Timber and Wood Products
Azotek enhances LVL The durability and efficacy of NelsonPine LVL (laminated veneer lumber) has been enhanced by an innovative glue line treatment, called Azotek. Developed by Zelam in conjunction with Nelson Pine Industries Ltd, this new generation of timber treatments is more environmentally friendly than traditional treatments, with no smell, colour, or heavy metals which could pollute the environment or corrode metal fasteners. Andy Van Houtte, Nelson Pine Industries’ Australasian sales engineer says another of the unique things about Azotek is that it is incorporated into the manufacturing process rather than being applied to the LVL product post manufacture. “This provides full penetration protection, gives the product far greater stability, and produces a tighter tolerance, which is very important in frame and truss fabrication processes.” Timber treatments have had a bad rap in the past, but this one “ticks all the boxes”, particularly given it is a more natural product, that is benign to humans, he says. Since it was released to the market two years ago there has been a “very good uptake” of Azotek treated NelsonPine LVL which is manufactured from timber sourced in 100 percent renewable plantations. “The strength and durability of the product has made it particularly popular in the South Island where there issues with snow loads and seismic activity.” Andy says the straighter frames produced in LVL make it a high performance alternative to solid timber, increasing flexibility for architects and designers of residential homes.
“LVL produces very straight walls that assist with the construction process and provide an opportunity for architects to include special features or high-spec finishes in the homes.” Another advantage of the product is that it can be manufactured in long continuous lengths, which also increases productivity through the fabrication process. “This product has many advantages and is a great option for residential projects of any size and scale,” says Van Houtte. Nelson Pine has also manufactured LVL for a number of high profile commercial projects, such as the new Kaikoura District Council offices. “This is one of the first buildings to feature a unique combination of differnet timber technologies, including LVL post and beam, Potius floor and roof panels, and cross laminated timber/LVL shear walls.” Among the many other commercial projects using NelsonPine LVL are Tait Communication’s head office in Christchurch which is one of the largest timber buildings in the Southern Hemisphere; the Waitomo Caves visitor entrance area; College of Creative Arts in Wellington, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology building in Nelson; and New South Wales Netball Centre in Australia which hosted the recent Netball World Championships. Nelson Pine commissioned its LVL plant in 2002, and has manufactured GoldenEdge MDF since 1986. “We believe the addition of the Azotek glue line treatment will further enhance the reputation of NelsonPine LVL as a leading construction material for New Zealand building conditions.”
Northland pine excels Radiata pine trees grown in Northland are scientifically proven to produce the strongest, stiffest and densest pine timber in New Zealand - characteristics being harnessed by Northpine Ltd. The award-winning Waipu sawmill processes radiata pine sourced from sustainablymanaged Northland forests to produce top quality structural timber components for house framing; while from its distribution yard in Silverdale, Northpine produces its specialist Northbeam range of structural beams and posts, including large-dimension beams and long-length and H5 treated timber. These aesthetically pleasing, high-value products are generally preferred for use in exposed areas where the natural warmth and beauty of solid wood provides visual impact and unique character to a structure. With Northbeam products, framing can be turned into a truly distinctive feature with exposed timber beams and joists. The range also provides flexibility and the opportunity to create eye-catching designs for outdoor features such as decks, gazebos or pergolas. Strength is another key characteristic of the Northbeam range, which is processed from kiln-dried timber carefully selected to ensure it is structurally strong and dimensionally stable. The result is high quality timber with structural performance that is competitive with steel or engineered wood products. In addition to the large dimension or unusual sized products regularly processed under its Northbeam range, Northpine will
also consider making one-off production runs for clients at its Waipu sawmill. The complete range of standard structural components for house framing is also manufactured at the Waipu sawmill. These components, all made from Northland pine, provide the basis of what has become a growing, locally-based value added industry. The quality of all Northpine products is rigorously tested, with structural timber graded in process and samples placed under stress to ensure each batch of timber meets New Zealand Standard requirements. This testing regime is also independently verified by a third party accreditor Graderight. Northpine products are sold throughout Auckland and Northland via independent building merchants, with a limited product range sold in Australia via wholesalers. Northpine Ltd takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and works hard to minimise any adverse impact of its operations on the environment. It is also an enthusiastic supporter of its local community through a range of sponsorships and initiatives. The firm is constantly looking to identify new products and systems that meet the needs of its customers and provide them with high-value solutions. With a steady stream of maturing, structurally superior pine logs available in Northland for the foreseeable future, Northpine’s vision of being a sustainable, specialist sawmill is coming to fruition.
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