revealed at an evening of celebration held at the Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel late last year. This year marks the 14th anniversary of the annual Awards which celebrate outstanding achievement, skills and talent from across the woodworking and joinery manufacturing sector.

Amongst the winners was Precision Made Joinery, based in Suffolk, that won the Woodworking Project of the Year Award. Sponsored by National Timber Group, the Woodworking Project of the Year Award champions innovation and the very best in design, application and ability in joinery manufacture. Precision Made Joinery was chosen as

Commenting on all this years’ winners and the Awards ceremony, Helen Hewitt, chief executive of the BWF, said: “The BWF Awards allow us to come together and take pride in all that has been achieved over the past year. Our sector has overcome a great deal this year, with supply chain interruption as well as the increase in energy costs and the continued skills shortage. The Awards are a welcome opportunity to celebrate the hard-earned achievements of the past year and showcase the skill and technical expertise in the sector. Every year I’m amazed at the hard work, innovation and incredible skill of all of our finalists, and I want to congratulate all our winners on their achievements. It was fantastic to bring the industry together once again and celebrate the successes our ever-evolving profession.”

To read about all the 2022 winners in more detail go to  www.bwf.org.uk

Precision Made Joinery won the Woodworking Project of the Year Award

Accoya® shows resilience on River Thames

Following a successful trial the Environment Agency’s TEAM 2100 has chosen to commission and install a further nine Accoya fenders along the banks of the Thames. TEAM2100 is the Environment Agency’s 10-year programme to refurbish and replace tidal flood defences in London and the Thames Estuary.

In 2020, the Environment Agency agreed to trial and test an Accoya fender at Duke Shore Wharf, with wood being donated by Accsys via International Timber. The Agency was looking for a resilient, stable and durable alternative to hardwood that could offer improved sustainability credentials whilst continuing to promote a healthy and diverse marine habitat. The fenders are an essential part of flood risk management assets in the Thames Estuary.

After two years of positive performance at Duke Shore Wharf the Environment Agency has commissioned nine further fenders at Deptford Walls, Greenwich. These fenders were installed in September 2022. To provide biodiversity benefits, the innovative design for the nine new fenders, loop(see diagram).

“Choosing materials that are sustainable and that consider the effects of their production on the environment is a key goal of our flood risk management programme. Certification processes, such as the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program, help achieve this and permit identification of materials that consider the effects of their production on the environment, minimise energy and water use and aid social fairness. Finding a viable, sustainable substitute for hardwood has been an important goal of ours,” said Dr Jo Guy, of the Environment Agency’s TEAM2100, environment and sustainability manager.

John Alexander, group director of sales, Accsys commented: “The Thames water is a tough environment with cold water, strong tidal currents and lots of surface activity. It’s a real endurance test for a wood product and we’re proud to see how well Accoya has performed. With a 25 year warranty in fresh water it has excellent potential to replace hardwoods.”

The fenders are being used by the Environment Agency’s TEAM2100 programme as proof of concept that it can replace hardwood, provide habitat and contribute to achieving the organisation’s circular economy, net zero, environmental net gain, and social value sustainability ambitions.

Regenerative design consultancy, 540World worked with Accsys, Jacobs, Balfour Beatty and TEAM2100 to implement this important sustainability initiative, with a view to more widespread substitution of slow-growing hardwood with fast-growing, rapidly carbon-sequestering and very durable Accoya. The lack of toxic or plastic-based additives to Accoya is vital to its use in these environments, eliminating the risk of potential leaching into the water and environmental or ecological harm

Each cubic metre of Accoya contains nearly one tonne of CO2 absorbed by certified sustainable forests, which keeps that carbon safely stored for decades. This installation in the Thames Estuary will provide further data on long-term performance, adding to the consensus of positive data that Accsys has collected from sites in the Mediterranean and North Seas.

More at  www.accsysplc.com

Timber & UKCA Delays

The UK government has delayed the date when businesses must have switched from CE marking to UKCA marking on their products. What does this mean for the timber supply chain?

According to the Construction Products Association: “There are only two types of harmonised technical specification to allow CE marking, which have been mirrored to permit UKCA marking. These are a harmonised standard or ETA for CE marking, and therefore a designated standard or a UKTA for UKCA marking. If neither of these exist a manufacturer cannot apply the CE or UKCA mark, however if these do exist for a product, then a manufacturer has to apply the relevant mark.”

In December 2022, the UK Government announced the delaying of the full implementation of the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking scheme for products sold in England, Scotland and Wales until 30 June 2025.

Originally, businesses had been told they would need to have the UKCA mark on all their relevant products from 1 January 2023, but this latest delay now applies to all products, including structural timber, plywood and other wood-based panels including OSB and MDF. This means businesses will have an additional two years to apply the UKCA mark to their products. Until then, they may use either the existing CE mark, or the UKCA mark, if they have already made the transition.

To help timber businesses navigate the confusion, TDUK has issued a Technical Note to outline the changes and explain how businesses can make sure they remain compliant during this transitionary period.

Nick Boulton, head of Technical and Trade at TDUK, explains: “Manufacturers in the wood sector have already invested considerable resources to meet the original deadline for requirement of this new UK mark. It is important to note that, like the original deadline, this new date of 30 June 2025 is currently a UK government stated intention but is not yet supported by UK legislation.”

