Australasian Timber - May 2018

MAY 2018

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Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

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NEWS

Australian research proves wood is good for our health, wellbeing and productivity

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he Planet Ark report – Wood – Nature Inspired Design – has outlined the importance of connecting buildings with the natural world and how with biophilic design - also called ‘nature connected design’ - and using wood we can bring nature indoors and provide a healthier, happier environment for all.

Increasing urbanisation rates mean that people have less access to nature in their daily lives and Australians on average now spend over 90% of their time indoors.

This disconnect with nature and the outdoors corresponds with reports of increasing levels of obesity and nearly half

of Australians experiencing a mental health condition within their lifetime.

The health and happiness benefits associated with spending time outside in nature are well known and reported on

by Planet Ark previously. This love of nature has been termed ‘biophilia’ and explains our innate need to connect with the natural world.

This relationship can be extended into the built environment where we live, work, rest and play.

A groundbreaking Australian study has recently concluded that natural-looking wooden surfaces in the workplace are strongly associated with increased employee wellbeing and satisfaction, affording potential significant improvements to their

productivity. That’s the takeaway from research by strategic market research firm Pollinate and the University of Canberra.

Based on a survey of 1000 indoor Australian workers, the research provides new – and local – evidence to underpin the business case that exposure to biophilic elements and natural materials like wood helps to increase human health and wellbeing.

The study found that the more natural looking wooden surfaces workers could see from their workstation, the higher their workplace satisfaction and wellbeing.

In addition, employees working in offices with natural wooden surfaces on average also reported higher personal productivity, mood, concentra-

tion, clarity, confidence and optimism.

The effect on wellbeing was greatest when wood was used in combination with other natural elements such as plants, water features and natural light.

Associate Professor Jacki Schirmer from the University of Canberra said; “We know it’s good for us to spend time outdoors interacting with nature, but with people spending so much time indoors, there’s increasing recognition of the potential benefits of bringing nature into the workplace and the home.”

It’s becoming increasingly clear that responsibly sourced (and certified) timber has clear health and happiness benefits, as well as being a weapon in the struggle

Ŷ Geeveston Child and Family Centre Photo courtesy TVAA

against climate change by both storing carbon and reducing carbon emissions.

For more information please visit www.MakeItWood.org

Affordable and sustainable: prefabricated home wins green award

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ross laminated timber, glue laminated timber… engineered wood is making it easier than ever to construct houses quickly, efficiently, at low cost, and most importantly, sustainably.

And PEFC-certified material is at the heart of this trend.

Importantly, architects who are choosing to work with this fantastic renewable material are being rewarded – getting deserved rec-

ognition for choosing to design with a material that helps keep our planet healthy now and in the future.

PEFC-certified timber a key feature for jury The latest company in the spotlight is German firm SchwörerHaus, which recently won the Green Design category at the Golden Cubes 2018 – the largest award for prefabricated homes in Germany.

SchwörerHaus’ Mod-

australasian

Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

May Vol.26, No. 3 Established 1977

4

el Home in Auggen took home the award thanks to its Efficiency House 40 Plus rating. A distinguishing feature in the jury’s decision to award them first prize was the building’s use of PEFC-certified, regional and sustainable building materials.

“SchwörerHaus’ Model Home helps to change the misconception that environmentally friendly and healthy homes are expensive to build and that normal

Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: John Turner Editorial: John Hudswell j.hudswell@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9512 Out of office: (08) 7127 6370

people cannot afford them,” said Hannah Kuhfeld, Marketing and Customer Management, PEFC Germany.

“At SchwörerHaus, the use of wood from sustainably managed forests is not just an empty phrase, but is verified by the company’s PEFC certification.”

Sponsored by PEFC Germany, the Green Design category awarded homes that are particularly environmentally

Advertising: Kent Humphrys k.humphrys@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Timber classified: k.humphrys@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Production: NEMedia

Ŷ Golden Cube presentations. friendly and healthy for living. This could be achieved with sustainable and emission-free building materials; hav-

ing the lowest possible energy consumption; or use of certified building materials, to name a few.

Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9522 Accounts: Adelaide: (08) 8369 9555 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview, South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501

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Conditions: The opinions expressed in Australasian Timber Magazine are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated.

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Australasian Timber Magazine copyright © Ryan Media. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

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NEWS

A century of forest and forestry product research in Queensland

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Ŷ Hyne Timber’s Geoff Stringer and James Hyne with the Salisbury Research Facility Team.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

he timber industry is one of Australia’s manufacturing success stories. People will always use timber and there will always be timber due to its sustainability provided it is responsibly grown and managed.

Fortunately, this was recognised over 100 years ago when Richard Matthews (RM) Hyne, founder of Hyne Timber and Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly successfully introduced a motion that the government take immediate action in the replanting of forests and the creation of a Department of Forestry.

And so, with the support of other such visionaries, the journey be-

gan towards ultimately establishing a forest and forest products research facility in 1918.

100 years on and Government officials, stakeholders and industry came together to reflect on the significance of research and science in this ever evolving and growing industry.

During the centenary celebration, James Hyne, Executive Director of Hyne Timber spoke about the 100 years of Queensland Government research and development, supporting the industry’s security and growth.

“Forestry and forest products need science.

Trees are a living, natural resource and they all differ.

Continued Page 6

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NEWS

A century of forest and forestry product research in Queensland Continued from Page 5

What you can do with trees and how you can do it better has evolved significantly over the years and will never stop evolving, diversifying and improving provided we maintain a continued scientific focus.

“Therefore, the Queensland Governments Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Salisbury Research Facility is a critical innovation centre.

“To name a few, the Facility has undertaken extensive work on drying plantation pines to improve the useability of the wood by increasing straightness and stability.

“The quality of our products is benchmarked by industry standards and certifications which are essential for builders and home owners using our products in the majority of Queensland homes. This facility has played an integral role and continues to be involved in underpinning such standards 6

with a fundamental knowledge of timber product through extensive testing over many years.” Mr Hyne said.

The research facility also introduced acoustic technology to enable the timber industry to make improvements on grading timber and ensuring quality products.

Preservation technology and ongoing improvements to

The Salisbury Research Facility’s ongoing support provides a highly valuable, technical reference point for all manufacturing and optimised use of timber to further grow the industry.

The facility plays a significant role in educating and developing today’s leaders including James Hyne himself during his formative years of his Cadetship.

“The Salisbury Research Facility’s ongoing support provides a highly valuable, technical reference point for all manufacturing and optimised use of timber to further grow the industry” treatments ensures durability of timber products and more efficient use of timber in exposed environments.

The establishment of the termite resistance of exotic pines in Queensland was a milestone moment for industry and the community.

Mr Hyne concluded his speech by taking the opportunity to officially thank the Queensland Government for the ongoing investment in the Facility.

“I’d like to thank the Queensland Government for their ongoing support and invest-

ment in forest and forest product research through the Salisbury Research Facility.

“The staff work with us as partners. They deliver technical expertise with a commercial, customer service focus. We appreciate the pride they take in their work and the passion they share for our industry.

“They are delivering growth to the forest and timber manufacturing sectors, creating many jobs predominantly in Queensland’s regions while securing an extensive and diverse supply chain worth billions to the Queensland economy.”

Mr Hyne concluded.

Hyne Timber’s Geoff Stringer and James Hyne with the Salisbury Research Facility Team.

Hyne Timber Executive Director James Hyne with Vicki Lane, General Manager, Horticulture and Forestry Science, Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Ŷ Hyne Timber Executive Director James Hyne with Vicki Lane, General Manager, Horticulture and Forestry Science, Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

A successful builder and carpenter during the Gympie gold rush RM Hyne ... a man of many talents and visions James Hyne’s Great, Great, Grandfather, RM Hyne emigrated to Australia from England with his wife in 1864.

As a qualified carpenter with a box of tools, he set to work as a successful builder and carpenter during the Gympie gold rush.

However, as a visionary man of great initiative, in 1870 he took on the gold rush’s most lucrative job of all; he became the publican of the Mining Exchange Hotel!

Some years later, he moved to Maryborough, acquiring the lease of the Royal Hotel.

RM Hyne valued the Maryborough community, a value the company carry’s forward to this day. He was immersed in civic affairs to improve education, health and other matters. He held the role of Mayor and was a highly respected man achieving many wins for the Wide Bay Region.

It was following the tragic death of his wife during the birth of his third child that he

completely changed the course of his life. While retaining the Royal Hotel freehold, he was no longer the licensee.

He established Hyne Timber, then called the National Saw and Planing Mill on the banks of the Mary River in Maryborough in 1882.

Six years later when he was elected as the local member in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, he introduced a Women’s Suffrage Bill, arguing strongly for gender equality. Unfortunately this was too visionary at that time and was defeated.

By now, he was a well-established timber manufacturer and well placed to understand and drive forest related policy.

He was one of the recognised pioneers who worked passionately to ensure the sustainability of forests and timber supply for generations to come.

Richard Matthews Hyne - Founder of Hyne Timber in 1882, Maryborough QLD

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NEWS

Australian Paper’s community day a “reel” success Maryvale Achieves

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80

asks associated with Chief Operating Officer, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer are varied and essential to the running of any company, but at Australian Paper in Maryvale, Victoria, they also include tour guide and host. Well, they did on 25 March 2018 when the company opened up to the public the first time for several years.

Peter Williams, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, was there but in a new role, tour guide for Bus trip 13 on its trip around the facilities.

Bus 13 was one of 60 bus tours

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scheduled for the day with visitor numbers around 5000.

Kunihiko Kashima AP CEO and Adrian Berton General Manager were working on the ground, that is the ‘fair ground’ area helping and directing visitors. They were part of hundreds of company volunteers that made this day possible, and such as success.

Sunday 25 March was also a celebration of 80 years of pulp and paper production at the Maryvale Mill.

“It’s anniversary time so that’s important, the 80th anniversary was important so it’s a good time to do it (the open day event),” said Mr Williams.

“We haven’t had one for three or four years but prior to that we used to have them every three years. It was due.

“People (within the organi-

sation) were saying isn’t it about time we had another one.

It’s good particularly for the workers at the mill and their families, they don’t get the opportunity to come through that often.”

AP’s Maryvale Mill has

“80 years of operation in Maryvale” been located in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley since 1937 and began making paper in 1938.

Since then the site has grown to include five paper machines, three pulp mills and two waste paper recycling plants.

