Australian timber industry news

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) will host the largest ever American Hardwood Pavilion at INDIAWOOD, which is due to run from February 22 – 26, 2024 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), in Bengaluru, India. Source: Timberbiz A record year of exports to India in 2023 coupled with India’s growing appetite for temperate hardwoods has bolstered US hardwood exporters to become increasingly active in India. The event will see the participation of 14 exporters under the banner of the American Hardwood Pavilion. The American Hardwood Pavilion, which will occupy 224 square meters of space at the show, will serve to highlight the variety of American hardwood species while also throwing the spotlight on the benefits of the value-added processes undertaken to supply such a high quality and high yielding kiln-dried raw material. Participating companies include Baillie Lumber, Banks Hardwoods, Bingaman & Son Lumber, Cascade Hardwood, Classic American Hardwoods, Crown Hardwood Co., Hartzell Hardwoods, Midwest Hardwood Corporation, Midwest Timber Exports, Missouri Walnut, Ron Jones Hardwood, Turman Group, Wheeland Lumber, and WM Cramer Lumber. “Demand for North American hardwood lumber has been increasing in recent years, with 2023 looking set to be another record year for US hardwood lumber exports to India. Data provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the first 11 months of 2023 revealed that US hardwood exports to India were valued at US$6.54 million, equating to a volume of 10,905 cubic meters,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. “We look forward to our participation at INDIAWOOD, which is a must-attend event for the region’s timber trade and woodworking sector. Now in its thirteenth year, the show allows us the opportunity to share the comparative benefits of US hardwoods, in a market that offers significant and long-term growth potential.” According to AHEC, while the export-focused furniture and handicraft manufacturers (concentrated in Rajasthan) represent the greatest current market opportunity for US hardwood lumber in India, the long-term target market will be domestic consumers. Currently, this market is primarily serviced by smaller furniture, joinery and flooring manufacturers, who offer bespoke solutions and who are not export-focused. The size of the domestic furniture market cannot be understated. According to Mordor Intelligence, it is estimated at US$15.79 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach US$26.85 billion by 2028, growing at an annual rate of over 11% during the forecast period. In recent years, the market has expanded beyond chairs and tables to include designed interiors, wardrobes and upholstered furniture sets. Escalating demand for customization is another major growth-inducing factor, as consumers are seeking personalized, functional, and design-centric furniture. The heightened focus on sustainability and eco-friendly furniture made from renewable or recycled materials has also catalyzed market growth, while several favourable government initiatives, such as the ‘Make in India’ campaign, that encourage domestic manufacturing and enhance the availability of quality furniture at affordable prices are contributing to market growth.

For decades, Nokian Tyres Noktop 21’s traction, self-cleaning properties and versatility on challenging surfaces has made it a trusted go-to tread for commercial use. From the beginning of 2024, the classic tread gets new features while keeping its first-class properties. Source: Timberbiz From February 2024, Noktop 21 gets a new look and new features. While the time-proven rubber compound, tread pattern and two-layer cap/base structure remain, it now has broader width range of 240–280 mm, added stud holes for every width, clear product markings for identification as well as 3PMSF marking as proof of safe winter use. “By creating new moulds and adding some improvements we gave the classic tread a fresh start,” Teppo Siltanen, Product Manager at Nokian Heavy Tyres said. “With the new 280 mm width, the Noktop 21 range covers the most popular tyre sizes very well.” Over the years, the Noktop 21 drive tread has become something of a legend in the transport industry. Its good self-cleaning properties and remarkable traction have earned the trust of people working on wintry roads. Its tread pattern has also been copied by many other manufacturers. “Earlier versions of the Noktop 21 tread had a distinctive white stripe, which we later had to leave out for manufacturing reasons,” Teppo Siltanen said. “Now, the renewed Noktop 21 has clear markings with model number, country of origin and winter symbols to prove it is the real deal. “Retreading makes sense both economically and for the environment,” Mr Siltanen said. “For all-season general use, you cannot beat the two-layer cap/base structure of the original Noktop 21. “The tread profile changes over the winter to become suitable for summer use.”

The Building Simplexity Laboratory (BSL), at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has showcased the innovative use of evolutionary algorithms in simplifying non-standard, lightweight catenary wood structures through their design-build project, the KATENARA Pavilion. Source: Timberbiz The Pavilion, built in collaboration with NYCU Graduate Institute of Architecture, at Dongshi Forestry Cultural Park, Taichung City, Taiwan, in 2023, features a striking double-curved wooden roof surface, composed of two glulam ring beams and 10 near-catenary-shaped glulam beams, anchored by tension cables. The Project highlights the development of advanced computational methods to reduce construction complexity while emphasising the use of timber as a sustainable, low-carbon construction material. An exhibition featuring drawings, prototypes, and onsite documentation of the Project – ‘KATENARA: Advanced Computational Methods for Low-Tech Timber Construction’ held in Hong Kong showcases the technique. The ‘KATENARA’ exhibition also presents a series of pilot studies and historical precedents to reveal the construction complexities and opportunities inherent in catenary glulam roof systems. Architects and engineers have long optimised geometry and cost to create structurally sound and visually appealing spaces. Examples include the JS Dorton Arena (Matthew Nowicki, USA, 1952), the David S Ingalls Skating Rink (Eero Saarinen, New Haven, USA, 1958) and the Yoyogi National Stadium (Kenzo Tange, Tokyo, Japan, 1964), all using lightweight suspended steel cables or members as their structural roof system, utilising materials such as concrete, steel, and timber. Recently, glue-laminated (glulam) timber has gained traction as an eco-friendly option for large-scale roof structures. However, complex glulam geometries are often limited by expensive bespoke moulds. To overcome this challenge, researchers at BSL developed evolutionary algorithms to reduce moulds, lowering costs and improving accessibility. In the Project, parametric engineering software optimised the catenary beams’ number and spacing, while the design was further optimised for low-tech timber construction settings. Japanese Cedar wood, chosen for sustainability and strength, was the primary material used. Minimising construction costs while maintaining architectural integrity was a primary challenge. The algorithms allowed the pre-fabrication of all curved glulam elements using a single jig, accounting for 19% of the total timber works cost, highlighting the impact of reducing the number of jigs on a project’s budget. Strategically controlled parametric detailing simplified the connection between the roof floor and suspended beams, using steel connection details to facilitate easy fabrication and minimise the complexity of on-site installation. The on-site assembly of KATENARA’s main structure was completed within just three hours. “The KATENARA Pavilion confirms the validity of the concept and identifies opportunities for future improvements in the design and construction of similar structures. As the first built example of optimised suspended glulam roof structures for low-tech timber construction contexts, KATENARA lays the foundation for more inventive building designs, particularly in developing construction contexts where cost-effective and sustainable solutions are vital,” said Professor Kristof Crolla, Founding Director of BSL. “The Project showcases how advanced computational methods and evolutionary algorithms can transform architectural design and construction, enabling architects and engineers to create visually striking, structurally efficient, and environmentally sustainable buildings that push global construction boundaries.”