Which products must have a UKCA/CE mark?

Across the European Union, a CE mark is used by manufacturers to declare that their products comply with, and conform to, relevant EU health, safety and environmental protection legislation and requirements. CE marking is mandatory for products that fall under the scope of a European Commission product directive, such as the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which lays down harmonised rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU.

Post-Brexit, the UK government introduced the UKCA mark to replace the existing CE mark, and all products that previously required a CE mark will eventually need a UKCA mark to be placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales.

For many wood products the UKCA situation is very clear, as market requirements are based on Harmonised European Standards which are published as the list of UK Designated standards. These can be found online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-standardsconstruction-products

Most wood products are at AVCP Level 2+ or AVCP Level 4, which means that either no input is required from a UK Approved Body (Level 4), or just oversight of the Factory Production Control (Level 2+). In either case, manufacturers can already move ahead to UKCA marking. In contrast, Level CE 2+ Manufacturers can move to UKCA marking once they:

• Have registered with a UK Approved Body

• Have adjusted their quality manual

• Have received their UKCA certificate reference.

This UKCA mark may be on its own or could be alongside a CE mark if the manufacturer chooses to retain their registration with an EU Notified Body. A good example of this is structural timber, which uses the harmonised standard BS EN 14081, or structural plywood that uses BS EN 13986.

At Level 4 there is no Notified Body or Approved Body input, so manufacturers can move to UKCA marking whenever they choose by simply adjusting the relevant section of their quality manual. This UKCA mark may be on its own or alongside a CE mark.

Where manufacturers want to make a specific claim for fire performance on products which are normally Level 4, such as for cladding, flooring, or post-treated wood-based panels, then a Fire Test Certificate is required from a Notified Test Laboratory which raises the product to CE Level 3 status. If the Notified Testing Laboratory is in the UK, manufacturers can proceed to UKCA marking. If not, manufacturers should seek further legal advice. For structural wood products that hold European Technical Assessments (ETAs) the UKCA situation is less clear, and more information is available on TDUK’s Technical Note.

Intelligent Forestry

In this joint project, the companies are developing an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to interpret remote surveying data and observe any damage caused by the European spruce bark beetle and storms. The goal is for the application to identify bark beetle damage in spruce forests before it is visible to the human eye.

“Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch aim to provide an application that will add to the digital material Metsä Group uses in forest operations, for example in maps that indicate storm and insect damage,” says Olli Leino, director, digitalisation, from Metsä Group’s Wood Supply and Forest Services.

Helping forests remain healthy

Metsä Group’s parent company is Metsäliitto Cooperative which has nearly 100,000 forest owners as members. Metsä Group procures most of the roundwood from its owners-members in Finland and offers them comprehensive services for forest management and for increasing their forest assets. “It is important to Metsä Group and our owner-members that forests remain healthy and vibrant,” adds Leino. “We’re now using digitalisation to keep forests healthy and provide our owner-members with an entirely new service.”

Jarkko Lipponen, CEO of CollectiveCrunch said: “Advanced technology such as AI and machine learning help us offer deeper insight into the wellbeing of forests, and especially into forest change, faster than ever. The impacts of climate change can already be seen in our forests, and we’re excited with this opportunity to develop a completely new service for improving the wellbeing of our forests with a forestsector forerunner like Metsä Group.”

The European spruce bark beetle is about half a centimetre long and

threatens spruce forests, in particular. It has caused significant damage in Central Europe in past years and now threatening Northern forests in Europe and North America. Bark beetle and storm damages are expected to increase in Finland and Nordic regions as the climate becomes warmer. Currently the most common damages to trees are those caused by snow loads and wind.

Quick detection, prompt actions

“By updating the maps indicating damage caused by the European spruce bark beetle several times over the summer, we can detect damage in time, see how it progresses, and contact the forest owner to jointly prevent the spread of damage,” says Olli Leino. “The new application also improves our ability to quickly identify the scope of storm damage and the areas that have suffered the most. This enables us to quickly move harvesting equipment to where they are needed to harvest the damaged trees.”

In 2022, Metsä Group introduced an application that makes extensive use of open data available in Finland as well as data gathered by Metsä Group, and machine learning to estimate growing stock data. Combined with the AI application for damage detection, the number of storm-damaged trees can be safely estimated without surveying the entire damaged area.

The map data on bark beetle damage will be available in the digital map applications used by Metsä Group’s wood supply personnel and in the Metsäverkko online service used by Metsä Group’s owner-members. Metsäverkko is a free online service offered by Metsä Group to help forest owners manage their forest assets and make and timber trade, for example. Some of the services in Metsäverkko, such as the future map data indicating storm and bark beetle damage, are only available to Metsä Group’s ownermembers.

More at  www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch, a leading company in the application of artificial intelligence for forestry enterprises, are jointly developing an AI application to identify storm and insect damage.

The map data on bark beetle damage will be available in the digital map applications used by Metsä Group’s wood supply personnel and the Metsäverkko online service used by Metsä Group’s owner-members. Photo © Metsä Group

Bark beetle and storm damages are expected to increase in Finland and Nordic regions as the climate becomes warmer. Photo © Metsä Group

BSW Ready for 2023

Binderholz GmbH, which acquired BSW Group in 2021, has reaffirmed its commitment to its UK operations after supporting several major investments into the company over the course of 2022.

