Australasian Timber Magazine - September 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

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Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

OKAY, JUST WHO IS LUCY? SA BUSINESS GOES INTO ‘TURBO DRIVE’

BACK TO THE GLORY DAYS NEXT EDITION: ENGINEERED WOOD

Innovation in timber engineering www.hundegger.com.au

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NEWS About Timberlink AUS/NZ

Timberlink to invest $100m in regional manufacturing jobs and Australian timber supply

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At Timberlink’s Bell imberlink has come a leading wood approved a products business, and Bay site in Tasmania, $100 million I expect it will continue new planer mill equipupgrade program to its to innovate and grow, ment will be installed Australian sawmills. creating new manufac- along with a state-ofThis generational in- turing jobs in regional the-art contraflow kiln. vestment will see the areas, while increasing Site infrastructure will total processing capac- the supply of timber in be improved, including a new internal road sysity of the Australasian Australia.” A total of 290 addi- tem designed to improve sawmilling company intional jobs are anticipat- safety outcomes and crease by over 15%. The investment will ed during the construc- support the increase in secure over 1,350 di- tion phase of the $100 site activity. The $100 million inrect and indirect jobs in million program. In Tarpeena, South vestment program will regional Australia for years to come while sup- Australia, the investment take place in stages over porting the residential will lead to the installa- the next three years and will build on housing sector previous capex with increased “We are ensuring that all investments that timber supply. Timberlink’s aspects of the business have taken place in both mills Chairman and are internationally over the past five CEO of investment manage- competitive to secure our years. Timberlink ment firm New long-term future” will continue Forests, David discussions with Brand, expressed his support for the mill tion of a completely new the Tasmanian, South saw line, stacker and Australian, and Federal upgrade program. “This is a substan- edger, all with the latest Governments, seeking technol- their funding support for tial re-investment in the leading-edge enhancements Timberlink mill facilities ogy, coupled with ad- further and continues to demon- ditional contraflow and related to these business strate the strong recovery batch kilns for drying expansion programs “This is a great day of the Australian forestry timber. Major site infrasector under institutional structure changes includ- for Australian manufacinvestor ownership,” he ing upgrades to roads turing,” said Timberlink and storage facilities will CEO Ian Tyson. said. “We are ensuring that “Timberlink has be- also be undertaken.

australasian

Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

August 2018 Vol.26, No. 6 Established 1977

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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

Ŷ David Brand, Timberlink’s Chairman and CEO of investment management firm New Forests.

Ŷ Timberlink CEO Ian Tyson.

all aspects of the business are internationally competitive to secure our long-term future, and this significant investment will secure Timberlink’s position as one of Australasia’s leading softwood sawmillers. “Our integrated business model allows us to optimise and guarantee our supply from the forest all the way to our customers door, and at its core, this program is about increasing and securing that supply of timber.”

The new capital also enables the ongoing investment in training and upskilling of Timberlink’s employees. With 87% of their workforce living in regional areas, these investments build stronger local economies that can support our regional communities. Due to careful planning, the sawmills will be able to continue to operate normally during the building process. This will ensure that the supply of timber to our customers will continue as usual.

Advertising: Kent Humphrys k.humphrys@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Timber Classifieds: k.humphrys@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide: (08) 8369 9516 Design and Artwork: Peter Frezzini with the NEM Creative team

Timberlink (timberlinkaustralia.com.au, timberlinknz.co.nz) is a leading Australasian timber products manufacturing business. The business has three sawmills at Bell Bay (Tasmania), Blenheim (New Zealand) and Tarpeena (South Australia) that manufacture plantation structural pine products. Timberlink has sales and distribution teams based in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne and sales teams based at the Bell Bay and Blenheim sawmills. Aligning the Timberlink business with forest resources enables the company to have a long-term committed approach to its business and customers. Timber manufacturing is a carbon negative industry. For every cubic metre of dry finished timber produced, 631 kg of carbon dioxide is drawn from atmosphere and retained in the timber over its entire lifetime. Timberlink is owned by investment funds managed by New Forests, a sustainable real assets investment manager headquartered in Sydney. Founded in 2005, New Forests manages approximately AUD 5 billion in assets under management across 940,000 hectares of forests and land in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the United states.

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

FRONT PAGE: Barangaroo South has further cemented its reputation as Australia’s best property development with planning approval for a second engineered timber office building being granted. The building will be known as Daramu House. More on page 12

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 September 2018

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Timberlink - quality engineering in every piece Manufacturers of Australian structural pine

dŚĞ ůĂƚĞƐƚ ƉƌĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ EĞǁ 'ƌĂĚĞ ^ĐĂŶŶĞƌ ďLJ >ƵĐŝĚLJŶĞ dĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐŝĞƐ ŝƐ Ăƚ ŽƵƌ dĂƌƉĞĞŶĂ ŵŝůů ŝŶ ^ŽƵƚŚ ƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂ WĞƌĨĞĐƚ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵƌ ŶĞdžƚ ŵŝĚͲƌŝƐĞ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ

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NEWS

OK, just who is Lucy?

New Lucidyne grade scanner will give you a straighter, more consistent stick of timber

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imberlink knows the importance of product being consistent and fit-for-purpose and that’s why it has invested in some seriously high-tech gear at its mills to give you a straighter, more consistent piece of timber. “As a proud Australian manufacturer, we want to stay on top of the game, and that means staying at the forefront of technological advancements,” said GM of Operations Mike Bitzer. “This new Luci-

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dyne scanner, or “Lucy” as we like to call her, uses AI technology to scan our wood with precision far beyond the human eyes capabilities. This provides us with the assurance of a level of quality that wasn’t possible a few year ago. “Lucy is just a great piece of high tech gear. She takes the guesswork out of timber grading. “Instead of looking at a piece and making assumptions based on out-dated theories about knots or grains, we can use precision engineer-

ing technology to give us the best outcome.” You no longer need to look at the grains, you don’t have to inspect the knots and the old bang test is certainly out the door. Every piece is labelled with the grade and you can trust that is the case. It’s true that grading methodologies were once much more manual, but Lucy uses multi-sensory imagery technology in conjunction with new self-training Perceptive Sight software to ensure each

piece meets the structural properties required under Australian standards and also exceeds the minimum visual requirements. “There have been many exciting technological advancements in recent years. Along with the traditional machinery in the sawmill such as kilns and the planer mill, Timberlink now uses Continuous Flow Kiln (CFK) technology, acoustic density grade sorting, warp tunnel detection, infra-red scanning, big data analytics

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

and even AI at our mills. “Now, every piece of our engineered Australian structural pine is accurately and consistently graded by these machines. “Like every tradie knows, you need the right tools for the right job or you’ll be left behind. Lucy uses similar AI technology to that used to drive driverless cars, to aggressively detect defects,” said Mike. “If there are any defects that really impact the structural proprieties of the timber, Lucy

will find them. “Being a natural product there is some variation, but you can be sure that each piece is engineered with the latest gear to ensure Timberlink produces the most consistent piece of timber for our customers, right here in Australia.” To keep the timber straight right through to installation, please ensure you keep pine framing stored safely and protected from weather on all your job sites.

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AKD acquisition of CHHT mills AKD Softwoods’ acquisition of Carter Holt Harvey Timber Pty Ltd (CHHT) sawmilling assets in NSW has received widespread industry approval. CHHT sawmilling assets include a sawmill and timber treatment facility in Tumut, a 50 per cent interest in the Highland Pine Products joint venture sawmill in Oberon and a timber distribution centre in Berkeley Vale, all located in NSW. This news follows AKD Softwoods’ announcement earlier of a $50 million expansion of its Caboolture sawmill, which will create 100 new jobs and more than double the mill’s capacity. The Federal Government also pledged $10 million towards the project. Ross Hampton (AFPA CEO) said that AKD Softwoods’ huge investment was a significant endorsement of Australia’s forest industries’ potential to produce world-class renewable timber products and create new jobs and investment in regional Australia. “Australia’s renewable forest industries contribute about $24 billion to the economy each year and employ around 120,000 people across the full value chain. With record global demand for quality timber products like those made across AKD Softwoods’ growing suite of sawmilling operations, we must ensure that our forest industries are supported, and the policy settings are right to capitalise on this opportunity,” Mr Hampton said. This new investment will substantially increase AKD Softwoods’ sawmilling capacity and is consistent with its strategy of operating high-quality, welllocated sawmills.

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Australian Paper facility undergoes $51 million upgrade

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ustralian Paper’s Maryvale Mill started its planned annual shut from 6 August, halting production for four weeks to allow completion of important maintenance and capital works. Major works planned for the shut are part of a $200 million, five year capital investment program currently under way at the facility. Australian Paper General Manager – Manufacturing Adrian Berton said the planned 26-day annual shut would be one of the longest in Australia Paper’s 81 year history at the site. “Over the four weeks we will be investing $51 million in upgrad-

ing and maintaining key strategic infrastructure underpinning our Maryvale operations,” Mr Berton said. “At peak periods of the shut, more than 1000 employees and contractors will be on site - almost three times the normal staffing levels. More than 3500 individual maintenance jobs and 30 capital projects will be completed during the closure, including major works on Recovery Boiler 5, the Lime Kiln and the M4 paper machine. These projects will improve operational efficiency and reliability. “Over 50 local businesses will be involved in this planned major outage, providing a

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

boost to the region’s economy, and generating significant employment opportunities for the Latrobe Valley. “Zero Harm will be Australian Paper’s key focus during the shut, to ensure THINK SAFE, WORK SAFE, HOME SAFE remains front of mind for everyone working at Australian Paper Maryvale.” Key equipment at Maryvale includes three pulp mills, two wastepaper recycling plants and five paper machines. Continued capital reinvestment has seen the Mill grow to a total asset replacement value of more than $3 billion. $15 million will be spent on M4, the larg-

est paper machine at Maryvale, producing 225,000 tonnes per annum of high quality board for Australia’s booming packaging market. $17.5 million will be invested in the R5 Recovery Boiler, a key piece of the power generation infrastructure that makes Australian Paper Maryvale, Victoria’s largest producer of renewable baseload energy. Australian Paper contributes more than $900 million to Australia’s GDP annually and is one of the largest employers in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. It is estimated to support 2387 direct and flow-on jobs in the region.

