Australasian Timber Magazine - May 2020

May 2020

MANUFACTURE • TECHNOLOGY • DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION

THE GREEN ALTERNATIVE

Thermally modified wood

HEATING UP

CLT turns up the heat

BUILDING BRIDGES Timber in bushfire recovery

Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

Innovation in timber engineering www.hundegger.de

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NEWS Wood fibre stocks will meet virusfed demand

■■ The interior of the roof prior to the burn and, below, after the burn.

CLT turning up the heat F IRE testing of CLT has gone

a step further with the second test of the char fall-off test series undertaken at the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services White Island live fire training facility.

The test was undertaken as part of the Future Timber Hub’s “Exploring the self-extinguishment mechanism of engineered timber in full-scale compartment fires” project led by Dr Juan Hidalgo (Hub Chief Investigator and Senior Lecturer at UQ) and assisted by The University of Queensland (UQ) Fire Safety Engineering Research Group.

The testing comes as Australia’s first 120-minute Fire Resistance Test and Fire Resistance

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Level were successfully completed on exposed glue laminated timber members manufactured in Victoria by Australian Sustainable Hardwoods Pty Ltd. The Queensland-based project investigates the self-extinguishment mechanism of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) at a largescale in order to establish design criteria for the safe use of CLT in tall-timber buildings. Partners of the project include Hyne, XLam, QFES, Lend Lease, Knauf and Rockwool International.

This was the fourth test in the experimental series of largescale tests in the ARC Future Timber Hub to demonstrate the occurrence of CLT self-extinction for a limited fuel load.

The team used XLam-supplied CL3/125 CLT (45-35-45 mm thick lamellae) to build a 3.4 m × 3.4 m × 3.125 m room with a wall and a ceiling exposed, and with the rest of CLT surfaces protected with Knauf fire-rated plasterboard.

The fuel load corresponded to a 1m x 1m pool of kerosene fuel to generate a fully-developed compartment fire reaching gasphase temperatures above 1,000 °C. In this test, the kerosene fire burned out at approximately 20 minutes.

A few minutes after the complete consumption of the kerosene, the charred CLT wall and ceiling self-extinguished without failure of the plasterboard encapsulation.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

“This research is fundamental for the timber and fire engineering industry,” Dr Hidalgo said.

“These tests help the industry to be familiar with the research practices and outcomes that are later applied in engineering design.

“Industry is invited to witness the test and increase their awareness of the research in this area. This crucial research needs to be transmitted to the industry effectively,” he said.

“The tests are also useful for engineers to understand the phenomena they are designing for and the limitations of the tools that may come up from this research.”

AUSTRALIA has enough wood fibre to keep up with the demand for toilet paper, according to WA Plantation Resources chief executive Ian Telfer.

He said Australia had no chance of running out of raw materials for toilet paper, which is made from softwood plantations such as pine, using thinning and sawmill residues.

Mr Telfer made the assurances amid the the panic buying which is stripping supermarket shelves of toilet paper, causing altercations among customers, and prompting retailers to place limits on purchases.

Kleenex was manufacturing round-the-clock at its facility in South Australia, as was Sorbent in New South Wales and Victoria.

ABC Tissue, the maker of Quilton, has tripled production in its factories in Queensland, New South Wales and Forrestfield.

Typically, WA sawmill and pine residues are exported as woodchips to factories in south-east Asia, where they are pulped, Mr Telfer said.

Pulp is then sent back to Australian toilet paper manufacturers, a major customer being ABC Tissue.

Until recently, demand for softwood residues had been subdued.

“We’d been looking for something to stimulate demand for softwood fibre, but we never thought it would be a toilet paper-led recovery,” Mr Telfer said.

“However once the demand dies down, there will be houses with stockpiles of toilet paper, so it’s likely demand will reduce sharply.”

Mr Telfer said about nine or ten kilograms of wood chips was needed to make 12 rolls of toilet paper.

About 150,000 to 250,000 tonnes of softwood pine fibre is exported from WA each year, ultimately returning and being manufactured into Australia toilet tissue, tissues and sanitary products.

“The best bit is that wood fibre is the ultimate renewable.

We replant trees and keep growing wood to meet everyone’s needs including toilet paper,” Mr Telfer said.

Source: West Australian.

3

NEWS Federal and State governments must respond to building crisis

australasian

May 2020 Issue 3 Vol. 28 Incorporating Australian and New Zealand Timberman – Established 1977.

News 3-5 Timber design awards 6 Frame and truss 8 Veneers 14-15 Associations 17-19 Front Cover: Thermally modified timber is naturally decay resistant without the use of added chemicals.

And unlike other manufacturing processes that combine numerous constituent components to create a new product, thermal modification uses only heat to change the physical and chemical nature of wood.

FULL REPORT: Page 12

The CoVid-19 Pandemic is placing a massive economic strain on Australia and the world in general.

Some businesses will manage to get through, some will fail, and there may be the odd one or two which may possibly flourish.

The nation will come out of this. Battered and bruised but hopefully intact.

How the country bounces back economically from the current chaos will be determined largely by the actions the Federal and State governments takes now.

Currently they are pouring money and resources into the economy. This is essential.

The aim must be to help one sector that will have benefits for many other sectors.

Tourism is a case in point, but that is one area that might find itself near the end of the very long queue.

It must be hard for the Federal Government and State governments to prioritise.

But, prioritise they must.

The timber industry, in its many and various forms, is a case in point that can easily

australasian

put its hand up as a sector with massive trickle-down benefits.

But, where should any stimulus package be aimed?

The Australian Forest Products Association is forecasting a “calamitous decline” in housing construction and wants Australia’s leaders to put in place urgently a stimulus recovery package for the sector to counter the massive reduction in new house starts and therefore the timber products used in their construction.

The AFPA is estimating that the decline in sawn timber demand for Australia’s sawmills will be more than 50% over the next six months.

This is unbelievably bad news for regional Australia where the sawmills are located.

There are more than 45,000 Australians

employed in the sector and in many cases this job is the primary bread winner of the family.

The AFPA points out regional towns and States such Mt Gambier SA, Bell Bay TAS, Bunbury WA, Colac VIC, Maryborough QLD, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Oberon and Bombala NSW, where forest industries underpin the economy will be among the hardest hit.

Potential measures could include increasing new homeowners’ grants and other stimulus (for any new home built); bringing forward government-funded construction projects such as affordable housing commencements; and tax and land price support. The package could also include streamlining regulation to make the new house construction process simpler and reduce the time between approvals and construction to optimise the new house construction project pipeline.

It is of course up to the Federal and State governments how they respond, but respond they must.

Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: Robyn Haworth Editor: Bruce Mitchell b.mitchelll@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9512 Advertising: Gavin de Almeida g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Design & Production: Peter Frezzini Timber classifieds: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9522 Subcription rates One-year (8 editions) $55 Two-years (16 editions) $95 Accounts: Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9555 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Melbourne Office: Suite 2262, 442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122 Phone: (03) 9810 3262 Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA

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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 2020 © 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 publisher will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

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4

Building bridges the new way B September 2019 to March 2020, bushfires burnt over 18.6 million hectares across the country.

Its path of destruction has left towns desperately trying to pick up the pieces of their communities. Homes, buildings and infrastructure are now beginning to be rebuilt after the damage.

For many regional towns, bridges are the only ways in or out of their community. When a bridge has been damaged, the impact on the local community can be significant, particularly if the bridge is one of only a handful of access points connecting the region.

Bridges form a vital part of Australia’s transport network, with around 30,000 timber road bridges in service throughout the country. However, due to heavier and faster moving vehicles and more recently, damage by bushfires, many of these ageing timber structures have deteriorated or damaged beyond repair and Councils are needing to look at ways to reconstruct the infrastructure with a time and budget effective solution. etween

As a way to extend the life of existing timber bridges or build replacement bridges, Australian timber specialist and plywood manufacturer, Big River Group, has developed an engineered timber system consisting of bridge decking, girders, headstocks and corbels along with many other engineered sections that replace existing timbers size-for-size, a structural grade Engineered plywood bridge deck system which acts as an alternative to steel and concrete decks being less expensive, faster to install, and a critical measure of success for those locations who are lacking council funding and are needing a quick response. The system is an Engineered substitute for traditional hardwood decking and is manufactured to AS/ NZS 2269-2008 from sustainable Australian plantation pine.

The key feature of the Big River Engineered Bridge Decking is the it is manufactured in continuous lengths to the full width of a bridge hence providing excellent load distribution utilising the full structure and extensively extending the life of

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

existing structures when used as a deck replacement .When the full Engineered system is used with the combination of Engineered LVL: girders, headstocks and corbels etc this delivers a full Bridge system that complies with loadings and AS:5100 T44 deflection limits as well as M1600.

As a retrofit solution that can help extend the life of timber bridges by decades, Bridge ply, offers a low-cost option for rehabilitating existing, older timber structures without needing to replace the entire bridge – meaning only components that are failing need to be replaced, saving time and material costs. Cedar Creek Bridge, in the Hunter region of New South Wales, was restored in three days – four days ahead of deadline, with council contracting two work crews around-the-clock to complete the job quickly.

The larger size of Bridge ply helps to absorb much of the extra vibration of heavy vehicles while also tying together the other timber components of the bridge better than solid

hardwood planks. What’s more, the material holds fire resistant qualities which have the ability to withstand temperatures that reach 1000°C for up to 50 minutes.

Providing a time efficient solution due to its lightweight feature, Bridge ply can be moved in large sections with the same machinery used for alternative materials, so less trucks are required for delivery and less crane movement is needed in order to connect the components. Additionally, as a timber-based product, most of the machinery alterations, can be done on site with hand tools, such as drilling.