The investments have strengthened the positioning of BSW Group, helping to place the company in a strong position for when the forestry and timber industry is able to bounce back from the current challenges. Within its stable of timber and forestry companies, BSW Group has invested £4 million into a new 25,000m2 miniplug production facility at Maelor Forest Nurseries.

Designed especially for growing forestry species, the investment will help to secure the future supply of high-quality trees for the industry. The facility allows seeds to be sown directly into trays, with germination in a controlled environment helping to improve growth, efficiency and resilience in seedlings.

As part of BSW Group’s ongoing commitment to investment into sustainability and development of trees species suitable for the UK’s changing climate, plans are also in place to use the facility to cultivate alternative tree species that will be available to customers.

Another member of BSW Group, Dick Brothers finished the year in a very strong position after winning several new high value contracts with Forestry and Land Scotland. To better service these contracts, BSW Group is investing over £5 million in several new machines to strengthen their fleet of harvesters and forwarders.

BSW Group’s manufacturing sites have also received significant investment, with Bayram Timber acquiring a £300,000 Hundegger machine. The new machine will help meet the demand of the industrial markets as it provides the ability to process timber in several ways, all in one operation. It has also allowed the company to streamline its caravan kit supply to improve customer quality and service. It is an exciting time for Bayram as they look to venture into new markets and make sizeable improvements to the automation around their site.

BSW Timber Solutions in Melton, Hull, has also had a new £400,000 H23 Planer installed to strengthen the existing stock of planers. The new machine brings an extra capacity in excess of 10,000m3 per year, as well as greater flexibility across existing workloads. Extra features include automated packaging stations for wood bundling and to be able to produce mini packs for customers moving forward. There was also further investment at its Stoke site, which has had a state-of-the-art showroom built to better showcase the full range of products produced by all BSW Group members, covering both internal and external timber products.

The sawmill at Fort William, meanwhile, received a £1.4 million investment in in the form of VK Debarker. The new VK Debarker features a 680mm ring, allowing for a significantly increased output of 140m3 per hour. The site, based in Corpach. was also completely resurfaced, with an area of approximately 31,000m2 being filled in. BSW Group also acquired Scott Group in December 2022. Based near Dunfermline in Scotland, with an annual turnover in excess of £250 million and 1,300 employees, Scott Group is an award-winning, sustainable manufacturer of new, bespoke, and reconditioned timber pallets, producing over 30 million pallets per year.

Tony Hackney, CEO at BSW Group, said: “The forestry and timber industries faced many challenges in 2022, and further challenges will no doubt present themselves as we move into 2023. These challenges came in the form of the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, increasing energy costs and a 40-year high in cost-of-living expenses. The result of this was a global downturn across the timber industry, which unfortunately led to the closure of our Boat of Garten sawmill.

“However, the BSW Group and Binderholz GmbH board’s strategic review of the business has presented opportunities where investment would strengthen our offering. The decision to make these investments in 2022, with more planned throughout 2023, will allow us to drive efficiencies across all sites and place us in a great position to serve customers with an even stronger offering going forward.”

More at  www.thebswgroup.co.uk

Alternatives to Plywood

As the invasion of Ukraine continues, international sanctions on Russia remain in place. One of the most significant sanctions in the construction industry, is the Russian timber import ban, which prohibits the import, acquisition, supply, and delivery of revenue on all wood products coming from Russia. In particular Birch Plywood, which was exported to the UK and Europe in significant volumes prior to the invasion.

Manufacturers in need of wood products are looking to other places to specify products such as Birch Plywood. As Birch forests are found in Russia and Eurasia, the Birch Plywood offered from countries outside of these regions could be of unknown origin – making it illegal to import into the UK or the EU. If these products enter the UK or EU market, importers and anyone who has purchased these products will be subject to legal action, fines and reputational damage.

This also contributes to a wider environmental issue. If wood is being imported from areas outside of the EU, it increases a company’s carbon footprint – more distance equals more energy used and more energy wasted.

Another significant issue is that the FSC has agreed to suspend all trading certificates in Russia and Belarus and will block all controlled wood sourcing from both countries – this means any wood imported from either country is not FSC certified which affect the sustainability credentials on any build. However, suppliers in the UK and Ireland can find alternatives in the MEDITE SMARTPLY MDF and OSB ranges, which is not only fully FSC certified, but also locally sourced.

A sustainable choice

SMARTPLY OSB and MEDITE MDF are made from sustainable wood products. Our OSB is made from newly grown pine and spruce. Our MDF consists of 40% wood chip and 60% by-product. Each range boasts some of the most environmentally efficient building materials on the market, with a product-specific Type 3 Environmental Product Declaration to support this. With manufacturing sites in Clonmel (MEDITE) and Waterford (SMARTPLY), Ireland, it offers a dependable, local supply and reduces the carbon footprint for timber merchants and suppliers.

The innovative MEDITE SMARTPLY range

Those working on renovations, fit-out or kitchen and bathroom projects can find the ideal product for the job in the MEDITE MDF range. MEDITE MDF panels are suitable for use in non-structural applications.

