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ISSUE 320 | June 2, 2014
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Wood has a link to human health
Removing stress in the built environment A NEW study at the University of British Columbia and FPInnovations has established a link between wood and human health. In the study, the presence of visual wood surfaces in a room lowered sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation which is responsible for physiological stress responses in humans. FPInnovations is among the world’s largest private, nonprofit research centres working in forest products research. The results of the study open the door to a myriad of stressCont P 4
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A PROVEN PERFORMER. 10 years of successful use means maximum Peace of Mind Not only have treated frames performed in Australian houses, ongoing high intensity field testing continues to confirm that Determite’s highly termite repellent formula is a standout. Innovation & Technology from Osmose. It’s what we do! Find us at osmose.com.au or call 1800 088 809 Osmose® and DeterMite® are trademarks of Osmose, Inc. or its subsidiaries. DeterMite treated timber products are produced by independently owned and operated wood preserving facilities. *See separate guarantee document for details. © 2014 Osmose, Inc.
ISSUE 320 | PAGE 1
INDUSTRY NEWS
Coalition policy to return security to forest industry
‘Decline in value should send warning bells’ THE volume and value of logs harvested in Australia is at the lowest point in 10 years following a decrease in harvesting from native forests. The latest forestry figures by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) show a decrease of 2.2% in the volume of logs harvested in 2012-13. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture Senator Richard Colbeck said the ABARES figures were disappointing. “Many regional communities around Australia have a long and proud history with the forestry industry,” he said. “The industry provides an important source of employment and makes a valuable contribution to our economy. “The gross value of logs harvested fell around 6.9% to $1.5 billion in 2012-13. This will
previously said, Australia needs to be an economy not just a national park,” the senator said. “We know the Greens have an agenda of destroying the native forest industry in Tasmania. That is why they locked up previously harvested coupes inside the extended Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area as part of a sham process.”
Richard Colbeck .. impact on people and families.
ultimately impact on the people and families who rely on the forest industry for their livelihoods.” Senator Colbeck said the decline in value should send warning bells that reducing the amount of native forest available for harvesting will have detrimental impacts. “As the Prime Minister
Reducing native forest harvest will hit economy Senator Colbeck said forestry was a sustainable industry and Australia’s forest management practices were among the best in the world. He said Australia could have a native forest industry that provided benefits for the community, the environment and the industry.
Forest products industry in good revival mode THE release of the latest set of industry statistics from ABARES shows the forest products industry is well and truly in revival mode. Statistics show clear greenshoots, including a healthy 51% increase in woodchip exports and an all-time high for paper
products exports of 1.13 million tonnes. Australian Forest Products Association CEO Ross Hampton said: “When looked at with the State of the Forests Report 2013 issued in March, these statistics represent a ringing endorsement of Australia’s world leading
sustainable forest management practices and the value of forest products to the economy”. He notes that State of the Forests report claims ‘no reduction in the areas of rainforest, multiple-use public forest, or forest in any of the RFA regions compared with the 2008 report’.
forestworks@forestworks.com.au
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WOOD PROTECTION PATENT For Sale Australia Patent termite protection and outside cladding. Contact: tina.ivan@orcon.net.nz
PAGE 2 | ISSUE 320
INDUSTRY NEWS
Innovation skills forums to run throughout year INNOVATION forums will continue throughout the next year, with another major industry conference scheduled for March 2015 in Canberra. ForestWorks says, however, aside from the forums, a critical element of the innovation skills program is the creation, facilitation and management of innovation working groups. These groups have two aims – one to assist industry to pursue innovation in order to lift productivity and opportunity; the second (and the focus of the program) to provide participants in the working groups with a learning and skilling experience and assist them to build their capacity to work in innovative and collaborative ways into the future. The working groups are being
formed based on information and feedback from industry, including information from the forums. Seven innovation working groups are currently being formed, centred on distinct areas in the industry’s overall value chain. Each group will be professionally facilitated and each will have an identified leader. The groups will run with the help of industry associations and experts and will delve into the topics that are affecting industry today. “More than 1200 personnel across the industry attended these forums and now the next stage is upon us,” ForestWorks CEO Michael Hartman said. Visit www.forestworks.com. au
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www.jazcorpaustralia.com.au ISSUE 320 | PAGE 3
THE ENVIRONMENT
Hospitals should have more timber to enhance health: leading architect From P 1
related health benefits that the presence of wood may afford in the built environment. The application of wood to promote health indoors is a new tool for practitioners of evidencebased design. The effect of plants on humans indoors raised the possibility that wood surfaces may also provide some health effects. This study provided evidence that such a relationship exists between humans and wood surfaces applied indoors.
Wood seems to resonate with people The stress-reducing effects of outdoor nature are well documented from a scientific
Natural feel .. Canadian Architect Tye Farrow visits the timber-rich College of Creative Arts Building at Massey University’s Wellington campus.
perspective. Exposure to nature lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and aggression. Nature also increases the ability to focus attention and perform concentration and creative tasks. One landmark study of hospital patients recovering
from abdominal surgery found that patients in rooms with a view to nature had shorter postoperative hospital stays and required fewer analgesics than patients with a view of another building from their window. The positive benefits of nature are highly desirable for stress
reduction, recovery, attention, and general healthy living. However, the study shows the average Canadian spends only 6% of the time outdoors; they spend an additional 6% in their cars and the remaining 88% of their time indoors. Meanwhile, on a visit to New Zealand, leading Canadian architect Tye Farrow says the Christchurch rebuild was a “game-changer”; Canterbury’s new health facilities should have more timber to enhance health and wellbeing. Mr Farrow was given the First World Architect Award for Advancing Health and Humanity using the medium of health and architecture by the Stockholm-based World Congress on Design and Health. Cont P 14
A PROVEN PERFORMER. 10 years of successful use means maximum Peace of Mind Not only have
treated frames performed in
Australian houses, ongoing high intensity field testing continues to confirm that Determite’s highly termite repellent formula is a standout.