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NEWS

Ŷ Centre staff and industry colleagues inspecting hydro wood logs at Lake Pieman in western Tasmania.

Showcasing the latest research from innovative collaboration

Ŷ Professor Mark Hunt.

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rom germplasm to commercial buildings – the latest research supporting innovation in the forest industry across the entire supply chain will be presented to stakeholders during a roadshow across Tasmania in October. The research is the work of postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Forest Value, based in Tasmania. The roadshow, which runs from October 2226, is an opportunity for the researchers to share the latest information with industry and partner stakeholders. The roadshow will visit the study sites of all the students and postdocs at the centre, including Permanent Timber Production Zone land in the Styx and Norse Skog pine plantations in southwest Tasmania, along with 8

the Timberlink sawmill at Bell Bay and Ta Ann operations in Smithton, both in the state’s north. The Director of the ARC Centre for Forest Value, Professor Mark Hunt, said the roadshow is a great opportunity for broader engagement with stakeholders. “The roadshow allows our industry and partner stakeholders to get out in the field with our students and get a very hands-on update as to how the research is tracking,” said Professor Hunt. “They also have the opportunity to see closely some of the technology our students are using in their projects,” he said. PhD candidate Mihai Neagoe is one of the students whose research will be highlighted during the roadshow next month. His project could mean port congestion becomes a thing of the past. Mr Neagoe is developing

an ‘app’, or online tool, to improve traffic flow issues at the Burnie port, in Tasmania’s northwest. Improvement would not only reduce supply chain costs but benefit society by addressing environmental issues caused by port congestion. Another PhD candidate Michelle Balasso is investigating non-destructive techniques to sort plantation hardwood logs (eucalypts), to characterize their wood properties and predict wood quality. The results of her work should ensure logs go into their most profitable and appropriate product stream. There will also be demonstrations from several researchers utilising sensor technology and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or drones. A focus of the Centre for Forest Value is the application of innovative technologies and information systems. Drones are a cost-effective means of collecting forest data and are conventionally used above the forest canopy. Sean Krisanski is developing a system to map the forest from beneath the canopy, which will help improve worker safety and reduce inventory costs. About the ARC Cen-

tre for Forest Value The Centre for Forest Value (CFV) is based in the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Tasmania. The $14-million Centre was established in January 2016 and is heavily industry focussed. There are eight industry partners, including Forico, SFM Environmental Solutions, Sustainable Timber Tasmania (formerly Forestry Tasmania), Neville-Smith Forest Products, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Greening Australia, Forest Practices Authority and Private Forests Tasmania. The Centre’s objective is to help shift the forestry and wood products sector from a traditional, resource driven, low-technology base to a market-driven, precision-manufacturing focused industry that applies modern technologies and business approaches to the value chain from the forest to final application. Professor Hunt said the Centre is producing industry-ready graduates and postdoctoral fellows with broad perspectives of the forest industry. “They will achieve industry transformation through their research

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

and training which is aimed at better integration and flow of information along the supply chain,” he said. Professor Hunt said integration is the key to positioning the industry within a modern landscape-management context. “We are working towards a landscape that isn’t just focused on resource extraction, nor is it focused purely on environmental protection,” he said, “Instead, we envision a landscape that allows for both.” “It’s recognising that social licence and forest certification are required for our raw materials to find markets as manufactured products and that those markets may be different from those traditionally targeted by the Australian forest sector,” he said. The Centre is a combination of a unique set of partners from both industry and academia, from forest managers to architects to engineers – a breadth which is evident when the work of researchers is considered. The Centre’s research program is currently structured into three themes that span the forest products supply

chain. Theme 1: Sustainable forest production and certification; Theme 2: Products and manufacturing; and Theme 3: Supply chain integration and information management. Now, an exciting fourth theme is being added to the multimillion dollar Centre – Theme Four: Environmental and Resource Economics. As a result, three new fully-funded PhD Scholarships have become available within the ARC Centre for Forest Value. The scholarships are co-funded by the Forest Practices Authority, the independent statutory authority responsible for forestry regulation on Crown and private lands. There is an opportunity for interested parties across the sector to learn about the latest developments in research, at a presentation open to the public on Tuesday the 23rd of October. The presentation will take place at the UTAS Inveresk campus from 2:30 pm. Afternoon tea will be provided. For more information head to the CFV website: http://www.utas.edu.au/ arc-forest-value/newsand-outputs

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NEWS

Historic wharf goes back to the glory days

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hy re-build a wharf that was pulled down in the 1950s? This was the first question architects Terroir asked in reviewing Gannawarra Shire Council’s brief. The council and local community in northern Victoria had actually been considering the project for many years in the hope that revitalising this focal point of the local history might, in some way, help reinvigorate a community suffering from a downturn in the local agroeconomy.

It was worth the wait. The new Koondrook Wharf, opened in 2016, recently picked up three Victorian Architecture Awards including the Regional Prize Architecture Award, Urban Design Architecture Award and Small Projects Architecture Award. The wharf has also been shortlisted for the 2018 World Architecture Festival Awards, to be held in Amsterdam in November. And what better resource for the wharf’s timber construction – red gum (Eucalyptus

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Ŷ The award winning Koondrook Wharf, re-constructed from magnificent river red gums.

camaldulensis), the most widely distributed eucalyptus species in Australia that lines the Murray River and most of its length. This striking red gum timber is not only a renewable resource it was

harvested from state forests (VicForests) within 4km of the site, minimising the impacts of transporting materials over long distances by road. VicForests’ operations are certified by Responsible Wood en-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

suring best practice in sustainable forest management. [Some 98% of Australia’s commercial forests are certified by Responsible Wood which is a leading forest management and chainof-custody certification

system, developed specifically for Australia.] The timber was supplied by Arbuthnot Sawmills, a family company established on its present site at Koondrook by Continued on Page 10

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NEWS Highly talented international practice Terroir is an international office practicing architecture, urban planning and creative research established in 1999 by Founding Directors Gerard Reinmuth, Scott Balmforth and Richard Blythe. These former University colleagues were teenagers during the Tasmanian wilderness and dam disputes of the early 1980s and as a result came to share a common interest in how communities work with complex Ŷ The Arbuthnot Sawmills, a family company established 1889, provided the red gum timbers for the reconstruction of Gannawarra Shire Council’s Koondrook Wharf in regional Victoria.

spatial and economic problems. To this day, the landscape of

Historic wharf goes back to the glory days Continued from Page 9

Alexander (Sandy) Arbuthnot in 1889, only 200m from the wharf. The timber was air dried, minimising the energy used in kiln-drying. Terroir’s Scott Balmforth described the project as “more than just a wharf: it is a place to experience, not only providing a greater connection between the township and the Murray River but exemplifying this unique location and showcasing local history”. Ganawarra Shire Council had three objectives – to stimulate tourism through the provision of mooring for houseboats, paddle steamers and private boats; to create a community asset that connects the township to the river, extending the adjacent Apex public park so it could host public and private events; and to celebrate the local area’s history and honour the national heritage significance of the Murray 10

River region. The wharf was constructed in 1881 at a time when the town of Koondrook was known for boat building and as a freight centre for the movement of local farm

and showcases the quality of local materials, especially the magnificent Murray River red gum, which is the main material for both the decking and the structure itself and reinforces the con-

“It’s more than just a wharf: it is a place to experience, not only providing a greater connection between the township and the Murray River but exemplifying this unique location and showcasing local history” produce as a key part of the river, rail and road network. The wharf also made Koondrook an important trading stop for riverboat journeys. It was finally decommissioned in the 1950s. While remaining mindful of this important history, Terroir delivered a visionary design that blends form and function

nection between riverbank and river. Constructed alongside the original wharf, which is marked by a set of memorial piers, the new wharf facility allows visitors to walk the 28-metre ramp down onto a floating pontoon positioned within the river, to gain a new perspective of the Murray.

The pontoon has an operable ramp enabling boat access, regardless of the water level and is also suited to recreational pursuits such as canoeing and fishing. Viewing platforms weave through the existing Murray River red gum trees and feature red gum decking laid lengthways to create the effect of the timber ‘coming in’ from the river – a subtle reference to the logs that were once unloaded from paddle steamers for the nearby sawmill. This red gum timber is also central to art works that tell the story of the Aboriginal inhabitants of the area and are strategically placed along pathways, framing key vantage points across the river. A standout feature is the old tram turntable at the wharf’s entrance, which has been resurfaced with a red gum, slate and basalt mural by Aboriginal artists Glenn Romanis and Aunty Esther Kirby. Today not only does

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

Tasmania is the axis around which spins

Koondrook have a community asset worthy of architectural awards, but an attraction that is genuinely environmentally sustainable. Koondrook is a friendly country town situated on the Victorian side of the Murray River between Echuca and Swan Hill. Source: Responsible Wood

a complex set of political, economic and community issues. In 2007 Richard Blythe was appointed as Professor in Architecture and Dean of the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University, Victoria, in 2009 Scott Balmforth was appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Tasmania and in 2011 Gerard Reinmuth was appointed Professor of Practice at the University of Technology, Sydney. Terroir currently consists 25 talented architects and support staff who work as a single team but

Ŷ A home-coming by the PS Alexander Arbuthnot was a highlight of the wharf opening.

co-located between Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne and Copenhagen.