Cabinetry and furniture makers for kitchens and bathrooms will find MEDITE MR and EXTERIOR suitable products thanks to its moisture resistance properties. EXTERIOR was originally developed for outdoor applications, but contractors have recently specified the panel as a substitute for birch plywood for interior bathroom and shower panelling. Those working on laminating projects, could consider using MEDITE PREMIER, a multi-purpose MDF suitable for the thinnest laminates and surface coatings. For interior fit out applications, there is MEDITE CLEAR, an MDF panel manufactured with no added formaldehyde, developed specifically for use in environmentally sensitive interior applications, where formaldehyde emissions need to be kept to the minimum.

There are also two grades of SMARTPLY: OSB/3 and OSB/4. SMARTPLY MAX is an OSB/3 panel that is suitable for use in, walls, floors and roofing systems. For applications where increased strength and moisture resistance is needed, we would recommend SMARTPLY ULTIMA – which is a high strength OSB/4 panel.

More at  https://mdfosb.com/en/the-alternative-to-plywood

The shortage of birch plywood is a cause of concern in the timber industry, with many suppliers and contractors looking for alternative places to source from. MEDITE SMARTPLY may offer the perfect solution.

Thinking Big with Timbermark

Timbermark ID Systems has launched a new range of handheld thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers from Chinese manufacturer Zhuhai Bentsai Printing Technology Co. Ltd. These are ideal for both pallets and packaging.

With the new larger print capability, designs have far greater impact, and visibility from a greater distance.

Additionally, the 1” cartridges are available in aqueous and solvent variants, so the printer can work on porous substrates such as paper and timber, and non-porous substrates such as metal, plastic or glass.

Timbermark sees great potential for these new products across many industries and anticipates keen interest, particularly from pallet and case making businesses. Pallet manufacturers can use the 1”, B35 model to print stacks of assembled pallets, using the hand printer and guide rail. The ISPM HT mark is produced particularly effectively using this technique, and results in a mark that is supersharp, sized 25mm high by 50-60mm long, and can be applied in around one second.

Additionally, there is a ‘group print’ feature, which allows the user to select multiple designs. The job is configured by the operator from the touch screen, and the printer cycles through the designs in the order selected. In this way, a pallet with a different stamp on each block can be marked without changing the printer setup, making the job as quick and as easy as stencilling, but with the quality of a desktop printer.

Oxfordshire-based Timbermark has been supplying printer products and systems to the timber industry for 16 years. Managing director, Colin Stewart, says this handheld printer is just what many of his pallet manufacturing customers have been waiting for: “Customers like the precision and quality of mark offered by the TIJ printers,” says Colin. “But until now the height of the mark at just half an inch has been a big

drawback. The fact that the B35 can double this print size and print a high-resolution mark onto timber or even composite blocks means we can now offer the right tool for the job.”

Packing case manufacturers can use the B80 model, which has a market-leading, 100mm high print effect. This is achieved by stacking four of the 1” heads and synchronising the printing through a contact encoder wheel to keep the print heads in registration. A guide rail for this printer is available in a customisable length, up to 1.8m long, to suit a variety of applications. The rails are inexpensive and are available separately, so that a series of rails can be used to produce a jig suitable for each printing job.

B3 model

B35 model

B85 model

Economy and flexibility

Thermal inkjet has hitherto had a bit of an image problem with perceived high running costs, and this, too, is an issue that is addressed by this new product range. Firstly, the controller has a ‘greyscale’ setting, meaning that users can change the dot size, which affects the ink use. Customers might use this feature to adjust for bleed into the material grain, to optimise the contrast with the background substrate colour, or simply to manage the cost per print.

Secondly, there is a standard cartridge refill system, meaning that users can increase the life of the 1” cartridge with an easy-to-use ink supply and injector. The refill kits are available uniquely via e-commerce, and for now are limited to aqueous inks.

Thirdly, the equipment is value-engineered by an innovative Chinese producer, with the result that the equipment costs as little 25% of the price of some European manufacturers of similar products. The equipment and solution is design-led, with functionality and cost criteria factored in. The B3 printer in this new range is an example of this approach to value-engineered product design. Using a standard 12.7mm (1/2 inch) printhead, this handheld printer’s main advantage is its price competitiveness – it is available for under £600.

The B80 can print perfect shipping logos onto plywood and OSB. Customer logos can be printed to exact specifications, often for designs that would be impossible to achieve with a stencil or rubber stamp. The system is so precise that, on most substrates, it can print a machine-readable bar code or matrix code. This opens new possibilities for accessing online documentation such as data sheets or hazardous goods info, by scanning a QR code from a smartphone.

A USB database feature can be used for printing variable data, such as writing customer addresses on the panel. The data is saved on USB as a .csv file and loaded to the device. The user can then select the starting point and assign a column of data to each variable field in the design.

Free Demonstrations

For a limited period, Timbermark is offering free demos on this product range, administered through a Sale or Return agreement on their e-commerce website  www.t-mark.co.uk For further information please contact the Timbermark sales team on  sales@timbermark.co.uk

“Customers like the precision and quality of mark offered by the TIJ printers. But until now the height of the mark at just half an inch has been a big drawback. The fact that the B35 can double this print size and print a high-resolution mark onto timber or even composite blocks means we can now offer the right tool for the job.”

