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Wood for Good goes live in UK
Industry urged to broadcast carbon videos
THE UK Wood for Good marketing campaign is urging companies across the timber industry to embed its new videos, highlighting the carbon benefits of using and building with wood, into their own websites. The animations, headlined with the campaign slogans ‘Follow the Tree and Build it with Carbon’, are based on research findings and information collated by life cycle analysis (LCA) consultants PE International for the Wood for Good lifecycle database, which launched earlier this year. The animations are now live
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The NATIONAL voice for • Timber Merchants • Suppliers
Carbon visuals .. Wood for Good images illustrate the energy saving and carbon storage of high-insulated timber houses.
on the Wood for Good website, while a discussion on their production between campaign director Dave Hopkins,
chairman Craig White, and Carbon Visuals’ Antony Turner, is on YouTube. Cont P 2
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OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 1
INDUSTRY NEWS
Campaign pushes storage of carbon in CLT buildings
From P 1
Innovation Skills and practices that work
25 March 2015 Canberra
Save the Date The 7th Annual Industry Development Conference followed by the AFPA and ForestWorks Gala Dinner at Parliament House.
www.forestworks.com.au
The three 90-second films highlight how much CO2 is captured in a single tree, a hectare of woodland (both based on calculations for Sitka spruce) and timberbased buildings, including a house, a housing estate and 200,000 homes – the annual UK construction target set by the Labour party to be achieved by 2020. “The lifecycle database is targeted at the building professional and the timber trade, providing them with facts and figures on using wood they can use in their day-to-day work,” Dave Hopkins said. “The animations visualise it in a way that can be understood by any audience, with each cubic metre of carbon represented by a green 10 m diameter sphere, which is the volume it would occupy at normal atmospheric pressure. “We’ll be showing them to construction industry audiences, policy makers and the general public with the message that we should start building with carbon, rather than emitting it.” The animation voiceovers highlight that, in addition to their content of CO2 sequestered from the atmosphere, wood products require less energy to manufacture, process and often to transport than rival materials, giving them low overall embodied carbon figures.
A ‘polluting liability’ turned into an asset This program has been produced with the assistance of funding provided by the Australian Government through the Department of Industry. ABN: 39 946 785 543
“They underline that building with timber is the safest, cheapest form of carbon capture and storage, costing in mixed woodland forestry roughly £25-30 ($A45-50) a tonne of CO2,” Mr Hopkins said.
PAGE 2 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
Wood for Good message .. using timber is the same as environmental protection.
David Hopkins .. timber is the safest, cheapest form of carbon capture.
“That’s considerably cheaper than the cost of capturing CO2 from industrial processes and pumping them under the North Sea, a solution for dealing with emissions favoured by the oil and power sector.” The Build with Carbon campaign also includes stills based on the same format as the videos. These show how much carbon is stored in specific buildings, such as the nine-storey cross-laminated timber London apartment block Bridport House. It also highlights that by effectively storing CO2 emissions in timber buildings, a “polluting liability is technically being turned into an asset”. “There are actually proposals for development of the carbon market, which we support, whereby carbon emissions could be accounted for in a
property on a balance sheet as an appreciating asset,” Mr Hopkins said. More animations on the same theme will be produced by Carbon Visuals for Wood for Good and the campaign is also considering a similar approach to illustrate the other environmental benefits of using and building with wood. This includes the fact that producing and processing timber uses less water and energy than rival construction materials. “We’d also like develop a simple visual representation of the operation of timber chain of custody,” Mr Hopkins said.
Visuals show chain of custody advantages The animation among the first three focusing on CO2 in timber housing was shown during the EU Wood Action Days in Brussels last month, organised to highlight timber’s potential contribution to sustainable construction and development to European politicians, particularly new MEPs. It featured in the ‘Meeting Tomorrow’s Housing Challenge’ seminar, which was moderated by Dave Hopkins with attendees including members of the European Commission, MEPs and Olli Rehn, vice-president of the European Parliament.
COMMENT
Evidence shows an imported product had been harvested from a national park in Southeast Asia
We can’t sit back and do nothing!
THE harvest and trade of illegal timber is a significant issue around the world and it would be irresponsible for an Australian government to sit back and do nothing. Interpol and the United Nations Environment Program estimate the global trade in illegally logged timber could be as much as $US100 billion annually. This represents between 15 and 30% of the total global trade and makes it the most significant (by value) environmental crime in the world. In Australia, we import about $4.4 billion of timber and wood products annually, with an estimated $400 million (or 9%) estimated to have come from sources with some risk of being illegally logged. Some people claim the trade of illegal timber is not an issue in Australia. However, we have recent evidence showing product entered Australia that had been harvested from a national park in Southeast Asia. With illegal log production estimated to cost between $US19-29 cub m compared to legal log production of an estimated $US63-76 cub m, it is clear legitimate importers cannot compete with illegally sourced timber.
Wide support for Australia’s stance on illegal logging The Coalition is committed to combating the harvest and trade of illegal timber for numerous reasons, including: • It has significant environmental, economic and social costs. • It creates unfair competition for Australian importers and domestic producers and can undercut domestic market prices.
By RICHARD COLBECK
Federal senator for Tasmania and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture
• It has been linked to armed conflict in developing countries. • It has been linked to providing finance to organised crime and non-state armed groups including terrorist groups. The Coalition is committed to protecting Australian businesses, increasing profitability and protecting jobs. This is why legislation to combat illegal logging and support the trade in legallyharvested timber has been a key part of our forest policy since 2006. The Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Regulation 2013 will come into effect on November 30, and will require timber importers to carry out due diligence on imported timber products. Ken Phillips, executive director of Independent Contractors of Australia, gives a misleading personal perspective of the government’s illegal logging laws in an opinion piece published on Business Spectator website recently. His claim that these laws will “turn honest small business people into criminals” is factually incorrect and extremely misleading.