All of these benefits, together with its lightweight material, means installation can occur in a timely manner with minimal disruption to the local community. Big River Group are offering drop-in services and temporary bridges for immediate solutions to reconnect communities, whilst strengthening and recovering existing timber bridge assets quickly and within council budget. www.timberbiz.com.au

NEWS

Industry advocates call for construction stimulus package A

GROUP of Australia’s leading construction industry representative organisations wants National Cabinet to consider the immediate implementation of a stimulus plan to drive the housing sector and secure regional employment through the construction supply chains.

The group, which includes the Frame and Truss Manufacturers’ Association (FTMA), TABMA, the Timber Trade Industry Association (TTIA) and Timber Merchants Australia (MGA TMA) represents timber processors, manufacturers and merchants throughout Australia.

TABMA CEO, David Little, said that Australian governments have used construction and housing stimulus programs successfully for over a century to generate economic activity, jobs and residential accommodation during difficult times.

“The beauty of this approach is that it supports industries that can work through the current socio-economic restrictions, has a deep impact on

supply chains, from plantation timber growers through to builders, and has massive benefits for regional Australia,” he said.

The proposed six-step program includes: 1. Extending the first homeowners program to ensure confidence for first home buyers, targeted at new construction 2. Allow the re-opening of display homes, under tight social isolation measures, to allow construction companies to keep selling 3. Remove or reduce stamp duty and/or land tax, particularly for new construction 4. Accelerate social housing construction programs, particularly in regional areas, with a focus on engaging small and medium sized firms for construction 5. Provide incentives for private investment in the construction of housing to support the NDIS, also

■■ Ann Sanfey

■■ Brian Beecroft

freeing up health care facilities 6. Consider a rent-to-buy stimulus program, where the Government owns the land and leases it to home builders with the option to buy.

TMA National Membership Manager, Ann Sanfey, said this was a potentially ‘huge’ program.

“We are currently preparing detailed briefing material for each of the six policy recommendations. It’s important to note that we are not looking to reinvent the wheel here, we are asking governments to expand on existing policy mechanisms,” she said.

■■ David Little

Brian Beecroft, CEO of TTIA, added, “What our organisations are suggesting works because it is far deeper reaching than just the immediate future of one small sector – if successful this simple six step plan can provide far reaching benefits through timber supply chains, as well as taking pressure of the stretched health system and addressing some clear community welfare needs in relation to social and disability housing.”

The plan comes on the back of recent analysis by the Housing Industry Association which shows that Australia’s housing construction sector is facing an unprecedented decline, with

■■ Kersten Gentle

Australia’s peak forestry body, the Australian Forest Products Association, also calling for an urgent recovery package.

FTMA CEO, Kersten Gentle, said the payment supplements are a great start.

“However, we need to build the economy by getting people back at work, if that can be done safely, we need housing and we have opportunities to generate improved outcomes for regional and at-risk Australians,’’ she said.

“This plan for a comprehensive construction industry stimulus ticks all the boxes to support economic recovery as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

5

Timber design awards High-tech way to beat the bugs A TECHNOLOGY that uses dielectric heating and radio frequency energy to destroy destructive pests lurking within wood products is closer to reaching the marketplace after a recent commercial trial at Penn State’s University Park campus.

A demonstration, which was observed by regulatory and wood products industry professionals from the U.S. and Canada, validated the effectiveness and cost efficiency of the radio frequency, or RF, technology for pallet sanitation.

The treatment offers enhanced ability to terminate wood insect and nematode pests compared to conventional heat practices, noted Mark Gagnon, Harbaugh Entrepreneur and Innovation Faculty Scholar in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

“This innovation has the potential to be transformative in required international trade wood-sanitation treatment,” said Gagnon, who has been instrumental in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program since its inception, encouraging entrepreneurship across the college.

“RF treatment is more efficient and uses fewer resources than conventional kilns and chemical drying methods, and that is not only better for a company’s bottom line, but it is also better for the environment.”

The patent-pending, woodtreatment system heats wood in a unique configuration by using electromagnetic wave penetration, similar to that of a microwave oven.

It heats wood from the inside out, first causing the core temperature to elevate rapidly, making it an ideal method to destroy pests that have burrowed within, noted Hoover.

For years, wood-products manufacturers have had two options to deal with woodboring insects — traditional heat-treatment or fumigation. RF technology is poised to offer the industry another choice, one that the scientists say is faster and more streamlined than the use of conventional kilns and that can help decrease energy costs.

RF technology also can replace the process of fumigating wood with methyl bromide — a chemical that is being phased out — and help the U.S. wood products industry to retain export markets while moving away from chemically-treated wood.

6

■■ The bungalow entry featuring spotted gum cladding, decks, louvres doors and steps.

Something special in wood N

estled in rugged terrain, Mount Mulligan Lodge is located on a remote 28,000-hecatre cattle property and is only accessible by a 35-minute helicopter ride or a 3-hour 4WD journey along unsealed roads from Cairns. Every room offers views to the spectacular backdrop of Mount Mulligan and the picturesque eucalyptus-framed weir just beyond the lodge. This dramatic outback landscape can be enjoyed from open timber decks with outdoor baths for the ultimate luxury Australian outback experience.

Complementing this stunning natural setting and remote location is a palette of woolshedworthy materials which draw from a distinctly Australian design aesthetic. The corrugated iron roofing echoes the nearby water tanks and the interiors are furnished with luxurious linen, sisal rugs, bronze and marble bathroom fittings and leather furnishings but it is timber that is truly the star of this outback show.

Guest rooms are lined in spotted gum cladding and flooring and the lodge’s primary structure is constructed from large iron bark sections, salvaged from Sydney’s Pyrmont wharf, complete with rusted bolts and notches that spell out the story of its previous maritime life. The resort’s “Sunset Bar” has a main bar and shelving also constructed from the reclaimed wharf timber. The bar area is imbued with a sense of drama through an exterior and interior clad in Woodform’s Sculptform burnt and charred Ash – a beautiful matt-black, burnt and charred timber product.

EXCELLENCE IN THE USE OF TIMBER PRODUCTS Australian Certified Timber DAVID DUBOIS DESIGN + INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Builder: Orpheus Constructions Photographer: Northern Escape Location: Mount Mulligan, Queensland

■■ The sunset bar, during construction photo showing

reclaimed wharf timber posts and beams, with glue laminated rafter structure.

Glue laminated timber roof rafters provide large overhanging eaves which deliver welcome shading to the generous areas of timber decking. Design features such as timber louvres and door frames are a further nod to the traditional homesteads of Central Queensland but with a twenty-first century update.

The extensive use of timber at Mount Mulligan Lodge was also not only a choice governed by the desire to achieve an aesthetic sympathetic to its surroundings, but a hope to deliver, in the words of architect David Dubois of Dubois Building Design and Interior Architecture “an ecofriendly, self-sustainable resort.”

He continues: “The use of Australian sourced and certified timAUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

ber was important from an authenticity and environmentally sustainable approach.” It was this approach that saw Dubois take out the recent Australian Timber Design Award for the use of Australian Certified Timber.

Dubois continues; “Where possible it was important to showcase Australian timber species, particularly the Queensland Spotted Gum species.” Dubois estimates that around 75% of the timber used in the Mount Mulligan Lodge project had certification through the Australian certification body Responsible Wood or through the international certification body Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

One example is the Spotted

Gum that was used for the flooring and supplied by Boral Timber.

In the view of Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries: “Certification can provide architects with irrefutable proof that the timber they have specified has been certified against the Australian standards for sustainable forestry management (AS 4708) and carries a demonstrative and valid Chain of Custody (AS 4707).”

The remoteness of this location presented challenges which became opportunities for employing other sustainability initiatives beyond the use of sustainable timber. With no grid connected services or telephone, the building’s design employs energy efficiency and passive environmental design techniques to maximise comfort given the region’s extreme seasonal temperatures, humidity and very low rainfall.

The lodge is 100% solar and battery-powered, harvests rainwater and treats and utilises its own waste for use in a kitchen garden. The three gourmet meals per day offered to guests use, where possible, the fruits and vegetables form the resort’s own drought-tolerant gardens and meat from the surrounding cattle station. www.timberbiz.com.au

Tumut recovery

South West Slopes mills respond to bushfires Mills ramp up processing salvaged logs

T

■■ It’s a first for AKD Tumut Mill processing 100% of burnt logs.

■■ Hyne Timber’s Tumbarumba Mill has added an extra shift to manage the

increased in fire salvaged logs.

08

Members on the Software team

H E bushfires that burnt for two

months threatened numerous communities including Adelong and Tumbarumba, destroyed over 300,000 hectares of drought effected country and forests.

They were bought under control by fire fighters and resilient local communities, supported by mills staff and local contractors after devastating much of the region’s plantation forests resource.

The South East Slopes industry supply chain supports over 5000 jobs and is worth an estimated $2billion to the region annually.

The region includes sawmills and timber processing mills of leading Australian brands including Hyne Timber, AKD Softwoods, Borg and Visy Pulp and Paper.

Together they employ over 750 people directly across Tumut and Tumbarumba districts.

Timber and pulp mills along with forest and haulage contractors have been busy with the huge task of harvesting and processing salvaging logs under time pressures before the timber becomes unusable.

Hyne Timbers estimated there are 2 million cubic metres of fire impacted saw logs in their supply zone which need to be harvested in the next 6-12 months before loss of moisture and staining.