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NEWS

Niagara opts for technological edge Production boost to meet demand

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hen Niagara Sawmilling Company Ltd. decided to upgrade the factory’s equipment due to growing market demand, thoughts turned to System TM and Microtec and local dealer SCE to explore how Niagara could maximize its production. According to Managing Director Ross Richardson, the outcome was a new extensive crosscut and finger-jointing line with much to offer in terms of yield and optimization. Initially, packagefeeding occurs using a tilt hoist that places two packs on top of each other. Then, workpieces are fed at up to 60 workpieces/minute into a 250-metre Ledinek planer with 4 spindles. Next, workpieces are examined by a Microtec Curvescan de-

formity scanner that measures bow, twist, and crook. A Microtec Optiside scanner further looks at the boards’ annual rings to identify the wood pith on workpieces. “Within radiata pine, precise pith detection is especially important for determining final product quality and resale value,” explained Microtec CEO Federico Giudiceandrea. “Knots, pitch pockets, splits, blue stain and other wood defects are identified and chopped out for clear wood production.” A Microtec moisture meter M3 Scan determines the moisture content of workpieces before they are scanned on all four sides by a Goldeneye 500 multi-sensor quality scanner featuring an X-ray unit. The Goldeneye optimizer software than calculates the best cutting position for both cross-cut as well

as rip optimization. This data is used by three Opti-Kap 5103 cross-cut saws that follow. As workpieces enter the cross-cut saws, the optimizing software program instructs the saws how to cut workpieces for maximum wood utilization. Workpieces exit the cross-cut saws onto three sorting belt conveyors, giving Niagara three sorting options: one for rerip blocks, one for finger jointing blocks, and one for long fixed lengths. Finger jointing blocks are cut into various short lengths and stored in bins where eight outfeed walking floor bins are filled with different wood qualities. Once the outfeed walking floors are emptied, workpieces are either processed by a horizontal Opti-Joint H-200 or a vertical OptiJoint V-8 finger jointing machine.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

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NEWS

Timber in all its glory

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he 19th Australian Timber Design Awards presentation dinner will be held 16 October at The Star – Pyrmont, that’s the culmination of almost 12 months of finding out about the crème de la crème of Australia’s architectural and building talent. All category winners including the Grand Prix winner will be announced on the night. This year’s awards have attracted about 100 entries, all unique in their own way. Entries are judged on outstanding timber use, appearance, workmanship, structure and innovation. Judges look for context-suitable use of timber. Well-considered design and construction with timber will distinguish an entry. Each entry category is judged independently ... this is

an important feature of the Australian Timber Design Awards: a winning project may excel in a range of distinct areas. The rather unenviable task of selecting those winners has been left to a highly-qualified panel:Kim Baber (Architect) Kim is the Principal of Baber Studio Architects. His practice in 2015 was awarded the Queensland ‘Emerging Architect’ Prize by the Australian Institute of Architects, and in 2016 Kim received the Gottstein Trust Fellowship to research timber Architecture and fabrication technologies. Kim is also a research fellow in Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland, and a member of the UQ ‘Centre for Future Tim-

ber Structures’. Jonathan Evans (Architect) Jonathan has been a director at Tzannes since 1999. Tzannes provided the winning entry for the 2017 Australian Timber Design Awards, being International House, Sydney. An integral part of Jonathan’s skill set and approach to design and life is Environmentally Sustainable Development. He drives both the practice’s sustainability agenda and provides the technical knowledge to meet these ambitions. Prof Perry Forsythe (Professor of Construction Management) Perry is Professor of Construction Management at the University of Technology Sydney. He has taught extensively in the area of construction technology and has executed many applied re-

search and development projects for industry, government and overseas bodies, especially around timber construction and in improving prefabrication, site productivity and design for manufacture and assembly techniques. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Building, a Churchill and Gottstein Fellow and has received a number of other construction industry awards. Dr Fred Moshiri (Senior Structural Engineer) Fred is a Senior Structural Engineer at ACOR Consultants, leading a team in the design of timber buildings. Well educated with Degrees in Civil Engineering and Masters in Timber Engineering from the Linnaeus University, Sweden, and a PhD at University of Technology, Sydney. He is an

honorary industry fellow at the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering within the Western Sydney University and a Civil/Structural panel member of Engineers Australia in Sydney. One of last year’s winners was the Macquarie University Innovation Hub (Innovative Structural Design award) by Architectus “Macquarie University Innovation Hub is an ambitious, well-crafted building enabled by an aspirational Client and a unique collaboration of design professionals,” the judges had said. The

brief required a prefabricated timber structure to enable future dismantle, relocation and reassembly. Project deadlines necessitated fast-tracked construction which the team achieved through design for manufacture and assembly. Photo: Phillip Tondl

Second timber building, Daramu House, to call Barangaroo home

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arangaroo South has further cemented its reputation as Australia’s best property development with planning approval for a second engineered timber office building being granted. The building will be known as Daramu House, which means “tree house” in the aboriginal Sydney Language1 (also known as Dharug and Eora). Its construction follows completion of International House Sydney at Barangaroo. Daramu House will be Lendlease’s sixth engineered timber building in Australia, and the third project to have come out of the company’s precision timber manufacturing centre in Eastern Creek, Western Sydney. The new building, which will be completed in late 2019, fronts Hickson Road and will be an outstanding addition to 12

Barangaroo South’s already thriving mixed-use precinct of restaurants, cafes, shops and services. Daramu House will consist of more than 10,000m2 of commercial floor space and approximately 680m2 of new retail. Building on Barangaroo’s already wellestablished green credentials, Daramu House will include the use of sustainable timbers, as well as roof-top planting to capture rain, and solar photo-voltaic cells to enable power to the building and the precinct. “Daramu House will provide tenants with health and wellbeing benefits combined with a warm, clean and natural environment,” said Rob Deck, Managing Director, Barangaroo South. Daramu House will be Lendlease’s sixth engineered timber building in Australia, joining its

neighbour, International House Sydney as well as 25 King St in Brisbane, the Forte Apartments and Library at The Dock in Melbourne, and the Jordan Springs Community Hub in Western Sydney. “With engineering by Lendlease’s DesignMake business, Daramu House will offer ground level retail tenancies, six floors of office space constructed from cross laminated timber and glulam (glue laminated timber), a building material with a structural strength akin to concrete and steel. “Lendlease is committed to achieving innovative and sustainable solutions. Barangaroo South has already achieved Australia’s first 6 star Green Star Communities rating and WELL Certification for Core & Shell at the Platinum level, the highest certification available,” he said.

Ŷ Daramu House will be Lendlease’s sixth engineered timber building in Australia.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

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AUSTRALIAN TIMBERS

Timberland showcases Australian species

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esigning your own home is possibly a dream of many architects. After years of designing homes for others, Sally Wilson from Adelaide-based sw-architects decided to design and build a new addition at her own Woodville property. The brief was one her practice sees often; a growing family needing more living space, new wet areas and a connection to the landscape. As the name suggests, the updated home titled ‘Timberland’ is largely composed of timber elements, with Australian hardwood featuring prominently both indoors and out. The unique feature on the 1200m2 site was the 65-year-old, 11m tall oak tree which wasn’t visible from inside the existing brick lean-to. The tree was planted by the previous owner some 65 years ago, using an acorn from their parent’s property in England. After renovating the front rooms of the 1898 sandstone symmetrical cottage, the focus turned to the major addition. The framework was designed to create a space that would experience the full height of the oak tree from inside

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

the addition. The project also needed to accommodate a new practice office for the architectural business. It was equally important for Wilson to be able to have direct view of her two children, not only inside the extension but also when looking out to the backyard. The floor plan is quite simple with all main living areas receiving northern aperture and views. Wet spaces and services are located on the south. A lack of northern orientation drove the decision to separate the addition from the rear of the existing house. The offset captures passive sunlight, cross flow ventilation and creates a private courtyard for the office. Wilson chose a variety of Boral Timber products in Blackbutt species to be featured throughout the home. “We wanted to use Australian hardwood for its colour and durability,” commented Wilson. “Timber is such a neutral palette that works with other materials, such as the black aluminium, brick and concrete flooring in our new addition. The continual use of natural timber and raw materials complements the warm feeling of the space.”

www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALIAN TIMBERS

Featured Boral Timber products in Blackbutt species: Structural hardwood (fascia) V-joint Lining Board (ceiling and wall) Decking (130mm)

The strong lines and symmetry of terboard wall in the space. The timber the heritage ‘M roof’ steered the form walls are also practical and durable of the new roofline. This strong profile from a family living perspective.” The timber lined ceiling extends is the backbone of the addition, defined by a Blackbutt structural timber beyond the glazed windows, over the fascia. The new open plan living room covered Blackbutt decking, guiding achieves the tallest pitch and extends the view outdoors to the oak tree and out over the deck to provide western expanding the living space to an undershading. The roofline is then set back, cover entertaining platform. “Timberland has been an evolution with the ridge height of the dining and of experimentakitchen droption,” remarked ping down 1m, Wilson. “A well then flattening “We wanted to use detailed, hand off completely over the scullery, Australian hardwood for crafted addition has enhanced laundry and gaits colour and durability” that the lives of my rage. family. It relies I n t e r n a l l y, on the simplicity Boral V-joint boards in Blackbutt were selected of an efficient plan and raw materials to horizontally line the pitched ceil- to create a delightful building that has ing and main wall. The feature grade already become an integral part of the timber highlights the character of the landscape in which it has settled.” Completed in January, Timberblack gum veins and knots to create a sense of uniqueness. “Observing the land received two commendations in natural variations in the timber is like the 2018 SA Architecture Awards; looking at clouds and makes the space Residential Architecture – Alteramore homely because it’s not perfect,” tions & Additions and Sustainable said Wilson. “We only have one plas- Architecture. Ŷ Images: Timberland sw-architects @sw_architects / © Sam Noonan @sam_noonan_photo

www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

15

IN FOCUS

Iconic SA business goes into “turbo drive”

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imco Timbers, an iconic South Australian business, has built an enviable reputation since it was started back in 1952, and the reasoning (and ultimate success) behind that move hasn’t changed. The simple premise of offering clients good quality products at reasonable prices has been coupled with a desire to keep its two work sites functioning with stateof-the-art machines… and that means adhering to ever-reducing timelines and changed building practices. The current head of the business, Ben Easom (third generation) has adopted that operational know-how and work ethic and today Timco is virtually a household name throughout the State. They supply soft-

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woods, decking, flooring, LVL, I beams and Laminated Timber Beams, hardwoods, permapine, LOSP, blue pine and mouldings (both timber and MDF) plus a host of other associated items. And they specialise in roof and floor trusses. Even though Ben describes the operation as “basically an oldfashioned merchant still with the ability to machine and cut to size”, the focus remains on being able to provide the best products and to do that changes have to be made to ensure productivity and product quality. The decision to opt for the installation of Hundegger Turbo Saws at both Lonsdale and Salisbury came about when the then operating saw at Lonsdale was “giving us a little bit of

a problem and we had a similar saw at Salisbury”. “I was worried we were putting too much reliance on those saws and if they went down the plants would come to a stop,” said Ben “We looked at one and then thought well we’re probably going to need another one at some stage so we wanted to get two machines so that both could feed off each other. “We bit the bullet and ordered the two.” The Hundegger TURBO-Drive machine is the perfect solution when speed and versatility are required. As opposed to alternative solutions, the TURBO-Drive saw blade is able to move below the zero line and to a 90° bevel, making it possible to cut horizontal and at an angle.