It is concerning that Phillips does not support regulations that will actually protect Australian small businesses against the economic and
social threats posed by illegal logging. Timber importers will not face criminal penalties for unwittingly importing illegal timber products. Only deliberate breaches of the high-level prohibition such as knowingly, intentionally or recklessly importing or processing illegally logged timber may face prosecution. We note that this prohibition has been in place since November 2012 and despite this a number of businesses I have spoken to have made no changes to their business systems because they were already conducting checks on their supplies. The laws do not require Cont P 4
www.certisource.com.au
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 3
COMMENT
‘Timber importers won’t face criminal penalties for unwittingly importing illegal timber products’ Timber Importers Federation has developed a training package that will be rolled out in a series of workshops around the country in October and November, supported by the Department of Agriculture. The illegal logging laws complement legislation already introduced by the European Union in 2013 and the US in 2008.
From P 3
businesses to become ‘amateur detectives’ investigating the legality of their timber; they only require businesses to take reasonable steps and ask suitable questions about the origin of the timber to assess if there is any risk the source may have been an illegal operation. Country specific guidelines, available on the Department of Agriculture website, will assist importers to justify a decision to access a particular timber source.
Country specific guidelines help timber importers For example, the guidelines will provide examples of documents associated with legitimate timber sources. There is no reverse onus of proof and it would be up to the commonwealth regulator to prove if businesses had not conducted due diligence. At all times we have worked to make the regulations close to business as usual to minimise the cost burdens. We asked industry to provide cameos of their systems and tried to align with those as much as possible.
Global problem .. legitimate importers cannot compete with illegally sourced timber.
The new requirements are not intended to be a significant burden and in most cases businesses should be able to rely on existing, or slightly modified, systems and practices. Businesses that use reputable suppliers should have no problems. We are removing red tape wherever possible and working to fix the mess created when the previous Labor government introduced laws that went too far and imposed unnecessary and onerous red tape on industry. We are committed to supporting businesses through these changes and have undertaken significant consultation with industry to
develop our policy and achieve a balance between encouraging business to do the right thing and minimising impact on dayto-day operations. The Timber Development Association has developed tools and additional industry information for business, with support of Forest and Wood Products Australia. The TDA reports that a number of importers have recently downloaded these tools and are using them to work with their suppliers to comply with the new laws. TDA is also conducting seminars on how to meet due diligence requirements around the country. In addition, the Australian
Framework is already having positive impact These frameworks are already having a positive impact on the international timber trade. In developing its laws, Australia has sought to learn from the experiences of these governments in implementing effective and streamlined regulatory arrangements. Recent consultation with supplying countries in Southeast Asia has indicated their support for Australia’s stance on illegal logging. It is clear that the harvest and trade of illegal timber is a serious concern and the government is taking reasonable steps to protect the reputation of Australian business and industry.
Engineered Wood Products from here to the future Local & international experts talk about innovation in new products new market applications & how global dynamics will impact Australia 13 - 14 November 2014 Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort Gold Coast, QLD
Find out more & register at www.cvent.com/d/84qdb5 PAGE 4 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
2014 AROUND THE CIRCUIT
OCTOBER
19-20: ForestTECH 2014: Remote Sensing - Field Inventory - Forest Estate Planning. Rotorua, NZ. Visit www. foresttech2014.com 17: VAFI annual dinner – Park Hyatt, Melbourne. Theme: ‘Securing the Future”. Speakers include MPs Peter Walsh and Jacinta Allan. MC radio presenter, comedian and author Ian Cover. Inquiries to Jillian Roscoe at jroscoe@vafi.org.au 24: Australian Forest Contractors Association AGM, forum and gala dinner. Bayview Eden Hotel, 6 Queens Road, Melbourne. Industry forum – ‘What happens when the boat’s full?’ – from 12.30 pm to 4 pm (lunch provided). Cost AFCA members $40 p.p; non-members $50. AFCA AGM from 4 pm to 5pm. AFCA gala dinner from 6 pm until late. Cost for AFCA members $150 p.p. (dinner only); $175 for dinner and forum. Non-members $175 for dinner only, $205 for dinner and forum. Forum speakers include Simon Gatt, general manager, Gippsland region for HVP Plantations, Tony Price of Australian Bluegum Plantations, Peter Ryan, an independent industrial relations consultant, and Dallas Frost on money management implications. The dinner includes inductions into the AFCA Hall of Fame, speakers on industry growth strategies and an update on AUSTimber 2016. Booking details are available from Denise DeBattista at denise@afca. asn.au.
26-29: Australian Forest Growers 2014 Biennial Conference. Trees: The Future Crop for Changing Climates. Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW. More than 40 presentations from leading forest researchers and practitioners, a day of field trips, featuring local forestry initiatives, along with icebreaker and dinner events complete a full conference program. Speakers include Australian Farm Institute executive director Mick Keogh, former Governor-General Major General Michael Jeffery, Andrew Campbell, Charles Darwin University, Prof. Jerry Vanclay, Southern Cross University, and Rob de Fegely, president. Institute of Foresters Australia. Contact Mark Wright, AFG 2014 conference convenor. Email: agconference@afg.asn.au
NOVEMBER
13-14: Engineered Wood Products – From Here to the Future. Australian timber industry seminar. Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort, Gold Coast. Co-hosted by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia and Forest and Wood Products Australia. Australian and international speakers. Contact Eileen Newbury, marketing manager, Forest and Wood Products Australia.Tel +61 (3) 9927 3212. Mob: +61 (0) 41931 3163. Email: eileen.newbury@ fwpa.com.au or visit www.fwpa. com.au for registration and accommodation details.
25-26: ForestTECH 2014: Remote Sensing - Field Inventory - Forest Estate Planning. Melbourne. Visit www. foresttech2014.com
DECEMBER
2: Bioenergy Australia 2014 conference. Stamford Grand hotel, Glenelg, Adelaide. Technical tour December 3. Visit www. bioenergyaustralia.org
THE AUSTRALIAN FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
2015 FEBRUARY
15-20: Gottstein Forest Science Course. Creswick, Vic. Contact Silvia Pongracic 0418 764 954 or www. gottsteintrust.org
MARCH
25: ForestWorks annual industry conference and dinner Canberra. Flagship event for the forest, wood, paper and timber products industries. Joining with the Australian Forest Products Association to co-host the popular networking industry dinner at Parliament House. Conference will look beyond the innovative technologies in industry and focus on the people, exploring how they can help to bring about innovation. Further details will be announced in the coming months, including the conference theme, speakers and venue. Contact forestworks@ forestworks.com.au
Japan plans to double forest products exports by 2020
EXPORT of wood products from Japan has been increasing consistently and export valuet for the first half of this year was $83.7 million,51.1% more than the same period last year. This is
at a much faster pace compared to last year’s increase of 30%. By item, log export was 173.8% more than the same period in 2013, exceeding the total amount last year in six months. A
EVENTS
weaker yen made the Japanese logs much more competitive so log exports to China, Korea and Taiwan have climbed rapidly. Exports of lumber and plywood also increased.