Rab Green, Tumut site manager for AKD said this was the first time his site had processed 100% burnt logs and potentially the biggest salvage operation undertaken.

‘We will closely monitor the effects on the burnt log as we process it and react accordingly to ensure we process as much volume as we can’, he added. (pics of mill and timber yard) The Hyne Timber mill in Tumbarumba was back up and running late January with management thanking volunteers and emergency services that protected the facility throughout the bushfire crisis.

The mill which employs 230 people has added an extra shift as it processes 7500 harvested plantation logs daily and holds 14 days of logs stock.

The mill which has introduced robotic handling and sorting equipment, has a turnaround of up to 150 trucks in and out every day receiving salvage logs, delivering wood chips to Visy and finished product to over 400 different customer sites including CLT panels for XLam at Wodonga. (pics processing and finished product) Hyne also exports 1400 shipping containers of non-structural grade timber to 5 export markets.

13

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■■ Visy’s Tumut Mill produces an estimated 700,000 tonnes of craft paper

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

7

Frame and Truss australasian

Looking Back 2019:

Structural engineer Adam Jones’ work has been recognised by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) who named him Future Green Leader of the year at their recent TRANSFORM 2019 event.

Adam is passionate about lowering the environmental impact of the construction sector and has been involved in a range of environmentally positive activities, including WoodSolutions.

Recognising the effect that young professionals will have on developing a sustainable future, the GBCA created the Future Green Leaders program, which is available to all industry professionals under 32. As the Future Green Leader of the year, Adam will gain entry and access to a wide range of GBCA events, a speaking opportunity at Green Building Day and a mentor for the year.

2015:

RESEARCH at Stony Brook University (NY) has found an environmentally safe way to make wood flame retardant. A Stony Brook University Materials Science Professor guided an undergraduate and two Long Island high school students as they developed a patent-pending, environmentally sustainable way to render the wood used in construction flame retardant—and 5x stronger—using natural materials.

The work took place at the Garcia Centre for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces at Stony Brook as part of the Garcia Research Scholar Program.

2010:

TASMANIA’S FARMERS are being offered the chance to plant trees to reclaim weed infested land, secure a new revenue stream, capture carbon and provide long-term habitat for the swift parrot.

The chance comes under the Trees on Farms project that provides a low cost opportunity for individual farmers to joint venture with Forestry Tasmania to establish commercial woodlots on cleared land.

According to Forestry Tasmania’s Trees on Farms project manager Anthony Wise, the move for farmers to join a growing number (no pun intended) of people on the land opting for small woodlots has never been easier.

8

■■ Apex Wall and Truss’ Matilda Moore, Audrey Bastow, Paul Bastow and Emily Lee with a Mitek award recognising 15 years as a

Licensed Fabricator of Mitek Building Systems.

Paul’s jig is at the Apex T HER E are people who

dream and do nothing and are surprised when they never achieve.

There are those that dream and never achieve after doing much.

Then there’s Paul Bastow, manager of Apex Wall & Truss Pty Ltd at Kilsyth in Victoria, who is not much of a dreamer – but more of a doer. He sees a problem, and an opportunity, and can’t ignore it.

“It’s like a constant drum echoing in your head: you can fix this…no, actually, you can improve this,’’ he said.

And he does.

“I started my working life as a truck driver nearly 40 years ago.

It wasn’t long before I found myself building kit homes - and through that journey I saw the way prefabrication could influence building trends,’ Paul said.

“I was hooked.”

Timber prefabrication became Paul’s focus.

“I’m one of those blokes who always asks the question: can it be done better? I had a young family, a fledgling business and I wanted to make sure it worked,” Paul said.

“Most timber prefabrication plants are run by families: husband and wife, kids, partners and children. They can’t afford the massive outlay for supersized equipment,’’ Paul said.

“We were in the same position. In the early days I thought our timber truss manufacturing was slow, labour costs heavy and production extremely inefficient. You just can’t run a business like that and hope to achieve…let alone survive.’’

Paul set about solving the enigma of manual labour, slow output of trusses and rather cumbersome working conditions. The latter is more a reference to poor workplace health and safety.

“Timber prefabrication plants

were not the safest working environments 30 years ago,” Paul said. “Your employees are always your most valuable assets; you have to have their best interests at heart all the time. That’s why we reduced the exposure of the Kwikset Jig’s pneumatic hoses; housing them in the rails.”

It was an early innovation which would prove critical to the success of his KwikSet Jig. “My wife (and business partner) Audrey, is a very patient

their money back. I had to find out why. I knew we were onto something very good, so what went wrong?”

The only way Paul could see a future for his innovative product was to take over the manufacturing process.

“It was the only way I could guarantee quality,” he said.

So, more time and a substantial financial investment (on top of the original) ensued.

The KwikSet Jig boasts some very smart advantages over

■■ Paul’s 100th jig under construction.

and understanding woman.

I locked myself away for 2–3 months working on a way to simplify production of roof trusses and increase flowthrough of product. I wanted to win at both ends. And I failed.”

“I had gone through every machination, combination and valuation of the KwikSet Jig and sent the specs to a local machinery manufacturer.”

Paul had outsourced his project.

“They did what most do; they underspecified components, sourced inferior parts, poorly manufactured and engineered items. I didn’t find out till it was too late,” Paul said.

“Two days after the first couple of Kwikset Jigs were sold, they were returned with both disgruntled parties wanting AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

other truss manufacturing systems. Rapid set up is enabled by allowing the operator to move in and around the jig stations without having to dodge potentially dangerous hoses (as mentioned, they’re all housed within the floor rails).

“Feedback from nearly all our customers puts production up by 25-30%,’ Paul said. Another key benefit is the ease of installation and operation.

The KwikSet Jig is so versatile it can be modified to fit just about any plant’s working space.

“There really is minimal downtime and operators become comfortable with it within a matter of minutes. The training program takes about 5 minutes,’’ Paul said.

The development of the

Kwikset Jig has ‘morphed’ over the past two decades.

“We are always looking for feedback from customers because sometimes the smallest improvements can deliver big results.

“The original concept was strong but over time updates have really honed the KwikSet Jig’s performance.

“We’re currently in production of the ‘next generation’ KwikSet Jig tailored specifically to meet the needs of lowprofile truss manufacture – a growing demand in this building climate.”

It will still manufacture just about every other type of truss – but with a 6cm rail clearance outputs are set to go through the roof.

“It’s great to pass the hundred mark – and that’s just in Australia and New Zealand,” Paul said.

“And we have just got an enquiry from a truss plant in Virginia (USA) – and that could potentially open up a whole new market.”

Paul does not seem to be a seeker of plaudits.

“Ok, we’ve done a hundred, we’ve got another eight on order,’’ Paul said.

The Kwikset Jig has become a “must-have” for timber prefabrication plants in Australia for the last 20 years. New Zealand and American truss plants are now benefitting from this incredibly smart, compact, easy-to-operate piece of timber prefabrication machinery.

The original concept: to help ‘family’ timber prefabrication plants optimise – even maximise on production of trusses - has come true “I know it might sound a bit lame – but pride in the product comes from knowing you’re helping other businesses just like yours,” Paul said. www.timberbiz.com.au

Building

Industry welcomes $28 million building CRC announcement T HE Building 4.0 CRC

funded by the Australian Government Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program, has the potential to boost the economy through job creation and position Australia as a leader in the advanced manufacture of buildings.

As the peak body for Australia’s off-site construction industry acting as the hub for building prefabrication technology and design, prefabAUS joined with 30 industry partners to welcome this recent announcement which will bring together expertise from various fields to develop industry-wide practices with the potential to transform the sector and impact how buildings are designed and manufactured in Australia.

A major focus of the CRC will be waste and emissions reductions from building projects whilst the use of digital solutions, new products and processes will transform Australia’s building industry to one that is tech-enabled placing the customer at the centre of each building experience.

The $28million CRC grant from the Australian Govern-

University of Melbourne, said.

“The Building 4.0 CRC is going to be a really important factor in this sector, making sure that we have a competitive future and that we are addressing broad sector needs.”

The Building 4.0 CRC comprises 30 leading players in commercial industry, university, industry bodies and government partners, including: Monash University, University of Melbourne, Lendlease, Donovan Group, BlueScope Steel, CSR, Utecture Australia, Bentley Homes, Coresteel Australia, A.G Coombs, Ultimate Aluminium Windows, Queensland University of Technology, Holmesglen Institute, Hyne Timber, Shapeshift Design Technologies, M-Modular, Schiavello Manufacturing, Gelion Technologies, YNOMIA, Fleetwood, Master Builders Association of Victoria, PrefabAUS, Salesforce, Sumitomo Forestry, Green Building Council of AusReducing waste, delays and sustainable, more efficient and tralia, Standards Australia, ment will leverage a combined $103 million from industry, emissions from building pro- more user-friendly industry Taronga Venture Advisory, Vicgovernment and research part- jects is the focus of the collabo- through this CRC,’’ Board mem- torian Building Authority and ners to deliver better buildings rative initiative between 30 in- ber of prefabAUS and Research the Victorian Government DeDirector of Building 4.0 CRC, partment of Job, Precincts and that are more efficient, cheaper dustry partners.

“I hope to achieve a more Professor Tuan Ngo, from the Regions. to build and safer.

HIA reports sharp decline in new home approvals in march NEW home sales fell sharply in March - a month that was only partly affected by the restrictions on movement and concerns about jobs and the economic outlook from the pandemic - as consumer confidence declined to be down 23.2 per cent compared to the previous month.

Stimulus to promote housing construction was urgently needed, said Ross Hampton, chief executive of the Australian Forest Products Association.