The site manufactures pulp, paper, envelopes and stationery and it is Australia’s only manu-

facturer of office and printing papers, bag, sack, lightweight packaging and industrial papers and a major supplier of kraft liner board for the cardboard carton industry. AP has the capacity to produce more than two billion envelopes annually making it Australia’s largest envelope manufacturer.

The open day event is big, and it’s quite a thing to put on with security, buses, events, displays, traffic management and you can just imagine how much work went on behind the scenes.

Every few minutes bus tours skirted the outside of the huge site just outside Morwell, then with safety glasses perched on everyone’s nose and high vis vests people were ushered through several parts of the facility from paper making in

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

what is called M5 to cutting and boxing for retail use in the Converting room.

“Everyone’s volunteering today so no one gets paid to be here,” Mr Williams said. “It’s a big commitment and there’s a fair few people in the organising committee who put in an enormous amount of effort.”

Other companies such as suppliers and partners to AP also put up displays - they wanted to be there, too.

Families, retirees, young singles and middle aged people all flocked in from the local Gippsland area as well as further afield.

The event had something for everyone, most importantly it was a sign that Australian Paper wanted to connect strongly again with its staff and community.

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NEWS

Ŷ Peter Williams taking a tour group through M5

Ŷ Peter Willams Chief Operating Officer Australian Paper in M5

Ŷ Walking past the giant paper reels in M5

Ŷ Paper reel at M5 - M5 is Paper Machine

Ŷ Australian Paper celebrates 80 years

Ŷ Touring the converting room_pg_c2_20180417

Ŷ One of the many tour groups starting their tour outside M5

Ŷ Reams of Reflex A4 paper heading for the wrapping machine

Ŷ Tour groups first toured M5 before heading across to the Converting room

Ŷ Reflex paper ready for wrapping in the Converting room

Ŷ Converting room exit where volunteers were selling a ream of Reflex paper for a gold coin donation to Gippsland Rotary

Ŷ Even the Reflex wrapping paper is made at AP

Ŷ Adrian Berton General Manager Australian Paper and Kunihiko Kashima AP CEO

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Ŷ Volunteers at M5 as a tour bus arrives

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FRAME AUSTRALIA

Ĺś The ďŹ rst shipment of CLT leaves the factory site

Australia’s first CLT plant now operational

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he landmark XLam manufacturing plant for Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) at Wodonga is now under way and has started supply of prefabricated CLT panels to building construction projects around the country.

XLam’s Head of Design, Nick Hewson, who will be participat-

ing at Frame 2018, said projects were at various stages. “There are a lot of smaller projects initially as the factory cuts its teeth, then we will move into larger multiresidential and commercial jobs in the next three to four months. A couple of big construction projects are looking very favourable at the moment,â€? he said. “We are carefully planning our ďŹ rst few projects as the plant

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ďŹ nds its feet and will progressively increase our capacity through additional shifts over time. There is plenty of opportunity for people with projects to come to us between now and the end of the year.â€?

Mr Hewson said CLT was a whole new way for the construction industry to work. “CLT is not only a new material, but also a new construction philosophy. Working with CLT clients need to

make decisions earlier in the project lifecycle when compared to more traditional forms of construction,� he said. “In general, construction in Australia sometimes results in big decisions happening later in the lifecycle.

With CLT, manufacturers need decisions relatively early, or up front.

CLT requires a shift in clients understanding of the technology and an adjusted mindset to get on board with a different construction philosophy to achieve the beneďŹ ts.â€?

Mr Hewson said that by the end of the year XLam hoped to operate with capacity of approximately 20,000m3 per annum. “We expect to achieve this level by August, moving to toward increased capacity in 2019. “The factory will continue to grow and add extra shifts which will trigger the purchase of additional pro-

cessing equipment.�

XLam is part of the Mayower Enterprise group, which includes a number of softwood milling operations within close proximity to the Wodonga plant. “We are currently only producing panels using radiata pine as all of our testing, including structural, ďŹ re and acoustic has been conducted with radiata pine. The economics of our CLT is based on radiata pine and that’s what we will concentrate on 100 per cent,â€? he said.

It is also a species which is very easy to treat and XLam is fully committed to offering a range of treatment options for panels, from termites to fungal attack. With ever larger structures being built from CLT it is vital to ensure the panels are able to achieve the design life of the building.

Mr Hewson said in the long-term, XLam

wanted to work on a variety of projects. “While we will do large ones, we still want to do smaller commercial and residential. We need smaller jobs to run the plant effectively,� he said.

It would be difďŹ cult to effectively manage a plant if all projects were 5000m3 at a time. “We need a balance of projects. We are happy to talk to potential clients about all sorts of projects and varying scales. We can guide people down the correct path for their particular project.â€?

The Wodonga plant will have about 20 employees at the start, which will likely grow to about 30-40 in the future.

Frame 2018 titled ‘Timber Offsite Construction’ will be held on Monday and Tuesday 18-19 June at Park Hyatt Melbourne, and for details visit the website www.frameaustralia.com

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

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FRAME AUSTRALIA Ŷ CNC Patented Working Center to work in a flexible and productive way: Ŷ Beams-prefabricated Wall – CLT Panels- curved beams,1.250 – 3.500mm width. Ŷ 5 Axis Independent Milling Head with complete Tool Magazine Ŷ Automatic Group for stapling positioned on the Z Axis of the 5 Axis Head Ŷ Structural Table to process the prefabricated Panels and CLT Panels with width up to 3.500mm Ŷ Beam locking System for the frame wall composition based on pneumatic pistons Ŷ Vacuum System to block the panels on the complete surface of the Table Ŷ Automatic loading system for beams Ŷ TECHNICAL DATA Max. Dimensions of Beams (mm) 800x400xunlimited Length Max. Dimensions of Panels (mm) 400x3500xunlimited Length

Wooden house producer opts for Essetre CNC unit

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he Pagano System company in Rome has for years been the reference point for style and luxury in the residential wooden houses sector.

Some of its prestigious villas are present abroad, chosen by an elite clientele for the tailor-made design of large surfaces that integrate perfectly into the surrounding environment.

The production of these luxury residences

is entirely internal in the Pagano System, from the roofs to the floors, from the windows to the terraces, from the walls to the stairs.

The choice of wood is almost a trademark and for this reason the owner of Pagano System chose

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

11

FRAME AUSTRALIA

SmartStruct is principal partner of Frame 2018

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illing Timber is Australia’s largest distributor of engineered wood products and SmartStruct, the innovative design team component of the business will be the Principal Partner for this year’s Frame Australia event ‘Timber Offsite Construction’.

Tilling’s national sales and marketing manager, Leon Quinn said “the SmartStruct design team, part of the SmartFrame Design Centre, has a focus on providing collaborative timber building solutions, generally in commercial or specialised pre-fabrication, and delivering engineered wood products into new applications.

“Our National Design Team now has 45 designers that design engineered wood product solutions,” Mr Quinn said.

The team is comprised of engineers, draftsmen, in-house trained designers, and includes former carpenters and tradesmen.

Tilling, with 240 employees, is a family business with a corporate scale.

“We are fortunate to be able to cater for large businesses, but we’re still personal enough to deal with smaller independents,” Mr Quinn said. We also have the resources to research, develop and innovate to expand market opportunities.

Mr Quinn said engineered wood products continue to be the fastest growing segment in the timber industry.

“An example is Tecbeam, which we produce under licence, a heavy-duty composite metal and timber beam that can support high

loads rivalling steel and concrete designs in commercial and multiresidential construction.

Complementing Tecbeam with Magnesium Oxide, Fibre Cement or lightweight autoclaved concrete (AAC) floor panels creates high performance floor systems, and for walls the inclusion of cladding combined with insulation provides a complete and economical building solution.

“If timber is going to have any meaningful impact in commercial mid-rise, non-residential, or government projects, it needs to dovetail effectively with other elements to make a comprehensive lightweight system.”

Mr Quinn said the construction industry was risk-averse, shown by the ripple effect into Australia of the Lon-

don tower fire – and the cladding fire in the Melbourne Docklands building.

“Today’s builders have to tick all the boxes. We need to give builders and developers confidence in providing a complete lightweight building solution for thermal, fire, acoustic, general vibration, and of course structural performance.

“Our structural systems need to be matched up with claddings, linings, flooring, membranes, fire systems etc.

It’s the way we interact with other building elements – to be aligned and to be an ally”.

Mr Quinn said an industry forum like Frame Australia allows us to challenge existing methods and consider market segments we are not participating strongly in, and how we can im-

prove our share of those markets.

“Frame Australia is not just timber people talking about timber there is exchange within Frame on a lot of associated construction topics.

“We chose the Frame Australia 2018 ‘Timber Offsite Construction’ event as an ideal platform to communicate our new ideas to the building design and construction sectors, along with our partners in the timber supply chain,” he said.

Frame 2018 titled ‘Timber Offsite Construction’ will be held on Monday and Tuesday 18-19 June at Park Hyatt Melbourne, and for details visit the website www.frameaustralia.com Ŷ The many facets of SmartStruct flooring cassettes.

Frame Australia 2018 Program

The Monday speaker presentation and discussion forum sessions will focus on the process of design, manufacture and construction of timber buildings, with the key topics of Building Design, Technology, Manufacturing, and Construction. Tuesday sessions will include case studies and panel discussions on building construction innovations and projects, advances in prefabricated manufacturing, and emerging digital technologies. Afternoon delegate tours will visit timber prefabrication plants, building construction sites, and inspirational timber building projects.

Monday 18 June Ŷ 7.30am Delegate Registration Ŷ 8.30am Building Design Disruption and evolution / Low carbon energy efficient buildings / Passive House design / UK & Europe construction Nick Milestone, William Hare Group International, UK ‘Disruption through prefabrication – the evolution and future of mass timber’ Jochen Ristig, Technical Director – Building Structures, AECOM ‘Pushing the boundaries to achieve carbon-neutral, healthy communities’ Ŷ 10.10am Morning Break Ŷ 10.50amTechnology Digital technologies in construction / Scanning & 3D modelling / BIM design content

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Perry Forsyth, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney ‘Understanding the Map of Digital Technologies in Construction’ Katie Fowden, Manager Strategic Relations, Hyne Timber ‘Engineered Timber Fire Station: A Collaborative Journey of Innovation’ Ŷ 12.30pm Lunch Break Ŷ 1.30pm Manufacturing Data interface management and productivity / Major project delivery challenges / The future for prefabricated buildings Martin Smith, Managing Director, Modular Building Automation UK ‘Can the use of modern data interfaces improve productivity in a prefabrication plant?’