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
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 5
INDUSTRY NEWS
Fraud charges against timber exporter taint industry’s international reputation DIRECTORS and key employees of fourth generation timber export business Moxon and Co have been sentenced to a combined four and a half year prison term and $858,000 in fines for deliberately disregarding Australia’s biosecurity system by using fraudulent documents to illegally export timber. Three directors, Anthony Moxon, Andrew Wilson and Mark Affleck, and employee Joanne Mason, pleaded guilty to a combined 74 charges in the Brisbane District Court after failing to comply with Australian export legislation. All terms have been suspended, except for one director who will serve a minimum eight months. Moxon and Co used fraudulent stamps to make commonwealth documents to facilitate the export of timber from Australia into other countries, and have been doing so as far back as 2006.
Convicted under Export Control Act The company falsified the international standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPM 15), a certification developed by
outlets in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast. Two branches in New Zealand are located near the ports of Wellington and Tauranga where the company has kiln drying facilities.
A fourth generation company On the water .. timber must adhere to commonwealth certification standards before leavingt ports.
the International Plant Protection Convention to prevent the international transport and spread of disease and insects that could negatively affect plants or ecosystems. The Department of Agriculture’s acting first assistant secretary of compliance Wayne Terpstra said the prosecution reflected the serious penalties businesses and individuals faced if they intentionally breached Australian biosecurity laws. “This company has deliberately operated outside the system and ignored the reputable and internationally respected export process,” Mr Terpstra said. “Importing countries rely on government certification and any impingement on the authenticity of this process is viewed
PAGE 6 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
seriously. “With the export of timber from Australia valued at around $2 billion a year, there is absolutely no tolerance for anyone who deliberately breaks the law.” To legally export timber, Australian timber manufacturers are required to produce material that meets standards for export. The convictions came under the Export Control Act 1982 and the Criminal Code 1995. The fraudulent use of the Commonwealth brand is considered a high-level offense. Moxon, a fourth generation family incorporated in 1903, has distribution yards and kiln drying facilities in four countries. It operates sawmilling, production and wood panel distribution
The company exported cypress processed at its sawmill at Chinchilla, harvesting the timber from the Barakula state forest in Western Queensland. Tony Moxon had stepped down as chairman of the cypress division of Timber Queensland some weeks prior to the conviction. Moxon has warehousing in the US on both the west and east coasts with kiln drying and moulding facilities in the state of Virginia and a distribution branch in Nivolas, France, drawing on beech and oak supplies for domestic and export markets. The French branch is also heavily involved in export of timber and panel products to North Africa. For more information about biosecurity and compliance, visit agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/ about/compliance
INDUSTRY NEWS
ATIF’s new compliance tool kit will help build case on timber legality for industry A TOOL kit designed to help timber product importers and associated businesses comply with the requirements of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 and the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Regulation 2013 is being prepared by the Australian Timber Importers Federation. General manager John Halkett says the tool kit is written in plain, practical
language and is intended to assist importers understand and comply with the legislation. “It is thought that the tool kit will assist importers and
their delegated agents with at least 90% of the solid timber products presently imported into Australia,” he said. “Preparation of the kit is well advanced and it should be available about the end of this month.” Mr Halkett said the tool kit included a brief overview of the legislative framework followed by explanatory commentary and draft letters and templates, plus ‘decision-trees’ to aid mandatory information gathering, carry out due diligence and risk mitigation, and complete the required customs declaration. “Given the November 30 start date for the legislation, ATIF is anticipating strong interest in the tool kit, not only from ATIF member companies, but others
NEW Zealand’s shift toward log trade and away from softwood sawn timber has continued and even accelerated during some months this year. Exports of sawn timber fell during the first six months of 2014 by 14% from a year ago to 843,289 cub m, according to newsletter Random Lengths International.
The deficit was only 1% in the first quarter but accelerated to 24% during April-June. While sawn timber exports have fluctuated from 1.78 million cub m to 2.11 million cub m between 2007 and 2012, log exports have more than trebled in the same period. Sales have risen in eight consecutive years from 5.19
An overview of legislative framework
in the timber products supply chain, including furniture importers.” Mr Halkett said ATIF acknowledged the support for the preparation of the tool kit provided by the federal
Secretary for Agriculture Senator Richard Colbeck and his department. “This support will assist ATIF to prepare the tool kit in a relatively short period of time with input from relevant technical experts,” he said. The tool kit will assist timber product importers to take a positive approach to compliance with the legislation and Mr Halkett sees this as a progressive business opportunity. “Restricting the prospects of illegally logged timber products being imported into Australia will assist in enhancing the environmental credentials of timber products and improving the overall prospects for the timber products trade,” he said.
million m3 to 16.6 million m3 in 2013.
Exports for the first half of the year are up 8% at 8.46 million cub m. New Zealand exported about 56% of its log harvest in the first six months of 2013 due to robust foreign demand, especially from China, which buys almost two-thirds. New Zealand mills have often struggled to procure enough logs in recent years.
John Halkett .. compliance tool kit a business opportunity.
New Zealand log trade remains buoyant
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OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 7
INDUSTRY NEWS
US tests find high emissions in Chinese-made floors and panels
CHINESE-made flooring sold in North America has high levels of formaldehyde, according to tests done by the Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association. “We went into a retail store and grabbed a sample, tested it and six out of eight flunked,” says Kip Howlett, president of the HPVA, an industry association that represents Canadian and American flooring manufacturers. When Mr Howlett started testing these floors five years ago, the levels of formaldehyde were so high, he says some were two to three times over the line.
‘Like emissions we used to see 30 years ago’ “It was like emissions that we used to see 30 years ago,” he said.