For identification and marking of the finished parts, the TURBO-Drive can be installed with an inkjet marking system as well as marking pen or a label printer options. Data can be transferred directly into the TURBO-Drive software from most design software’s. For maximum throughput the automation of the TURBODrive can be further enhanced with an In-feed system. The user can place several boards on the loading conveyor. These boards are then automatically fed to the TURBO-Drive and through the machine accurately and efficiently. Such ease of use means the operator can concentrate on other tasks while the machine takes care of the processing. A cross convey-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

or system is available at the out feed of the machine for collecting and sorting the finished parts. The element that connects all Hundegger machines is CAMBIUM, the completely new software developed by Hundegger. With CAMBIUM, the entire production process from design, through job preparation, right up to the finished part is mapped using a single software package. All the training was centred at Salisbury, and was conducted by Hundegger Australasia technical staff. “They (machines) are now running quite well and they’re definitely quicker. I reckon they’re two to three times quicker than the other saws.” So, Timco continues its role as a South Aussie icon … a household

name, and Ben and his staff are keen to see it stays that way. A visit to Timco sites and it’s obvious there is pride in their work and their site …. Immaculate is an apt description. “We’ve got a lot of long-term staff who know the drill.” Ben readily admits things have changed …. “It’s getting harder and harder. I know that for a fact. We’ve just got to chip away and chip away -- We seem to grow a little bit each year but it’s not like it was 10 or 15 years ago; it has certainly changed since then”. Despite the changes, Ben has his mind on industry longevity – “I’ve been around for a while and hopefully will be for a lot longer”. Timco Timbers’ installation of the Hundegger Turbo Drives is helping to ensure that future success.

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Innovation in timber engineering

NEWS

Briefs Softwood lumber imports continue to grow Australia’s dressed (planed and/or sanded) Sawn Softwood product imports rose 38.0% to 698,099 m3 over the year-ended June 2018. The rise in imports was 192,087 m3, accounting for 73% of the total rise in Sawn Softwood imports for the year. In June 2018, imports of dressed sawn softwood totalled 61,612m3. The average price of imports over the month was AUDFob593.24/m3. All mainland States experienced Sawn Softwood import rises, with booming consumption in Victoria feeding into a 73.0% rise in that State’s imports, which reached 209,958 m3. Imports to Queensland were up 39.2% to 184,313 m3 and those to New South Wales rose 19.2% to 252,217 m3. www.industryedge.com.au

Sarawak and Vietnam cooperation on furniture KTS Holdings and Pusaka Timber Industries (PTISB), both from Sarawak, signed memorandums of understanding with Sudima Panels and Wilsons Hill Vietnam to collaborate on furniture manufacturing. The Sarawak companies have recognised the success Vietnam has achieved in utilising acacia to produce furniture. Currently, Sarawak’s export of furniture is negligible, contributing less than 5% of total export earnings by the timber sector. Sarawak has plans to establish one million hectares of industrial forest by 2020. As of December 2017, 400,000 hectares have been planted, mostly with acacia.

China scales back flooring purchases The Association of Exporters (ADEX) has reported that Peruvian exports of wooden flooring were worth US$23.8 million in the first four months of 2018 but that this was down 6% year on year. The main export items were tongue-and-groove flooring and decking. During the first four months of this year wooden flooring exports went mainly to China which accounted for over half of all flooring exports but this was down almost 20% compared to the same period in 2017.

Bedroom furniture imports surge Unexpectedly, Japan’s imports of wooden bedroom furniture surged in May reversing two months of declines. The value of May imports of wooden bedroom furniture was up 21% compared to April and year on year May 2018 imports were 14% higher. The top three shippers of wooden bedroom furniture to Japan in May were, in order of value, China, Vietnam and Thailand. Exporters in these three countries accounted for 90% of Japan’s wooden bedroom furniture imports in May. Shippers in China accounted for 59% of May imports followed by Vietnam (28%) and Thailand.

Transformation of China’s wood panel enterprises China’s production of wood products, especially wood-based panels, has increased rapidly in recent years. According to statistics from the China Timber and Wood Products Distribution Association (CTWPDA) output of wood-based panels rose 5% to 315 million cubic metres in 2017. Of the total, output of plywood, fibreboard and particleboard was 182 million cubic metres, 67 million cubic metres and 35 million cubic metres respectively. 2017 output of particleboard surged over 30%. However, most of wood-based panel enterprises are facing huge challenges resulting from their low level technology, overcapacity, inadequate raw material supply, environmental restrictions and fierce competition not to mention rising tariff barriers.

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New partnership tackles timber cladding research

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new pilot program has been launched by Weathertex and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to understand the chemical changes that take place during the production of external timber cladding. A collaboration between industry and academia, the intended outcome of the program is to identify a way of enhancing the commercial value of plant materials through their structure. Executive Chairman of Weathertex Paul Michael said the company initially became interested in the work of QUT upon discovering an R&D project they were undertaking. This project investigated the utilisation of steam explosion of wood to create pig feed liquor and the resultant

waste of biomass fibre. “Weathertex uses steam explosion of wood to create a biomass fibre, resulting in a by-product of steam liquor that is currently treated as a waste product and thrown away. I contacted Dr Mark Harrison at QUT to talk about this further, as the synergies were obvious and exciting. “Not only are we investigating commercial uses for the waste liquor created during our process, but also a synthetic substitute for one of the three key (and increasingly difficult to source) ingredients that make up Weathertex products. This is an incredibly valuable and exciting collaboration between industry and academia,” Mr Michael said. Dr Mark Harrison of QUT is leading the re-

search team’s project that uses thermochemical processes to modify the structure of plant materials and enhance their commercial value. The team is applying the techniques developed in a current Rural R&D for Profit project to understand the effect of specific timber feedstocks on the quality and physical properties of the timber cladding produced by Weathertex, a member of the FWPA Bioenergy and Biomaterials interest group. Dr Harrison explained QUT began engaging with Weathertex as a result of a webinar organised for the FWPA Bioenergy and Biomaterials interest group. “We have been in frequent contact with them ever since and, following a site visit earlier this year, we

are integrating this pilot study as part of the Rural R&D for Profit project A Profitable Future for Australian Agriculture: Biorefineries for Higher-Value Animal Feeds, Chemicals, and Fuels. “Both QUT and Weathertex are confident the results obtained from these pilot studies will underpin a longer-term research and development collaboration,” Dr Harrison said. This pilot project is being supported by Sugar Research Australia. It has been made possible through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program. This project is a collaboration between several R&D Corporations including FWPA.

Prefab slashes costs and build times Monash University engineers are examining how modern prefabricated building materials can slash costs and improve efficiency of new developments, while providing a solution to the Australia-wide challenge of housing affordability. Dr Mehrdad Arashpour from Monash University’s Department of Civil Engineering is working on a collaborative project to minimise risk, optimise production and improve the on-site installation of prefabricated buildings, including homes. Prefabrication refers to the process of manufacturing building elements at off-site in a factory rather than the final installation location. Strong, lightweight and affordable, Dr Arashpour said these constructions could benefit everyone – from first-homebuyers looking to enter the housing market, to retirees looking for more customised residential options, and small business owners wanting greater design flexibility. Dr Arashpour, who has worked on more than 80 prefabricated high-rise commercial buildings, said prefabrication can streamline Australia’s construction operations by creating more high quality, cost-effective buildings faster while embracing new energyefficient technology. “Off-site prefabrication is the fastest growing subsector of the construction industry. It has significant potential to solve problems in traditional construction such as time and budget overruns, and quality assurance,” Dr Arashpour said. “There are misconceptions in the public that prefabrication means inferior quality. This is simply not the case. Many inner-city apartments in Melbourne and across the world feature entirely prefabricated

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

kitchens and bathrooms which are built using luxury, high quality materials.” The University of Wolverhampton’s 25-story Victoria Hall building is entirely prefabricated and was completed in 27-weeks. In Melbourne, the nine-storey One9 apartment complex was constructed in just five days. According to Dr Arashpour, one of the biggest advantages of prefabricated buildings is that they can be assembled and disassembled quickly. “This means that they can be used as an alternative to current forms of temporary housing in remote areas, and can be used as an immediate response to natural disasters across the world,” he said. Monash engineers have been instrumental in establishing the world’s first Code for the design of modular structures in collaboration with PrefabAus, which was recently launched in the United Kingdom. Researchers are also collaborating with industry to develop new construction materials, such as fibre-reinforced polymer, which can incorporate solar panels to create a fully sustainable building design. Monash University is also applying this cuttingedge approach to education by offering state-of-art training in this specialised area of civil engineering to tomorrow’s industry leaders. As an example, “Through the online Master of Infrastructure Engineering and Management at Monash University, students are taught the latest insights in prefabrication, information management, robotics and automation, and visualisation – putting them at the forefront of exciting new developments in construction engineering,” Dr Arashpour said.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Wood Protection

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H2 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 Vacsol, Ultraframe and Tanalith are registered trademarks of Lonza or its subsidiaries. Š Lonza 2018

HAULAGE

Scania Australia to drive down emissions with alternative fuel options

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cania Australia is taking bold strides towards making the adoption of alternative fuels an easier choice for the country’s transport operators. The company recently signed memoranda of understanding with three providers in the bio-fuels industry, in order to lubricate the path towards adoption of more sustainable and cleaner transport solutions for its customers. Scania has signed an MOU with Wilmar Bioethanol Australia, with Ecotech Biodiesel, and the NGV Group, who are the infrastructure suppliers and consultants for Natural Gas and Biogas. “Having held many discussions at high levels with a number of transport related entities throughout the course of the year, from governments to operators and suppliers and having noted significant enthusiasm for actually turning this into action, Scania is now moving to facilitate the adoption of alternative-fuelled ve20

hicles in Australia,” said Anthony King, Scania Australia’s Sustainable Solutions Manager. “We have therefore embarked on a program of creating MOUs with a number of key suppliers who will supply reliable, consistent and widely available fuels for customers nominating alternative fuels for their future Scania vehicles.