Innovation & Technology from Osmose. It’s what we do!
Find us at osmose.com.au or call 1800 088 809 Osmose® and DeterMite® are trademarks of Osmose, Inc. or its subsidiaries. DeterMite treated timber products are produced by independently owned and operated wood preserving facilities. *See separate guarantee document for details. © 2014 Osmose, Inc.
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| ISSUE 320
INDUSTRY NEWS
2014 AROUND THE CIRCUIT
JUNE
11-12: Wood Flow Logistics 2014 – Rotorua, NZ. 17-18: Melbourne (www.woodflowlogistics.com). This series will add a number of components from the steep slope wood harvesting event and will provide a practical update on innovations, strategies and technologies used by leading forest products companies to improve their planning, logistics and operations within the wood supply chain – from forest through to market. 20: Native forest management field day. Latest changes – all landholders must be aware. Anne Parker’s Moonford property, cnr Clonmel and Ford Creek roads. Follow the signs. Free day 9 am to 3 pm. Topics include: New selfassessable code for native forest practice (Qld): slope restrictions; drainage line mapping changes; harvest restriction on some RE’s; minimum tree socking requirements. Forest condition, tree health, crown condition. Stocking rate calculations as per the new code. Treatment to improve timber growth and value. Integrating with grazing. Smoko provided. Bring a hat, lunch and chair. Covered shoes mandatory. Worship supported by the Burnett Mary Regional Group through funding from the federal government. Further information: Bill Schulke: 0408 963 723. Private Forestry Service Queensland (PFSQ): (07) 5483 6535.
JULY 6-9: NZIF 2014 conference – Napier War Memorial, 48 Marine Parade, Napier. This is the Institute of Forestry’s main event for the year. Forest owners, professionals, managers, consultants and educators will
meet to discuss the conference theme, ‘Tackling the Challenges and Delivering Value’. Field trip to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand’s fruit bowl and premium wine region – and 135,000 ha of forest plantations split between a few larger companies and many smaller growers. Email: admin@ nzif.org.nz Web: www.forestry. org.nz
AUGUST 2014 5-6: MobileTECH 2014: Primary Industries Future. Brisbane. 12-13: Auckland, NZ (www.mobiletech2014.com). These events will profile the latest mobile tools, technologies and innovations driving the future of primary industries (farming, horticulture, forestry, dairy, meat, wool, fisheries and mining). MobileTECH 2014 will showcase a wide range of mobile technologies and innovations, including smartphones, tablets, mobile apps, satellite mapping and communications, robotics, aerial drones, remote sensors, electronic tagging, intelligent data, M2M, real-time analytics and cloud-based platforms. 6-9: AWISA 2014 exhibition. Brisbane Convention and exhibition Centre. Displays of panel processing, solid wood and timber machinery, tooling, manufacturing software, plus ancillary products such as dust extraction and materials handling equipment. Opportunity forn the cabinet, kitchen, furniture, joinery, timber, fit-out and panel industries to inspect new equipment. Inquiries about booking space: email info@awisa. com or call Geoff Holland. Tel: (02) 9918 3661. Fax: (02) 9918 7764. Mob: 0412 361 580. Email: info@awisa.com 7-8: DANA conference, Melbourne. The Australian forestry and forest products sector: its
situation in 2014 and trends going forward. Bayview Eden Hotel, Melbourne. Speakers: Gavin Hoe, RISI China; Oliver Lansdell, global pulp specialist; Rodrigo Monreal, solid wood products chief of Arauco, Chile; Matthew Wood, CEO Stora Enso Australia; Russ Taylor, president of WOODMarkets; Peter Barynin, lead economist with Boston USAbased RISI; Peter Zed (Australian sawmilling sector); Simon Dories, general manager, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia; Ross Hampton, CEO, Forest and Wood Products Australia; Steve Whitley, CEO, Forestry Tasmania. Conference includes panel of overseas plantation investors. Contact Pamela Richards at pam@prcc. com.au or visit www.dana.co.nz 11-12: DANA conference, Rotorua, NZ. The New Zealand forestry and forest products sector: its situation in 2014 and trends going forward. Novotel Rotorua Hotel, Rotorua. Web: www.prcc.com.au/ danamelbourne2014. Conference consultant: Pam Richards 61 3 5781 0069. Email: pam@prcc.com.au
SEPTEMBER 17-18: Wood Innovations 2014: Timber Preservation – Wood Modification – Composite Products – Rotorua, NZ. 23-24: Melbourne. (www.woodinnovations2014. com). Changes in new wood treatment formulations, processes and systems, standards, legislation with the focus also on wood plastic composites and modified wood products. 19-20: ForestTECH 2014. Rotorua, NZ. 25-26: Melbourne. (www.foresttech2014.com). Remote sensing, field Inventory, forest estate planning.