The US state of California has tough labelling and emission rules to control formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products including floors. The US Environmental Protection Agency is expected to soon be putting out proposed rules that aim to regulate this chemical nationally. In Canada, there are no similar set of rules. Health Canada, the government agency that regulates formaldehyde, said that since 1986 only a voluntary agreement existed between government and industry to limit formaldehyde in wood products. That limit was based on levels set almost 30 years ago, levels that are higher than rules in some US jurisdictions and the European Union. Canada needs to get stronger rules, says Kip Howlett. “The rules are there to protect people,
Kip Howlett .. the rules are there to protect people, they’re there to protect the consumer.
they’re there to protect the consumer. “If you jack up the amount of resin, it allows you to basically take your production rate on your press and increase it by 50%. So instead of making a million panels you’ll make a million and a half panels.”
In July this year, a lawsuit filed in California against Lumber Liquidators, the biggest flooring retailer in the US, claimed that some of the company’s Chinese-made laminate floors had unacceptable levels of formaldehyde. The lawsuit says there were insufficient warning labels on these products. According to court documents, plaintiffs tested Chinesemade floors which emitted formaldehyde at far higher rates than those manufactured in Europe or North America. On average, Chinese products emitted at 350% the rate of European/North American products. Lumber Liquidators has denied the allegations and said its flooring “meets relevant environmental standards and undergoes rigorous, independent, third-party testing.
Do you import or process timber products? Legislation to promote the trade in legally logged timber is now law. If you are a business importing timber or timber products into Australia or processing domestically grown raw logs, you need to be aware of your new responsibilities.
From 30 November 2014, you will need to undertake due diligence to minimise the risk that the timber you are importing or processing has been illegally logged. The department recognises it may take time for some businesses to transition to the new requirements. For this reason, for the 18 months following the regulation’s commencement, the department’s focus will be on helping importers and processors to comply with the regulation requirements. To find out more visit agriculture.gov.au/illegallogging or call 1800 657 313. PAGE 8 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
TDA works with top consultancy on green credits
THE Timber Development Association is working with international sustainability performance consultancy PE International to create environmental product declarations for Australian timber products including sawn hardwood and softwood, particleboard, medium density fibreboard, plywood and veneered boards. The EPDs will be useful for developers and designers applying for credits in the ‘product transparency and sustainability’ section in the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Design & As Built rating tool, soon to be released, and also for credits under the ‘materials life cycle impacts’ section via the Innovation Challenge in current tools.
Strong green credentials of timber “These EPDs are an exciting step forward for the industry as they will help demonstrate to users the strong environmental credentials of timber and allow it to be compared like-forlike with other construction products,” TDA sustainability program manager Stephen Mitchell said. “EPDs will also benefit timber consumers as it will be easier to get credit for using timber in projects seeking a rating under systems such as Green Star.” Managing director of PE International for Australasia
Stephen Mitchell Barbara Nebel
Barbara Nebel said the construction industry around the world relied on transparent, verified data to influence sustainable purchasing decisions. “We are excited to support the Australian timber industry with the development of EPDs to disclose technical environmental information rather than greenwash,” Ms Nebel said. Barbara Nebel has 15 years’ experience as a sustainability professional working with companies, associations and government departments in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Europe. She has extensive experience in implementing strategies and systems in organisations for sustainability and carbon reporting and is also involved in the development of relevant standards, such as the ISO specification 14067 for carbon foot printing. She founded the Life Cycle Association New Zealand. The Australian timber industry is supporting development of the EPDs through Forest and Wood Products Australia. The EPDs will draw on an earlier study sponsored by FWPA, the Life Cycle Inventory of Australian Forestry and Wood Products.
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OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
Forest industries applaud Xenophon’s moves to jump-start Direct Action plan Government must proceed on $2.5bn commitment: AFPA
INDUSTRY has welcomed South Australian independent Senator Nick Xenophon’s attempts to break the senate gridlock on the Direct Action plan. The Australian Forest Products Association publicly supported the Abbott government delivering on its clear election mandate to remove the carbon tax. “We have always said, however, that it is vital that Australia carry its fair share of global greenhouse gas reduction efforts,” AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said. “The government has allocated $2.5 billion to its Direct Action plan and this must proceed. Senator Xenophon is to be applauded for attempting to break the Senate impasse,” Mr Hampton said. “The forest products industry
Fighting emissions .. nursery manager Kath French with some of the 500,000 pine seedlings that have been germinated and grown at the Grafton production nursery for distributed to plantations around the Northern Rivers region.
can play an important part in the plan through its tree planting and wood processing activities, which can remove large amounts of greenhouse gases through growing trees and storing it as carbon in wood products for decades.” AFPA will be seeking a
Nick Xenophon
Ross Hampton
meeting with Senator Xenophon to discuss these opportunities as well as current restrictions on commercial forestry in the negative list of the Carbon Farming Initiative and the lack of methodologies for forest plantations. “These are fundamental impediments for forestry activities that need to be addressed as part of the proposed amendments,” Mr Hampton said. “AFPA members will also have questions about the nature of civil penalties being proposed and the extent international credits should play in the plan. “As an example, in New Zealand the wide availability of international credits dampened prices and led to a dramatic collapse in new forest plantings.”
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Kings-WO road for neOD on the Hoo-Hoo car edy kids promotes timb 3000
This weekly on-line Timber&Forestry enews has grown to be the most reliable, informative and up-to-date publication in the industry and we are now seeking to expand our network of writers on a variety of topics pertaining to the timber and forestry sectors. If you have experience with sawmilling, the timber trade or retail or wholesale, truss and frames, sawmilling equipment, design, consultancy, forestry logging or machinery, marketing etc, we would be happy to hear from you. We are looking for once-a-month column intended to keep our readers informed on the latest trends within Australia, New Zealand and overseas. km Variety
By JIM BOWDE
N
CAMPIN G overnig ht 5-below temperatures,in swags in winds, and gusty cold a radiator by two broken punctured fan blades faze the didn’t team driving industry’s the timber Variety Bash entry Club Bush in a ‘virgin big event last week. run’ of the Lead driver Tim Evans, member 69, a of Brisban Club 218, e which bought Hoo-Hoo Holden the 1977 Kingswood ago to raise three years funds for charities, children’s and Ferris, 75, team mate Dorothy from Coolum , were Cont P 8
er Club Bush industry on 10-day, Bash trek for charity
Revving it Bush Bashup for industry run to Sydney. .. Tim Evans prepare
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Group enforcement of standards prevents dodgy imports from Asia
$12m shipment of joinery components cancelled By JIM BOWDEN
A MAJOR Queensland developer has cancelled a $12 million shipment of kitchen and bathroom components from Asia after warnings the products could be blacklisted by Australian building authorities and the CFMEU. The Asian manufacturers were unable to guarantee the joinery fixtures – ordered for the fit out of five 30-storey towers and apartment buildings on the Gold Coast – would meet Australian standards for structural safety and formaldehyde emissions. This is believed to be the first group enforcement of its kind in Australia. Certificates showing compliance with Australian building codes and standards were demanded by
It’s Australian-made.. and we’re sticking to it: Dean Brakell, general manager, Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (right) discusses the FIAA-EWPAA lowemissions sticker campaign with FIAA director Brad Willis of Clarence Valley Kitchens, South Grafton, NSW, during AWISA 2014 in Brisbane.