“Potential measures should include increasing new homeowners’ grants and other stimulus for any new home built; bringing forward government-

funded construction projects such as affordable housing commencements; and tax and land price support,” Mr Hampton said.

“The package should also include streamlining regulation to make the new house construction process simpler and reduce the time between approvals and construction to optimise the new house construction project pipeline.”

HIA’s Chief Economist Tim Reardon said that new home sales data can vary sig-

nificantly each month, particularly due to changes in consumer confidence.

“Purchasing a new home is a significant life decision and unless households feel confident in their employment, they tend to delay the decision to build.

“Despite the sharp contraction in sales in the month of March, new home sales for the three months to March remain just 0.9 per cent lower than the same pre-Federal election quarter in 2019.”

Prior to March, the housing market had been gaining momentum and new home sales had been improving. Leading indicators including building approvals, house prices and housing finance data all showed that the market was starting the new decade strongly.

“The decline in sales in March can be seen across all the states ranging from Western Australia which experienced the

biggest decline of 31.6 per cent to Victoria which had a 16.9 per cent decline,’’ Mr Reardon said.

“Consumer confidence, overseas migration and population growth are central to the outlook for the residential building industry. Until there is certainty about when the economy will be ‘restarted’, including a return of overseas students, it is difficult to forecast the magnitude of a decline in residential building activity,” he said.

Across the country, private detached house sales in the March 2020 quarter were lower than in the previous three months in New South Wales (-1.0 per cent) and Victoria (-0.1 per cent). Detached house sales remained slightly higher than in the December 2019 quarter in Western Australia (+5.8 per cent), Queensland (+3.1 per cent) and South Australia (+1.4 per cent).

New Qualifications Proposed for

JOBS IN TIMBER BUILDING PRODUCTS SUPPLY • timber yard/ warehouse assistants

• warehouse and logistics coordinators

• timber yard operators

• transport & dispatch coordinator

• warehouse store persons • warehouse pick & pack staff • forklift drivers

• sales representatives • assistant account managers

• delivery persons

• assistant wholesale buyers

• counter sales officers

• assistant import agents

• customer service officers

• assistant purchasing managers

Have your say by visiting www.forestworks.com.au or call 03 9321 3522 before COB Fri 28 Feb 2020. www.timberbiz.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

9

Timber Treatment

BRIEFS Fire safety Four internationally renowned universities have joined forces to launch the International Fire Safety Consortium.

This global research initiative brings together knowledge and expertise across the field of fire safety engineering to tackle the most critical fire safety challenges of our time.

The Consortium will combine members of the Uniuversity of Queensland Fire team with researchers from The University of Edinburgh, Lund University, The University of Maryland, The University of Melbourne.

HIA award THE 2020 HIA Jim Brookes Australian Apprentice of the Year has gone to Tasmania’s Jake Blokker, who has been recognised for his exceptional leadership skills which are well beyond his years.

The award is partnered by Stratco Australia and is tied into the HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards, which are the ultimate platform to showcase the talents of the nation’s top builders and designers.

Jake was nominated for being a motivated carpentry apprentice who always looks for new learning and experience opportunities.

Sporting timber UK FIRM, Zaha Hadid Architects has won planning permission for the world’s first wooden football stadium. It will be the home of Forest Green Rovers Football Club in Gloucestershire.

Upon completion, the ambition is to be the world’s greenest football stadium, constructed entirely from timber and powered by sustainable energy sources.

Zaha Hadid Architects originally won the competition to design the stadium in 2016.

The whole structure will be built entirely from resourced wood, including the louvred cladding and cantilever roof.

Build crisis BUILDERS and tradies are facing an imminent crisis with most set to run out of new work in the next few months according to a survey on the impact of Covid-19.

Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the results were alarming.

She said 73 per cent of respondents reported a substantial fall in forward work on their books, with 40 per cent being lost on average.

10

A true Blue long-term solution

C

olin Mintern is MD and owner of Hotondo Homes Shepparton.

His team builds around 30 homes per year using Hyne T2 Blue framing.

Colin’s chippies have used T2 Blue since he opened the doors of Hotondo Homes 15 years ago. Colin believes that T2 Blue framing delivers long-term value to his customers who love its 25-year guarantee. They can see that the alternative requirements for maintaining a chemical termite barrier or topping up chemicals in an articulated repellant system are timeconsuming and expensive alternatives.

Colin has first-hand expe-

rience on how T2 Blue performs VS termites. “Termites are an unhappy fact of life in our business, but we’ve never had a problem with T2 Blue” Colin said. “I’ve actually seen termites on plasterboard next to perfectly intact 10-year-old T2 Blue framing. There had been old trees on the site and when the owners put bark in the garden beds, that made it easy for them to get inside through a weep hole.”

Another story Colin tells us is about the house he built for his nephew. Here, again due to garden beds, termites were able to enter the house undetected. They then penetrated well inside the house and devoured a kiln-dried hardwood

door frame -­ leaving the surrounding T2 Blue framing in perfect condition.

Hotondo buys Hyne T2 Blue through Shepparton Building Supplies. “They’ve always delivered brilliant service” Colin said. “They’ve always got the T2 Blue stock we want, and they supply it fast at the 6.0, 5.4 and docked 3.0 m stud lengths we need.”

Shepparton Building Supplies Managing Director Simon Baldwin says that since 2005, when he began operating the business, he’s never had a reason to change from T2 Blue. “The quality is there consistently” Simon noted.

“We only sell T2 Blue framing, except for one length of un-

treated” Simon’s team treats timber right during storage too. “It’s all undercover, wrapped, packed up and strapped up”, he said.

It’s great to see professionals like Hotondo Homes and Shepparton Building Supplies working together to produce such high-quality homes. And, as Hyne Timber Customer Manager Eric Jackson-Hope says “At Hyne, we’re always trying to build partnerships between ourselves our retailers and builders like Hotondo Homes. So it’s fantastic for us to see T2 Blue at the heart of a great relationship.” We’re proud that T2 Blue is part of this winning formula.

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

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Timber Treatment

Thermally Modified Wood: The Green Alternative to Tropical Timbers

T

OTALLY ‘green’ and with absolutely no chemicals added, thermally modified timber is being specified ‘across the board’ particularly where durability and dimensional stability are priorities.

One such product is Cambia

by Greenleaf - made with the best American hardwoods and delivering impressive results in a wide range of indoor and exterior applications. The Cambia process is simple and chemical free and Australian distributor Britton Timbers says it offers a viable alternative to tropical hardwoods.

“We see the supply of tropical hardwoods out of South-East Asia and the Pacific coming to an end - either by supply/ demand dynamics, or by continuing pressure against illegal logging,” says Britton Timbers director Dominic McNeil. “Demand from architects, builders and the general public for certified sustainable products is also increasing, and when it comes to hardwoods, there simply isn’t enough to go around - even in Australia.

“But finding a durable, certified alternative that doesn’t www.timberbiz.com.au

ash, soft maple, red oak and yellow poplar for domestic and international markets. That was five years ago and McNeil says he now has an “exciting come from the tropics is not customer base” in Australia, easy. “So we turned the prob- with a rapid demand increase lem on its head and found nat- in the last two years.

“Joiners are a big part of our urally nondurable but totally sustainable hardwoods in the clientele and they are lookUnited States that have been ing for alternatives to the likes made durable by the Cambia of New Guinea rosewood and thermal modification [torrefac- surian from South-East Asia. tion] process.” One of Britton’s Cambia comes fully certified major US hardwood suppliers, and our customers also like the Northland Forest Products in chocolate-brown colour - parNew Hampshire, was one of the ticularly the torrefied ash with first to install a Cambia oven to its beautiful grain.” Thermal process its FSC-certified white modification removes the natuAUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

ral sugars, preventing the wood from absorbing or giving off water vapor, and bacterial decay. Wood exhibiting low Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) is resistant to cupping, twisting and warping. Or as McNeil puts it: “Dimensionally stable wood looks better longer.”

Cambia is naturally decay resistant without the use of added chemicals. And unlike other manufacturing processes that combine numerous constituent components to create a new product, thermal modification uses only heat to change the physical and chemical nature of wood. Much of the energy required to do the modification also comes directly from the wood. At high heat, combustible organic compounds from the wood become a fuel source.

In Australia, McNeil says awareness is still low, and the main uptake for Cambia has been for external applications particularly architectural cladding and feature walls, decking, window and door joinery, plus doors for kitchen cabinets.

In the US it is also being used for flooring, outdoor furniture, playgrounds, spas and pool areas. Although it comes in a rich

range of colours, when used outside it will weather just like any other timber. “Any normal timber will grey and check outside. But the great advantage with Cambia is its stability - you don’t have any cell collapse or bound water, which greatly limits movement,” says McNeil.

Most popular in Australia are strongly grained American white ash and American soft maple. “There are other options but the architectural market really likes the grain, which is why US timbers are used here in the first place.”

Richness of the colour is determined by a combination of the species and the amount of time the wood spends in the kiln.

Water is added during the drying process to standardise temperature and reduce checking and splitting in service. Cambia also comes in dimensions not available in other species. Ash is particularly well priced, and because it doesn’t have to be LOSP treated like most other imported hardwoods, it is only slightly dearer than standard ash - including FSC certification.

11

Finance

‘I’ll take option number three’ A YOUNG accountant fresh out of

college is interviewed by the owner of a small business. “I need someone with an accounting degree,” says the man. “But mainly I’m looking for someone to do my worrying for me. I have lots of things to worry about, but I want someone else to worry about money matters.”