Charlie Hutchings, Managing Director, Hundegger Australasia ‘Automation in timber frame construction and the use of integrated robotics’ Ŷ 3.10pm Afternoon Break Ŷ 3.50pm Construction Integrated project design and delivery / Global timber building markets / Cost comparisons / Mid-rise residential buildings Andrew Dunn, CEO, Timber Development Association ‘Global markets and cost comparison for tall timber buildings’ Philipp Zumbrunnen, Director, Eurban Ltd, United Kingdom ‘Delivering mass timber projects - Integrated design the way to success’ Ŷ 5.30pm Delegate Hospitality and Networking

Tuesday 19 June Ŷ 7.30am Delegate Registration Ŷ 8.30am Panel Session Manufacturing and Digital Data An outline of latest technology manufacturing equipment recently installed in Australian prefabrication plants, with videos of operation and practical demonstrations with examples of digital data use and benefits in manufacturing. Ŷ 9.00am Panel Session Timber Framed projects A selection of progressive building system developments and construction projects that represent a range of options now available, and future directions for mid-rise multi-residential construction. Ŷ 10.10am Morning Break Ŷ 10.50am Panel Session Engineered Wood projects Case study of an innovative educational facility with complex roofline requiring high precision manufacture achieved by 3D modelling with data links to CNC machines.

Case study of Augmented Reality scanned digital data collection from existing building to assist the design process, leading to data development for timber prefabrication.

Case study of an affordable housing development using imaginative designs in timber to achieve cost-effectiveness and a high-quality environment for occupants. Ŷ 12.30pm Lunch Break Ŷ 1.15pm - 5.30pm Delegate Tours Delegate tours will include a selection of timber frame and engineered wood construc-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

tion sites, including medium density residential developments and high-rise multi-residential and commercial buildings. Also visits to highly automated timber frame prefabrication plants, and offsite construction manufacturing plants for engineered wood, plus recently completed major building projects that exemplify timber and wood in construction of large scale developments. Note: Prior to the event all registered delegates will be advised by email of the tour program options available for selection.

20-22 June WoodSolutions Timber Tour Following on from the Frame Australia conference a three-day tour of prominent timber buildings on the Eastern Seaboard of Australia is being held. The tour will commence in Melbourne and travel to Sydney, including a visit to the newly completed XLAM Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) plant in Wodonga.

Timber buildings visited will include buildings under construction and recently completed. The types of timber buildings visited will included CLT apartments, 6 storey timber framed apartment, educational, office and industrial. Also a recently built highly automated timber prefabrication plant will be visited.

The tour will travel predominantly by luxury coach and includes one domestic flight.

Lunch will be provided on each day. Accommodation will be available as an add-on to tour’s costs.

Please email info@tdansw.asn.au to register your interest in the WoodSolutions tour. Further information and costs will be sent upon registration.

www.timberbiz.com.au

FRAME AUSTRALIA

Surge in technologies for timber prefabrication Mr Hutchings said Hundegger Australasia’s core clientele to date had been timber frame and truss. “But we are now seeing the uptake of larger and more complex machines into Glulam and engineered wood markets, as well as a rapid expansion into CLT processing, which is very much our field of expertise,” he said.

“CLT is on a growth path and we will certainly see more move-

excited to see what innovative use of the local hardwood resource takes place, with rumours of hardwoodusiness is rapbased CLT. idly growing “There is no reason in Australia for why hardwood can’t be Germany’s Hundegger, used with our equipthe innovative timber ment. We are certainly engineering equipment over-engineered for the manufacturer that turns application it currently 40 this year and will be serves, being predomion display at ‘Timber nantly softwood,” he Offsite Construction’ in said.

June.

“Hardwood really “The outlook is bright just means it’s a matwith a surge in uptake ter of selecting of our new techthe right tooling nologies on offer, including “We are now seeing the and adjusting the and spindle the emerging uptake of larger and more feed speeds to process new world of robotics.

“For complex machines into the product efus, that’s at the Glulam and engineered fectively.”

An upcoming forefront of our cutting technolwood markets, as well boon for customwill be Hunogy, utilising roas a rapid expansion into ers degger’s plan to botics within a install a demonmore traditional CLT processing” stration machine machine,” said Hundegger Australa- ment in the next few at its Rowville headsia Managing Director, years. To have XLam quarters in Melbourne’s manufacturing CLT lo- east, along with an inCharlie Hutchings.

“We utilise our robot- cally is an excellent sign house training facility.

“We see the need for ic unit to process very and should give others complex six-axis con- confidence to follow more formalised trainnections that were oth- suit. Worldwide it is es- ing in our industry and erwise not possible in timated CLT output will have the ability to ofearlier machines,” said more than double capac- fer that to our customers without interrupting Mr Hutchings, adding: ity by 2020.”

Aside from new pro- their production - some“Strongbuild in Sydney is amongst the custom- cessing equipment, a big where they can send ers we have using one shift for Hundegger now their people,” Mr Hutchof our robot-based ma- is the move into being a ings said.

“We endeavour to be chines to process CLT solution-based business.

“We are no longer at the forefront of our amongst other products just supplying cutting market and want to offer such as Glulam.

“Looking at robotics equipment; we are now our customers a unique in a broader sense, it providing full materials array of benefits - and is certainly an area we handling with sophisti- training is certainly soon expect to see more cated software control front and centre.”

The Frame 2018 uptake in for both mate- for entire production rials-handling and even lines,” Mr Hutchings event titled ‘Timber Construction’ assembly applications,” said. “This is certainly Offsite an exciting shift for us will be held on Monhe said.

“Customers are look- to be making and a logi- day and Tuesday 18ing to do things smarter cal one given the space 19 June at Park Hyatt and faster, and keen we occupy in the mar- Melbourne, and for details visit the website to pick up efficien- ket.”

Mr Hutchings said www.frameaustralia. cies in their business Hundegger was also com processes.”

B

www.timberbiz.com.au

Ŷ Hundegger at the forefront.

SAVE $ 10 with 0 Early registrBird ation

The major national event for design, manufacture and construction of timber and mass wood buildings • Speaker sessions on Building Design, Technology, Manufacturing and Construction.

• Panel discussions on Construction projects in timber frame and engineered wood.

• Delegate Tours to building construction sites andmanufacturing plants.

• Exhibition booths displaying latest software and technologies, construction systems, manufacturing equipment, and new building materials now available.

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This unique event is at the leading edge of knowledge and essential for learning more about timber frame and mass wood construction systems.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Principal Partner

13

NEWS

Timber construction on the increase for commercial buildings

Q

uicker, cheaper and greener construction of commercial buildings will be enabled under proposed changes contained in the draft 2019 National Construction Code (NCC).

The change will apply to retail shops, carparks, storage warehouses, laboratories, hospitals, schools and aged care facilities, making it easier to use fire-protected timber in all buildings up to eight storeys in height.

This expands the current code coverage of timber construction for apartments, hotels and offices that was included into the NCC in 2016.

Changes were initiated by timber industry organisation Forest & Wood Products Australia, and has achieved the support of the Australian Building Codes Board’s technical committee – which includes a broad range 14

of representative industry groups such as the fire services, architects, builders, building surveyors, building designers, engineers as well as state planning and building authorities – with extensive modelling to demonstrate timber construction systems can meet the required building and fire safety standards.

Timber construction systems permitted under the Code would include both traditional timber framing and mass timber building systems utilising glue-laminated timber, laminated veneer limber (LVL) as well as crosslaminated timber (CLT) products, used in buildings such as Library at the Dock in Melbourne and International House in Sydney.

FWPA National Manager Codes & Standards Boris Iskra said that under the proposed changes, builders and developers wanting to use timber would no longer have to undertake time consum-

ing and expensive ‘performance solutions’ to gain building approval, as long as their designs met the deemed-to-satisfy requirements.

“At FWPA, we do everything we can to remove unnecessary restrictions on the use of timber. In 2016, we were successful with introducing similar changes for apartments, hotels and offices – and now we’re on the brink of extending that to other types of buildings,” he said.

“We’re proud to have successfully made the case to the authorities that timber can meet the required standards and would urge the timber industry and progressive builders and developers to make submissions supporting the proposed changes to the Code – it’s a great opportunity.”

Fire protection measures under the proposed changes include fireprotective grade plasterboard; fire-resisting cavity barriers; and a

compliant sprinkler system; as well as hydrants, hose reels and portable fire extinguishers as required.

The Managing Director of FWPA, Ric Sinclair, said buildings made from sustainably sourced timber are greener than alternatives in several respects.

Obviously, wood stores carbon dioxide over the life of the building, which other materials don’t. It performs well thermally, so it doesn’t require as much energy to heat and cool. It also lends itself to prefabrication and quick installation, meaning less disruption to neighbours and fewer truck movements,” he said.

This topic and more will be discussed at Frame Australia 2018 titled ‘Timber Offsite Construction’ to be held on Monday and Tuesday 18-19 June at Park Hyatt Melbourne, and for details visit the website www.frameaustralia.com

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Ŷ Ric Sinclair.

Ŷ Boris Iskra.

Ŷ Multi-storey constructions.

www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

AKD Softwoods continues its domestic growth in Australia

A

ssociated Kiln Driers Pty Ltd (AKD Softwoods), based at Colac in South-Western Victoria, took ownership of two timber mills previously operated by Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts in March.

The Caboolture sawmill ( which is located just 50 kilometres north of Brisbane) purchase was completed on 9 March and the Yarram sawmill (220 kilometres south-east of Melbourne) on 23 of March.

“The Yarram and Caboolture sawmills will

be a perfect fit for AKD Softwoods,” CEO Shane Vicary said after the group finalised the purchase of the two mills from Carter Holt Harvey.

The Yarram mill processes approximately 150,000 cubic metres of sawlogs and produces a range of outdoor products primarily for the Victorian market.

The Caboolture mill processes approximately 215,000 cubic metres of sawlog and produces a range of structural timber for the Queensland and Northern NSW market.

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All existing employees of these mills have been offered ongoing employment.

AKD Softwoods primary manufacturing site is in Colac, where it operates two sawmills that process over 700,000 cubic metres of sawlog annually drawing resource from more than 8000 hectares of radiata plantations in Victoria and South Australia.