THE AUSTRALIAN FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION The lead voice in Canberra on policy affecting forest, wood and paper products industries. AFPA strives to deliver benefits for the complete industry value chain including those involved in: • Forest growing • Harvest and haulage • Sawmilling and other wood processing • Pulp and paper processing • Forest product exporting
Join us today and share the benefits Call (02) 6285 3833
ISSUE 320 | PAGE 5
TIMBER PRESERVATION
Accoya wood to capture interest of treatment industry at seminars Innovations program in Rotorua and Melbourne
WOOD Innovations 2014 in September will provide a unique program for local wood producers to update themselves on new wood treatment technologies, advances in alternative products and outline the industry’s response to increasing environmental issues and changes occurring in production, distribution and retailing in Australasia, North America and Europe. Thermal and chemically modified wood along with wood plastic composites (WPCs) are now a commercial reality. They are competing with traditional preservative treated wood products and growing their place in the local market. Wood Innovations 2014 will be running in Rotorua, NZ, on September 17 and 18 and again in Melbourne on September 23 and 24. This series has been designed with local companies to provide a well-deserved and timely technology update. Wide interest at the seminars will focus on Accoya wood, which uses NZ-grown pine in an acetylation treatment process located in the Netherlands and is gaining traction with both
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produced and sold in commercial quantities. Thermowood, originating from Finland, is probably the most recognised brand of thermally modified wood. It started in New Zealand with timber joinery but now bevel back, rusticated and vertical shiplap weatherboard profiles are being produced in increasing quantities and are certified for compliance with the New Zealand building code.
Accoya wood is artificially created from nearly every other natural wood source. It goes through a non-toxic modification process that prevents fungal decay and makes it incredibly stable.
architects and end-users. The product has been used extensively for both structural bridges throughout Germany, the Netherlands and the UK in glulam beams and for aesthetic applications such as timber cladding. In Europe, when market conditions have been less than ideal, sales of Accoya wood shot up by a healthy 80% to Euro13.9 million in the first half of last year compared to the same period the previous year. In New Zealand, they increased by over 50% over the same
time frame. Total Accoya wood volumes for the nine months ending December 2013 also jumped by 89% (revenue by 74%) compared to the same period in the previous year. The founder of the UK company, Accsys Technology, that produces Accoya wood will be presenting at the Wood Innovations 2014 event in September. In New Zealand, thermally modified wood (simply achieved by treating wood with steam and high temperatures in excess of 200 deg. C) is now being
Selling points are vertical grain, stability Their selling points are the vertical grain being used in the weatherboard, a product that’s free from chemical preservatives, improved stability in the timber (claims of about 50% less swelling and shrinkage), the slim chance of resin bleed and improved insulation properties (improvements of around 20% are claimed). Using thermal modification, the treated timber can now be used to an equivalent of H3 level – providing a 30-year expected service life in above ground Cont P 7
TIMBER PRESERVATION
Bio-composites are on the cutting edge of current wood fibre research From P 6
vertical (cladding) applications. Instead of changing the structure and properties of the wood through modification, wood plastic composites are instead produced by mixing wood particles or fibres in melted resin and then shaping the product by heat and pressure through injection moulding or extrusion. The product itself has been around for a few year. Worldwide, analysts are forecasting that the global WPC market is expected to grow by around 9% over the period 2013-2018 with one of the main drivers being house building and construction. Recently, there have been well documented drawbacks with WPCs. Lower strength, composites containing 50% or greater wood fibre can be adversely affected by moisture (warping and tannin staining) and microbial action, there have been stability and weathering issues (significant colour fading) with some products and they have been expensive when compared to traditional timber products. After some product failures, companies have adjusted formulations and processing to lower costs and produce higher quality products. The focus has also switched to producing more durable and ‘engineered’ products and volumes certainly are increasing. China, as expected, now has substantial WPC production. Some of the largest Chinese operations have more than 100 extruders operating. This product increasingly is finding its way into the Australian and New Zealand markets. Decking still continues to be the major WPC product, but fencing, railing and other applications are growing. Australia has had several producers (Advanced Plastic Recycling and Australian Vinyls) of WPC decking, posts, fencing and external garden products
Paul Clegg, chief executive of Accsys Technologies.
supplying the market. Bio-composites are also providing an opportunity for diversification of a wood products business. The president and CEO of North America’s only biocomposite fibre mat plant Tam Tekle of Tekle Technical Services will also be presenting. The operation, based in Alberta, Canada, produces engineered biocomposite fibre mats for auto parts makers. For full details for the FIEA technology series visit www. woodinnovations2014.com
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ISSUE 320 | PAGE 7
INDUSTRY NEWS
Investment in Australian woodlots gives Canadian fund $100m return ‘Picture deal’ gets 2500 sq km of bankrupt property invests for future generations and doesn’t have to post quarterly profits for clients. The investment’s staggering 27% return last year helped boost the fund’s overall annual rate of return on investments to 11.6% by the end of December 2013 and pushed its net value to $17.3 billion. More than $1.4 billion will be transferred to the provincial treasury and $178 million will be retained in the fund for inflationproofing. The government stopped putting non-renewable resource revenue into the fund in 1987.
A CANADIAN savings trust fund’s investment into private woodlots in Australia is paying huge dividends since more than 2500 sq km of land was purchased out of bankruptcy following the 2008 global recession. Alberta Management Investment chief executive Leo de Bever says the $400 million investment in 2011 paid a nearly $100 million return this
Fund invests for future generations year after the bankruptcy issues were resolved and the Great Southern Plantations started to produce forestry products.