Sustainable transport future “This is all part of our drive towards creating a sustainable transport future,” Mr King said. “Sustainability at Scania is based on the three pillars of energy efficiency; alternative fuels, electrification; and smart and safe transport. “Transport contributes a quarter of total energy-related CO2 emissions and it is these emissions that are contributing to climate change. Operators do not have to wait to adapt their businesses to a sustainable transport system – the solutions are already here. Scania can provide a broad range of

platforms and services to support our customers today and tomorrow,” Mr King said. Scania does not see a ‘one-size’ fits all solution, yet by driving the shift through optimised transport systems and by choosing sustainable fuel pathways Scania is already assisting its customers to reduce emissions.

run on waste-generated methane. “The arrangements we are putting in place now with Wilmar Bioethanol, Ecotech Biodiesel and NGV Group are the first steps in the programme to be able to import, distribute, sell, service and maintain vehicles that run on alternative fuels, or hybrids that run on

“Operators do not have to wait to adapt their businesses to a sustainable transport system – the solutions are already here” “Scania has a long heritage of designing and engineering and putting into production alternative-fuelled vehicles across our bus and truck divisions as well as our industrial engines,” Mr King said. “We already have a long-running association with gas engine supplier Sandfirden, with the first industrial gas engines already in use in Australia, able to

alternative fuels as well.

25% fuel reduction “Scania is awaiting the arrival of its first Hybrid buses, which will be in the country within 6-7 months,” Mr King said. In use in Madrid, these buses are showing a 25% reduction in fuel use, reducing emissions by the same amount. “We are also looking at alternative-fuelled trucks for some customers, and

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

we have seen in Sweden the success of the Scania Hybrid truck for urban distribution. These have the ability to run short distances on battery power alone, which allows them access to denselypopulated urban areas at night for deliveries or waste collection, which leads to a reduction in congestion during daylight rush hours. “In the UK, Scania has worked with the John Lewis Partnership, a leading, premium country-wide supermarket and department store chain to deliver biomethane-fuelled trucks for medium-duty distribution work. These vehicles have a range of up to 800 km and achieve a CO2 reduction of 70%.

Three criteria “As Scania has been a leader in the provision of Euro 6 emission control compliant vehicles in Australia – notably with the fleet of close to 100 Euro 6 buses delivered to Transport Canberra since 2014 – plus the delivery of many Scania trucks similarly compliant, it is

only natural that we now look at rolling out access to further alternative fuel vehicles to a wider body of customers,” Mr King says. “We are partnering with three different alternative fuel providers because our philosophy at Scania is to always offer solutions that meet our customers’ needs. “For a fuel to be considered as sustainable it needs to fulfil three criteria; reduce CO2 from wheel-to-well; be available in sufficient volumes to be able to make a difference; and it must provide a competitive business case against regular diesel to make it commercially viable,” Mr King said. Scania has a broad alternative fuels engine portfolio, and these can operate on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG -15% CO2), Compressed Biogas (CBG -90% CO2), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG -5% CO2) Bioethanol (-90% CO2), Biodiesel (-85% CO2) and HVO (-90% CO2) and Hybrid + HVO (-90% CO2).

www.timberbiz.com.au

BUSINESS PROFILE

Ŷ (from left) Andy Forster, Felicity Mason, Steve Jenkins and Goran Runje.

South East Pine steps up

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he SE Pine story begins in the Pine forests of Mt Gambier in the mid-1980s where Mark and Andy Forster started with mobile “spot” mills processing break trees for landscaping products. In the mid 90’s Mark and wife Karen bought a block of land just outside Mt Gambier and built a mill. The mill started producing palings, sleepers and premium boards and over the years they have expanded and invested in the mill with a supply of high quality large diameter Mt Gambier pine. Around two years ago, a new up-to-date and more efficient mill was built next door to the old mill with two sets of twin band break down saws leading into a multi-rip which all have scanning capabilities. 22

The mill produces a high quality board and post which makes the perfect feed stock for the Dandenong South site which Mark and Andy had bought in 2006. The Dandenong site started as a fencing supply yard with its own CCA pressure plant which they also used for custom treating. What is impressive about SE Pine is not that they are the biggest pine producer in Australia, they are not: no, it’s the way they have progressed step by step improving their processing capability, distribution and treated timber operations while keeping a quality product as a priority. Their latest investment in a new LOSP treatment plant at their South Dandenong site is typical: latest technology, efficient treatment

and a great final product. Planning for the LOSP plant started when it became clear that the company needed to produce LOSP treated prod-

plant, Koppers have been there,” said Andy. The plant was made in Italy to a compact design with the 1.8m diameter and 8m long

“They have progressed step by step improving their processing capability, distribution and treated timber operations while keeping a quality product as a priority” ucts in-house rather than externally treated. The plant was chosen using their own research as well as guidance from their chemical supplier, Koppers Performance Chemicals and supplied by IWT in late 2017. “Koppers have been supportive through the whole process, whether in design, installing their terrific automation system and assisting with sorting the new

steel cylinder nestled below the Operating Storage Vessel or OSV with the bulk storage vessel situated outside the main factory. This arrangement results in a small footprint which was an essential requirement in the restricted factory area and the infeed is also compact meaning that the plant is loaded from one side and one end. Nevertheless, because of the speed of the

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

plant, output is still high and a second shift can always meet any future demands. Plant automation was naturally supplied by Koppers PC and the opportunity was taken to update automation in the existing CCA plant as well. Demand for H3 LOSP has exceeded expectations with around 80% of production and the remainder CCA. Not surprisingly, the current buoyant market conditions mean that it’s difficult keeping up with demand and even though the treatment plant has extra capacity, the Forsters are confident that the future will bring further expansion. Naturally, the family is strongly guiding the business with Mark, wife Karen and son John managing the Mt Gambier sawmill and Andy managing the Dande-

nong South operation. Andy is ably supported by Felicity Mason, Office Manager, and Steve Jenkins the Site Manager who also operates the two treatment plants. In the critical Sales and Marketing role is Goran Runje, awell known and well-respected industry stalwart who has been with SE Pine for 18 months. The SE Pine story is one that began with relatively humble beginnings in the forests of Mt Gambier and step by step has progressed to their current position as a significant supplier of timber and preservative treated timber products. Andy Forster explains, “We have always strived to supply a great quality product and that has been one of the secrets to our success, that along with hard work and great staff.”

www.timberbiz.com.au

New LOSP plant at Dandenong Site.

Manufacturing the highest quality pine products is our life, our business, and our number one priority. We are situated in the Green Triangle Region close to our resource which gives us strict quality control from the moment our pine is renewably-sourced right up to the point that our products are delivered to you. We offer one of the widest ranges of milled timber products, which are sawn and dried at our Mount Gambier mill before being treated and graded on site at our Dandenong Victoria facility.

Strong. Durable. Renewable. Products

Processes

We have a wide range of products suited for your needs these include treated structural framing, landscaping, industrial packaging and Biomass.

We source radiata pine from renewable Australian plantations. We mill, dry, grade and treat timber as appropriate for structural applications.

CertiďŹ cation

Environment

All SE Pine products are certiďŹ ed to PEFC and AFS Chain of Custody Standards. This means our raw material is

From the forest to the frame, pine acts as a carbon sink. All by-products of the production process are used in the

sustainably sourced and you are getting a clean and green product.

production of recyclable products or used to generate heat energy, replacing the use of fossil fuels.

Timber Purchasing Enquiries Andrew Forster: (03) 9768 2215 or andy@sepine.com.au

SAWMILLS

Pairing man and machine with USNR Carriage Optimization

With a primary goal to increase throughput, Waipapa Pine took their carriage log breakdown from a fully manual process, to fully optimized. They’ve greatly improved their throughput, and recovery gains are a much-appreciated added bonus.

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n 2012 Kiwi Timber Protection Ltd (KTP) of Whangarei, New Zealand purchased the assets of a closed sawmill in Kerikeri, NZ, and reopened the site as Waipapa Pine Ltd. Today, the operation consists of a sawmill, continuous dry kilns, and timber stacking equipment. The mill’s primary product is high grade framing timber for the new house construction market on the North Island, with some export to the Pacific Islands. The facility currently processes Radiata Pine with a single-shift processing capacity of 130,000 tons of logs annually.

Problems with the old sawline The company’s headrig carriage, primary breakdown line was installed by the previous owner of the site. The carriage was a fullymanual operation; the operator was 100% responsible to decide what yield to target out of each log. Three years ago the mill installed a slabber on the line. Although it delivered good production results, mill management identified that manually determining the cuts to make with 24

the slabber added significant time to the process of breaking down a log. With the primary goal to speed up the line, the mill decided to invest in optimization. “We understood that optimization could provide additional benefits, but our main target was to increase production output by reducing the time we spent breaking logs down,” said Grant Arnold, Waipapa Pine Operations Director.

Automating the decision process The mill decided on carriage optimization using USNR’s LASAR2 front and backside scanners. “Scanning as much of the log as possible is preferred for any mill planning to utilize USNR’s optimized whole log breakdown system,” said Dale Bradicich, USNR International Account Manager. “Depending on the mill layout and available space for front and backside sensors, up to 270 degrees of coverage is achievable on a log loaded onto the carriage.” Grant said, “We considered other vendors and looked at a couple of other installations here in New Zealand, but when we compared

functionality and fitness for our operation there was only one way to go.” He continued, “I have also had experience with USNR optimizers in the past, so I was very happy knowing USNR sets the benchmark with these systems.”