“OK,” says the accountant. “How much are you offering?”

“You can start at $75,000 a year,” says the owner.

“That’s a great salary.” says the young accountant. “How can a business like yours afford to pay so much?”

“That,” says the man, “is your first worry.”

Cash flow, working capital, creditors, debtors and taxes all part of the game we call business. However, the game can turn sour very quickly, the most common pitfall- cash flow. For many SME’s in the Truss and Frame industry, the ability to compete is reliant upon the ability to automate production. And therein lies the conundrum, plants need automation to grow but can’t afford to make the investment.

Yes, a linear saw (or other form of automation/technology) will help your business grow but you are not ready or unable to invest in a capital expense.

The presumed financial risks are holding you back and the banks will not take on the risk, preventing your ability

12

ED SERRANO Managing Director of Vekta Automation

■■ Vekta's Razer

control system.

to get the technology that is necessary • Forget the idea- you’re not in a situation now or the near future to for you to compete and grow. invest in capital equipment. Keep Traditionally, there have been two opslugging away doing what you’ve tions availablealways been doing.

• Take the risk- take on that higher With Vekta, there is now have a third interest loan, make the deal or do whatever is needed to fund the option: In-house leasing on all of Vekta’s encapital equipment. tire product range. The Razer V5 Saw, Razer S5 Saw, PackFeeder, StakPro truss and frame stacking systems, Truss Transfers, Smart Roller Conveyors.

And as with all Vekta products, everything can be configured to suit your manufacturing processes. Right to left, left to right, waste conveyors, dust extraction, printing and the list goes on.

So how does it work?

During your agreed lease period, Vekta provides the equipment, all of your technical support, servicing and software upgrades for a flat monthly fee. If, at any point, either before or after the contract expires you decide that purchasing the equipment outright makes sense, the lease agreement can include an agreed upon formula for calculating what the purchase price will be at that point in time.

• There are no penalties or hidden figures.

• Your equipment isn’t locked in with a particular nail plate provider.

Want a slightly different arrangement? No problem. As a direct lease agreement with Vekta, we can negotiate with you directly to find the perfect arrangement. As Dean Kidd from Kidd Truss in Dandenong South in Melbourne commented, ‘The ability to lease was an important factor for me and Vekta made it really easy with tailored payment terms’.

The intention of this is to help companies, particularly small to medium size fabricators, invest in the technology they need to be competitive and to grow. By leasing directly, a customer that might not have the assets to purchase outright, can still get the equipment they need for their business.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

Kidd Truss was paying a fortune in overtime, yet as a relatively young company outright purchasing the required equipment was a challenge. The flexibility offered by a direct lease agreement between Vekta and Kidd Truss allowed a tailored arrangement to be agreed upon that almost immediately started to save the company thousands of dollars a week in over time. Once timber savings from optimisation, productivity improvements, benefits from printing technology, etc are taken into account as well, it is easy to see why leasing a Vekta Razer system made perfect sense for Kidd Truss.

For Kidd Truss, the advantage of the lease agreement was not the only drawcard. Dean explains: “I was interested in the Vekta Razer as my prior history with the Razers had been good. I wanted something that was proven in the market and could be trusted- if something breaks down I need it fixed and I felt that Vekta and the Razer gave me that assurance.

“The footprint was also important- it needed to fit into my factory space…

One of the main benefits was dealing with an Australian supplier and support team,” he said.

Another advantage is that Kidd Truss has been able to decommission three Spida Saws and re-purpose one for framing. Resulting in cost and productivity savings in maintenance and operating.

“My operators have all had experience with different linear saws. They really love the Razer and how easy it is to use,” Dean said.

“They’re enjoying having no overtime.

The installation was perfect, completed over two days and training started on the third. The whole Vekta team has been fantastic. David was awesome, he was helpful with the guys and took his time with helping them learn.

There has also been a few surprise elements for Dean since installation of the Vekta Razer S5.

“There are two features that have really stood out for me,” he said.

“The ability to run ‘Razer View’ on my computer. I can sit in the office and oversee what is happening in production, review statistics and if the guys get stuck I’m instantly notified and able to help. The ‘on-the-fly’ cutting (optimising random lengths of timber) is also fantastic. I’m able to put re-used timbers on the live deck and the Razer automatically works out what can be cut using them.”

Vekta leasing was originally created to help small companies automate and get the technology they need to grow and be competitive. Interestingly, we have found that a number of larger companies are seeing the advantages of being able to lease the equipment. One monthly figure that fits in nicely to the cash flow chart. When Dean Kidd was asked, ‘What advice would you give someone looking to automate their production?’ His response, ‘Just hurry up and do it, I wish I’d done it 4 years ago.’.

To find out how a lease agreement would benefit your business, email info@vekta.com.au www.timberbiz.com.au

Engineered wood

Why Canada is behind mass timber T IMBER buildings are grabbing headlines around the world, as developers race to meet tenant demands for sustainable, wellness-oriented office spaces.

But it’s Canada that is leading the charge, providing incentives for investors looking to wood.

There are more than 500 mass timber mid-rise buildings across Canada are either completed or at various stages of development, according to Natural Resources Canada including the 18-story Brock Commons, the world’s tallest building made primarily of mass timber. A newer project, 77 Wade, will be Canada’s tallest commer-

ENGINEERING

cial mass timber development at eight stories.

Wood construction has grown increasingly competitive on a cost basis in recent years, offering potential savings in a number of areas.

Mass timber buildings go up much more quickly than conventional concrete construction, translating into fewer days on site. The inherent beauty of wood also allows for savings on interior finishing costs. And one recent case study of a wood building in Seattle by the design firm DLR found a 15 percent reduction in operational costs.

“Mass timber isn’t just a fad,” says Les Medd, Senior Vice President of Project &

Development Services at global real estate services firm JLL which specialising in commercial property and investment management.

“It’s going to continue to grow in the marketplace, and in Canada especially.”

Ongoing trade conflicts with the U.S. resulted in tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports to Canada last year, raising costs of conventional construction; while the tariffs were lifted in May of 2019, a successor to NAFTA has yet to be negotiated, resulting in ongoing price uncertainty. A boom in housing construction in Toronto has further driven up the cost of concrete and steel projects.

“Overall ROI on mass tim-

ber developments are dependent on local market factors, including access to materials as well as comparative costs for conventional concrete and steel construction. In Canada, these factors are increasingly tilting towards wood,” says Medd.

Canada’s forestry industry is one of the largest in the world, and government support for wood construction materials suppliers has helped encourage investments in this market that have reduced materials costs.

Federal and provincial governments have been playing a critical role in helping the mass timber construction industry take root in Canada

with a series of policy initiatives reducing costs as well as regulatory barriers for mass timber development.

Canada’s environmental agency, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), has been funding the development of the mass timber industry through various programs since 2007. These efforts began with programs to support research and development of new materials, and in 2013 the agency also began funding commercial-scale projects through the Tall Wood Building Demonstration Initiative – which helped support construction of the 18-story Brock Commons.

Story courtesy of The Investor

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AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

13

VENEERS

■■ The new lathe in operation.

Timing right for major lathe upgrade Impressive yield: 4% more recovery, 10-15% on production

T

AKING advantage of the upswing in markets to make capital improvements that would take it to the next level, Southern Veneer determined the time was ripe to update its existing lathe.

The company acquired major components from a nearby closed plant, and proceeded to source a vendor to take on the project. The goal was to increase productivity and veneer quality, improve fiber recovery, and at the same time decrease downtime and maintenance costs.

Southern Veneer is situated at Fitzgerald, Georgia, in the heart of Southern Yellow Pine country. The major production focus for the plant is veneer that is primarily marketed to producers of LVL panels. The operation includes a log yard, lathe and green end line, vintage Coe dryers, lay-up line, 10-bin Coe dry stacker, press line, and a saw line. Capacity is in the range of 200 million board feet annually.

The operation is privately 14

owned by Kendall and Tammy Adams, and the plant is managed by Rick Payne. The Southern Veneer team is a tight one, having worked together for many years and enduring together through the up and down cycles this industry is famous for. Input for the article came from the following team members who each had a hand in the success of the project, including Robert Clark, special projects coordinator; Mike Edwards, maintenance and electrical supervisor; Barry Donnelly, green end superintendent; Amy Tharp, CFO; and Juan Medellin, sales and production manager.

Detailing the plan USNR offered the best complete package, as well as service and support.

The 20-year-old Raute lathe required significant modification to achieve the level of production and reliability the team was looking to realize.

Southern Veneer also wanted

to incorporate scanning and optimization in the mix, to improve recovery. They determined that USNR offered the best package to bring the lathe system up to the performance standard they required. The team related, “USNR offered the best complete package, as well as service and support.”

And having dealt with USNR (Coe) in the past, the Southern Veneer team knew they could count on USNR to be there for future support.

The project was completed in two phases, starting in 2013.

Along with the installation of the newly-acquired Coe Model 790 XY charger and Coe Model 1380 core drive, the line was updated with a new charger pendulum, new hydraulic power unit to operate the XY charger and infeed step feeder, BlockPLUS (XY scanning and optimization system) and ControlLogix PLC motion control for all of the lathe mechanical functions. The first phase of the project went off without a AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

hitch, and quickly got the plant up and running.

The second phase would require programming changes to the BlockPLUS system to transition it from VME to the ControlLogix PLC platform. The new system is called BlockLogix™.