Opportunity .. Australia’s bankrupt forest lands paying huge dividends for Canadian investors.
“This is a perfect example of why it pays to be a long-term
Leo de Bever .. deal captures the imagination.
info@forestry.org.au | www.forestry.org.au PAGE 8
| ISSUE 320
investor,” Mr de Bever told an all-party legislature Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund committee. “We were the only investor that could come in and say, ‘Ok, this is a royal mess .. but we can provide cash now to the receiver and you will be through with this problem, and we’ll work it out over time’. “In this particular year, that strategy came to fruition.” Most investors can’t wait two or three years for a return on their investment, but the Heritage Savings Trust Fund
Investing funds for 26 provinical governments Alberta Investment Management manages investment funds for 26 provincial governments with assets of more than $70 billion and has also invested recently in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. “This was an opportunity where one of the founders of Alibaba needed some liquidity and AIMCo was able to close very quickly on that kind of deal and pick up a very interesting asset that’s now getting ready to IPO (initial public offering) hopefully by the end of this year,” said AIMCo’s executive vice-president David Goerz.
Company able to beat out competitiors Mr de Bever said the Australian woodlot investment was “a picture deal” that would likely generate another $50 million to $100 million in profit. Cont P 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
Frame Australia session focused on domestic and global markets
BREAKING from the opening session at Frame Australia 2014 are, standing from left, Simon Dorries, general manager, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia, Peter Law, technical manager, Wesbeam, and Tim Johnston, chief executive, Victorian Association of Forest Industries (session chair), and, seated, Ric Sinclair, managing director, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Andrew Brown, principal civil and structural engineer, Opus International Consultants, Wellington, NZ, and Dr Tony Pugel, senior manufacturing technologist EWP, LP Building Products, USA. The session – Timber and Engineered Wood Products – focused on timber and wood fibre engineered products in global and local construction markets. Dr Pugel talked about the evolution and future technologies for OSL and LSL strand based products, and lower cost alternatives to traditional products. Andrew Brown said EWPs had now emerged as a viable material for the construction of commercial buildings in New Zealand with a number of timber buildings, particularly in Christchurch area, as part of the earthquake rebuild. Important changes in the timber industry and its interaction with the built environment are helping build new markets, improved systems and stronger value chains. Ric Sinclair said FWPA was helping to facilitate these changes in the Australian market through its generic marketing, R&D investments and standards and codes program.
An ability to beat out smaller competitors From P 8
“Other deals may produce significant returns, but this one captures people’s imaginations,” he said. “People can visualise what we did,” he added. “In fact, you’re going to see it featured in our annual report. We’re highlighting this transaction as one where we could use our expertise to get a better result.” The opportunity to purchase 640 properties in a half-dozen Australian states occurred after a government program to induce Australians to invest in
timber to address a nationwide shortage of wood fibre went off the rails during the world economic crisis, Mr de Bever explained. He said AIMCo could beat out smaller competitors because it had the internal expertise and resources to handle such a huge deal without having to hire expensive consultants. The committee heard the Alberta province, through AIMCo, owns a piece of virtually every public company on the continent and that 60% to 70% of its assets are foreign.
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ISSUE 320 | PAGE 9
SPECIAL EVENT
Five ‘Es’ to consider for career success Kate Carnell inspires at women’s network event in Brisbane
FOCUSING on the five ‘Es’ – enthusiasm, engagement, ethics, entrepreneurialism and enemies – could help with career success in the timber and forest industry, says Kate Carnell AO, Australian businesswoman and former Liberal Party politician. Ms Carnell, a former Chief Minister of the ACT and former CEO of the National Association of Forest Industries, was recently appointed CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry She was speaking recently at a forest and timber industry networking function in Brisbane organised by the Women in Forests and Timber Network (Queensland) and sponsored by HCI Insurance and Prime Super. More than 50 men and women gathered for the ‘Inspiration for Success’ cocktail party at the Moda Portside function centre at Hamilton to hear Ms Carnell’s views on successful leadership. Five ‘Es’ outlined in her presentation were: • Enthusiasm – what you present is what will be mirrored back to you. • Engagement – be involved with people and make sure they understand you think they are important. Also, ensure that you don’t make the process too complex. As John Lennon said,
Kate Carnell (third from right) is welcomed to the ‘Inspiration for Success’ cocktail party in Brisbane by Jacinta Colley, Simmonds, Alicia Oelkers, TABMA Queensland, Julie George, Forestworks, Clarissa Brandt, Timber Queensland, and Jenni Day, Versace Timbers.
Stephen Walker, SFMES (left) chats with Kate Carnell, Chris and Mandy Hay, Northside Truss & Frame, and Clarissa Brandt, Timber Queensland.
‘Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans’. • Ethics – doing the right thing consistently and being recognised for where you stand. • Entrepreneurialism – look for opportunities. Colin Powell [retired US Army general) said: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the
Getting inspired .. Joanne Galea, Designs for Creation, and BreeEllen and Nissah Blanchfield of Stairway Solutions.
Debbie Payne, Tilling Timber, Julie George, Forestworks, Chris and Mandy Hay, Northside Truss & Frame, Henk van Zetten, Wesbeam, and Fiona Lucky, Tilling Timber.
slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a mindset that assumes (or hopes) today’s realities will continue tomorrow in a tidy, linear and predictable fashion. • Enemies – you can’t please all the people all the time.