LASAR2 scanning LASAR2 is the second-generation laser log scanning technology from USNR. This technology has been used successfully in transverse transport machine centers such as conventional headrig carriages, overhead end-dogging systems and log merchandiser decks, in addition to close-coupled primary breakdown systems such as C-frame carriages and EDLF machines. The scanner produces “radar-type” measurements of the distance from the sensor to each data point within the field of view, amounting to between 50,000 and 100,000 data points for one side of a log. Using front and backside scanning, a scan image can be created that profiles 75% of a log’s circumference.

Flexible optimization The USNR Carriage Optimization system

provides detailed breakdown rules that can be set for each species, grade and fiber class, along with other options including configurable face cut orders, configurable minimum opening face sizes and lengths, half taper, full taper, and no taper options. Multiple adjustable scan zones ensure maximum coverage area and maximum scan density on every size of log. The stop-n-loader scan feature allows pre-positioning of the carriage knees to accept the next log, pre-loaded close to the saw line, for faster throughput.

Installing the system “We are very satisfied with how the project progressed,” said Grant. “Geoff Strang and the group at Skookum Technology (USNR’s agent in the region), Aaron Taitoko and the Tui Technology team, as well as the complete USNR team working on our project, did an excellent job. My Waipapa Pine team grabbed the project with both hands and worked closely with all suppliers to make the project a success.” Monica Thomas, an engineer from USNR’s Salmon Arm, BC lo-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

cation, did the initial log study based on information provided by the mill. The study was instrumental in aiding Waipapa’s decision process. To ensure success, Don Getchell, project manager from USNR’s Eugene, Oregon facility, made the trip to New Zealand for the installation. “Training, commissioning and ongoing support from Don has been to the highest standard,” added Grant.

Exceptional results With this optimizer upgrade, all three key production measures in the mill have increased. Run rates have increased by 28%, simply as a result of relieving the operator of breakdown decisions in order to concentrate on loading the log, dogging and driving the carriage. The average time to process a log on the carriage has been reduced by 20 seconds. Sawn recovery has increased by about 3%, and graded recovery has increased by 2.9%. “These results have aligned very well with our business goals,” continued Grant. “Bottom line, we have seen an increase in volume, a higher grade in this volume, and we have cut

fewer logs to achieve these improvements. More production, less cost and a better sales mix has given our performance a great boost.” “In the end, we’re very, very satisfied with all that USNR has done for us,” concludes Grant. “Given the success of this install, we plan to move towards optimization in other key machine center areas in the future.”

Looking ahead Grant said, “ The markets here in New Zealand have been very strong and indications are that this will remain. Like all other sawmillers here, we are working hard to increase production to meet this demand and at the same time lower our operational costs.” He continued, “As a business we will continue to invest in developing further processing capacity at our Waipapa site as we move through 2017. We have a number of projects due for completion early to mid2017 and then will move into others towards the end of the year. We are looking forward to these projects being as successful as the USNR carriage optimization project.”

www.timberbiz.com.au

EXPANSION

Accurate Group set for expansion due to Stirling Machinery growth

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ccurate Group – the new umbrella company for well-known tooling supplier Accurate Australia and emerging machinery brand Stirling Machinery – were major sponsors of the recent WoodTECH event in both Australia and New Zealand. Both entities are making waves across the industry with Stirling in particular, leaping from the starting blocks to become one of Australia’s fastest growing woodworking machinery brands, thanks to orders from some of the country’s largest players. Indeed, the group’s positioning as the ‘Solid Timber Experts’ is bear-

ing fruit, with major customers including Cedar Sales (Modinex), Ironwood, Ryan & McNulty, Thor’s Hammer and DTM Timber all purchasing multiple new machines in the past year. The foray into machines has vastly exceeded expectation, with Accurate Australia’s customers keen to purchase new equipment through their long-trusted tooling supplier. Managing Director of Accurate Group, Craig Honeyman says it was time for Australia to step up and be a force in woodworking machinery. “We’ve always had great respect for our competitors, who happen to be overseas or-

ganisations,” he says. “But no-one knows the Australian market like Australians who’ve worked in the industry for decades. Through our dealings with the players at the frontline, getting hands-on on the shop floor with Accurate Australia customers, we get to see the challenges and hear what people want and need from their machines. Stirling Machinery was established to funnel those wants and needs into customfit, purpose-specific machines for Aussie businesses.” Stirling’s first kindling saw was installed at Ryan & McNulty in August and there have been plenty of other installations over the previous 12 months including

The Solid Timber Experts

multiple finger jointers and docking saws, double ended tenoners and wood chippers. In the coming months Stirling will install the first CNC auto profile grinding machine with auto wheel change from roughing to finishing. Following that in October, the first 5-axis servo-driven auto tool and cutter grinder will be commissioned and installed. This purposebuilt grinder will sharpen straight knife cutters but more importantly finger joint heads and shear angle TCT cutters. Currently, dozens of machines are booked in the pipeline through to March 2019.

Accurate Group on the move Accurate Group’s Australian HQ in Brisbane is poised to double in size by the end of 2018 with the securing

of the adjacent tenancy. Production and distribution capacity will double, and a new machinery showroom will be installed. New in-house machines have been acquired to provide improved tooling services such as grind to profile, knife balancing, profile templates and cut-tolength knife steel. In addition, a purposebuilt training facility will be established, potentially offsite, in 2019. With so much happening on the ground here in Australia, the group has already begun taking steps to expand into the New Zealand market in 2019. Accurate sees New Zealand as a natural progression for its business. Craig says there are a lot of similarities in the way wood is handled there as it is here, and both countries process a lot of the same timbers.

“We’ve delighted Australian customers for nearly two decades so our expansion into New Zealand is well overdue. Our sponsorship of WoodTECH this year was an important way for us to signal this expansion and we look forward to adding value to the industry there.” The Accurate team are known for their industry passion and knowledge and they are driven by a need to educate those who work in it. There is currently a skills shortage and the Accurate Group is keen to be a part of an education resurgence for the future of the Australasian timber industry. In July this year Accurate Group also launched an online tooling retailer specifically for the flat panel industry with the establishment of www.paneltoolsonline. com.au.

MACHINES | TOOLING | TRAINING | ONE GROUP

Ŷ Grant Williams (left), Greg McNulty from Ryan & McNulty and Craig Honeyman from Accurate Group, performance testing the kindling saw.

accurateaustralia.com

www.timberbiz.com.au

stirlingmachinery.com.au

Ŷ Stirling’s first ever Kindling Saw installed in August 2018 at Ryan & McNulty in Benalla, VIC.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

25

ASSOCIATIONS

Queensland Focus Forum covers crucial topics Ŷ L-R: Afzal Laphir (Pryda), Darren Harris (Bretts Timber & Hardware), Michael Blyth (Tilling Timber) and Jason Turner (Bretts) at FTMA QLD Members Focus Forum

Ŷ Hyne, CombiLift & Tilling – L to R: Jeff Gibson (Hyne Timber), Chris Littlewood (CombiLift), Michael Blyth (Tilling Timber), Mark Hansen (CombiLift) and Leon Quinn (Tilling)

Ŷ Board Members & Choice – L to R: Brendan Schneider (Sunbury Wallframes), Jamie Dahlsen (Dahlsens Building Centres), Lachlan Magee (Choice Energy) and Christine Flanagan (Calco Trusses)

Ŷ L-R: Ashley Mansfield (Pryda) with Julie & Fred McDonald from Beaudesert Frame & Truss

26

By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA Australia

D

uring the first week of August, Nikita and I took to the road again, this time focusing on the fabricators in North NSW and Southern Queensland in the lead-up to the Queensland Members Focus Forum. Visiting plants during these road trips is the perfect way to talk to members and nonmembers on the issues that affect them, whilst outlining the work being done by FTMA Australia on a national level. It was reassuring to hear that the timber shortage issue was coming to an end and that most plants were no longer struggling to source timber. There are some exciting things happening within the Australian softwood industry including massive investment in technology and resource efficiency which we believe will help our industry in to the future. Peter Zed of Omega Consulting provided delegates at the Queensland Members Focus Forum at Novotel Brisbane Airport with an overview of the Wood Fibre Supply Dynamics within Australia and I encourage members to download a copy of the presentation from the Members only section of the website. There are two major issues that were raised during this trip: Shortage of skilled Timber Systems Designers and; The aggressive push by the steel industry in to our market In relation to the first

issue, FTMA Australia has been doing some great work in developing a training program to address the skills shortage. Phil Ladson has developed a three week classroom styled training program that is pre-software and goes back to basics to ensure, unlike other industry, the frame and truss industry continues to upskill our workforce. The training development does take time and we believe in 2019 we will be able to offer this training in all states and territories depending on numbers and that by going back to basics, we can not only upskill people but also create a career pathway for school leavers. Phil Ladson provided an overview of the training package at the Queensland Members Focus Forum including some of the tools he will use to deliver the training. We still have a way to go, but this is an area we are extremely excited about and believe will assist our industry in to the future. For more information on what is included in this training please email me at kersten@ ftma.com.au In Queensland and NSW the push from the steel industry has been aggressive, with many fabricators complaining about being inundated with information from those pushing light weight steel as an option for our industry.

Steel campaign Add to this the advertising on The Block and it is easy to see that

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

the Australian frame and truss industry is a key growth target area for the steel industry. FTMA Australia knows this too well as we were approached ourselves from Bluescope to become sponsors. This was rejected by the FTMA Board based on our constitution as FTMA Australia was created to support the timber prefabricated industry and we do not shy away from our support of timber over other products. So, how do we combat this aggressive marketing campaign? We stick to what we do best and that is provide the most environmentally friendly building product for the market. I know that this isn’t a key factor that consumers and/or builders look for and that price is always a determining factor when choosing the materials to build their homes. It should be noted that we haven’t seen evidence, at this stage, of anywhere else in the world where lightweight steel is viewed as a significant threat to timber framing. This is only the 2nd Members Focus Forum we have held with our new board structure and the attendance was excellent with 52 people attending the forum and networking dinner. Our next Members Focus Forum will be held in South Australia on Tuesday 13th November in conjunction with our AGM and board meeting and we look forward to networking with suppliers and members at this event.