Creating a New Mould

SAM is the UK’s leading manufacturer of interior and exterior MDF mouldings and is ready for a busy 2023. Gerard Wilson, sales director at SAM told us more.

Founded by Sam and Julienne McCrea in 1990, the Antrim-based company remains a family-owned business, producing skirting and architrave, door linings, window board, stair accessories, kitchen mouldings, picture frame mouldings, cladding, fascia and soffit, and window components. These products come in a variety of finishes including primed and unprimed, fully finished or wrapped in paper, PVC or real wood veneer. SAM is the UK’s leading manufacturer of MDF mouldings servicing the construction and home improvement industries by selling its products through leading builders’ merchants and distribution outlets.

“Aside from ensuring our customers are receiving the best quality products,” says Gerard. “SAM is trusted by the industry to consistently deliver on its promises. Our customers say they work with SAM because we are reliable and personal – attributes we are especially proud of. Our recent £1 million investment into our primed paint finish enhances our stock range so customers can have fast delivery on a wider selection of profiles.”

board, door framing and stair accessories.

“The SAM Mouldings range is our ‘bread and butter,” says Gerard. “We also manufacture products that add value for our customers: SAM Zero is a high-quality range of fully finished MDF mouldings offering a time saving alternative to primed products and is hugely popular in the offsite construction and DIY markets.

“SAM Wrap is a range of MDF mouldings wrapped in real wood veneer providing a high quality, cost-effective alternative to solid timber. SAM PVC wrapped mouldings offer a robust and time saving solution over primed or softwood options. Finally, SAM Extreme is

SAM recycles all MDF waste through a wood waste steam boiler and turbine, which provides electricity, heat and paint drying power to our factory. We generate additional electricity through photovoltaic solar panels installed on our factory roofs. With our FSC certification, customers can be sure that we are working to preserve the world’s forests.

With over 6,000 different profiles in its product library, SAM has an unrivalled range of primed MDF mouldings in the marketplace to suit all styles and budgets including: skirting, architrave, plinth and architrave blocks, dado rail, picture rail, ceiling cornice, interior cladding, window

our exterior fibreboard range manufactured using MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME (MTX) and is mainly used for fascia, soffit and decorative cladding and panelling.”

The timber material supply chain has been volatile since the Covid pandemic and after settling back into some kind of normality has been

WHY USE METSÄ WOOD UK

• We offer twice-weekly deliveries directly from mill to branch

• We supply high-quality, slow-grown machined timber, ranging from skirting and architraves to decking, claddings, PSE and panels.

• We are one of the biggest softwood producers in the UK and all our products are machined in the UK to British sizes and standards

• We provide support and engagement to ensure your customers have a great experience within your branch

• Metsä Wood Academy, a free online training course, so your staff can further their knowledge in all things timber.

• Our northern wood is perfect for building the future. Sustainable, reliable, renewable

FROM BUILDERS OF TOMORROW. FOR BUILDERS OF TOMORROW.

metsawood.com

MDF

PSE

SHEET MATERIAL/PANELS

SOFTWOOD MOULDINGS

DOOR LININGS AND CASINGS

affected by the Ukraine war, inflation and the ongoing energy/costof-living crisis. “Compared to Covid times, post-pandemic, the market has become a lot more dynamic with different products experiencing different supply and demand pressures,” says Gerard. “As a natural consequence, this has led to deviations in pricing. During the pandemic, the industry as a whole saw orders coming in thick and fast, which was a pleasant surprise given we couldn’t visit our customers.

“The key factor at that stage was availability and making sure we had product, so that is what we focused on. We worked hard to ensure we didn’t let customers down and provided them with enough product to keep up with the demand from their own customers. We have now

reverted to more traditional methods of selling, including engaging with customers, and discussing their projects, which works better as the construction industry is all about relationships and people. There is a level of uncertainty in the market as people are trying to read the next 6-18 months and work out what the new norm is post-Covid. It was 2019 when we had our last normal trading year, because the last three years have been impacted by Covid and various other more recent external influences. The market will be very fluid, and it will be a mixed bag of supply and demand. We will see changes as each quarter goes by.”

More at  www.samonline.co.uk

As a commitment to bringing the best in market products and setting the bar on quality and standard, and as part of an overall project to improve its service package, SAM has invested over £1 million in developing its latest primed mouldings solution.

The investment has enabled the delivery of an improved primed product, ensuring the profiles have a superior and robust finish. Trade professionals, contractors and housebuilders can now expect a better standard and higher quality on level with a semi-finished product. The new primed finish also brings a trio of benefits for the merchant network and their customers:

Cat McCrea, commercial director at SAM said: “We pride ourselves on quality and service and want to ensure we are always bringing the best products to our customers. This initial £1 million investment is the first of many improvements we will be making in 2023 to strengthen our stock range and lead times. Through our customer network, we want to give contractors and house builders

the confidence that they will achieve the best possible standard and finish on their MDF mouldings, and this new primed finish does exactly that.”