Colin Powell has this covered succinctly: ‘Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off’. The valuable advice given by Kate Carnell resonated well with the audience and was a great conversation starter for networking.
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Don’t WASTE time visit www.loggo.com.au
PAGE 1 0 | ISSUE 320
Engineered Timber Products
INDUSTRY NEWS
Standards to ‘kick-start’ discussion on new TM committees this month STANDARDS Australia has called three ‘kick-start’ meetings over the next few weeks to discuss the new structure of TM committees – TM-010 Timber Structures and Framing (formerly TM-001 and TM-002); TM-011 Engineered Timber Products (formerly TM004, TM-005, and TM-008); and TM-012 Timber Grading and Preservation (formerly TM-003, TM-006, and TM007).
In line with international organisation The changes follow decisions to ‘streamline’ procedures on standards and bring them into alignment with the international (ISO) organisation. Standards has a broad agenda to reduce the number
of TM committees from eight to three with a working group drafting recommendations for review by a lead committee. The three new TM committees will comprise nominated organisations from the old eight TM committees, and they will oversee project working groups drawn from the technical experts of the old TM committees. TM-010 will oversee the work of experts in timber structural design, framing and construction; TM-011 will oversee the work of experts in glulam, reconstituted timber products, plywood and LVL; and TM-012 will oversee the work of experts in structural and nonstructural timber grading, and timber preservation. The Timber Preservers Association of Australia has nominated Melbourne consultant and wood scientist
Dr Harry Greaves .. nominated for TM-012 committee.
Dr Harry Greaves to represent TPAA on TM-012, and is hopeful the TM-012 project working group will contain a good number of the industry’s representatives from the old TM006. Dr Greaves has just returned from the US where he presented
a paper at the annual meeting of the American Wood Preservers Association at Newport Beach, California, before attending the 45th annual International Research Group on Wood Protection meeting (IRG 45) in St George, Utah. Current IRG president is Dr Jeff Lloyd, corporate vice-president of research and development at Nisus Corporation, based at Rockford, Tennessee, who was appointed in 2013 for a threeyear term. IRG46 will be held in Viña del Mar, Chile, from May 10 to 14 next year. Founded in 1904, the American Wood Preservers Association is responsible for voluntary wood preservation standards, which are universally specified for wood preservation in the US and are recognised worldwide.
Make the right move Don’t risk it.
Specify EWPAA products stamped with the approved certification. Don’t be a pawn for the cheap and nasty. Trust EWPAA tested and certified structural plywood, wood panels, LVL and formply – and stay in the game. Know the risks. • Damage to your business • Possible loss of life • Legal action • Media exposure
EWPAA products are independently tested to the highest standards; guaranteed to comply with Australian and New Zealand building codes and standards; certified under JAS-ANZ accredited product certification scheme; guaranteed to be safe and to carry the designated design load; satisfy the safety and quality requirements of trade unions; meet all workplace health and safety standards.
Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia Unit 3, 106 Fison Ave West, Eagle Farm 4009 Qld Tel: 61 7 3250 3700 Fax: 61 7 3252 4769 Email: inbox@ewp.asn.au Web: www.ewp.asn.au
ISSUE 320 | PAGE 1 1
Study mission to SE Queensland ignited glulam growth in Malaysia New plants spring up to serve local and export markets AUSTRALIAN expertise in glulam technology has been largely responsible for the rapid expansion of the industry in Malaysia. The Malaysian Timber Council delegation at Frame Australia 2014 in Melbourne last month said a working trip to southeast Queensland in 2008 ignited MTC’s interest in promoting glulam for domestic use and export. The delegation combined the visit to Frame Australia in May with business meetings and site inspections in Melbourne and in New Zealand. Deputy director of the MTC timber industry development division Hamidah Abdullah said the council was extensively promoting the glulam industry in Malaysia to help local timber manufacturers move up the value chain.
Feedback positive on glulam “Glulam is a relatively new product in southeast Asia but widely used as a major building component in Europe, the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand,”
manufacturing facilities.” Mr Wong said the initial plan was to create demand for the domestic market, adding that Malaysia had ample timber resources to produce glulam timber products. To address the lack of skills in glulam production, MTC has organised training courses to the US for designers and manufacturers. Frame Australia 2014 first port of call for a Malaysian trade mission .. from right, Ahmad Asmadi Mohammad, CEO, myGlam Sdn Bhd (glulam manufacturer), Hamidah Abdullah, deputy director, timber industry development division, Malaysian Timber Council, Latif Sirin, senior deputy director, project implementation and maintenance branch, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, and Ban C Lim, senior engineer, Structural Works Consulting Engineers, Melbourne.
Hammidah said. “We have set up an interest group on glulam timber, which will involve stakeholders in the local timber industry.” This includes timber manufacturers, government agencies such as MTC, the Malaysian Timber Industry Board, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia as well as universities and other professional bodies. “The time is right to take a closer look at glulam timber as part of efforts to diversify the Malaysian timber industry,” Hammidah said. Positive feedback on the Malaysian potential of glulam
had come from architects and timber manufacturers who see the technology as suitable for use in structures such as stadiums, bridges, hospitals and schools. “Glulam timber products also hold tremendous export potential,” says MTC timber industries development division director Wong Tuck Meng. “There is no reason why Malaysia cannot make it big for glulam overseas given Australia’s success in Dubai while New Zealand exports to Hong Kong,” Mr Wong noted. “For exports, we should not aim at traditional markets like Europe but focus on countries that do not have
Big export potential for Malaysia One company that has pioneered glulam manufacture in Malaysia, Woodsfield Glulam Manufacturing at Johor, has made regular visits to Queensland for on-going advice and updates on new manufacturing technology. Woodsfield Glulam in 2009 was the first local company to introduce glulam technology into Malaysia, following a visit to Queensland in 2008, after which it purchased and imported a second-hand factory glulam plant. The lumber used in the manufacture is special graded lamstock certified to Malaysian standards for bonding, load and tension tests.