Doing your bit to promote the best environmentally friendly building products So what can you do to address this? A recent study showed that consumers are led by their builders when it comes to choosing the materials for their new home, including what type of frames and trusses to use. Therefore, it is important that the fabricator has the right information on hand to help their builder choose. It’s hard to beat the reported rebates builders claim they are being offered to use steel, but we have the environment on our side and even though this won’t sway builders, if there is a concerted effort we may be able to swing the consumers. Building with timber frames and trusses is effectively the biggest thing a person can do for the environment, as we all know timber stores carbon for life.

Timber benefits Whether at the supermarket or fuelling your car, you can be assured you will always be faced with the challenge of purchasing the most environmentally product. We need to ensure that people know they can actually make a generational benefit to the environment by building in timber. The French Government went as far as issuing a decree that required all new buildings to have a certain amount of wood used in the construction of the building, as they recognised this was a proven method in storing carbon and in turn helping the environment. There are wood procurement poli-

www.timberbiz.com.au

ASSOCIATIONS cies around the world that recognise this, so I argue that we should be using this tactic to push for more recognition in Australia. Wood is a natural, renewable material that can help tackle climate change. We all know that growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores the carbon, so efficiently that about half the dry weight of the tree is carbon. This carbon remains ‘locked up’ for the life of the wood – for example a 50kg wooden table usually contains more than 20kgs of carbon, so imagine the carbon stored in a house built with timber frames and trusses. I remember years ago at an FTMA Conference, a person from Metricon stating that they believe steel is better for the environment then timber. What a crock! Our sector uses plantation timber that is continually replanted to ensure we have a sustainable resource, rather than digging a massive hole in the ground that is never replenished with the minerals removed.

Valuable resource I understand this is a simplistic view on the issue but there are many

resources that fabricators and the supply chain can access to ensure builders, specifiers and architects are better informed of their environmental footprint. Every fabricator in Australia should be familiar with Wood Solutions and have their website tagged as their favourite - https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/ as this is where you find the answers to all your questions when it comes to timber. The WoodSolutions website is the most visited timber site in the World and provides information on: Species and materials whether it be softwood, hardwood or other wooden products Products and applications for all your interior, exterior or structural needs Case Studies for residential, commercial and furniture uses of timber by builder, engineer or architect/designer Resources providing you the latest on Standards and codes, specifications, publications, education, timber performance ratings, seminars and other services Find a supplier Events for architects,

designers, builders and engineers The expert advice they provide and the resources available will ensure all your questions are answered and you will realise that the wood is the building material of the 21st Century. It’s important you become a partner Every fabricator in Australia should sign up to become a partner of WoodSolutions. The first step is to complete the online form at at https:// www.woodsolutions.com. au/submit-supplier. This free listing will give you visibility to the more than 2500 people who visit the website every working day. Additionally, if you have news about a new product or service, WoodSolutions may be able to help you promote it – please contact info@woodsolutions. com.au to discuss the available options or if you wish any further information please call me on 0418 226 242. You need to be involved to make a difference, so please sign up as a partner now as the first step in addressing the misinformation in the marketplace about our environmentally friendly products.

FTMA Australia is an independent, national organisation representing fabricators of and suppliers to the timber prefabricated truss and wall frame industry in all Australian states & territories providing a unified voice, to protect and advance our mult-billion dollar industry.

FTMA Australia thanks our dedicated supporters and encourages you to support those who support your industry

FRAME & TRUSS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

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Australasia

Mind the curve!

By Peter Llewellyn Technical Representative, Timber Veneer Association of Australia

www.timberbiz.com.au

TVAA is sometimes asked for help in fixing timber veneers to a curved surface. It’s easy enough to apply pressure to a flat surface, but a curved surface poses a challenge. The best way to do it is to use a vacuum press. As one wag has said, this method sucks, but it does actually work! The only catch is that the item has to be small enough to fit inside a sealed bag, or alternatively the bag has to be big enough to accommodate it. When the air is sucked out the bag hugs the contours of the item inside, placing an even pressure over the whole surface. When the glue has set enough to bond the veneer to the substrate the item is removed from the bag to finish drying. At a hobby level a domestic vacuum cleaner can be used to create the vacuum. Commercial systems use an electric vacuum pump, or use compressed air to generate a vacuum with a venturi effect. The Venturi effect is the reduction in pressure that results when a fluid (in this case compressed air) flows through a

constricted section of a pipe. This principle can be used to create the vacuum in a vacuum press. Sometimes it’s desired to apply pressure to a curved surface which needs to be dealt with in situ if it is not possible to take the item apart and fit it into a vacuum bag. In this case an alternative technique is to place a bag, filled half way with sand, over the panel. The bag will follow the contours of the panel, applying an even pressure. However, the ‘sand bag’ needs to be quite heavy to apply sufficient pressure. There is a limit to how tightly veneers can be curved. For the standard 0.6mm veneer thickness anything tighter than a 25mm radius of curvature is likely to lead to problems. And as veneer thickness increases, the ability for bending decreases rapidly. For more information about veneers, the Timber Veneer Association has a range of publications on its website at www.timberveneer.asn.au. Click on the Reference Material tab at the top of the page.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

27

NEWS

Exciting time to be involved with timber

By Josh Wallace Managing Director (Vicbeam) Deputy Chairman GLTAA Chairman, Marketing Committee (GLTAA)

A

s I write this, preparations are well under way for the next bi-annual GLTAA conference to be held in Melbourne on September 13 and 14. GLTAA members and interested parties will meet at the Vicbeam premises in Bayswater, Melbourne, for a factory tour and manufacturing update followed by presentations from Ann Sanfey of the TMA/MGA, a case study on a recent Glulam project from Nikeesh Prasad of Vistek Structural Engineers and news from the architectural space in relations to Glulam from Greg Boulter of Laminated Timber Supplies. The presentations and afternoon tea at Vicbeam will be followed by the industry dinner in the evening and the technical meeting on Friday at the 28

conference centre in the Sage Hotel in Ringwood. For parties interested in GLTAA membership and involvement, enquiries can be directed to the secretary - Shane Deveraux at the email address: shane.devereaux@jowatpacific. com The GLTAA meeting this September has been timed to coincide with the WoodTECH 2018 event in Melbourne 11 – 12 September at the Bayview Eden Hotel. WoodTECH provides an opportunity for companies across Australia and beyond to learn about the latest innovations and new technology in relation to wood manufacturing operations. A number of Glulam manufacturers will be in attendance and no doubt showing a particular interest in the sessions around finger-jointing, gluing, laminating and material handling, the spine of many a Glulam manufacturing plant. There’s no doubt that it continues to be an exciting time to be involved in timber in Australia! Spare a thought, however, for the farmers of Australia, particularly across New South Wales and Queensland who are trying to survive through what some media reports are calling ‘the worst drought in living memory’. This is saying something, when within living memory is the dry period in Australia from 2001-2003 and the hot dry of 2006-2008 which

contributed to the Black February of 2009. Living in city suburbia, it can be difficult to appreciate the toll the current conditions are taking on those living in these regions, but if 2018 has been the fourth-driest April to June since the Bureau of Meteorology started taking records back in 1900 as has been reported, then the struggle is real indeed. As a manufacturer, I well remember that the absence of wet months during some of these times meant builders could be as active on site in winter as they were in summer leading to steady demand for product all year round. It took some re-adjusting when we experienced wet winters again and the race to get to lockup by winter brought about increased demand towards the end of Autumn.

Product protection One of the challenges timber suppliers have is protecting their product from the extreme weather conditions of Australia. At times we can alternate between searing heat and torrential rain in very little time at all. Some in South Australia will well remember the 15th of August in 2017 which saw 54mm of rain in one 24-hour period and is on record as the wettest day of that year for the state. That’s no drizzle! And yet, within a month Adelaide was experiencing 30-degree days.

I have reason to believe that the 15th of August 2017 saw many a millimetre of rain pour down on one particular suburb, within which a building site we had cause to become acquainted with was situated. On one corner of the site lay a number of large Glulam pine beams being subjected to some serious moisture inundation! It appears in hindsight, that they lay in this condition for weeks on end being subjected to rain, sunshine, more rain and if the Bureau of Meteorology be believed, they may even have copped some hail during this period as well! Somewhere, discarded on the ground or perhaps already in a bin lay the ‘unread’ (and subsequently unheeded) instructions as to how to protect Glulam beams onsite prior to install. Glulam, like all timber products are hygroscopic and will absorb moisture at the best of times. When Glulam is manufactured, the timber sourced for the purpose is typically kiln dried to about 10-14% in order to achieve an effective glue bond. After dispatch and during service, Glulam can be exposed to environmental conditions which either increases or decreases the moisture content causing the timber to swell or shrink. This is normally marginal and once installed a beam will not typically be exposed to conditions which would increase

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

the moisture content beyond fibre saturation point (30%).