AKD Softwoods is a 100% Australian privately owned and operated company with a proud 60 year history in the forest industry. A

Ŷ Site Management team at Caboolture

vertically-integrated forest products business, it operates now on eight separate sites.

The group has three post and pole facilities producing in excess of 60,000m3 of product annually, radiata pine plantations located in Victoria and South Australia, a softwood chip export operation and two log export locations.

“AKD Softwoods is proud of its 60 year history in the Colac-Otway region, having retained its headquarters at the site on which it was founded in 1955 by an

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

association of local family companies. The four equal shareholder companies that own AKD Softwoods have been involved since day one.

“We see the Caboolture and Yarram businesses as well-run operations that will be a perfect fit for the AKD group” Shane said.

“The Caboolture and Yarram acquisitions provides us with a greater range of products to offer our existing customers, and also provides AKD Softwoods with access to new markets and new customers.

“Overall, they help us become internationally competitive,” he said.

“For AKD Softwoods, it was important that there be no impact on the existing operations and employment. We believe that these assets, being the people and plant, will enhance our future and provide growth and stability.”

Through the group’s long history, AKD had continued to grow through a combination of strategic acquisitions and on-going capital investment in core Continued on Page 16

15

NEWS

AKD Softwoods continues its domestic growth in Australia Continued from Page 15

business and core activities.

“The Caboolture and Yarram sawmill acquisitions continues this approach and our commitment to this vibrant industry,” he said.

“We believe that the future demand for quality virgin wood fibre in the Australian and International markets is strong. The access to well managed plantations is at the heart of this transaction. We are committed to working with our key log suppliers and provide our customers with quality locally-grown and produced products, from renewable resources,” said Shane.

“As a regional employer, AKD Softwoods plays an active part is supporting a variety of local communi-

16

ty activities and sees its now 570 employees as the vital ingredient in its past and future success,” he added.

“AKD Softwoods has invested and sustained its business by building a stable foundation.

This solid foundation includes stable ownership, long term customer relationships, its own plantations and significant investment in multiple state-of-the-art processing facilities.”

These foundations are constantly being enhanced by continued reinvestment in the AKD Softwoods business.

“Plant expansions, plantation growth, employee development and the latest in processing, automation, scanning and optimisation technology all ensure AKD Softwoods is

internationally competitive and continuously improving reliability.”

AKD Softwoods services local markets through sustainable forestry practices and employs the latest processing technologies available to produce high quality products, and is distinctive amongst its key competitors for its reputation as a high quality producer, its exceptional customer service and its vertically integrated operations.

Building an excellent reputation on its quality, service and flexibility, AKD Softwoods has a wide range of products, and an end to end planning process that enables products to be manufactured to order and dispatched to customers now all over Australia.

Ŷ Yarram (l-r): Craig Neale (General Manager), John Marshall (Yarram Site Manager), Shane Vicary (Chief Executive Officer).

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

www.timberbiz.com.au

FINANCE

Even though your bank may say it is – finance ain’t rocket science!

By Mark O’Donoghue Founder and CEO of Finlease

A

fter 25 years of funding plant and equipment of every description for company owners, one thing is clear – the cli-

ent has already approved the machine purchase in their own mind, they know why they are buying it, what it will earn or save them and the risks involved.

Whether the machine is being purchased to improve the processes, required for additional contracts, or to reduce existing outsourced subcontractor costs, the business owner has already gone through a mental “approval” process or justification behind buying the gear.

All too often this very concept and what it really means is lost on the banks or at least not heard as clearly as it needs to be.

Skin in the game What is the relative

“skin in the game” if it all goes wrong.

For the bank, any default can create a potential loss and the approving officer may be “hind sighted” on the transaction to see if they had made an error in approving the loan on the information initially presented.

For the client, it gets very personal, by that I mean they typically have their personal guarantee on the line and with that an obligation to make good any debt shortfall even if that means their need to sell other assets to clear the debt or face the prospect of bankruptcy.

So, it is fairly easy to see who has the most “skin in the game”.

Good finance is not about jumping through hoops for the bank, it is absolutely about assisting the bank in understanding why the decision has been made to buy the machine how it will be paid for and the defence trenches in place in the event it all goes “pear shaped”.

This needs to be communicated well and into “bank speak”.

If it is not, either a finance approval won’t happen or if it does it will be “roped and chained” far more than it needs to be and possibly to an extent that is not ideal for the client.

Fast track finance approvals We are now seeing a huge amount of finance

being done simply based on client profile and behaviour where there is no need to provide financial information.

Many assets (vehicles and smaller excavators etc) up to $150,000 are being automatically approved where the client is:3 years in business A property owner (if not a 20% deposit is required) A good credit history This fast track finance also applies to larger acceptable assets up to $500,000 where the client is about to or has recently finalised a similar debt of say $400,000 where the new payments are up to 125% of the outgoing debt.

Other finance approvals come down to 3 basic questions Can you afford the payments? If it all goes pear shaped can you sell the gear and pay out the debt? Have you always honoured your commitments (historic finance report card)?

Whether the asset cost is $20,000, $200,000 or $2mil, these 3 fundamentals apply.

It is true that the larger the asset cost, the more detail is needed around these 3 questions, however these are all in reality simply subsets of these 3 fundamental questions.

Continued on Page 18

NEED TO CLEAR THE WOOD FROM THE TREES? Finding a long term finance option that is easy, flexible and allows you to focus on what you do best shouldn’t be as hard as banks make it!

Finlease specialises in equipment finance and with a team focused on speed, personal service and small business expertise, they really are Better than a Bank in so many ways.

1800 358 658 finlease@finlease.com.au finlease.com.au Australian Credit Licence: 390584 Finlease (Australia) Pty Ltd

www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

17

FINANCE

Even though your bank may say it is – finance ain’t rocket science!

Continued from Page 17

Can you afford the payments Does your present trading results indicate you can pay even if the machine being financed does not contribute to any additional income/ profit? If no, what tangi-

ble savings or additional incomes can be “reasonably” expected?

Are there existing debts that are currently running off which will free up cash to service the new debt or are you spending money on subcontractors which will no longer be the case with the new machine?

Is the R & M cost on the existing gear become so high that significant savings will be made by replacing it?

Has the level of existing and or new work increased to a level where the extra machine is needed?

What’s the fall back position if it all goes pear shaped On the asset exposure side, if a $1mil machine is seen to have a $700,000 auction value, the perceived shortfall exposure is $300,000 on day 1.

Lenders can be comfortable with this exposure if

they know the client has other equipment which are either wholly owned or have “equity” in them meaning the resale value is greater than their debt.

Similarly, great comfort is obtained where the business owner has good equity in property (either personal or through the business). Let me make it clear here, they are not after a mortgage, simply the “comfort” of knowing the borrower has resources which can assist in pay-

ing any shortfall if called upon to do so.

These questions simply address “if it all goes pear shaped can you sell the gear and pay out the debt?”

What does your report card look like Have you always honoured your commitments and not left any financiers or suppliers “bleeding in the alley”, does your Public credit report look fine?

There is nothing

complex about the areas shown above, they are in so many ways simply common sense and definitely not “Rocket Science”.

Any savvy company owner has already addressed such matters in their own mind as a function of contemplating the purchase of the equipment. After all they are the ones who are taking the real risk and will suffer the consequences of an incorrect decision.

A living building showstopper The University of Queensland’s advanced engineering building is an inspirational showcase of a ‘living building’. Designed by Richard Kirk Architects in partnership with Hassell, the 5 Star Green Star rated building is an award winning demonstration of Australian excellence in environmental architecture.

As cars, phones, computers and digital devices are getting smarter, so too should buildings. This was the Architects’ motivation.

The building is also home to the GHD Auditorium; an engineering masterpiece set to inspire those who learn within its walls for decades to come. The decision to construct the auditorium entirely out of timber was not only to achieve the aesthetic interaction between the natural environment, but also the structural functionality and environmental impact of the building.

The auditorium’s 215-tonne roof is supported entirely by impressive timber members that span the entire 30-metre-wide space.

Hyne Timber’s prefabricated GLT components, all Responsible Wood certified, were grown, harvested, milled and engineered in Queensland. The hardwood beams were Hyne beam 21 which are unique to

18

Hyne Timber.

Rob Mansell, Hyne Timber’s Commercial GLT Business Development Manager said this was a great example of working closely throughout the design phase, “Where an average project might involve a few pages of drawings, this particular project involved over 2000 pages of drawings.

“Being involved with the detailing prior to fabrication allowed for early discovery and resolution of conflicts, and coordination with other building components and services.

“Our offsite prefabrication service also ensured accuracy and time efficiency with the onsite installation – cutting down the overall construction phase timeline considerably.

“The assembled trusses were so large that they had to be transported in the middle of the night but they could be assembled in place and when completed, lifted in a single day!” Mr Mansell concluded.

The project Architects won the Engineered Timber category in the Australian Timber Design Awards and later took out three categories in the National Architecture Awards for:

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Public Architecture Awards – The Sir Zelman Cowan Award; Interior Architecture – The Emil Sodersten Award; and Sustainable Architecture – National Award.

In the latter, jury awards citations acknowledged the use of Queensland timber, the 5 Star Green Rating of the building and acknowledgement that this “spectacular use of timber makes the auditorium a delightful space to occupy – radiating geometry”. The jury went on to further acknowledge a softness more usually associated with residential architecture because of their use of timber.

The Advanced Engineering Building at the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus was a collaborative project funded by the Australian Government, Queensland Government, and The University of Queensland, with philanthropic support from GHD. The assembled trusses were so large that they had to be transported in the middle of the night but they could be assembled in place and when completed, lifted in a single day!

www.timberbiz.com.au

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TRAINING

Simon proves that age is no barrier to achieving success

S

imon Russell decided on a career change at a time when most would consider it almost too late (or too comfortable) but now he’s reaping the rewards.

The former Victorian country boy is this year’s winner of the prestigious HIA Jim Brookes Australian Apprentice of the Year award.

The mature-age apprentice, now based in the ACT, was recognised in front of industry leaders at the awards presentation at the Intercontinental Hotel Melbourne.

The award recognises the work and study

achievements of Housing Industry Association (HIA) apprentices, while encouraging continued excellence in the industry once they have completed their apprenticeship.

The Jim Brookes Australian Apprentice award is tied into the HIACSR Australian Housing Awards which are the ultimate platform to showcase the talents of the nation’s top builders and designers.