Building in Johor showcases glulam flexibility THE Malaysian Timber Industry Board’s timber building in Tebrau, Johor, showcases glulam’s almost unlimited design flexibility and structural strength. The building, completed in December 2011, serves as a centre to promote the use of locally produced glulam in the construction of buildings, homes and furniture in the future. The glulam used in the structure was made up of two
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Malaysian hardwoods, resak and keruing. The centre was the first tall building in Malaysia that used load-bearing timber for its structure, reflecting innovation in the construction sector. It has an area of 3700 sq m and is divided into three areas – exhibition hall, product gallery and administrative centre. MTIB officials said the glulam’s fire resistance properties and
Innovative structure .. replica of MTIB’s Timber Building in Johor, which was the first such centre in the world to use glulam made from Malaysia’s resak and keruing hardwoods.
durability have been tested and the centre’s design was based on
the Green Building Index.
INDUSTRY NEWS
New home sales post positive strong start to second quarter NEW home sales posted a fourth consecutive gain in April 2014, providing an important positive signal for broader economic activity. Private sector new home sales enjoyed a monthly gain of 2.9% to be up by 6%t over the three months to April this year. Multi-unit sales increased by 9.3% in April. Detached house sales chimed in with a 1.8% rise which marked the sixth consecutive increase for this component.
Marks sixth consecutive sales uplift
The recovery in new home building is a key plank in Australia’s economic growth.
“The recovery in new home building is a key plank in Australia’s economic growth, as evidenced by the March quarter construction work done figures released recently,” HIA chief economist, Harley Dale said. “Momentum in new home
building activity will carry over into the June quarter, while the trajectory evident in coming months for leading indicators such as new home sales and building approvals will provide crucial insight to the growth prospects for the broader economy in 2014-15. “A healthy April for new home
‘Drop in’ for FT forest management sessions FORESTRY Tasmania has invited industry stakeholders to ‘drop-in’ information sessions to meet one on one with FT staff to obtain further information or provide views on the organisation’s draft forest management high conservation values assessment and management plans. The forest management plan describes Forestry Tasmania’s main functions and legal obligations, its sustainability objectives, and how the organisation plans and conducts its operations consistent with these functions and objectives. The high conservation values and management plan is based on an extensive and
detailed scientific assessment of the forest within Forestry Tasmania’s forest management unit, which was undertaken to identify forest areas which are of high conservation value, and to identify proposed management prescriptions to maintain and/ or enhance these values. Sessions program (between 2-8 pm): Smithton, 412 West Esplanade, June 2; Camdale, 2-4 East Cam Road, June 3; Scottsdale, 96 King Street, June 4; Perth, 15960 Midland Highway, June 5; Geeveston, 43 Cemetery Road, June 10; Hobart, 79 Melville Street, June 11. More information is available at www.forestrytas.com.au
sales provides a promising start to the June 2014 quarter.” Dr Dale said it was not just the magnitude of a new home building recovery that was important, but also the breadth
and duration of that recovery. Market forces were to date largely overcoming the excessive tax and regulatory environment in which the sector operated, while the structural shortage of skilled labour had yet to fully rear its head in the cycle. “To unleash the productivity dividend the new home building sector can provide the Australian economy in addition to the positive impetus already in play, policy makers across all levels of government need to address these structural impediments,” Dr Dale said. In April , seasonally adjusted detached house sales increased by 6.4% in Western Australia, 5.2% in New South Wales, and 0.5% in Victoria. Detached house sales fell by 2.1% in Queensland and 6% in South Australia.
Being a TABMA member gives you: • Group buying discounts • Assistance with the placement of trainees & apprentices • CoC certification advice • Industry specific staff recruitment at competitive rates • National networking opportunities • An exclusive trade credit insurance plan • Technical advice and assistance • Industrial relations advice • WH&S audits • Annual Timber Industry Dinner Call 1800 822 621 for membership enquiries ISSUE 320 | PAGE 1 3
INDUSTRY NEWS
Labor set to vote against bid to ditch Tas forest peace deal THE Tasmanian Opposition is set to vote against the state government’s legislation to dismantle the forest peace deal. Labor Leader Bryan Green is the first Opposition MP to speak on the Bill in state parliament. His party’s position has been unclear since it lost the March state election. Mr Green told parliament there was too much uncertainty over wood supply and the legislation to reclassify 400,000 ha of forest for logging would mean conflict was likely.
Paul Hariss
Bryan Green
been rushed and contains many unanswered questions,” he said in an ABC report. “Labor wants a bipartisan policy on forestry, but we must be sure the legislation is an industry fix and not a political fix.” The government has confirmed the council set up to oversee the forest peace deal will be dissolved, as it moves to rip up the forest peace deal.