The charger optimization system was started up using a temporary VME controller while the new ControlLogix PLC software code was in development back at USNR. The team knew going into the project that the second phase would require more time because of this effort. They explained, “We knew the installation of the second phase was going to take time. We also ran extra production leading up to the second phase so we didn’t lose any production during the changeover.”

platform. Tim Dezellem, USNR controls technician, masterminded this second phase. He explained, “After the first phase was completed, everything except the XY scanning was controlled via the ControlLogix PLC. Phase two eliminated the requirement for the VME processor. Positioning of the XY spindles and the block rotation are accomplished through the PLC, while the optimization is done through a Dell server PC.” He went on to say that this is USNR’s first full PLC motion controlled lathe deck, and is a significant project that required input and coordination between multiple USNR teams to integrate the redesigned system.

The BlockLogix system Once a block is loaded on the charger’s pre-centering vee, Executing the second each end is sized to determine phase The second phase involved the best geometric spin axis, designing the PLC controls sys- and the XY spindles engage the tem to transition from the VME block ends accordingly. As the controller to the ControlLogix spindles raise and rotate the www.timberbiz.com.au

VENEERS

block it is scanned every 0.05 inches along the length of the block and nominally every 1 degree of rotation. The optimizer receives the scan data and analyzes a multitude of possible lathe peeling solutions before generating the best solution.

This solution is passed to the PLC to reset the splindles’ axes before the pendulum picks up the block, to achieve maximum fiber value. Beyond maximizing veneer recovery and value, a secondary outcome is minimizing lost time in the block peeling cycle, thus improving production. The optimizer calculates the volume of veneer that can be recovered from the block. When the peel is completed the PLC communicates the point at which the peel stopped, and that information is used to generate management reports that display the optimized soluti BlockLogix: New era in veneer lathe optimization Ten years ago Coe introduced the first high density (100,000+ data points) XY charger scanning and optimization system, BlockPLUS, and it has been providing good returns for many veneer lathe customers.

Now USNR is excited to introduce its new system based on BlockPLUS. It is appropriately renamed BlockLogix™ in recognition of its transition to the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix motion control platform. And there are more significant changes to this system that make it a better package for our customers.

The new BlockLogix system features the following: • Faster, more efficient processing • Offers the best fiber recovery • Simplest to maintain, troubleshoot Fewer electronic components The BlockPLUS system was designed to work with the VME control platform, with the controller software embedded within the optimization architecture. While this configurawww.timberbiz.com.au

tion is fully capable of generating highly accurate peeling solutions, it is more cumbersome to program and troubleshoot.

BlockLogix uses ControlLogix, an industry standard in many regions. With this new system, the PLC control software is separate from the optimization architecture, making it much easier to adjust motion control functionality. And troubleshooting can usually be performed by your plant’s technical personnel.

BlockLogix optimization is based on the Windows platform, another industry standard. The redesigned and streamlined code makes it easier to adjust optimization

parameters. And together with new, more powerful computer hardware, BlockLogix can process more data faster, allowing an increased number of computations before generating a solution.

No more pac chassis!

Another new development in the system is new ethernetbased scan heads. With these sensors, the pac chassis – the computer that was required to collect the scan data and transmit it to the optimizer and PLC controller, is no longer necessary.

The user interface has also been redesigned to align with USNR’s standard user interface for optimization in solid wood applications. (See screen above) This evolving system is one more example of USNR’s con-

tinuing development and support for its range of panel products.

Adding up results We’re averaging 4% increase in recovery. We’ve been able to decrease labor costs by at least a shift each week and still achieve 10-15% more production volume.

The team is seeing impressive results now that the project has wrapped up. They said, “It’s given us more recovery, saved on labor and maintenance costs, saved material costs through increased recovery, and we’ve seen a significant decrease in mechanical downtime.”

They went on to quantify some of their comments. “We’re averaging 4% increase in recovery, and between 10 and 15% increase in production. We’ve been able to decrease labor costs by at least a shift each week and still achieve the 10-15% more production volume. Weekly maintenance cost has been dramatically reduced. This project has exceeded our expectations.”

Southern Veneer was very appreciative of the team effort displayed by everyone involved. “We helped USNR’s team on the install, and they stayed for about a week afterwards to train us on how to operate and maintain the system.” Besides those who offered input for the article, the Southern Veneer team also provided rave reviews for these team members: Dennis Crager, Jose Trejo and Juan Carlos Trejo (lathe operators), and Jeff King Contractors.

Now that the project is behind them and the lathe line is humming along the team is looking forward with anticipation to 2015. They’ve enjoyed the past couple of years of steady markets, and are hoping to expand their product mix in the near future. This project has helped to position Southern Veneer to achieve its goals.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

Clear veneer a prize winner

W

OOD has been tra-

ditionally used as lumber or has been deconstructed into elemental fibrils before being reconstructed into various material such as paper, cardboard and artificial wood-based products.

More recently, nanocellulose from wood – a nanomaterial derived from breaking wood fibers down to the nanoscale – has found additional applications such as strength enhancers in paper and biocomposites, barriers for packaging, emulsifiers, in oil separation, substrates for printing electronics, filtration, and biomedicine.

Now a team from Scion in New Zealand has produced an award-winning transparent wood film.

The novel wood is ultrastrong, flexible and 80% transparent. The process is simple – a chemical treatment removes lignin/hemicellulose from thin layers of wood that are compressed and dried.

The material becomes 20 times thinner and 25 times stronger than the original wood and mechanically stronger than most materials (strength-to-weight) such as steels, alloys and plastics.

The project was highly commended in the Wood and Fibre Products Technology and Innovation category in the 2020 Resene Timber Design Awards.

Directly derived from wood, it can be produced sustainably and is easily recyclable or biodegradable. The functionality of the material’s surface can be modified by printing or coating, with organic nanoparticles or hydrophobic molecules, for example.

Qiliang Fu, who is a wood and fibre scientist, says preserving the original orientation of the cellulose fibres gives the translucent wood strength and allows it to be flexible.

“Wood is made up of strong and flexible cellulose chains glued together with lignin and hemicelluloses,” he said.

“We wondered if we could remove lignin and hemicellulose but leave the cellulose structures intact – similar to the papermaking process. And could it be made using traditional paper making infrastructure, like a continuous roll-to-roll process, for example.

“We have actually made a wood-based electronic circuit from the translucent wood and conductive containing carbon fibres derived from lignin as part of a collaboration with my Scion colleague, Dr. Yi Chen,” says Qilang.

“This shows the potential for using wood-based flexible electronics in other areas such as wearable devices, smart packaging and sensors.

“Transparent, flexible wood film could replace petroleumbased plastics and reduce our reliance on non-degradable polymers in our daily life.”

The first samples were made with balsa wood. The team is now working on exploring the use of New Zealand-grown wood such as pine and eucalyptus, as well as alternative chemical treatments (e.g. wood bleaching and traditional pulping approaches) to make new transparent wood films.

The New Zealand Wood Resene Timber Design Awards showcases the innovative, structural and aesthetic use of timber by New Zealand architects and engineers. The event allows engineers, architects, architectural designers and builders to showcase innovation using timber.

The Wood and Fibre Products Technology and Innovation category is open to novel wood, wood fibre and derived products or for novel technology and process development, or original application of existing technology and processes.

15

TECH TALK

What’s On DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EVENTS MAY BE CANCELLED, PLEASE CHECK WITH event ORGANISERS 30 April - 2 May 2020 – POSTPONED Women in Forestry Conference Whangamata, New Zealand 20-21 May 2020 – POSTPONED Forest Industry Safety & Technology Rotorua, New Zealand 27-28 May 2020 – POSTPONED Forest Industry Safety & Technology Melbourne, Australia 15 June - 16 June 2020 – POSTPONED Timber Offsite Construction Conference (FRAME) Crown Promenade, Melbourne, Victoria.

June 2020 – POSTPONED Wood Science Course Gottstein Trust www.gottsteintrust.org 23 July 2020 Doing Timber Business in Queensland Brisbane Marriot, Queensland.

27-28 July 2020 Annual Modular & Prefabrication Construction Singapore.

19-20 August 2020 – POSTPONED WoodTECH 2020 Rotorua, New Zealand 24-27 August 2020 World Conference on Timber Engineering Santiago, Chile 25-26 August 2020 – POSTPONED WoodTECH 2020 Melbourne, Australia 22 October 2020 – CANCELLED Green Triangle Timber Industry Awards 2020 Mount Gambier, SA 3 - 6 November 2020 AUSTimber, HVP Flynn site, Latrobe City, Victoria 2021 2-5 June 2021 Elmia Wood, Jonkoping To be included in What’s On please send events listings to b.mitchell@ryanmediapl.com.au

16

Bouncy floors? Don’t just put the blame on joists A S our houses become

more modern, clients’ requirements become more challenging. Home-owners and architects are demanding more open-plan spaces for Vaimiti Rigal living areas. Commercial proStructural Engineer, jects tend to require wide open Multinail spaces stacked on two or three stories, with little furniture and equipment and few partition walls. This brings a typical issue in the upper floor: bounciness!

Often, upon arrival on site, very little furniture has been installed. Floor joists can be seen sitting on a tiny steel beam, doing a great job at transferring loads across a wide span.