Simon was nominated by his host The Smart Housing Building Group for displaying great communication on-site and taking pride in his work; always completing jobs

to a high standard.

Born and schooled in Shepparton, Simon opted to gain a degree in Environmental Policy at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

“In my late 30’s I realised that it was finally time to make the change and follow my dreams.”

Different path However, he recalls

Ŷ The door has opened on a whole new career.

that when he was a youngster that was definitely not the path he was hoping to follow.

“From an early age I was interested in building and carpentry,” he recalled.

“At the age of 17 (back in 1993), I tried to start an apprenticeship in carpentry but was unsuccessful in finding a host employee. At the time it was difficult to find a job.

His parents encouraged him to move from Shepparton to Melbourne to study at university.

“After completing my university degree I moved back to Shepparton to start a career in the water industry. I worked in Shepparton for four years at Goulburn-Murray Water before moving to Canberra to work at CSIRO followed by Murray-Darling Ba-

sin Authority where I worked for eight years,” he said.

However, sitting in an office at a desk all day just wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“In my late 30’s I realised that it was finally time to make the change and follow my dreams.

With the support from Continued on page 22

Fill in your knowledge gaps

uild nd b a n g desi

Free self-paced online learning Designed for timber salespeople, topics include: • Managing moisture content • Timber products and properties • Building regulations and standards Ideal for employee training, the course includes assessment and individual tracking.

Enrol now at woodsolutions.com.au/campus 20

WoodSolutions is resourced by Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd (www.fwpa.com.au)

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

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Wood Protection

Engineered Wood Product Additives Protection solutions for engineered wood products against insects and decay.

Engineered wood products are an essential component of the modern construction industry. LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) and other innovations such as CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) are opening up new possibilities for large scale wood based construction. Lonza offer a comprehensive range of glue line additive insecticides, preservatives and veneer pre-treatments for protection of engineered wood products.

To learn more about the products and services available in the Asia Pacific region contact us, or visit our website, Australia: +61 3 9339 8915 tanalised.au@lonza.com New Zealand: +64 9 276 3646 tanalised.nz@lonza.com Website: www.lonzawoodprotection.com/apac Azotek, Permatek and Glusect are registered trademarks of Lonza or its subsidiaries. Š Lonza 2018

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

21

TRAINING

Ŷ Simon Russell receiving his award of 2018 HIA Jim Brookes Australian Apprentice. Pictured with Scott Cam and Tom Martin from Stratco Australia.

Simon proves that age is no barrier to achieving success Continued from Page 20

my wife, Belinda, and my three daughters, Sylvie, Emmy and Lilian, I decided to take the plunge and pursue a career in the building industry.”

Simon said he spoke to a number of people in the building industry to find out more about carpentry and building, and the best pathway to becoming qualified. He was advised to talk to HIA ... “which I did”.

HIA support “They were very supportive and encouraging and gave me a real insight into the apprenticeship program and the industry in general. I was keen to be employed

by HIA because I was looking for job security, which was particularly important for me.”

Simon said the first 12 months of his apprenticeship was challenging particularly as he worked to get his body ‘match fit’ and to develop my 22

hand strength and skills.

“Through persistence and hard work I have gained a confidence in most elements of residential carpentry but also broader building techniques,” he said and also paid tribute to host Smart Housing Building Group through the duration of his apprenticeship.

“My supervisor, Owen Scott, has been very supportive of me and has pushed me towards becoming a quality tradesman.”

Simon said the biggest constraint to his decision on a career change was financial.

“Having three children to financially support throughout my apprenticeship was a daunting prospect. My wife and I gave it much thought and planning.

It took about two years from when I decided to make the change to when I left the public service and start my apprenticeship.

“Now, it’s an hon-

our to be awarded the HIA-CSR Australian Apprentice of the Year.

I’m so glad that I made the career change. I have never felt so fit. It’s a rewarding job that involves creativity and problem solving, which I enjoy.

It has been all worth it despite some sleepless nights early on. Now my daughters know what I do when I go to work.”

the future hold for Simon Russell -- “I completed my apprenticeship in February this year. I’m continuing to work with Smart Housing Building

Group and I appreciate the investment they have made in me throughout my apprenticeship.

I have plans to start my Builders License in the

near future with the goal of starting my own business. At the moment, though, I’m focused on my trade to become a quality tradesman.”

Work ethic His dedication, work ethic and obvious talent have been extolled by many, and is best summed up by HIA ACT/Southern NSW Executive Director Greg Weller ... “At a time when we need more apprentices to enter the building industry, it’s great to see a mature age apprentice take on the challenge and get himself on the right track to a rewarding career and really excelling in his role.”

So, with a major award under his belt what does

Ŷ Simon and daughters Sylvie, Emmy and Lilian.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

www.timberbiz.com.au

take it to the next level Australia’s largest ever exhibition of woodworking technology and design at Sydney’s exciting new multi-level venue.

AWISA 2018

4-7 July 2018 ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour Sydney

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TRAINING

Upskill your staff and build customer confidence – WoodSolutions Campus – a free online training platform WoodSolutions Campus provides timber industry employers and staff with the opportunity to access an integrated online training program designed to develop their sales skills – and customer satisfaction - by increasing their knowledge of the characteristics, properties and performance of timber and timber products.

R

esearch by the industry services company, Forest and Wood Products Ltd (FWPA), has shown that two of the major concerns about using wood and wood products in the built environment are durability and maintenance.

These factors are often brought into play by the specification and use of products that are not fitfor-purpose, or poor material handling practices.

The results are unhappy customers and a poor reflection on the timber industry and the use of wood.

While there’s no simple ‘silver bullet’ solution, a large part of the answer lies in equipping people in the supply chain with the knowledge they need to ensure

that the products they supply are suitable for the intended application and that their performance will meet or exceed customer expectations.

Another factor driving the need for more knowledgeable sales people is the increased use of timber systems in mid-rise residential construction, ranging from traditional stick framing to new mass engineered timber systems (including cross laminated timber (CLT), laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glue laminated timber (glulam).

While some large timber suppliers have in-house training, until now there has not been a single source providing a comprehensive education program, covering everything from the properties of timber, the range of products produced, appropriate handling, finishes and even the basic requirements of building regulations and standards.

WoodSolutions Campus, a collaboration between FWPA and the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW), has been created to meet this need by providing topic-based education and skills de-

velopment opportunities to Australia’s timber and wood products supply chain.

Strengthened demand “Increased interest in sustainable design with wood complemented by changes to the National Construction Code has strengthened demand for improved timber product knowledge,” said the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW) Director, Associate Professor Gregory Nolan.

“The course modules were developed following consultation with industry about the most appropriate topics and depth of knowledge of each that are required in everyday working situations,” Professor Nolan explained, “they are designed so that users can select individual modules that are relevant to them, or work through the whole course.”

“They are also ideal as part of a formal induction process for new employees, or as a refresher program for existing staff and to date more than 350 people have registered to access the currently available courses.”

Delivered e ve ed oonlinee

through the global-leading Moodle platform, WoodSolutions Campus provides employers and participants with a record of modules studied and assessment results.

This gives employers the option of assessing the progress and results of their employees as they move through the course modules.

Self-paced WoodSolutions Campus is free-of-charge, self-paced and comprises stand-alone modules, each including video lectures and assessment tasks.

The timber merchant modules include: Ŷ Introduction to Building Regulations and Standards Ŷ Timber Product Standards Ŷ Building Regulations Ŷ Design for Durability Ŷ Design for Bushfire Ŷ Managing Timber’s Moisture Content Ŷ Timber and Wood Products Ŷ Timber and Wood Properties Ŷ Timber’s Environmental Characteristics Ŷ Selecting Fit-forpurpose Timber for Applications Ŷ Timber Grades and G ad g Grading

“This is a great opportunity for the timber supply chain,” said Eileen Newbury, FWPA’s National Marketing and Communications Manager, “and it’s something that FWPA, as the industry services company, can provide to the benefit of not only our immediate stakeholders, but the wider industry base.”

“Through other WoodSolutions activities, including technical design guides and other publications, the website and seminars, we’re working hard with building specifiers to explain the new opportunities for timber, especially in mid-rise residential projects. Increasing the knowledge and skills of people in the supply chain will ensure that they are well-placed to answer enquiries from the design and construction sectors and maxim-

ise sales opportunities.”

Ms Newbury continued to say that new modules were being added to WoodSolutions Campus that provided extended knowledge for people in the supply chain, while also being suitable for tertiary students and professionals, such as architects, building designers and engineers, who were involved in the specification of wood and wood products.

“Eventually we see WoodSolutions Campus as becoming a resource for timber merchants, designers and other specifiers, builders, tradespeople and even owner-builders and enthusiastic DIY’ers,” Ms Newbury said.

For more information, please visit the WoodSolutions Campus - www. campus.woodsolutions. com.au.

Ŷ Eileen Newberry

24

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

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25

NEWS

Giving Australian businesses the tools they need to win the war on waste Planet Ark has released a free, essential guide for businesses to manage their waste better

Ŷ Aerial view of the impressive Tuan Mill.

Ŷ (l-r): David Skennerton, Gary Sutton, James Hyne, Marco Ruh, Marc Wandler, Paul Ryan and Ken Davey at Tuan Mill.

Hyne Timber upgrading Tuan Mill

H

yne Timber is currently upgrading key saw line components at its Tuan Mill in Queensland to increase structural timber production volumes and process efficiencies.

This major undertaking and significant investment comes as Australia continues to experience very high levels of demand for softwood, especially for structural framing products, as key east coast detached and low rise residential building markets remain strong.

These upgrades will see the Mill ranking highly among world class standards and remaining one of the largest 26

suppliers of softwood in the Southern Hemisphere into the future.

Tuan Mill Operations Manager and Executive Director James Hyne said smart investment in operations was simply a cost of doing business.

“Remaining competitive in a global market includes having the right people and the right equipment.

“We have to continuously assess and look at how we can improve the business, prioritising investment accordingly to ensure our long-term future as a quality product supplier and large regional employer,” he said.

“Major upgrades to our Tuan Mill have been planned for many

months, with employees throughout our operations working together to plan and build stock, minimising the impact to our customers while the installation occurs.

“The equipment upgrades include technology to more accurately scan the logs, maximising its potential and in turn, increasing our volumes and efficiency,” Mr Hyne said.

“We may have a higher log reject rate when they don’t have the right properties, but they certainly don’t go to waste.