the project builders, joinery and shop fitters, the site manager, the construction company, the contract administrator and the powerful CFMEU. The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, representing the building and
construction, forestry and furnishing and mining and energy sectors, has more than 120,000 members and employs around 400 full time staff and officials. Confronted with the list of building standard requirements
and the possibility that the imported building products could be condemned before they left the container ship in Brisbane, the developer decided to choose kitchen and bathroom products manufactured locally.
Unable to guarantee components “By using the imported products which were sure to fail Australian standards on all fronts, the developers probably would have achieved a saving of only around $500,000 on the project,” one industry analyst observed. Cont P 12
Breathe easy
EWPAA products are the solution to any concerns over emissions Products manufactured by members of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia meet all standards for emission levels and are TESTED to be below formaldehyde levels demanded by health authorities. EWPAA products are certified Super E0, EO and E1 under a strict JAS-ANZ accredited system. Laboratory tests by EWPAA have shown some imported wood panels with emissions greater than 3 mg/L _ well
Don’t risk it. Specify EWPAA products stamped with the approved certification.
above safe levels recommended by the federal government’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS). NICNAS, which is responsible for the assessment and safe use of industrial chemicals, has advised construction workers and wood panel users against the use of products that contain formaldehyde exceeding the low emission limits of E0 and E1.
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
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 11
INDUSTRY NEWS
EWPAA tests at NATA-accredited laboratories
From P 11
“And had they gone ahead, the cost of non-compliance would have cost millions.” Demands on the developer got tougher every day; the CFMEU warned if the components were not ‘legal’ they would be banned from entry to the building site and if any kitchen or bathroom component installed showed emissions higher than Australian standards they would be ripped out.”
Accredited emission tests in Brisbane The general manger of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia Simon Dorries was heartened by the group action on imports. EWPAA is in the middle of a consumer campaign that guarantees Australian and New Zealand engineered
wood products are tested to conform to safe emission levels demanded by health authorities. The campaign, in association with the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia, includes the distribution of thousands of flyers to FIAA members carrying the message products manufactured by EWPAA members are certified Super E0, EO and E1 under a strict JASANZ accredited system. Mr Dorries said laboratory tests by EWPAA had shown some imported wood panels had emissions greater than 3 mg/L, well above safe levels recommended by the federal government’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS). “Random testing reveals unsafe materials are still entering the Australian market – a potentially serious problem,” Mr Dorries said. He said plywood and veneer wardrobes and joinery items imported from China and
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 PAGE 12 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
Simon Dorries .. heartened by group action.
installed on a multi-unit building project in northern NSW were condemned after the Department of Housing found emission levels had “soared through the roof” and the health and safety of occupants was put at risk. The project cost the developers an additional $1.3 million to replace the furniture and employ plumbers and electricians for a complete re-build after the noncompliance order.
NICNAS, which is responsible for the assessment and safe use of industrial chemicals, has advised construction workers and wood panel users against the use of products that contain formaldehyde exceeding the low emission limits of E0 and E1. Products meeting E0 and E1 are considered safe in all applications including indoor and poorly ventilated applications. The EWPAA maintains NATAaccredited laboratories to test for formaldehyde emissions. All EWPAA certified products are tested on a monthly basis. The schemes are accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australian and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). The average formaldehyde emission for all structural and Type A exterior plywood products produced by EWPAA certified mills is only 0.14mg/L or one-third the permitted level for E0 and approximate to the natural formaldehyde emission from timber.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
New cabinet shows government’s ‘indifference’ to NZ forestry sector
Second largest export industry within three years: NZIF
THE NZ Institute of Forestry claims the lack of a senior cabinet position for forestry is indicative of the Nationalled government’s continued indifference towards the sector. Forestry needs an effective cabinet voice, argues NZIF president James Treadwell, if it is to fully realise its potential to “build the economy and increase regional employment and diversity” and thus deliver “a more stable balance of payments and exchange rate.”
Industry already employs 18,000 New Zealanders But, complains Mr Treadwell, it’s currently unclear where responsibility for forestry sits within the cabinet line-up, recently announced. Logically, he says, it should be within the ambit of Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy.
James Treadwell
Nathan Guy
But last term Mr Guy – who Mr Treadwell accuses of neither caring about the sector nor grasping its issues – chose to offload the portfolio onto associate minister Jo Goodhew, who was ranked 21 in the previous cabinet and now occupies the 23rd spot, outside the cabinet. “Given the choice of more of the same under an associate minister of the Ministry of Primary Industries or coming under the responsibility of the Minister of Conservation (Maggie Barry) or Minister of Science and Innovation (Steven
Jo Goodhew
Maggie Barry
Joyce),” Mr Treadwell says, “NZIF would rather one of the latter two.” The lobby group president says the forestry industry is projected to be New Zealand’s second largest export earner within three years and already employs 18,000 New Zealanders. The conservation forest estate also contributes to biodiversity, soil stability, clean streams, recreation and removal of carbon, Mr Treadwell says – “something conservation groups like Forest and Bird and Fish and Game
Stephen Joyce
formally acknowledged as long ago as 1991.” Given the government has claimed one of its key strategic drivers is a smooth transition to a low carbon economy, Mr Treadwell says he can’t understand “its apparent indifference to ‘climate-friendly’ forestry” and iterates his frustration at “the continued and expanded range of subsidies available to farming, while at the same time being told economic growth in forestry needs to be market led.”