Investigation required Not so these beams on the 15th of August in 2017 however! These Glulam beams had their fill of moisture. In fact, they were thoroughly waterlogged and still they lay unprotected until they were installed in that condition under a tin roof. They were then primed and sealed on all sides with an opaque weather shielding exterior paint. By the end of September 2017, the sun was out in force and by the end of November, it was of course, time to call the manufacturer! The beams were described as ‘splitting and checking’ along glue lines and some of the photos from site were enough to elicit investigation. When timber is exposed to weathering for prolonged period, it is not uncommon for discolouration and staining to occur. Upon sanding these particular beams and removing the paint to expose the timber underneath, it became obvious that these beams had been thoroughly waterboarded prior to install (and yes, waterboarding equals torture in my book)! The grey discolouration was clearly visible and when a screw was driven through several laminates and then extracted, moisture could be seen the whole length of the steel thread. The

bottom line is, the beams had not been adequately protected whilst awaiting install and it was not surprising to find ‘timber being timber’ in such circumstances. Upon arrival on site, a Glulam beam should ideally be stored under cover and well off the ground on bearers of suitable height. Keep them dry! It is important that whilst protected from the ingress of moisture, they are also placed in a manner to allow for air circulation in and around the members. When individual beams are supplied fully wrapped, ensure the wrapping material edge is face down. It could also be appropriate to slit the wrapping on the underside of the beam to allow moisture egress if the beams are to sit in storage for any duration (let them breathe!). A new website for the GLTAA is to be unveiled soon and Technical Data sheets on important aspects of Glulam will be available. One of the most important information sheets, and one a number of GLTAA accredited Glulam manufacturers attach to every pack that leaves the factory is on the specific subject of ‘recommendations for handling, on site storage and protection of Glue Laminated Timber during construction’! Now we just need to start a literacy program! Meanwhile, let’s hope for some decent moisture inundation in New South Wales and Queensland!

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NEWS

New model family and domestic violence provisions

E

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

mployers in the timber industry should note that on 1 August 2018, the Fair Work Commission amended the modern awards, to include a new model family and domestic violence provision. This new provision applies to all employees, including casuals. Employees will be entitled to 5 days’ unpaid leave to deal with family and domestic violence (see the definition below) each year. The 5 days’ unpaid leave will be available in full at the commencement of each 12

month period, rather than accruing progressively during a year of service. An employer and employee can agree to the employee taking more than 5 days’ unpaid leave if required. Time away for such leave will not count as service but does not break continuity of service and the leave will not accumulate from year to year. Employees will be entitled to seek unpaid leave if the employee is experiencing family and domestic violence and the employee needs to deal with the impact of the domes-

tic and family violence that is impractical for the employee to manage during working hours, for example, attending court, making arrangements to relocate their family or accessing police services. The provision has notice and evidence requirements that an employee must comply with. Employers are required to take steps to ensure information about any notice or evidence an employee has provided for such leave is treated confidentially as far as reasonably practicable. Domestic violence is

defined as follows: Family and domestic violence means violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by a family member of an employee that seeks to coerce or control the employee and that causes them harm or to be fearful. Family member means: (i) a spouse, de facto partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the employee; or (ii) a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a spouse or de facto partner of the employee; or

(iii) a person related to the employee according to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship rules. A reference to a spouse or de facto partner in the definition of family member includes a former spouse or de facto partner. Members who have any queries regarding the operation of this new form of leave at their workplace should contact the TTIA on (02) 9264 0011. This subject will be dealt with more fully in the upcoming TTIA seminars to be held in October 2018.

SUPPORTERS & SPONSORS

For information visit: www.ttia.asn.au

Initiative to tackle skin cancer risk on the job Workers on construction sites receive five to 10 times more UV exposure every year compared to indoor workers Target Tradies and the Cancer Council have launched a partnership to help educate Australian construction workers about the importance of being SunSmart at work. With evidence showing that outdoor workers receive five to 10 times the amount of UV compared to indoor workers, the new initiative aims to remind tradies to take simple steps to reduce their skin cancer risk. Target Tradies is a unique Australian company focussed on delivering specific messaging to tradies on the job, visiting over 600 sites a month across the country. Over the past 4 years they have posted dozens of campaigns for government, institutions and commercial companies. Their latest probono campaign supporting Cancer

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Council is rolling out across Australia and will include a series of new posters showcasing targeted sun protection messaging for outdoor workers. The posters will remind trade workers to slip on a long-sleeved shirt, slop on SPF 30 or higher sunscreen slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses, as well as keep a close eye on their skin. Heather Walker, Chair of Cancer Council Australia’s National Skin Cancer Committee, said outdoor workers need to use sun protection all year round. “Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. The majority of skin cancers are caused by the sun’s UV radiation, so those who work outdoors are at significantly higher risk. “We need to keep reminding Australian tradies that if you work outdoors, sun protection is an essential part of OH&S. That’s why we’re thrilled to be partner-

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

ing with Target Tradies to raise vital awareness about the risk of UV exposure on worksites across Australia.” Michael Blumberg, Founder & Director of Target Tradies added: “There is a certain level of functional safety messaging that construction companies cover as part of their OH&S programs on site. However, these posters tend to lose their efficacy over time. Our research supports the need for regular updating of messaging, but more importantly also widening the content to cover other relevant issues around physical safety and the mental wellbeing of workers on the job. “We are proud to be a supporter of Cancer Council as part of our CSR commitment and contribution to the construction industry and look forward to working with major construction companies to grow our footprint to cover 4000 sites in the future to be even more effective.”

29

NEWS

Decade of incredible growth is just the beginning

By Colin Fitzpatrick Chief Executive Officer Timber & Building Materials Association (Aust.) Ltd

T

ABMA has come a long way in the last decade. In 2008 TABMA operated as TABMA (NSW) Ltd out of small premises in Surry Hills, Sydney, with apprentice and trainee placements numbering only 43 while a one person operation was in place in Perth but was not trading economically. The decision was taken at this time that to secure TABMA’s future, greater emphasis would be placed on communication with members and as a business we would place our major concentration on the placement of apprentices and trainees through our existing Group Training Organisation (GTO). Following the demise

of TDA South Australia in 2010 it was decided there was an opportunity to enter the South Australian market so TABMA SA was established. Around this time TABMA NSW recreated itself as TABMA (Australia) Ltd. TABMA Queensland had been established as a separate entity in 2001 and operated independently of TABMA NSW. A working relationship with TABMA Qld was re-established in 2009 and in 2013 TABMA Queensland became a division of TABMA Australia. During this period consideration was given to establishing a TABMA Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to train our trainees. However, in

2014 the opportunity to acquire FITEC, a south east Queensland based RTO, became available and in October that year FITEC became a member of the TABMA Group. In 2016 it was decided to move into Victoria and later that year TABMA Victoria was established. In 2018 our turnover has increased threefold since 2008 and we have over 200 apprentices and trainees placed covering all States plus the ACT. A WHS inspection service, a workplace advice line to provide industrial relations advice, a recruitment division recruiting permanent and part time staff have been introduced while our long standing division Building Trade Credit Australia is a credit bureau servicing some of Australia’s biggest companies. In 2018 we have introduced a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) into our business through Job Ready. A CRM in simple terms is a system or strategy for managing customer (member) interactions and optimising and systematising relationships.

We have also introduced new accounting systems such as Astute and Xero to modernise the way we formulate our accounts. While TABMA has come a long way in 10 years we still have a long way to go. Training options aplenty FITEC now trades as TABMA Training and is expanding its operations

into NSW and South Australia while looking to further develop a range of short courses across all sectors of the forest and timber industry. Our GTO is always updating the trades and courses we offer to young people and is now offering courses outside the timber industry. We are continually looking at increased ways to provide assistance to

our members through additional services and benefits while we have recently engaged an integrated digital agency to grow our social media presence through online marketing and web development. At TABMA our motto is “standing still is the same as going backwards” so we are always looking for new opportunities.

SUPPORTERS & SPONSORS

John Cook & Sons

For information visit: www.tabma.com.au

Primary wood industry platform offers access to new growth markets Ligna 2019 (27 to 31 May) will put the spotlight on three key themes: “Integrated Manufacturing – Customized Solutions”, “Smart Surface Technologies” and “Access to Resources and Technology”. For primary wood industry players, the world’s leading trade fair for machinery, plant and tools for the woodworking and timber processing industry serves as an important platform for dialogue and the latest technologies as well as a gateway to new markets. The same is true of the fair’s Wood Industry Summit, which will be themed “Access to Resources and Technology”. The Wood Industry Summit is a joint production by Ligna organizer Deutsche Messe and the German Forestry Council (KWF) and will be in its third season at Ligna 2019. Comprising a forum, lounge and exhibition space, the Summit will have a strong presence right in the heart of Hall 26 at the Hannover Exhibition Center. Among much else, the focus will be on ways of optimizing the entire forest-wood-logistics value chain – from standing trees through to final processing in the factory – as well as on protecting forests from biotic and abiotic damage, and on climate and environmentally-friendly harvesting processes and the future 30

of the forest and wood industry. Other key themes covered by the Wood Industry Summit include digitization in forestry, data protection and data integrity, forest firefighting, forestry infrastructure, road networks and logistics. Digital technologies now span the entire forestry value chain, from forest information and integrated harvesting systems right through to modern forest management practices. The technologies involved include drones, apps, laser scanners and all kinds of sophisticated software programs. Sustainable forest management involves enormous volumes of data, such as forest inventory data, silviculture data, environmental and wildlife data, operational data, and data relating to feasibility studies, risk analysis, accidents, forest damage and monitoring. As in other industries, the key to getting the most out of these vast data streams is efficient data management software. That’s why digitization will be at the forefront of topics explored at next year’s Wood Industry Summit, both in the discussion forums and in the exhibition area. “We are delighted that the German Forestry Council is supporting us again this year by giving us access AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2018

to its excellent international networks and by ensuring that the topics covered at the Summit are highly relevant and offer a good mix of scientific and commercial issues,” said Christian Pfeiffer, Deutsche Messe’s Global Director Ligna and Woodworking Events. The Wood Industry Summit will feature a different focus theme on each of the five days of the show. The 2017 Wood Industry Summit attracted delegations from Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Finland, Canada, Columbia, Rumania, Russia, Ukraine and the USA, and resulted in contracts worth over 30 million euros. Ligna 2017 was in top form as the world’s leading trade show for machinery, plant and tools for the woodworking and timber processing industry. It attracted a high degree of international participation, featured an absolute wealth of innovations, and provided comprehensive market coverage. The show attracted more than 1,500 exhibitors from 50 countries and occupied some 130,000 square meters (1,399,300 sq. ft.) of net display space. It also attracted 93,000 trade visitors, 43,300 of whom came from abroad, from more than 100 different countries. www.timberbiz.com.au

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