There is no waste.

They are then processed in different ways for other customers, such as another large employer, Laminex.

“This means that only the best logs will be sawn, dried and treated to increase our structural grade recovery,” Mr Hyne said.

Hyne Timber’s longterm equipment supplier to the Tuan Mill, the Linck company in Germany (regarded as one of the largest European manufacturers of sawmill equipment), provides the highest quality machinery which, in turn, allows the Tuan Mill to be at the forefront in sawmilling technology well into the future. This provides certainty in supply to customers as well as strong employment opportunities in regional Queensland.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Whether you’re a brickie or a barista everyone wants to do the right thing, but for small business owners it can be hard to find the time and money.

That’s why, to mark its annual Business Recycling campaign, Planet Ark has launched a free The Kit contains 10 tools such as the recycling no-brainer checklist, the set of questions to ask a prospective recycler and new brain science inspired signage.

It also fills office managers and purchasers in on recycled options for products such as paper and stationery, enabling them to help close the loop and build a circular economy.

Planet Ark was inspired to put together the new Toolkit after 3.7 million Australians watched the War on Waste in 2017, prompting an unprecedented amount of inquiries on recycling and discussions of how businesses could do their part.

As a result, Planet Ark - along with its Foundation Partner the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) - has found financially beneficial and effective ways for staff and employers from businesses of all sizes to reduce waste and recycle more.

Planet Ark’s Recycling Programs Manager Ryan Collins says it’s an essential resource as Australia’s business waste grows.

“A 2016 report found that the average business produces 849 kg of waste per person each year1.

“That’s where the Toolkit comes in. It gives employees and business owners free advice on how to turn their waste into valuable resources.”

The Toolkit encourages co-workers to get in on the act of reducing waste by suggesting reusable alternatives to single-use items like coffee cups, water bottles and shopping bags.

Another bonus for small businesses is that it’s easy to get started for free.

Better still, some business waste materials get recycled into things that offices can buy, including pens made from recycled printer cartridges and office paper such as Planet Ark Paper that remains high quality even when made from 100% recycled material. And in truly circular fashion, once used, those pens and paper are recycled again.

It’s not just traditional offices that can recycle either. Services like construction and demolition processing mean that tradesmen and builders can both recycle and use products made from recycled materials.

For those businesses with high volume waste materials, there is the Small Scale Recycling Equipment Catalogue, which matches them up with suppliers of equipment including compactors and balers to reduce costs and save time and space.

The new Business Recycling Toolkit also points businesses to Bin Trim, a resource developed by the NSW EPA for businesses which helps them to profile their current waste and recycling habits, and create a work plan to reduce both waste and costs.

NSW businesses can also have a free assessment conducted by an EPA-funded Bin Trim Assessor.

For more information visit BusinessRecycling.com.au.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Ŷ The Branch 95 distribution centre in Maryborough.

Some of Australia’s most unique timbers featured by Branch 95

C

urly Tatnell is no ordinary businessman.

Where most see dollars, he sees potential in everyone and everything.

For the past 20 years, Curly has driven sustainable timber practices. As the owner of Dale & Myers Operations, a director of Timber Queensland and Chairman of the hardwood division, his unrelenting focus has been the longevity of the industry. Curly has been instrumental in guiding government and stakeholders to create, maintain and expand a positive market for timber products.

Branch 95 is Curly’s creation – borne from his love of natural preservation, and his relationship with the North Queensland environment and its people. During his frequent visits to North Queensland, Curly was

struck by the beauty and character of native North Queensland hardwoods.

He recognised a unique opportunity in the timber’s intrinsic qualities and explored the potential of bringing these rare species back to the market.

Curly takes up the story ....

“I had been doing a fair bit of business in North Queensland and, and I was very much aware that there was no timber industry left, it had been closed down in the very early 90s by the Federal Government.

“After talking to a few people I realised that there was quite a bit of timber on private property that no-one had been harvesting to any extent for many, many years. I mean they’d go in and take out a few sawlogs or a couple of peelers or something like that but

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overall there was no industry there as such,” he recalls.

“So, I started to make some inquiries with different people in the north and started a bit of a survey on just how much private timber there might be there. I found what I believe would be a viable business with the North Queensland species under a niche product market; a specialties timber market.”

“Basically, I was told it couldn’t work; too hard. A lot of people have tried it even people who knew what they were doing had tried it and not made it work; something they wouldn’t do; just too hard.”

Don’t tell Curly it won’t work!

That was the last thing in the world anyone could or should have said to Curly ... “When people tell it can’t be done I immediately react; something in me says, well I can do that”.

He said he had given the North Queensland

timbers possibility a fair but of thought and as it turned out he go a simple phone call from a land holder in Cooktown, advising Curly of the native timbers he had available. After visiting the property and inspecting the timber, which was totally different from the native hardwoods Dale and Meyers had traditionally milled, a decision was made to transport the logs to our Tiaro Mill for processing. It was evident after processing, that this unique timber from North Queensland was as good or even better than exotic timbers that were being imported.

Around the same time Curly was again approached, this time by a representative from Cape York Partnerships, advising that they had established a mill at Cooktown to create employment opportunities for indigenous workers but were having problems and asked if Curly would visit. A deal was negotiated where Dale

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Ŷ Curly Tatnell.

and Meyers would supply the mill with the logs that were currently being carted over 2000km.

With an agreement between Cape York Partnerships and Branch 95 already in place, milling in Cooktown started with future economic

links likely to be forged with indigenous populations up to the Cape and across to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

“We realised that to restart an industry that hadn’t been in the Continued on Page 28

27

BUSINESS PROFILE

Ŷ Kris Dell and one of the employees from Cooktown Mill.

Some of Australia’s most unique timbers featured by Branch 95 Continued from Page 27

marketplace for 25 years was not going to be an easy task. We’d also realised that people hadn’t sat around waiting for these specialty timbers to become available. They had other products.

“But, we thought we could put in the ground work and make it happen.

The story behind the name “We’re now just starting to go to market. The phones are now ringing on a daily basis inquiring as to whether we’ve got this stock or that stock.

“I think it’s going to be fairly good for us going forward.

“But its been a lot of hard work, bloody hard work,” he says.

And what about the name (Branch 95) for this niche timber outlet?

“We’re in sawmilling with the traditional hardwoods and as you understand they are all treated as commodity products.

Competitors today -- local manufacturers and particularly also imported products -- means that there are very thin margins in the normal runof-mill sawmilling.

“When we went into 28

specialty timbers we didn’t want the brand to be connected with D&M (Dale & Meyers) which is traditional sawmilling.

We wanted to keep it totally separate and brand it under another name.”

Curly said they asked all staff to come up with the best and newest name and they got everything related to timber

erational data... and the name of the computer system for this “new” and “separate business” was Branch 95. That was it!

“That’s where the name came from. So, with our little tree emblem Branch 95 moved totally from any commodity type naming.”

“We realised that to restart an industry that hadn’t been in the marketplace for 25 years was not going to be an easy task. We’d also realised that people hadn’t sat around waiting for North Queensland specialty timbers to become available. They had other products. But, we thought we could put in the ground work and make it happen.” ... “timber this and timber that and something timber”, but wasn’t what they were looking for.

And the name virtually came out of a conversation --- “One of our salesman said we would have to open another operating account, a branch account, keeping it totally separate, as a stand-alone business for accounting and other op-

Quality and uniqueness “I think these specialty timbers offer as much or more than imported exotics.

“We’ve certainly got a vast array (actually a range of more than 30 different species) and each species has its own use -- internal or external, and I think these timbers offer as much

-- if not more than -- imported exotics.

“Our quality and uniqueness has a big bearing on to the person who wants something special, something unique. We haven’t gone out with this business to be able to put product into every house. That’s not our intention. It’s specialty. It’s unique.

“We want to keep this quality timber for people who want something different... upmarket. It’s a limited market with a limited resource. Its a beautiful resource,” he says with obvious pride.

Sticklers for sustainability The uniqueness and availability of the resource hasn’t been lost on Curly and his partners either. They’re sticklers for sustainability Curly acknowledges that preserving a balance in native ecosystems is paramount to retaining vital timber stocks, which will benefit future generations of trees and continue to provide economic growth to the region. Selective sourcing is the most responsible practice for timber harvesting and shapes the strict code by which Branch 95 adheres – five

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

stems per hectare across ten hectares equating to fifty stems in ten hectares.

No two trees alongside each other can be taken.

Branch 95 is a diversified Australian company with interests in native timber harvesting, sawmilling and distribution.

Offering a range of over 30 different timber species, Branch 95 is a leading Australian native timber provider of rare speciality timbers. Branch 95 is renown for it’s unique timbers, product development and sustainable timber practices in Australia.

Its production is sold as feature timbers to the furniture and joinery, flooring, cladding and decking markets, with the remainder sold into the building or construction-grade market.

Whether part of an high-end residential build, a commercial fit-out or a bespoke piece of furniture, these specialty timbers shine with a warmth of charm and character unlike any other timber product on the market.

Introducing the Aspire Range The Aspire range features fifteen specialty timbers, each offering their own unique grain, colour and character, solitude and great beauty.

Acacia Cedar Black Bean Black Wattle Briar Oak Damson Plum Darwin Stringy Bark Maple Silkwood MIva Mahogany Northern Silky Oak Queensland Maple Queensland Silver Ash Red Cedar Red Silkwood Red Tulip Oak Silver Quondong

Arden Range The Arden range by Branch 95 features an exclusive run of rare specialty timbers, which aren’t readily available in large quantities. This Arden range is available on request. Some of the species stock include: Calophyllum Fishtail oak Kuranda Satinash Rose Butternut White Cheesewood Spur Mahogany

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A range of design possibilities.

DTM Timber is proud to make quality hardwood building products from Australian hardwood forests.

Our hardwood timber products are beautiful, versatile and suitable for residential, commercial and large scale projects. #Building Poles#Decking#Fencing#Landscaping#Flooring #Laminated Flooring#Posts#Stair Treads#Stringers

Visit dtmtimber.com.au

Aesthetic. Natural beauty.

Strong and versatile.

The warmth of Australia.

Home grown and manufactured.

Chain of Custody certified.

AFS and PEFC.

Queensland Hardwoods.

Spotted Gum. Forest Reds. Ironbark. Blackbutt.

Inspiring design.

Australia’s most inspiring designs start with Australia’s most remarkable timbers.