Government lists port options for woodchip exports THE Tasmanian government has confirmed TasPorts and Forestry Tasmania are investigating at least four options to restart southern woodchip exports. The government appears to be seriously considering the compulsory acquisition of part, or all, of the old Triabunna mill site to gain access to the wharf A parliamentary committee is investigating the sale of the site bought in 2011 by millionaire environmentalists Graeme Wood and Jan Cameron from former timber company Gunns. The government will not rule out forcibly buying part of the Triabunna mill site to access the taxpayer-owned wharf and allow timber exports to resume at the town’s deep water port.
Resources Minister Paul Harriss said compulsory acquisition was one of several options being weighed up. Other options were exporting woodchips from Hobart, Port Huon or Electrona, or continuing to subsidise road transport to Bell Bay. Mr Harriss said the reclassifying of some native forests for potential logging after six years would lead to an increase in volumes from the southern forests. He said a new southern port facility would be needed, and there were limited options. He believed up to 1.5 million tonnes of timber fibre from southern forests could be ready for export in the next few years.
Paul Harriss .. considering compulsory acquisition.
“That job creating opportunity is constrained by the lack of an export port facility in the south and because of that current opportunity, but also an emerging and growing
opportunity on the back of this government legitimately growing the industry, we are keeping our options open,” he said. Labor leader favours containers for woodchip exports Opposition Leader Bryan Green thinks exporting containers of woodchips from Hobart’s Macquarie Point could be a solution to the export problem. “It is possible to just woodchip, or chip residue, in the bush and containerise and export them in containers,” he said. “They are options that are available to the government, and they could easily be shipped from Hobart.”
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 13
EVENTS
Testing and tasting .. it’s wood and wine at Chile Expo lakeside fun day
A COLLABORATIVE effort between by ProChile and the Australian Timber Importers Federation, the Chile Wood Expo in Sydney this month will be informative .. but with some fun, too. “This will include visitors testing their timber and related knowledge in a couple of quizzes, helped by fine Chilean food with a twist and wine tasting,” ATIF general manager John Halkett said.
Test your knowledge on timber Bookings for the event on October 16 are now limited, but Mr Halkett says there is still an opportunity for exhibitors thinking about participating.
On the menu at Chile Expo .. wood, wine and exotic food.
Quiz prizes will include a Sydney Harbour dinner cruises for two and Chilean wine. Some of Chile’s boutique wine will be showcased at the expo by specialist wine importer We Love Chilean Wine, which is the exclusive importer for a number of Chilean wineries, distributing internationally recognised wines to select premium restaurants, wine bars, bottle shops and private clients across Australia.
PAGE 14 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
Timber products exhibits will be supported by short presentations by Chile trade executives, timber importers and Australian timber industry representatives. “There is little doubt that Chile is a stand-out market leader in the southern hemisphere in the production of innovative, exceptionally well regarded softwood-based timber products,” Mr Halkett said.
“Chile producers are leading the world in advanced and competitive engineered and remanufactured products and in preservative treatment and pre-coating processes.” Mr Halkett said with Australian housing starts moving towards 200,000 a year, Chile was likely to play an increasing role in supplying plywood, panels and a wide range of laminated, finger-jointed, treated, precoated timber products into the Australian supply chain. The Chile Wood Expo will be held at the Lake Room, Waterview Conference Centre, Bicentennial Drive, Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday, October 16, from 1 pm to 6 pm. Waterview is a unique conference and event venue, surrounded by rolling parklands, lakes and ponds and only a few kilometres from Sydney’s CBD.
NOSTALGIA
The bandsaw that sang a song about Hyne’s Fraser Island days
Gympie Woodworks Museum celebrates 30th birthday ONE of the largest bandsaws ever used in Australia is now on display at the Woodworks Museum at Gympie, in Queensland’s Wide BayBurnett region. Chris Hyne of Hyne Timber dedicated the bandsaw during the museum’s 30th birthday celebrations on October 4. Mr Hyne said Hyne Timber has been a part of the local community since 1882 so having such an iconic piece of the industry displayed and preserved at the Woodworks Museum was fitting, “The local timber industry has provided sustainable employment for Queenslanders for many decades. Throughout its history, everyone has had some connection, even if it’s simply that you live in a timberframed home.” The 6 m high bandsaw was the second to be used at the Maryborough sawmill and it represents a large piece of Hyne’s history. It was sawing hardwood from 1979 to 2009 including Fraser Island brushbox (Lophostemon confertus) and turpentine, or satinay (Syncarpia hillii).
Stan worked with bandsaw for 23 years “Many people from Hyne have fond memories of this bandsaw and we were pleased to contribute to the relocation and installation expenses to share it with the community,” Chris Hyne said. “The museum staff and volunteers have done an exceptional job in installing and presenting the bandsaw. They should be commended for their efforts.” The last saw doctor to work
Harbour. The bandsaw is 14.7 m long, 2.4 mm thick with a swaged tooth at 3.4 mm and a pitch of 50 mm and gullet depth of 19 mm.
A top job by museum staff and volunteers
Back when .. Chris Hyne (left) and saw doctor Stan Petersen look over some historic photographs at the Gympie Woodworks Musuem.
The blade was strained to 6800 kg and spun at around 1982 m a minute. It could cut a 600 mm deep cut at a feed speed of 44 mm a minute. The bandsaw wheels had to be ground annually which took two days. They were ground with a 3 mm crown at 115 mm from the front.
with the bandsaw was Stan Petersen. It operated well; it just sang to you,” he said. “As a saw doctor, I could hear immediately if there was something wrong from wherever I was in the mill. It’s hard to explain but your ear tunes into it.” Stan said the Fraser Island brushbox and satinay logs were so full of silica that every tooth point had to be hardened by heating with an oxy torch until red, creating a case hardened tip after sharpening. “I worked with this bandsaw for 23 years and even filmed the last log going through on April 7, 2009,” he said. “I was extremely pleased to hear it would be displayed. I found the old log book and provided it to the museum. It belongs with the saw after all.” The bandsaw was purchased from Barnett Bros at Bell Bay in Tasmania, but originally it was manufactured by Isles Forge and Engineering at Coffs
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 15
ENGINEERED WOOD
Engineered wood revival boosts sales across UK building industry
NEW data from the UK Structural Timber Association suggests a record number of orders for the sector in the last year, with some organisations doubling their business. The STA says some members have seen sales increase by as much as 163% on 2013 and by 84% in the last three months. It said that there had been growth across all structural timber materials, from timber frame to structural insulated panels (SIPs) and cross-laminated timber (CLT).