The design was carried out in accordance with the latest Australian Standards, the joists and steel beams were specified in order to have the adequate capacity by the designer/pro- theory. The natural frequen- not imply that the system’s freject engineer. So why does the cy of a vibrating system is quency is above 8Hz! Should a a combination of each ele- joist have a natural frequency floor bounce? ment’s natural frequency. of 8.5Hz, its support should It is written as: What do the Australian have a natural frequency of at standards say? least 23.7Hz for the system to = + The suggested serviceability remain above 8Hz. limit state criterion for floor viBased on the above it can be Where; bration stated in the Australian fn2 is the natural frequency of seen, that further increasing Standard 1170.0 is “1 or 2mm the system; the stiffest element’s frequency deflection in the static analyfj2 is the natural frequency of will increase the system’s fresis under 1kN applied at mid- the joist; quency, but it is more efficient span”. Additional notes menfg2 is the natural frequency of to aim for balanced frequention that for floors receiving the girder, i.e. primary beam, cies. Two systems of 11.5Hz rhythmic impact, the floor sys- secondary beam, etc. natural frequency have a comtem’s natural vibration should This formula tells us a lot bined frequency of 8.1Hz. This remain above 8Hz. about the theoretical behav- balance is easier to achieve Where floor joists sit on brick iour of a floor system; its repre- than 8.5/23.7Hz. walls, the floor system is lim- sentation below may be helpited to the joists. Where floor ful.

What does experience tell joists sit on beams, although The natural frequency of the us? this is not stipulated in any system will always be lower There is more to take into acstandards, the joists and the than the lesser of the joist’s and count than theoretical considbeams make the floor system. the girder’s natural frequency. eration of the floor joists and This is because, as horizontal So no matter how stiff a floor their support: damping! Dampelements, the beams partici- joists may be, if the support be- ing is related to the amount of pate in transferring floor loads low is a tiny bouncy beam then load applied to the joists, the to the vertical elements. the whole system will bounce, nature of materials transferring the vibration, and how the and vice versa.

What is the theory?

Each element having a natu- elements get to share the vibraLet’s have a look at the ral frequency above 8Hz does tion.

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

Floors may appear to be bouncy at installation stage but may behave a lot better once all loads are in place and the flooring is completed. If you think of a trampoline, it is much harder for little Johnny to bounce on it when Grandpa and his mates are sitting in the middle! Be careful not to exceed the design load there…

Materials used for flooring play an important role too. For example, carpet flooring will mitigate bounce better than tiles. Ceilings and partition walls also play an important role in damping; they were found to add load and spread the vibration across the floor.

Finally, the use of continuous strongbacks has also been found to improve overall floor behaviour. This could be because strongbacks share the vibration among joists and hence include neighbouring joists in the damping effort.

Flooring, ceiling and strongbacks increase the overall system’s stiffness and participate in reducing the bounciness.

So, what should be done?

As always, vibration issues are best mitigated at design stage.

Using walls and stiff elements as supports is the safest option. When this is not possible, the supporting beam should be closely examined for vibration. A small increase in cost here could save a lot further down the road, in preventing the floor system from requiring extra stiffening.

When designing floor joists, span-to-depth ratios can be used, depending on the final floor use and requirements.

Finally, incorporating strongbacks and ensuring their good connection to the rest of the building will also help share the bounce and reduce its effects. www.timberbiz.com.au

ASSOCIATIONS FRAME & TRUSS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

FTMA Australia is an independent, national organisation representing fabricators of and

Tough times don’t last T OUGH times don’t last,

tough people do and this is definitely the feeling I have been getting from fabricators and suppliers within the frame and truss industry.

During these extremely uncertain times it is understandable that members have been stressed. Are we essential, what are workers entitlements, what steps do I need to take to stop the spread and what business assistance is there to help us through this stage?

These are all the questions that have flowed heavy and fast since early March and FTMA Australia has been breaking down the information ensuring fabricators are not overloaded whilst knowing exactly what they are entitled to.

As one member said, “Thank you for doing such great job for our Frame and Truss Industry.

Your updates and information are so much easier to understand and is directly what we need to understand. We certainly are in uncharted water and not really knowing where we are going at this time. Work is slowing and even quoting is slowing down. Thank you again.”

This is why Associations exist, to step up in times of need and support their members so members can go about their usual day to day business operations manufacturing products. FTMA Australia has, like many other industry groups, provided a range of information and FTMA Fact sheets on issues such as: • COVID-19 In the Workplace • Job Keeper Payments • Employee Entitlements • Financial Support • State and Territory Specific Support • Flexible Working Arrangements • Insurance and Insolvency Changes • Other resources including COVID-19 & Mental Health, Border Closures, Reduce Your Risk Tea Room Flyer and Small Business Isolation Toolkit.

Each of these topics have a range of fact sheets which are constantly being updated as things are changing by the

www.timberbiz.com.au

“We support you!”

By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA Australia

hour and day, no longer by the week or month. All of these resources have been loaded on to the FTMA Australia Website at www.ftmanews.com and loaded in a manner that allows you to explore the resources without being overwhelmed.

It was reassuring in late March to hear the Prime Minister of Australia; The Hon. Scott Morrison MP say, ‘Everyone who has a job in this economy is an essential worker. Every single job that is being done in our economy with these severe restrictions that are taking place is essential,’ This was an important message and as such fabricators are putting everything in place to ensure we can continue to work. This has included access hand sanitiser via their nail plate companies which FTMA coordinated with Krystal Shield and putting in place social distancing, additional cleaning and split shifts where possible.

To say the industry was blindsided when QBE announced on Monday 30th March that they were cutting Trade Credit limits within the construction industry to 25% of limits or zero on over 9000 different accounts is an understatement.

FTMA Australia knew this would result in business grinding to a halt as businesses, especially during this Pandemic with the introduction of new Insolvency Laws which means no directors will be liable for debts over the past six months.

FTMA Australia immediately got on to the issue, releasing a joint media release with TABMA and then by expanding our collaboration with MGA TMA and TTIA to send a letter to QBE insisting the overturn their poor decision.

QBE responded with the General Manager of their Trade Credit department contacting FTMA to say they had heard

our concerns loud and clear and that as a result they would reinstate 50% of limits to over 7000 of those accounts affected. This would allow fabricators to continue to trade whilst they could still appeal the cuts to QBE. Let’s be clear, QBE’s actions were un-Australian and were anti-business and worked against everything the National Cabinet had been trying to do to save lives and save livelihoods.

FTMA Australia is pleased that QBE reversed their decision by reinstating 50% of limits, however, believe this has not gone far enough and that all clients with impeccable trading records and a long history with QBE should have 100% of their trade credit limits reinstated.

I want to give a special thank you to Jaqi Rota of Austbrokers Trade Credit for her amazing support to FTMA members throughout this uncertain time. I would also like to thank Brian Beecroft (TTIA), Ann Sanfey (MGA TMA) and David Little (TABMA) for their outstanding collaboration throughout this issue and we also thank Debra Bourke of MacArthur Frames for her passionate fight on behalf of the whole industry in overturning these trade credit limits.

I’d like to finish with the following quote as we have a long road in front of us with COVID-19 and I want to ensure you all that FTMA Australia will continue to keep you informed and we have no doubt, together we will get through this.

Coming together is a beginning Staying together is progress Working together is success AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

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 GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS COMBi iFT

L I F T I N G I N N O VAT I O N

Australasia

For a full list of the conditions of membership and a downloadable application form visit: www.ftmanews.com 17

ASSOCIATIONS

Stretch your high quality woods further with timber veneers T he word ‘veneer’ is

sometimes used disparagingly. When people behave badly, we talk about the ‘thin veneer of civilisation’, as if there is something bad hidden underneath. But applying timber veneers to a substrate of cheaper blockboard, particleboard or MDF is not to hide anything.

The wood that produces the veneer can be costly, but slicing it into thin veneers and applying it to a cheaper substrate makes the finished product economical – and timber veneers are a means of using high quality, expensive, and sometimes relatively rare woods in an environmentally responsible way.

It has been calculated that from an oak log 1 cubic metre in size, 750 square metres of usable veneer are produced when sliced into 0.7 mm thick leaves. However, if that log were cut into 25 mm thick boards for solid wood furniture, only approx. 30 square metres of usable boards would be produced, according to the same source.

By Peter Llewellyn Technical Representative, Timber Veneer Association of Australia

can even be fitted to curved surfaces by vacuum pressing. The simplest type of vacuum press uses a sealable bag, and some form of vacuum pump.

By placing materials in the bag, sealing it and then sucking out most of the air, a pressure differential is created between the reduced pressure inside the bag

Furthermore, the specifier’s choice of timber species is expanded exponentially with veneers. Species which are difficult or impossible to obtain in solid form can be found in veneer form. The websites of TVAA’s veneer supplier members show the wide range available.

Veneers are so versatile they

The association for furnishing, joinery cabinetmakeing, kitchen and bathroom industries

Join ACFA to: • reduce risks to your business • save time and money Members Benefits:

• 24/7 access to business resources via ACFA website - acfa.net.au • unlimited advice on industry awards* • access to industry specific policies, checklists and fact sheets* • Discounted rates for NSW, VIC, SA Building Contracts *subject to membership category

Join online today at www.acfa.net.au

For further information 1300 342 248 or membership@acfa.net.au

18

veneer including: panel terminology, methods of assembling and matching, substrates, a finishes guide and more.

If the answer can’t be found on the TVAA website the Association has a free information line on 1300 303 982, or inquiries can be sent in by email to info@timberveneer.asn.au.

Time to take stock in what you have

BY iNdUSTRY FOR iNdUSTRY

PROTECT

and the atmosphere on the outside. It is this pressure differential that is used in vacuum pressing.

For technical help, TVAA’s website has a range of helpful publications and data sheets. They can be accessed here: https:// timberveneer.asn.au. The ‘How to Specify’ section includes everything about specifying timber

PROmOTE

PROvidE

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the Australian economy. The ACFA has seen a flood of calls from members concerned with cash flow, staffing, and the future. The federal government has implemented some good measures so to assist businesses through this difficult time. A list of government initiatives can be found on the ACFA website: https://www.acfa. net.au/news-categories/covid-19.