‘Bill currently has clearly been rushed’ He said the government did not have a mandate to enact the Bill in its current form. “The Bill currently has clearly
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Terry Edwards
The Resources Minister Paul Harriss has tabled the government’s highly-anticipated legislation to repeal the Tasmanian Forests Agreement (TFA) Act and plot a new course
Pegg Putt
for the native timber industry. Mr Harriss has also confirmed 400,000 ha of native forests set for protection under the Cont P 15
Effects of wood studied on 119 university students From P 4
In a Christchurch lecture, he spoke of the importance of thinking about how architecture can enhance the health of people in hospitals. His architectural firm has worked on many projects around the world, including a timber hospital in Canada. “Wood has never been used extensively in a hospital environment. The perception was that it was going to be difficult and more expensive, but we found that to be the opposite,” Mr Farrow said. “It really seemed to resonate with people, because they saw something that was familiar and comfortable and natural. We found materials such as [timber] seemed to resonate deeply within us.” He encouraged city planners to think about the legacy of the building. “If you’re building a new office building, think about if you want office space that makes you work at 120%, and will attract young people, or if you just want .. to work
at 70%.” In the Canada university study, four office environments were created to study the effects of natural materials in the built environment on autonomic nervous system responses. The effects of both plants and wood were studied on a sample of 119 university students.
Stress lower in a wood environment Stress as measured by SNS activation was lower in the wood room in all periods of the study. SNS activity was monitored by measuring the conductivity of the skin. When one is excited the conductivity of the skin increases. The average skin conductance level (SCL) was statistically lower in the wood room in the baseline period. This is to say that the SNS activation, or stress, was lower on average in the wood office when compared to the nonwood office.
INDUSTRY NEWS
We’re headin’ south – and we’re doing it for the kids
On tour Down Under .. fire management study group takes a break from ‘hot’ Tasmanian agenda.
Tasmanian fire management ignites interest for Americans THE Hobart leg of an Australasian study tour by fire management representatives from the Americas has ignited interest. The 11 participants – including eight from the US, two from Canada and, for the first time, a representative from Mexico – have been in Tasmania as part of the Forest Fire Management Group Study Tour, which provides a forum for discussion and centre of expertise on forest fire management and control. The tour takes place in either direction across the Pacific every two years or so.
Last time, Australian and New Zealand representatives visited North America, while this year it was their turn to tour Down Under and across the Tasman to New Zealand. The major themes of this tour were future fire regimes; climate change; blockers and enablers in fire management and suppression; as well as personnel safety. While in Tasmania, the group was hosted by the Tasmania Fire Service, the Parks and Wildlife Service and Fire Management Branch at Forestry Tasmania.
Both parties insist they are doing their best for industry From P 14
agreement could be logged in six years. He says it shows the government is making good on its pre-election promise to stimulate Tasmania’s struggling timber industry. Environmentalists claim they have been forgotten by both the Liberals and Labor, as the legislation moves through parliament. Peg Putt from the lobby group Markets for Change says Labor is ignoring conservation. “They haven’t said a single word of continuing to protect the environment,” she said. Both major parties insist they are doing what is best for the industry.
The Forest Industries Association’s Terry Edwards says there needs to be more certainty. “So industry knows what policy position is confronting it and can start the work of rebuilding the industry,” he said. The forestry peace deal was stuck after four years of negotiations between environmentalists and the industry. It aimed to end decades of conflict in the forests. The bill is expected to pass the Lower House and then be considered by the Upper House. Meanwhile, parliament has passed a motion supporting the Liberals’ move to end subsidies to Forestry Tasmania from July 1.
Brisbane Timber Industry Hoo-Hoo Club 218 has entered the 2014 Variety Club of Queensland Bush Bash to again raise funds for disadvantaged children – heading south in August in the club’s veteran Bush Bash performer, a 1977 Holden Kingswood. Already, the club’s entry in Variety’s 25th anniversary event has raised more than $8000 from kind sponsors. Club 218 acknowledge the generous support of Forest and Wood Products Australia and the Australian Forest Products Association. The Hoo-Hoo Bush Bash team will distribute more than 300 industry promotional bags to schools along the route which begins in the capital of Cane Toad kingdom at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and finishes 10 days later in the heart of Cockroach country at Moore Park in Sydney. Please support Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218’s effort so we can enrich the lives of sick and needy children. Sponsorship will attract wide media coverage and is tax deductible. Donate on-line. https://2014bash.everydayhero.com/au/tim All sponsorships will be recognised.
For more information and to discuss sponsorship options contact committee members: Don Towerton 0428 745 455, Tim Evans 0417 726 741 or Jim Bowden 0401 312 087. ISSUE 320 | PAGE 1 5
INDUSTRY NEWS
Log exports to China contribute to rise in NZ port’s trading volumes A MAJOR drop in the price of New Zealand log exports has been driven by a build-up of inventory in the main market, China, which is contributing to “a bit of a slowdown” of log exports handled by the Port of Tauranga, says commercial manager Leonard Sampson. “It’s not a significant change at this time,” Mr Sampson said. “This month we’ve noticed a small reduction in shipping volumes, but at this stage it’s hard to say whether it’s a market correction or just a blip. You can’t read too much into it and it’s such a fluid situation,”
Market has been climbing consistently Bulk exports such as logs and imports of bulk fertilisers
Trade volumes increase at NZ Port of Tauranga.