77% increase in sales on EWP projects in UK The STA claims credit for the improving business of its members, saying that “the increase in timber contracts is largely as a result of work done by the STA in building awareness of the benefits of timber”. Until a rebranding last year the STA was called the UK Timber Frame Association Barry Armstrong of Robertson Timber Engineering agreed that there had been a greater appreciation of the benefits of timber but shortage of other materials was also a factor.
Renaissance ..the number of structural engineered projects in the UK are going through the roof.
SIPs Eco Panels sales manager Peter Keogh said: “I think the surge in demand has been led by the tightened insulation regulations that came into force in April forcing builders to look more and more at energy efficient solutions like SIPs. “This added to the desire to use a form of construction that can help make a project watertight as quickly as possible to minimise onsite delays has led to a strong increase in demand for our SIPs.” B&K Structures managing director Nick Milestone said this year had seen timber volumes triple since 2010, with structural engineered timber such as glulam or CLT now being used in more than 90% of the company’s projects.
“We have also seen a 77% increase in sales on projects using engineered timber for the structure, and in 2014 our glulam volumes are already at 185% of their 2011 value, while in 2013 CLT volumes were at six times that of 2011.” STA chief executive Andrew Carpenter added: “As an association we have worked hard to build an understanding of timber in terms of sustainability and performance, coupled with the relationships we have forged with other organisations. “As we now see the industry recognising that timber is the way forward for all these reasons and learn that stocks of brick and block, as well trained bricklayers are in short supply, it is no wonder that the time for
timber has come.” The STA has more than 200 member companies across the construction supply chain. “More and more companies are realising the power of being part of an association that represents truly sustainable construction,” Andrew Carpenter said. “We are giving the structural timber industry an authoritative, united voice, with which we can influence the future direction of the sector.” STA members are supported through professionally produced education, training, technical guidance, research and events. In addition, members have access to a quality assurance scheme and the latest health and safety training. “Outcome from our technical committee demonstrates that structural timber is the most sustainable form of construction in the UK,” Mr Carpenter said. “We work closely with the HSE, BRE and Zero Carbon Hub to ensure that we are one step ahead of the sustainability agenda – empowering our members with knowledge and know-how to help them compete against other methods of construction.”
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PAGE 16 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
Engineered Timber Products
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
Digital wood mapping will track quality of timber before it’s cut Machine shows volumes and dimensions at various elevations
CANADIAN university professor Mathew Leitch is applying some mining industry-like analytics to determine the real value of the wood resource base in northwestern Ontario. The Lakehead University associate professor and his woods sciences research team have been using an acoustics machine to bounce sound waves off trees to record their mechanical and physical properties in a digital mapping exercise that will add a new layer of intelligence to forestry planning and harvesting. Key to his team’s findings involved mastering the nuances of a New Zealandmade acoustics machine – a non-destructive method – used to record tree properties. “We have no idea of the quality and the value of the wood that we have,” Dr Leitch said. “This sort of thing will give us that very intensive knowledge that we’ve needed for a long time.”
Minimising the amount of costly inventory The maps, to be released next month, will provide a level of detail that will provide Ontario with a global edge in being able to promote the province’s wood to new valueadded industry players. “It would put us as leaders as far as knowing what we have on the landscape,” Dr. Leitch said. “Currently, we haven’t got a clue.” Over the years, Dr Leitch has been developing a landscape mapping program for wholetree wood property maps for several species in the Canadian northwest. He began by mapping the
Dr Mathew Leitch (left) and his team .. determining the real value of the wood resource.
properties of underutilised species like birch, but has expanded the database to include black spruce, jack pine, tamarack, black ash and cedar. The area surveyed is a swath of forest stretching from the Manitoba border to a point near Wawa, and north to what’s known as the Area of the Undertaking, south of the 51st parallel where commercial forestry is permitted. The intensive maps show physical and mechanical wood properties from pith (the centre of the tree) to bark, and from the stump to the top of tree. The attributes of a tree, or an entire stand, can be displayed for hardness, elasticity and thermal values. It also shows the volumes and dimensions of species at various elevations, the grade of wood that can be extracted, and potential wood products, among other things. Dr Leitch originally intended to release the maps earlier until he came across 3-D software which will add a new layer of detail. “On the screen, we can rotate it to look up the middle of the tree, look at it from the outside, and we can attach all of our properties to it.” When the project is
complete, Dr Leitch will make the maps available to industry, government agencies, and economic developers as investment attraction tool. “If you have a company that has a high demand for select structural, we can run the query and it’ll pull up a forest that has a high percentage of that grade of lumber in it.” Dr Leitch’s research mirrors the kind of geo-scientific work that the mining industry has done for years. “It amazes me that our industry has not done that when you look at the investment into mills and operations, and we’re just blindly cutting trees,” he said. “The whole goal is to make us more competitive and when we use wood we use it to its highest value.” Prof. Leitch says this kind of knowledge is something that’s been missing in the industry and should eliminate some costly harvesting and processing inefficiencies. Too often, he said, fibre was graded at the back end of the sawmilling process. The maps should be useful in minimising the amount of costly inventory that builds up in mill yards and maximises the
efficiency and value of product going out the door. It will also show what’s available on the landscape before trees are harvested. The idea is to match valueadded producers with the right quality and volume of wood they need to make specific products. Someone once told Prof. Leitch that his maps would provide fodder for companies to ‘high-grade’ the forest. Not so, he says. As one industry insider told him: “I need to know where the cream is and I need to know where the milk is”. Dr. Leitch has been presenting the maps to select groups such as the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre “just to whet their appetites”. “We did this first study on the landscape mapping for Resolute Forest Products in a project last summer and they just loved the results that we produced,” he said. The maps should be an upgrade over the traditional Forest Resource Inventory surveys, which Dr Leitch says delineates the forest based on species and volume.