Branch 95 is a leading Australian native timber provider of rare speciality timbers. Offering a unique range of specialty timbers that have been thoughtfully selected from Far North Queensland and brought to market.

Its production is sold as feature timbers to the furniture and joinery, flooring, cladding and decking markets. These specialty timbers shine with a warmth of charm and character unlike any other timber product on the market.

Be inspired and uncover Branch 95 native speciality timbers.

Visit branch95.com.au Evan Dunstone with his 2018 Wootha Prize submission Cataract Rocker in Branch 95 briar oak and Northern silky oak.

NEWS

Ŷ CLT construction

Ŷ HolzDC Director Theo Pasialis

Holz DC drives innovation, timelines and costs of Australian HolzDC in construction projects using CLT brief

T

he Australian construction industry is embracing true innovation with its utilisation of Holz DC - Australia’s premier Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) tech company that provides developers and builders unrivalled access to a national collective of highly qualified independent CLT experts.

Holz DC experts have a proven track record in delivering successful CLT solutions to residential, educational and commercial projects and have been known to deliver a 15% cost saving compared to traditional builds, with a further 20% saving on construction time.

Holz DC’s unique model sources and coordinates CLT experts from a national pool of best-in-class professionals and as a result deliver a seamless and efficient

“one stop shop” to builders and developers. Holz DC is currently working on over 200 CLT dwellings in New South Wales and Victoria.

With its national collective of experts, Holz DC can facilitate multiple service providers including structural engineers, architects, environmental engineers, job planning, fire consultants, building surveyors/ certifiers, logistics consultants, and CLT installation teams. In addition, Holz DC also introduces its clients to several international CLT manufacturers and helps them facilitate better commercial terms on the supply of CLT. From the earliest concept development through to CLT installation, Holz DC assists by optimising the build time and quality of each project. This enables the builder or developer to

concentrate on doing what they do best, while Holz DC coordinates the pool of experts on their behalf to deliver a quality, cost effective and time efficient project using CLT. “Holz DC is driving genuine innovation across both residential and commercial construction industries,” said Holz DC’s Director Construction, Theo Pasialis.

“We are the premier CLT company in Australia, offering unparalleled access to all relevant experts, and we’re currently working with many forward-thinking, developers, builders and architects on hundreds of projects across the country.

“As time moves forward, I expect to hear from many more who see the huge opportunity Holz DC represents for their own business.”

Mr Pasialis says Holz DC was continually open to talking with builders and developers who are focused on delivering more efficient projects.

“Our aim is not to replace a builder’s or developer’s team of experts for a project, but rather to add value to them throughout the entire design and construction process by providing access to our pool of experts who are focused entirely on CLT. That way, builders and developers can maximise their investment and use a revolutionary building material at the same time.”

CLT is cited as the 21st century solution to building sustainability. It is generally more cost effective than structural steel or concrete, and vastly outperforms conventional framed construction materials for airtightness, ther-

mal insulation, internal moisture management, acoustic insulation and fire resistance.

As a wood product, it is a totally renewable carbon neutral construction material, boasting the lowest energy consumption of any other building product.

“Holz DC is continually innovating and we are working with both international and domestic experts to extend the use and capabilities of CLT so that it becomes an even more efficient and environmentallyfriendly building product,” said Mr Pasialis.

“We are always keen to talk to forward-thinking architects, surveyors/ certifiers, logistics operators and engineers who would like to be part of our collective; this is an exciting time for our industry,” he said.

Holz DC – Holz means timber and DC stands for design and construction Started in early 2017 Holz DC owners also own two other companies (Hyperbuild and Harvest Homes).

They found there was no company that could fulfil the needs of creating and completing a CLT project, so, they created another, fully independent company – Holz DC – to address this need and bridge the gap.

Providing Australian developers and builders unrivalled access to a national collective of highly qualified independent experts to guide and assist CLT residential, educational and commercial projects from the earliest concept development all the way through to CLT installation.

Shellharbour triplex construction uses CLT Illawarra-based construction company Hyperbuild continues to drive innovation in the local building industry and Australia-wide, with construction of the first triplex construction in Australia made entirely from revolutionary Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) under way in Ocean Beach Drive, Shellharbour.

Hyperbuild is installed more than 350 CLT panels weighing over 80 tonnes for this triplex construction which commenced in late January and took just 20 days, with the final CLT element lifted and installed in mid-February.

The first CLT triplex adds to the rapidly expanding Hyperbuild portfolio of Australian-first CLT residential construction projects in the Illawarra, including the recent development of the first ever duplex in Pur Pur

30

Avenue, Lake Illawarra.

The first ever triplex will consist of three contemporary Australian designed 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom town homes, each with their own private courtyards.

The development employs the latest in European building and construction technologies, providing its residents with superior thermal and structural efficiencies, excellent energy ratings and outstanding living comfort.

CLT is a new timber construction system in which large timber panels are craned into place forming the overall structure of the building. Multiple layers of wood are glued together at right angles under extreme pressure to create giant panels to be used as flooring, load bearing walls and ceilings.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

Hyperbuild Managing Director Theo Pasialis says he’s focused on bringing new contemporary designs and concepts in residential living to fast-growing areas in the Illawarra, which in turn drives the local economy with job creation.

“The exclusive design of the triplex adopts a spacious three-bedroom home perfect for a growing family or couple. Each home has a double garage and private internal courtyard. Plus, the triplex design will look visually unique thanks to the use of CLT. “Our triplex development will use the latest building technologies, sustainable practices and finest materials which boasts operational energy efficiency, a pleasant and stable living climate, fire and chemical resistance, and excellent thermal insulation properties,” he said.

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ENGINEERING WOOD

Bridging the gap between budget and repairs

A

regional bridge and critical lifeline for locals, received a vital upgrade in traffic in only three weeks – thanks to a custom made solution using Bridgeply in a way never done before.

With a number of old hardwood deck planks crumbling but many in good working order, Kiah Rd Bridge in Gillieston Heights, NSW, was functional yet ageing unevenly. A total refurbishment of the bridge deck was unfeasible due to cost and the low traffic volume.

Bridge owner, South Maitland Railways, sought a unique solution to help extend the life of the remaining planks, while simultaneously maintaining the bridge weight limit and improving its structural integrity.

Big River Group custom made Bridgeply planks and used them in a way that had never been done before – as running boards fixed to the existing hardwood transverse boards along the bridge.

The plywood planks were even created with stepped ends so they could be joined in a way that would transfer weight load from sheet to sheet as traffic passed over them.

“On top of these existing challenges of budget and weight limits, it was crucial to undertake the work as quickly as possible and ‘in traffic’, as the bridge is the only access

for a handful of properties near Gillieston Heights,” said Warren Hedley, Manager of South Maitland Railways Pty Ltd. “When a bridge is closed or is load limited, the impact on the local community can be significant. Fortunately, this vital upgrade was completed within three weeks – on time and on budget,” said Hedley.

The decks were manufactured in the Grafton Mill, NSW. As the planks were 800mm wide but manufactured from

"This vital project completed in three weeks on time and on budget" 1200mm sheets, the offcuts were utilised in the core of the decks to minimise waste and cost.

“As they are made from three layers of bonded plywood, the layers on each end could be stepped so the sheets could interlock together rather than having to mitre cut them,” explained Dan Berryman, National Wholesale Manager, at Big River Group.

An economic alternative to steel or concrete, Bridgeply can be easily applied to damaged or deteriorated hardwood decking. Additionally, its lightweight composition

means less machinery is required to install it.

“We chose Big River Bridgeply for its distinct adaptability to our unique problem, as well as its quality and Australian Origins” – Kiah Road Bridge owner South Maitland Railways Pty Ltd, Manager Warren Hedley.

Bridgeply is a structural grade plywood manufactured to AS/ NZS 2269-2012 made from AFS/PEFC chain of custody certified sustainable Australian plantation pine. It provides a reliable replacement where suitable lengths of solid hardwood timber are unavailable for bridge decking.

The ply is cross-laminated, with the grain at right angles in alternating layers, to evenly distribute longitudinal and lateral stiffness. The product is envelope treated (H4) to protect against termites, fungus and environmental degradation.

Bridgeply panels are traditionally available in standard widths of 1200mm, and can be custom made to other sizes.

The Big River Grafton Mill has a scarf joining machine that allows plywood machining to almost any sheet size within the limits of transportation – including lengths of over 10 metres.

The longest order made to date is a 13.1m sheet of Bridgeply, which was carried on a 14m long semi-trailer.

IRONWOOD AUSTRALIA INSTALLS

STATE-OF-THE-ART

DOCKING SAW Stirling Machinery s most recent installation

is

an

optimising

docking saw with outfeed for long-term

customer,

Ironwood

Australia in Taree, NSW. After seeing the base unit at the LIGNA Exhibition

in

Germany,

the

company s director, Chris Swadling

“Stirling’s product knowledge and professionalism and the accuracy of their ordering system is unmatched in the industry. The equipment arrived on time and was efficiently installed by Craig who oversaw every last detail.”

Chris Swadling (Director) Ironwood Australia

placed an order with Stirling and had the saw customised with additional features.

Contact us on 1800 077 862 to discuss new machinery that will take your business to the next level.

Freecall 1800 077 862 www.stirlingmachinery.com.au

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

31

ASSOCIATIONS

Timber Veneer Association members up to date on illegal logging

By Peter Llewellyn Technical Representative, Timber Veneer Association of Australia

A

ustralia has had measures in place for some time to make sure wood products entering the country are from legal sources. The regulations are set out in the Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulations 2012.

Until recently prod-

ucts certified under either the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme, or the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), were deemed to comply with the Regulations.

However, from February this year the deemed to comply arrangements for FSC and PEFC products have been disallowed. Parties dealing with FSC and PEFC products now need to carry out the full due diligence process described in the Regulations.

TVAA members have been made aware of the requirements which are set out on the website of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources here: http:// www.agriculture.gov. au/forestry/policies/illegal-logging.

Importers must have

a written due diligence system and maintain records for at least five years. While FSC and PEFC certified products are no longer automatically deemed to comply with the legislation, certification under either scheme allows an importer to use the Timber Legality Framework.

This can potentially shortcut the due diligence process, as long as all the steps set out in the guidelines are followed.

It is also useful to check the status of wood products under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants

Ŷ Beach House at Mornington. does not threaten their survival.