The product launch is already exciting merchant customers, with Paul Broomhead, national account manager at Jewson, commenting: “It is fantastic to see SAM continuing to invest and deliver a new and improved product. It’ll really enhance our offering as a result, as the brighter and whiter product will without doubt capture our customers’ attention and help us to stand out from the competition. The smoother finish will achieve a more superior final result, saving our customers time on site. The substantial financial investment that SAM has made to improve their products is impressive and it’s great to be able to offer our customers a broader product range into 2023. We are excited about the future partnership and to see how SAM’s investment continues to improve the products we sell.”

 SAM invests £1 million into product improvement for 2023

Record Returns at UKCW

The show drew over 23,900 visitors from as far afield as Turkey, Brazil, Australia and Canada, and included a host of high-profile names including West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, and BBC journalist and presenter Simon Jack.

Co-located within UKCW Birmingham was Timber Expo, which attracted over 2,000 visitors (8% of the total attendees) across the three days, including architects, local authorities, merchants, developers, housebuilders and contractors.

Designed for people who use, specify, design and build with timber, and offering the opportunity to join hundreds of other brands showcasing their latest innovation, products and services, Timber Expo was backed by and held in collaboration with Timber Development UK, BM TRADA, Timber Construction and Timber Trader UK.

Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, commented after the show: “It is crucial that timber, as a sustainable building material, is placed front and centre of the UK’s largest construction event. There is so much happening in the construction industry right now that has put UK Construction Week into a unique position, whereby it can inform and educate the sector as it moves forward. There is a real sense of momentum now as we plan the next one, especially on meeting our next zero targets and creating long lasting culture change. A record number of companies have signed up for 2023 so we look forward to really growing the UKs largest trade show for construction.”

Chloe Donovan, chief executive of Natural Building Systems, said: “We’ve had an amazing time - met everyone from potential suppliers, industrial partners, contractors and investors; I can’t recommend it highly enough.”

Gary Scott, managing director at Hanson Plywood, commented: “We were at the show because it’s the hub of the UK construction industry. We get a lot out of it; we don’t do many shows, but UKCW Birmingham does work.”

Exhibitors at Timber Expo include Rokamat, Engineered Timber Solutions Ltd, Woodolex Ltd, the Ghana Forestry Commission and Hanson Plywood Ltd who specialise in the import, storage and distribution of wood-based panel products throughout the UK.

Timber Expo featured a programme of industry leaders, including architects, developers, housebuilders and merchants to name a few. They debated and discussed the sector tackling post pandemic supply issues, post Brexit challenges, the impact of the Ukraine conflict on timber supply chain and the drive to net zero as we strive to meet COP26 targets.

The exhibitor profile includes structural timber frame, sawmills, merchants, glulam, SIPs, CLT, fixings and fastenings, timber cladding, doors and windows, mouldings, skirtings and flooring products.

Andy Howe, founder and managing director of CareersForce, was named UKCW Role Model 2022; CareersForce helps UK key workers such as those from the armed forces, police and NHS to forge a new career in a range of new sectors including construction. The winning exhibitors of this year’s Stand Awards included: Rolec (best 50m+ space stand), Harwoods (best space under 50m), Restec (best shell scheme), Tough CAD (best use of marketing), Zero Hub (most interactive) and Celsa (for innovation).

The UK’s largest event for the built environment, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham, made a welcome return to the NEC in October last year, with visitor numbers up 19% from 2021.

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Boost Your Timber Business Profile

Timber Expo is the UK’s largest and only dedicated showcase event for timber in construction. Backed by trade bodies including Timber Development UK (TDUK), the Structural Timber Association (STA), the Builders Merchant Federation (BMF), it is the most comprehensive representation of the timber industry anywhere in the UK.

Timber Expo 2023 will see 11th edition of the event and has been co-located with UK Construction Week since 2015. UK Construction Week won best UK Trade show in 2020 and is the UK’s leading trade event for the industry, attracting 30,000 visitors.

Timber Expo brings together award-winning architects with clients and contractors to showcase best practice in timber construction projects. It is the must-attend annual event for anyone working with timber products in the built environment. The exhibitor profile includes structural timber frame, sawmills, merchants, glulam, SIPs, CLT, fixings and fastenings, timber cladding, doors and windows, mouldings, skirtings and flooring products.

Timber Expo will be supported by a heavyweight national trade marketing campaign. The co-location with UK Construction Week ensures a guaranteed audience, and the targeted messaging through digital advertising and trade press will deliver those trade professionals who specify or buy timber products.

“Timber Media has teamed up with Media 10 and will be playing an active part in promoting the 2023 show,” says Terry Hanlon, managing director, Timber Media. “We have only just started working on the show as part of UKCW but have already exceeded the number of exhibitors for the 2022 edition. As businesses start to move on past the pandemic, there is a lot more interest in meeting face-to-face to discuss plans for the future and understand how timber plays such an important part in achieving the 2050 net zero carbon targets. There has never been a better time to get together and talk timber.”

Throughout the year you can follow developments on Timber Expo in all the Timber Media publications and there is a range of joint advertiser/show exhibitor options that can be discussed.

“I have some exciting proposals to offer as Timber Media for the show,” adds Terry. “So please get in touch to find out more. We will be sending fortnightly visitor promotion e-shots to our database of 5,000 dedication timber professionals and I am giving some exclusive discounts off the list price to all shell scheme exhibitors.”