Too often fibre is graded at the back end “That doesn’t tell us anything about the quality,” he said. “Now, we can optimise and saw a forest before someone even cuts the tree down, and tell them exactly the grades of wood they’re going to get, how much value there is in the whole forest product and what products are going to come out of it. “And we can do that on a computer in our office with the data that we have.”
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 17
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
Positive action in Indonesia to curb destruction of carbon-dense forests
DESPITE a deforestation rate that now outpaces that of the Brazilian Amazon, Indonesia is beginning to undertake critical reforms necessary to curb destruction of its carbon-dense rainforests and peatlands, says a top Norwegian official. Speaking with mongabay.com in Jakarta, Stig Traavik, Norway’s ambassador to Indonesia, drew parallels between recent developments in Indonesia and initiatives launched in Brazil a decade ago, when deforestation was nearly five times higher than it is today. “Fundamentally, I’m still optimistic. If you look at the trajectory in Indonesian and compare it with Brazil of 10 years ago, there are similarities,” Mr Traavik said. “Ten years ago, things looked pretty hopeless with deforestation impacting many
A US C-130 Hercules equipped with a modular airborne fire fighting system drops a water and fire retardant slurry on a fire on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
places in the Amazon. But now Brazil has moved to a state where there is more solid enforcement, stronger land management rules, improved monitoring, and better engagement between a range of stakeholders. “Indonesia has embarked on some of the same measures.” Those measures include a push to reform the bureaucracy that governs land use across the archipelago, improved forest monitoring systems, and
PAGE 18 | OCTOBER 13, 2014
stepped-up environmental law enforcement, including recent prosecutions of companies found to be illegally clearing protected forests and setting fires that drive polluting haze. Norway has played a role in these efforts, committing up to a billion dollars in aid money to Indonesia for success in reducing deforestation. That commitment led to a 2011 moratorium on new forestry concessions across more than 14 million
ha of previously unprotected peatlands and forests. While the moratorium wasn’t as strong as originally expected – it didn’t apply to existing concessions and included loopholes for mining and energy crops – Mr Traavik said it had nonetheless been an important development. “People criticised the moratorium for not being effective. We wish it was more effective, but it’s not the case that it has had no impact,” he said. “The moratorium is still important. I am quite confident that the incoming government will look at this and maybe even strengthen the moratorium.” Norway has also supported initiatives to boost forest monitoring, strengthen civil society, and encourage business to move toward greener practices.
ON THE ROAD
Honda City was a jolly ride ahead of city shut-down for G20 gab-fest Technology in ‘spaced out’ sedans boosts economy
WE were in the city in the City – the new Honda VTi-L City sedan, in fact – and parked in Grey Street, soon to be shut off in Brisbane’s biggest every lockdown ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit next month. More than 4000 delegates and 3000 media representatives attending the summit will use this street to get to the summit venue, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Add to this the thousands of security agents from the 20 most powerful economic nations – representing 85% of the world economy – along with 6000 Brisbane police officers, and it’s going to get a little crowded in Grey Street. We returned home, driving across the William Jolly Bridge, thinking there would be nothing jolly about being in the city around November 15 and 16. But two weeks driving the VTi manual and Vti-L auto around Brisbane was a jolly experience.
‘Entry level’ cars more equipped The entry level VTi five-speed manual has a fresh new look and lots of added features for the money – around $15,900. The City VTi-L-CVT auto comes in at around $21,390. Competitive pressure now demands that ‘entry-level’ cars have much more standard equipment and these compact Honda sedans stand their ground against Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent. Standard active safety features include ABS with electronic brake force distribution, emergency brake assist, emergency stop signal, hill start assist, vehicle stability assist with traction control system and six airbags. The space equation in City
Black? No, speckled bronze .. the Honda City VTi-L-CVT with William Jolly Bridge in background.
is better than ever with room equivalent to a car the next size up – and a large boot to boot. Honda has boosted media connectivity in this model to a new level with a touch screen display audio system that keeps passengers connected through hands-free Bluetooth functionality (available with Apple or Android phones) as well as a phone ‘mirror’ function for viewing navigation and approved apps straight from a compatible Apple iPhone 5. Apart from the impressive interior space for the class, City offers more head, leg and shoulder room than before with a touch of advanced technology features and a high level of safety, rated at five stars with the ANCAP system. Pretty whiz-bang electronics – and there’ll be a lot of that during the G20; security troops from Russia, the American CIA,
Honda City Vti .. fresh, new look.
and the British MI5 have been prowling around Brisbane for weeks testing their scope gear under water and under beds. Some of Honda’s optimisation technology is used within the engine to reduce friction and in the transmission’s torque converter to aid fuel economy. Honda rates the City at 5.7L/10 0km for the CVT on regular unleaded. The six-speed manual uses a smidge more at 5.8L/100km. Engine performance of both models was surprisingly good given their size and output. Honda’s kilowatts seem better than other light car manufacturers. This was handy around the city. The Japanese manufacturer has been the segment leader since the introduction of the Honda City in 1998, until Hyundai overtook with a diesel engine and the hike in petrol prices. This time
around, Honda’s new-generation City has both the fuel options. The petrol is the 1.5-litre i-VTEC and the friction on the cylinder walls has been reduced, which means fuel efficiency has been bumped up. The engine now produces a power of 117bhp and 145Nm of peak torque. This is another fine example of Honda’s engine craftsmanship. The fuel efficiency of the petrol manual and CVT has been bumped up with similar power ratings. The power delivery is linear and the engine has sufficient torque throughout the rev range. The CVT has paddle shifts and it has a five-speed set-up for those who want to use the paddles.
Size doesn’t affect engine performance Talking about paddles .. five frogmen, apparently from the CIA, were spotted late one night paddling into the water near the Grey Street Bridge for a submerged security test scan. Tens of thousands of Brisbane residents living in the so-called ‘declared area’ of the city can expect to see their suburbs saturated by police a week before the G20. Orson Whiels will be on the Sunshine Coast.
OCTOBER 13, 2014 | PAGE 19
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
Mob: 0401 312 087 PAGE 20 | OCTOBER 13, 2014