Listing of a timber species in CITES Appendix I means international trade is prohibited except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. In this case such products cannot be imported into Australia for re-sale,

even if offered.

However, the fact that a species is not prohibited under CITES does not necessarily mean it is legally harvested everywhere in the world, and due diligence must still be done by importers and processors.

Specifiers can be sure that members of the Timber Veneer Associa-

tion are aware of their obligation to supply legally sourced timber veneers, in accordance with Australian Regulations. Contact details for TVAA members can be found on the Association’s website at timberveneer.asn. au. Click on the ‘About Us’ tab and select ‘Industry Members’.

TABMA has lost a staunch supporter

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Aust.) Ltd Regrettably, Andrew Bone, the Managing Director of Bone Timber Adelaide, TABMA Australia Director and Chairman of the TABMA South Australia management committee, passed away suddenly on March 20.

Andrew was a great friend and huge supporter of TABMA. Our condolences go to his wife Georgia and children Ruby and Fraser.

Fair Work Commission In a recent judgement-Fair Work Commissioner,

32

Judge Grant Riethmuller, penalised a company $100,000 for paying an employee as a 2nd year apprentice but not completing the required actions to have the young worker registered as an apprentice.

Therefore, the judge ruled the worker should have been paid as a labourer and as such was underpaid by $26,882 over a 3 month period.

When the young worker asked his employer when he would receive the money owed to him, the employer responded with “seriously, f**k off”.

Subsequently the judge penalised the employer an additional $21,500 describing the conduct as “an outrageous exploitation of a young person”. He went on to add “the conduct is worse than simply underpaying an employee as the respondent held out the lure of an apprenticeship to this young man: a particularly significant career and life goal for a young person who is not academically inclined. The amount of the underpayment, in comparison to the payments actually made, is significant”.

Judge Riethmuller said an apprenticeship is a training arrangement where the apprentice ought to be able to rely upon the employer for mentoring and

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

training. “In this sense, the employer is in a position of trust with respect to the apprentice”. Judge Riethmuller added “A further loss on the part of the employee in this case is that the time working for the respondent cannot be counted against his apprenticeship because of the failure of the employer to sign and lodge the appropriate documentation”.

In no way does TABMA condone the behaviour of this employer and recommends that all employers pay workers correctly and have apprentices and trainees registered into an apprenticeship or traineeship as soon as possible after or prior to commencing work.

TABMA reminds members and others of our services to assist in these matters. TABMA employs and places apprentices and trainees throughout Australia and can assist employers to engage an apprentice or trainee in every State.

In addition, TABMA operates a workplace advice line (1300 564 309) where members can check on what they should be paying all workers. If you are looking to engage an apprentice or trainee do not hesitate to contact Steve Cunningham, our National Training and Development Manager, on 1800 822 621.

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ASSOCIATIONS

How to survive when life serves up a “curve” or two! eliminating a bottleneck anticipating the next one and planning the next solution – it’s an endless cycle but it can be a fun and fascinating one. At Vicbeam we routinely challenge our employees to take a fresh look at the process they are engaged in and ask some simple questions – what is currently bugging me about this process? What would I have to change so that it no

By Josh Wallace longer was an issue for Managing Director (Vicbeam) me? Furthermore, what Deputy Chairman Glued simple change could I Laminated Timber Associamake that would imtion of Australia; Chairman, Marketing Committee (GLTAA) prove the process by two seconds? It is gratifying n order to achieve when engaged employand maintain ees embark on the daily profitability, any process of optimising manufacturer -re- their work environment.

It’s not always easy, gardless of the product -- must become focused however, for manufacon process optimisation. turers to anticipate the Identifying bottlenecks, unexpected and pro-

I

verbial ‘curve ball’ that comes along – or for a more appropriate Australian metaphor – ‘the flipper’ that bamboozles, hinders production and turns the smooth day into something else ‘proverbial’.

It could be the sudden and catastrophic failure of a glue pump, (did we order the spare?) four absent employees on the same day (again?) or for Glulam manufacturers the request to quote or manufacture a curved beam to a specific radius!

For the most part Glulam manufacturers are producing straight or cambered beams.

Cambered beams are produced to an industry standard of 600m radius. Moulds in presses aid easy production of cambered beams and al-

though the change from straight to cambered and back again involves a labour cost in terms of setup, the changeover becomes optimised and we take it in our stride.

Curved beams are a different story and the receipt of an order containing one is known to produce somewhat of a sigh and a scratch of the head among Glulam manufacturers! The plans for the curved rafter or fascia call for an “inside radius” of 10125m, 19306m or maybe even 833mm (now that’s tight!). By their nature, curved beams are ‘non standard’ and not generally able to be as efficiently produced as normal Glulam beams. A press might have to be specifically made, unique templates cut, there will

definitely be extra ripping and dressing of laminates and careful radii set-out.

Glulam manufacturers are often asked if steam is still used in the process of bending timber and producing curved beams. In fact, curved beams are achieved simply by varying the thickness of each individual laminate according to the density of the species versus the radius required. A normal Glulam beam will generally have laminates of a size between 30-45mm but a curved beam could have laminates as thin as 5mm in order to achieve the desired result.

GLTAA member producers have noticed an increasing interest in curved laminated beams in recent years. As ar-

chitects become ever more creative with their timber visions it is expected that the demand for curved beams will continue.

Many of us have anticipated the bottlenecks that introducing curved beams into a manufacturing process creates and are ready for them!

So, send through the request for a curved Glulam beam! You might hear a groan on the phone, you may even be advised that “lead times on curves at the moment…”, but in reality, and to be candid, most of us love the challenge associated with producing something special and ‘non-standard’ and we recognise that curved beams continue to present a wonderful opportunity to show off Glulam to the world.

READ YOUR

INDUSTRY NEWS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE SUBSCRIBE TODAY Visit timberbiz.com.au australasian

magazine

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

33

ASSOCIATIONS

New Chain of Responsibility laws

By Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer Timber Trade Industrial Association (TTIA)

J

ust when you thought you had your workplace safety bases covered, along comes more regulation, and it’s not a change that can be ignored.

Changes to the Chain of Responsibility laws are coming in June 2018.

These changes align chain of responsibility laws with workplace health and safety laws.

If you consign, pack, load or receive goods as part of your business, you could be held legally liable for breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law even though you are not driving a heavy vehicle.

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law

(HVNL) every party in the heavy vehicle transport supply chain has a duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities. In practical terms, this primary duty represents an obligation to eliminate or minimise potential harm or loss (risk) by doing all that is reasonably practicable to ensure safety.

As a party in the supply chain, the best way to do this is to have safety management systems and controls in place, such as business practices, training, procedures and review processes that: identify, assess, evaluate, and control risk manage compliance with speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and vehicle standards requirements through identified best practice involve regular reporting, including to executive officers document or record actions taken to manage safety.

TTIA is developing policies and procedures to assist Member companies to comply with the National Heavy Vehicle Legislation. If you have any queries, please contact the TTIA OHS Unit on 0418 280 335.

Better still, if you are not a Member of the TTIA, join and make sure you have the practical business support you need to manage work-

place changes like the new Chain of Responsibility laws. Our national number is (02) 9264 0011.

Family and domestic violence leave It’s a pretty good bet that employers have heard of recent trade union claims seeking the provision of family and domestic violence leave in industry awards.

In July 2017, the Fair Work Commission rejected the claim by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) for the inclusion of paid family and domestic violence leave clauses in all modern awards (the July Decision). In the July

Decision the Commission also stated its provisional view that modern awards should contain a clause entitling employees to unpaid family domestic violence leave.

Following further proceedings since that time the Commission has now decided that most modern awards will include provision for all employees, including casuals, to have access to up to 5 days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave per annum where an employee is “experiencing family and domestic violence”.

The Commission has published a draft model clause.

The model clause is

scheduled to be finalised within the next few weeks and is likely to take effect soon after.

The Commission indicated that it intends to review the operation of the model term over three years and revisit the wording of the term in June 2021.

All modern awards are likely to be affected including the awards which primarily apply to TTIA Members, (i.e.

Timber Industry Award, Clerks Private Sector Award and General Retail Award), with the exception of the following for which the Commission will hold further hearings in May 2018: Australian Govern-

ment Industry Award 2016 Road Transport and Distribution Award 2010 Road Transport and Distribution (Long Distance Operations) Award 2010 TTIA will go through this variation to assist Members in its implementation during the membership seminars to be held in July/August.

Employers are encouraged to register their interest in these seminars to ensure that you will be advised of the upcoming dates and venues throughout the country.

Email: ttia@ttia.asn.au or Phone (02) 9264 0011.

SUPPORTERS & SPONSORS

For information visit: www.ttia.asn.au

Simplifying contract processes The latest edition of Australian Building Industry Contracts represents the most contemporary version of the most widely used building contract in Australia.

The contracts, known as ‘ABIC’, provide the market with an up-to-the-minute suite of standard form contracts for a variety of building works, from small extensions right through to large residential and commercial projects.

“The best thing about ABIC is that they are developed by builders and architects, designed to be simple and clear, and reduce the chances of dispute and confusion that is frequently the cause of costly delays,” said CEO of Master Builders Australia, Denita Wawn.

“The 2018 version of ABIC represents the most comprehensive update in several years, and recent improvements will provide owners, builders and

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architects with greater certainty when embarking on a building project,” she said.

Arising from a partnership between Master Builders Australia and the Australian Institute of Architects, ABIC contracts have a focus on avoiding disputes by ensuring the fine detail is clear and simple.

“A strong and transparent relationship between architects, builders and their clients delivers the best outcomes for all parties,” Australian Institute of Architects Chief Executive Jennifer Cunich said.

“The updated ABIC suite provides practitioners and consumers with comprehensive, accessible contracts to help ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget. They are a very practical way of assisting the construction or renovation process to proceed smoothly and with a clear understanding of the rights and responsibilities of all involved,” she said.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018

The ABIC suite offers both base and subcontracts for a variety of works including: Major Works – medium to large commercial or residential projects involving work to be completed in stages; Simple Works – smaller to medium sized residential and commercial projects; and; Basic Works – small projects or those involving a single trade.

Denita said anyone embarking on a building project, large or small, should make sure that their architect and builder are using the latest version of ABIC. “Together with the optional plain English user guides and forms, the 2018 ABIC contracts offer an effective way to ensure everyone knows where they stand, reducing the chances of expensive delay and costly project blow-outs,” she said.

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