“Timber Media has teamed up with Media 10 and will be playing an active part in promoting the 2023 show. We have only just started working on the show as part of UKCW but have already exceeded the number of exhibitors for the 2022 edition.”

All of Timber Media’s visitor promotion activity is in addition to that of the show organiser, Media 10, and together we will be going flat out to get the right numbers and the right people through the door for Timber Expo 2023. For more information and to discuss your involvement in the show in more detail get in touch now with Terry Hanlon at  terry.hanlon@timbermedia.co.uk

Terry Hanlon, managing director, Timber Media. MEDIA LIMITED

More Electric Expansion

Leading forklift manufacturer Combilift has added to its extensive electric range with the launch of the Combi-FSE – a four wheeled, two directional sideloader in both 5,000kg or 6,000kg lift capacity.

As part Combilift’s drive to help customers achieve their aims of more sustainable operations, over 60% of the company’s output is now electric. Recent models such as the Combi-XLE and now the Combi-FSE focus on heavier duty application for industry sectors including timber, steel, tubes and pipes and builders’ merchants.

Thanks to Combilift’s engineering and design experience, the Combi-FSE delivers on all aspects of reliability, durability, powerful performance and ease of maintenance, combined of course with the quiet and emission free electric operation that more and more customers are demanding.

The patented traction system in this new product plays a major part in ensuring the optimum performance of the Combi-FSE in all weather conditions. Sensors in the front steering axle linked to the innovative Electronic Traction Control system enable the two independent 15kW drive motors on the rear axle to be controlled individually, with the speed of each wheel governed

by the steer angle of the front wheels to provide improved steering control for the operator, better truck turning radius and reduced tyre wear. This new technology, when combined with regenerative braking

(which recaptures the truck’s kinetic energy during deceleration and can be used to recharge the batteries to extend battery life), makes for Combilift’s most advanced steering system on its four wheeled trucks to date.

The generous glazing of the cab, particularly the roof to floor windscreen, allows the operator to have an excellent field of vison of the load, the machine and the surroundings. Considerable engineering development to ensure optimum visibility for the driver saw the perfection of the under-deck battery system, with the power pack strategically placed at the rear of the truck between the drive motors – giving a clear line of sight to the rear and when reversing, and guaranteeing the best operator visibility of any comparable truck. This position also enables safe and easy battery removal from the low-level rear of the truck.

Maintenance time has been kept to a minimum due to key service features such as its quick interchangeable battery for shift work, centralised grease points on the front and rear of the load platform and removable panels for easy access to the motor.

Combilift CEO Martin McVicar commented: “We introduced our first 4-wheel sideloader around 10 years

ago after initial requests from companies in the timber sector, and it has since become pretty much a standard solution for those who run intensive schedules which clock up many operational hours. The technological advancements in battery technology since then means that it was a natural progression to develop this electric model, which will help customers to drastically reduce their carbon footprint.”

More at  https://combilift.com/combi-fse-electric-sideloader/

Featuring Hanson Plywood, Akzo Nobel industrial Coatings, BM TRADA, Fujian Tropical Hardwoods, and of course Timber Construction and Timber Trader UK magazines.

Driving Efficiency & Specialist ERP

According to a survey undertaken by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Britain’s construction sector stagnated at the end of 2022, with home-building hit the hardest.

Highlighting the impact of the economic downturn, the industry’s net workloads balance dropped to -1% in the fourth quarter, from +17% and +30% in the previous two quarters. While this report focused on the construction sector as a whole, the timber industry will certainly feel the impact, with many business owners now considering new ways to drive efficiencies and maintain overall profit margins.

Harnessing your data

While many are well-aware of the valuable insight their data holds, some are still in the dark about what is really going on across their organisation. There are a number of potential reasons for this, from a reliance on paper-based processes, to a lack of interaction between departments leading to siloed and disintegrated data. For a timber merchant to see a real performance uplift, all teams need full visibility of the entire operation. Armed with this information, more informed decisions can then be made to improve key processes and drive profits.

The benefits of a specialist ERP system

First thing’s first – what is an ERP system? More commonly known as business management software, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a tool that all departments within an organisation can utilise to manage key operations, from inventory management to accounting and purchasing.

ERP systems are designed to centralise data and streamline ways of working. Once a piece of information is uploaded to the system, it can be accessed by anyone, at any time. Should your most valued customer call to enquire about the status of their order whilst you are off site, a colleague can simply log-in and provide an update. This is vital in today’s climate, when efficient and dedicated customer service is key.

Instead of wasting time searching for important, yet hard to find information, an in-built document management system can retrieve files in just a few seconds, with staff using simple phrases or single word search terms. Similarly, with everything saved on a central system, teams can start to build an accurate picture of a customer’s order history, allowing sales representatives to add a more personalised touch to their service.

Simplify purchasing

From both a logistical and financial point of view, stocking the wrong items or too much inventory can cause big problems, and no matter how confident you are in your own processes, this is a mistake few merchants can afford to make. The volatility of today’s market has highlighted how the price of certain product lines can suddenly plummet or increase, and in such a climate, merchants need to be able to adapt in order to survive.