and dairy feed supplements were a significant factor in an overall 5.5% rise in annual trade volumes reported by the port earlier this year. The current slowdown had been caused by a significant build-up of logs on wharves in China, said Mr Sampson, who noted that overall demand in China was still strong. Latest figures from Statistics
07 3262 3001
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New Zealand show that the value of New Zealand log exports went from $1.6 billion in 2012 to $2.4 billion in 2013, accounting for 42% of forestry product exports by value, compared with just 3% in 1993, according to data cited by forestry management company PF Olsen. Glenn Mackie, senior policy analyst with the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, said
that there was a major price correction under way. “We normally have an annual price correction, but that didn’t happen last year,” he said. Peter Weblin, PF Olsen’s chief marketing manager, said he didn’t believe the long-term growth trend driven by China was changing. “The market has been climbing consistently for the last couple of years and we don’t see that trend changing.” But the build-up of inventory on Chinese wharves had triggered a fall with April’s relatively small reduction in export log prices followed by larger reductions in May. Some prices are down as much as $25/JAS per cubic metre, meaning that in just two months export log prices had lost 14 months of prior month-onmonth gains. – Bay of Plenty Times
ON THE ROAD
Style and SAFETY put Outlander in the front line of the SUV pack SAFETY above style and performance has become the deciding factor in selecting a car from the incredible new range of computerised vehicles tempting us from every showroom. But the increasing number of recalls over potential safety faults is blurring the image. Holden in recalling 42,000 Commodores – almost every one since the new model went on sale in May last year – over concerns about the front seatbelts. Many automakers are announcing even minor recalls. Cars have also become more complex, with sensors and computer software running many of the safety and information systems built into modern cars. Some 80 million lines of computer code run everything from the onboard navigation system to safety features that warn drivers when they’re following too closely or drifting out of their lane. There’s so many more systems and lines of code, so there’s more opportunity for things to not always work properly. But does this mean cars are less safe? Far from it. Vehicles are clearly better made than they have ever been in the past; cars last longer and go further, up to 300,000 km in some cases. We read about recalls, injuries, even fatalities related to some vehicle issues, but for the most part we’re talking about very small numbers.
Adaptive cruise control gives smooth driving Cruising in with a tonne of safety features, the new Mitsubishi Outlander series has been awarded a 5-star rating by the Australian New Car
Safety first .. the Mitsubishi Outlander LS stands out among the growing compact SUV crowd.
Assessment Program (ANCAP), the highest rating possible. ANCAP, Australia’s leading automotive safety authority, is supported by Australian and New Zealand automobile clubs, the state government road and transport authorities of NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, the New Zealand government, the Victorian TAC, NRMA Insurance and the FIA foundation. The all new Mitsubishi Outlander has been designed to fit seamlessly into busy lifestyles. The choice of three models, from the ES, LS and luxurious Aspire gives Outlander an outstanding number of features including soft touch interior, seven airbags, cruise control, hill start assist, alarm and immobiliser and climate control air-conditioning. Fuel is saved through ECO-mode control. Driving performance can be visually checked using the ECO-drive support system display. This information is reviewed for each designated time period and a gauge is displayed using five leaves to help increase environmentally friendly driving skills Vehicle-following adaptive cruise control on the Outlander
has been tuned to ensure a smooth driving experience regardless of acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle in front. ACC uses a radar installed in the front grill to judge distances between the vehicles in front and follows that vehicle until stopping. This function reduces the load on the driver in situations such as traffic on highways. Another top safety feature! Outlander’s petrol engines with CVT auto and paddle shifters, offer infinitely variable gear ratios that allow the engine to always operate at the optimum RPM, irrespective of the vehicle’s speed. This maximises power (124kw 4x4 and 110kw on 4x2) and economy helping to ensure a smooth, stable ride. Fuel is saved through an ECO mode control. Furthermore, the level of environmentally friendly driving can be visually checked using the easy-to-understand ECO drive support system display. Driving information from the ECO drive assist is reviewed for each designated time period and a gauge is displayed using five leaves. The 2.2 litre diesel delivers the latest in diesel technology for greater fuel efficiency delivering an exceptional 6.2
litres per 100 km without a loss in performance, with 110kW of power and 360Nm of torque. There are several elements to Mitsubishi’s new Outlander range. The two-wheel-drive LS is a mid-level variant between the entry $28,990 ES and the $45,490 all-wheel-drive diesel Aspire. It’s effectively an option pack over the ES that brings alloy wheels, a rear view camera with colour touch screen, colour LCD dashboard display, a security cargo blind, fog lamps and CVT shift paddles. The two-wheel-drive LS combines solid 6.6L/100 km fuel economy with a raft of desirable features. It uses less fuel than all-wheel-drive models. Fog lamps and alloys help tart up the styling, and the interior’s silver carbon-fibreeffect cloth is a much better look than the ‘woodprint accent panel’ used in flagship Aspire models. Outlander Aspire: plug-in hybrid electric motors and petrol engine; chrome exterior door handles; leather seat facings with front seat heaters; power tailgate and sunroof; forward collision mitigation; adaptive cruise control; EV remote sensor. Outlander LS: Available in 4x4 and 4x2; 5 or 7 seats; 2.4L Smart-MIVEC petrol or 2.2L diesel; 18 in. alloy wheels; ECO score display; 3D Navigation; dusk sensing headlamps and rain sensing wipers.
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297x210mm Vertical 254x93mm Horizontal 125x190mm Vertical 125x93mm Horizontal 73x190mm Horizontal 73x190mm Vertical 140x44.5mm 110 Vertical 34x44.5mm
297x210mm Vertical 254x93mm Horizontal 125x190mm Vertical 125x93mm Horizontal 51x93mm
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