ASSOCIATION NEWS
December 2014 – 16
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It’s important to know how each section of the industry works By Kersten Gentle Executive Officer FTMA Australia
I
N AUGUST this year ForestWorks held an Innovation Skills Forum for members of FTMA Australia, Timber Merchants Association and Victorian Association of Forest Industries.At the meeting a discussion between fabricators and VicForests staff resulted in a field trip for the board to the Hardwood Forests of Victoria’s Central Highlands and a mill tour at Reid Bros Sawmill. In conjunction with this event the board came together at the RACV Club in Healesville for a 5 ½ hour board meeting focusing on the future of the association and concluded the evening with a presentation by VicForests on the management of Victoria’s hardwood forests. The quote of the night for me, was when told that Mountain Ash trees grow upwards of 65 metres, someone asked if that’s how tall they grow then why can’t we get anything greater than a 6 metre length?.It was a fantastic evening with a small group allowing plenty of discussions on what hardwood products best suit the needs of the prefabrication sector. VicForests accompanied the board members to a tour of the Toolangi State Forest where the first stop was a harvesting coupe. There is no doubt a harvesting coupe is less than attractive, however, by the time the board members walked the coupe, understanding the strict management tools put in place and then visited a regeneration area showing how magnificently the forest is regenerated the board was impressed with the science that goes in to sustainably managing the native hardwood forests. From the forest the group travelled to Yarra Junction to visit Reid Bros Sawmill where they saw the beautiful Ash timber. Viewing the log yard, to the logs being sawn and the kilns and finally the final product and the glulam process to maximise the use of all the timber demonstrated the excellence in the milling sector and also the difficulty they go through. By the time the logs are received at the mill they need to be paid for within 30 days, however, the sawmiller has to process the logs, air dry the timber, kiln dry the timber, re-process the timber and after 18 months to two years they finally get a return on their dollar.Wow, that is what you call hard business. Too often across the timber supply chain there is a lack of
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n ( L-R). Scott Arnold (VicForests), Michael Read (Keith Timber & Hardware), Glenn Lawrenson (McCormack Hardwood Sales), Clive Martella (MB Prefab Framing), Peter Reilly (Dindas Australia), Phil McCormack (McCormack Hardwood Sales), Shelena Serrano (Vekta Automation), Raymond Gurney (Prefab Technology), Phil Ladson (Multinail), John Oulton (Pine Design Truss & Timber) and Bruce McTavish (VicForests).
understanding of how each sector works and how each sector affects another, so thanks to ForestWorks for bringing us together, as it was of great value to the board to better understand the hardwood sector. A special thank you to Rowan Reid of Reid Bros Sawmill, Scott Arnold and Bruce McTavish of VicForests, Sue and Robyn McKinnell of Dindi Sawmills, Brett Bould and Daniel Wright of Australian Sustainable Hardwoods for joining the FTMA Australia Board on this educational tour. It’s hard to believe another year has gone.For me it’s a year I look forward to seeing the end of as it has been a difficult one health wise.I would like to take this opportunity in wishing all sectors of the Timber Industry a Merry Christmas. To all the fabricators, the year has been a better one than expected for most and hopefully 2015 will see business continue to improve and stability delivered to the sector.I wish all Fabricators and their staff a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and Happy New Year. I hope you have time to relax with family and friends and enjoy your holidays.Stay safe and I look forward to continuing to work with the industry in 2015.
n VicForests Bruce McTavish explains the science behind the harvesting of a coupe.
n ( L-R) FTMA Board Members John Oulton (Pine Design Truss & Timber), Phil Ladson (Multinail) and Peter Reilly (Dindas Australia).
n Reid Bros Director, Rowan Reid explains the quality Ash products.