It might be beneficial to invest some time into your business.

When was the last time you analysed your profit and loss statement? Have you completed a cash-flow statement? Have you analysed and followed up your debtors? This is a source of cash, and it is better in your bank account than in theirs. When was the last time you read your business plan? It is time to re-establish those daily/weekly/monthly habits and monitor your business.

Work health and safety toolbox talk? Are your safety systems up to date and in place? I have walked through (pre-COVID-19) many cutting edge showrooms, and sadly, I walk into many half-done showrooms as well. What message

AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

Dean Brackell CEO Australian Cabinet and furniture association

does this send to your customers?

When was the last time you looked at your market plan or marketing strategy? Is your website current and have up to date information?

Customer testimonials? Have you followed up every lead over the past few weeks? When was the last time you walked through your factory with the rose-coloured glasses off? By that I mean we get used to what we see day in and day out. What stock is lying around? When was the last time your factory was cleaned up?

Instead of a spring clean, how about daily clean? Are your internal machine maintenance plans in place? I think you would agree that many of the points raised here are business processes and systems that can be easily implemented. And finally, your staff are looking to you lead them through this: so, do so. www.timberbiz.com.au

ASSOCIATIONS

What an employer can do under COVID-19 jobkeeper changes O

N 31 March, in a general circular to TTIA Members, we provided details of the Federal Government’s proposed wage subsidy program for employers, known as the JobKeeper Payment. This is a temporary scheme open to businesses and not-forprofit organisations in which the Government has advised it will provide $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee for up to six months.

On 8 April 2020, (see TTIA general circular dated 9 April), the JobKeeper legislation, including amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) were passed by the Federal Parliament. The FW Act amendments introduce a new Part 6-4C Coronavirus economic response operating from the date of assent until 28 September 2020 enabling eligible employers to take certain authorised measures to protect their viability through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the new Coronavirus Economic Response provisions, eligible employers will have the ability to: 1. Issue JobKeeper enabling directions, including to: • direct an employee to work reduced days/hours (‘Jobkeeper enabling stand down’); • direct an employee to work different duties; • direct an employee to work from a different location.

2. Request an employee to agree to changed working days/hours (and an employee must not unreasonably refuse).

3. Request an employee to agree to taking paid annual leave without reducing balance to less than 2 weeks (and employee must not unreasonably refuse).

4. Reach agreement with an employee to take twice as much annual leave at half pay.

Who is an eligible employer? In order to be an eligible employer, the employer must: a. qualify for the JobKeeper scheme at the time that the direction/agreement is made; and b. become entitled to JobKeeper payments for the employee during the relevant period of the direction/agreement (or for periods, when considered together, consist of or include the period of the direction/agreement).

While guidance about the JobKeeper scheme and payment eligibility has been published by Treasury, the binding eligibility rules are still yet to be published.

Obligations on all employers receiving JobKeeper payments for an employee www.timberbiz.com.au

is safe, including having regard to the nature and spread of COVID-19; • The employee’s base rate of pay (calculated on an hourly basis) is not reduced as a result of the direction; • The employee receives the minimum payment guarantee.

Brian Beecroft Chief Executive Officer TTIA

Employers receiving JobKeeper payments for an employee must meet: 1. “Wage condition” – by ensuring the employee receives at least $1,500 in the fortnight (or any other amount specified in the rules, yet to be published) 2. “Minimum payment guarantee” – by ensuring the employee receives all amounts payable for work actually performed (including any applicable loadings, penalties, allowances, etc.), or the fortnightly JobKeeper payment payable to the employer for the employee ($1,500), whichever is the higher.

JOBKEEPER ENABLING DIRECTIONS

What makes a ‘JobKeeper enabling direction’ different from other employer directions?

Employer directions are usually subject to the terms of any applicable award/enterprise agreement or the employment contract.

‘JobKeeper enabling directions’ can be issued despite any contrary/ contradictory provision in a modern award, enterprise agreement or employment contract. Employees also have a statutory obligation under the FW Act to comply with a JobKeeper enabling direction which applies to them.

A JobKeeper enabling direction will only have effect until 28 September 2020, after which time the relevant modern award/enterprise agreement/employment contract provisions will prevail.

Overriding conditions for issuing a ‘JobKeeper enabling direction’

Jobkeeper enabling directions are only authorised under the FW Act if all of the following conditions are met: 1. The direction is made after the date of assent – Assent has not yet occurred but expect this will be in the coming days.

2. The direction is made by an eligible employer.

3. The direction meets the ‘reasonableness’ test — i.e. the direction will not apply if it is unreasonable in all the circumstances (including taking into account any carer responsibilities of the employee).

4. Consultation requirements are met – including that the employer has: a. Provided written notice of the intention to give a JobKeeper enabling direction at least 3 days before the direction is given (or a lesser period if the employee genuinely agrees). b. Consulted with the employee (or the employee’s representative) – and kept a written record of the consultation.

5. The direction is issued in writing – regulations may be made also requiring that the written direction is made in a prescribed form.

6. The employer meets the ‘wage condition’ and the ‘minimum payment guarantee’ for the employee.

7. Additional criteria for the specific JobKeeper enabling direction are met (see below).

What JobKeeper enabling directions can be issued?

There are three types of JobKeeper enabling directions, outlined below.

1. Direction to work reduced days/hours (‘JobKeeper enabling stand down’)

During a period of JobKeeper enabled stand down, an employee’s hours can be reduced to nil.

An eligible employer can direct that, for a period, an employee is on a “JobKeeper enabling stand down period” and will: • Not work on a day or days which the employee would usually work; or • Work for a lesser period than the period which the employee would ordinarily work on a particular day or days; or • Work a reduced number of hours (compared with the employee’s ordinary hours of work.

An eligible employer may only make this direction if: • The employee cannot be usefully employed for their normal days or hours because of changes to business attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic or government initiatives to slow the transmission of COVID-19; • Implementation of the direction AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2020

Are employers required to make top-up payments?

The payment obligations do not require an employer to maintain the employee’s usual weekly/monthly/ annual rates of pay where the employee is working reduced days/ hours. The minimum payment guarantee, however, requires that the employee receives at least the amount payable for the work actually performed during the period, or the $1,500 per fortnight wage condition, whichever is higher.

Leave accrual

Leave continues to accrue during the period as if the direction had not been given.

Employee requests for secondary employment, training, etc.

Where a JobKeeper enabling stand down applies, the employee may request to engage in reasonable secondary employment, request training or request professional development. Where an employee makes one of these requests, the employer must consider the request and must not unreasonably refuse it. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in penalties.

2. Direction to work different duties

An eligible employer can issue a direction for an employee to perform any duties that are within the employee’s skill and competency for a specified period, as long as: • The employer has a reasonable belief (based on information before it) that the direction is necessary to continue the employment of one or more employees ; • The duties are safe, having regard to the nature and spread of COVID-19; and • The employee has any required licences or qualifications to perform the duties; and • The duties are reasonably within the employer’s business operations; and • The employee’s base rate of pay (calculated on an hourly basis) is not reduced as a result of the direction; • If the work performed by the employee attracts a higher base rate of pay, the employee is entitled to the higher base rate of pay for work performed; • The employee receives the Minimum Payment Guarantee.

3. Direction to work at a different location

An eligible employer can issue a direction for an employee to work at a place other than their normal place of work for a specified period, as long as: • The employer has a reasonable belief (based on information before it) that the direction is necessary to continue the employment of one or more employees.

• The place is suitable for the employee’s duties.

• It doesn’t require the employee to travel an unreasonable distance.

• Performance of work at the place is safe, having regard to the nature and spread of COVID-19.

• Performance of work at the place is reasonably within the scope of the employer’s business operations.

REQUESTING AN EMPLOYEE TO AGREE TO CHANGED WORKING DAYS/HOURS

An eligible employer can request that an employee agrees, in writing, to duties being performed on different days, or at different times (compared with the employee’s ordinary days or times) for a specified period of time, and the employee must not unreasonably refuse the request, as long as the following conditions are met: Where the above criteria are met, the agreed changes to days and hours are authorised under the FW Act and can apply notwithstanding contrary provisions in an award/ enterprise agreement or employment contract.

REQUESTING AN EMPLOYEE TAKE PAID ANNUAL LEAVE

An eligible employer can request that an employee agrees to take paid annual leave, and the employee must not unreasonably refuse the request, as long as complying with the request will not result in the employee having a balance of less than 2 weeks.

AGREEMENTS TO TAKE TWICE AS MUCH ANNUAL LEAVE AT HALF PAY

An eligible employer and employee can agree for the employee to take twice as much annual leave at half the employee’s rate of pay, for a period.

If Members need further information or assistance, please call the TTIA Employers’ Hotline on (02) 9264 0011.

If you are not a Member, can I suggest you call and discuss membership options.

19

STACKED WITH PRECISION

Vekta‘s Interior and Exterior StakPros are designed to increase your production and improve safety.

Why have many hands lifting trusses when one operator can do the job by using only a remote control!

Vekta‘s Interior StakPro is designed to suit your truss jig system. With heavy duty caster wheels and a guided rail mount you can put the StakPro where you need it! The Exterior StakPro has adjustable feet allowing the machine to adapt to your site and manufacturing processes.

With the PRESS of a button the StakPro will LIFT the finished truss out of the jig and STACK it on a trolley. Clever!

info@vekta.com.au I vekta.com.au