If cash is tied up in the warehouse or in unwanted products gathering dust on the shelves, it cannot be reinvested in other parts of the business and may result in customers choosing a different supplier. ERP systems can put an end to this problem, offering a range of purchasing options including automated ordering and the ability to order stock based on past PO’s. It’s common that timber merchants might need to stock very specific product lines, so the ability to integrate special orders and vendor catalogues into the system, will also help to ensure the right items and quantities are ordered.

Overcoming the hurdles that the timber industry is currently facing is certainly no small task, and with margins increasingly tight, prioritising efficiency saving is key. While generic, off the shelf ERP systems may bring some benefit, an ERP system that’s built by merchants, for merchants, can help drive performance, understanding the specific day-to-day challenges merchant businesses face and offering features designed to overcome them.

More at  https://bit.ly/3ZM3JEw

Chris Fisher, vice president of EMEA, LBMH Division at ECI Software Solutions explains how timber merchants can streamline their operations through the deployment of a specialist ERP system.

The Importance of Training

Have you considered the consequences if a bad accident happened at your workplace? The nightmare of sorting out the legalities, tidying up any mess and dealing with a visit from the HSE? The Storage Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA) can help stop a problem before it happens.

Employee and customer safety is hugely important and adopting correct Health & Safety processes in the workplace is critical, but this must extend through to your storage equipment – an area that can be easily forgotten.

Fortunately, fatal racking accidents are rare in this country but there is always the potential for them to happen. We certainly know our SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors have plenty of real-life stories to tell on the ‘what could have happened’ and ‘what might have been’ scenarios.

Get the basics right

The process of ensuring that your storage is safe starts at the point when you decide to buy the equipment. You need to select storage equipment that has been designed and independently assessed to ensure it will live up to its intended role. The design should address the space and width of your unit, maximise your storage capability, improve efficiencies and protect employees around the warehouse.

Once on site, the racking must be installed correctly to meet manufacturer and industry specifications using installers who have been correctly trained.

What happens when the equipment has been installed? You load the racking, and everyone starts using it. But this is when the problems can start. When in use your racking will be subject to knocks and bumps. These ‘little incidents’ can develop into serious problems with the risk level usually increases if the damage is left unchecked.

Meet Your Racking Responsibilities

You should be aware that your racking is classed as work equipment. Under PUWER (Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) you have a responsibility to ensure it is suitable for the intended use, safe to use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected. You must ensure it is only used by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training.

When it comes to the ongoing maintenance of your racking the ideal solution is to equip your employees with the tools to become safety advocates. They will be using it daily, making them ideally situated to notice if anything goes wrong. This can only happen successfully if they have been trained on how to correctly load and work with the racking.

Training, training, training

At SEMA we believe that training plays an essential role in maximising safety levels, and it is something we instil throughout the lifetime of a racking structure. For example, we have a national registration programme for installers of racking equipment called SEIRS. An important element of the programme is to train under assessment conditions on the safe and correct installation methods to meet SEMA defined standards and

also manufacturer’s specifications. This includes very important details that guarantee the integrity of your structure such as the number and type of floor fixings and how they should be positioned and tightened to meet manufacturers’ tolerances. We also advocate training for your employees, our Rack Safety Awareness course has been developed around the SEMA Users Code (and other guidance) and very specific to end users sites. This recommends that warehouse and management should nominate a Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). The PRRS is responsible for ensuring the racking is correctly used, inspected and maintained.

The course also provides guidance on the best inspection routine to implement. It will advise on how to conduct a risk assessment, record an inspection and report on damage levels and action points. Committing to a structured inspection should identify any problems early and can significantly reduce costly maintenance bills.

What if my racking needs repair work?

Be aware that any work on your storage equipment could affect your manufacturer’s warranty. For example, when you buy a structure manufactured by a SEMA Full Member it provides reassurance that a

For over 50 years, SEMA has been working hard to provide technical standards and guidance to the storage industry with aim of enhancing safety over the lifetime of your racking. As a leading voice within the industry, our work is upheld by member companies who are united in raising standards and helping warehouse owners meet their legal obligations. SEMA manufacturing members’ products are independently tested to guarantee they have been designed, manufactured and installed

structural engineer has designed it to meet SEMA codes and independent tests have been conducted on the equipment to ensure it meets its intended role. Any unauthorised work or repairs could dramatically impact the integrity of the structure.

At SEMA we have a supportive structure of distributor and installation companies who are qualified to conduct work on the manufacturer’s behalf. For peace of mind always check that the installers erecting your equipment are correctly trained and qualified to do the job. Ask to see their SEIRS card before any work starts – it’s the best way to maximise safety.

to rigorously defined standards. SEMA Distributor Companies and SEMA Approved Installation Companies are routinely audited to ensure they consistently meet industry standards, Codes of Practice and legislative requirements. The circle is completed by our SEMA Approved Rack Inspector and SEIRS training initiative for installers.

You can find out more about SEMA training courses by emailing:  enquiry@sema.org.uk or visiting  www.sema.org.uk

Think outside

the box

At Timber Connection we’re always looking for innovative ways to improve the service we provide. Our team of timber experts can assess your individual needs to provide buying solutions that are tailor-made just for you.

Whether you’re buying your timber direct from origin, on water, ex quay, or ex stock, why not find out how we can make a difference. Better,

Timber Connection, we’re easy to do business with.