For nearly 50 years, Hawke’s Bay residents in New Zealand have been able to locate Pan Pac’s mill site by the billowing steam issuing from its boilers, pulpmill and kilns at Whirinaki. Source: Timberbiz The boiler steam comes from bark and sawdust byproducts of the pulp and lumber operations and woody offcuts that have been salvaged from forest operations and converted into biofuel. This energy provides all of the energy required for the pulp and lumber drying and around 12% of the mill’s electricity needs. However, almost a year ago, Cyclone Gabrielle flooded the site and put the whole site out of action. Pan Pac suffered NZ$300 million in damage to its business and forests from the cyclone, and the company and its staff have been working tirelessly to repair and rebuild ever since. Seeing the steam rising again from the Boiler 1 stack is a welcome sign that full operation is on the horizon, says Tony Clifford, Managing Director, Pan Pac Forest Products. “Our Lumber operations began partial operations last week and our pulp mill will be operational in March,” Mr Clifford said. “We can’t wait to get back to business; it’s been a long road back to recovery, but we are grateful to all our staff, contractors, customers, suppliers and our shareholder for sticking with us throughout this process.”

A Kilsyth-based timber processor in Victoria has been fined $20,000 without conviction after an inspection by EPA Victoria found thousands of cubic metres of illegally stored industrial waste on the site. Source: Star Mail Lilydale Planet Safe Timber Pty Ltd, trading as CCA Pine, entered a plea of guilty in Ringwood Magistrates Court, in response to EPA charges of accepting industrial waste without a licence. EPA officers inspected the company’s Liverpool Road premises in December 2021 and found thousands of cubic metres of construction and demolition waste. They took samples of material from one of the stockpiles, and lab tests revealed it contained three different types of asbestos. The largest of the stockpiles was U-shaped and measured approximately 80 metres along its base, and the other stockpiles were approximately 10 and 20 metres long. EPA issued the company with an Environmental Action Notice (EAN), requiring it to remove the industrial waste to a properly licensed facility for safe disposal. Follow up inspections showed the waste was being removed and had all been cleared by April 2022. The Ringwood Magistrates Court heard that more than 8,000m3 of waste was removed, and that the cost of the clean-up was more than $1.6 million.

There were just 51,570 loans issued in 2023 for the construction or purchase of a new home, less than half the number of loans issued just two years earlier in 2021. Source: Timberbiz The ABS released the Lending to Households and Businesses data for December 2023 on Friday, which provides statistics on housing finance commitments. “The ABS has been collecting data on lending for new homes since 2002, and today’s data shows the lowest number of these loans being issued on record,” HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt said “The steepest RBA rate hiking cycle in a generation has compounded the elevated costs of home building, seeing potential home buyers squeezed out of the market and fewer new homes commencing construction.” This lack of new work meant the pipeline of new housing supply approaching completion was now shrinking rapidly. “At this rate, Australia will not commence enough housing to meet National Cabinet’s target, falling well short of the 1.2 million new homes they want to see built in the next five years,” Mr Devitt said. The latest ABS data reinforced the need for immediate action by Governments to improve planning regimes, reform taxes on housing, release more shovel ready land, reduce red tape, and address skilled worker shortages. “These are some of the key measures needed to increase the construction of new homes and support the industry to build more of these much-needed homes,” Mr Devitt said. “At a time of record population growth and acute shortages of rental accommodation, a dwindling supply of new homes threatens to worsen Australia’s housing crisis. In original terms, the total number of loans issued for the construction or purchase of new homes in 2023 declined in all jurisdictions compared to the previous year, led by the Australian Capital Territory (-51.4%) and followed by the Northern Territory (-33.5%), Tasmania (-31.0%), New South Wales (-30.9%), South Australia (-27.1%), Victoria (-26.2%), Queensland (-21.8%) and Western Australia (-15.6%).

Scion’s leading biomaterials, 3D printing, packaging, and machine-learning knowledge is being called on as part of a NZ$13.25m research project funded in partnership with the European Union. Source: Timberbiz The EU’s key research and innovation funding program, Horizon Europe, awarded the funds to a four-year project led by INRAE, France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment. The project, starting in May, bring together 15 partners from seven countries. Scion will play a central role in the project and contribute approximately NZ$3m of research to the project. The research program, UPWEARS, aims to develop a sustainable e-textile (electrically conductive textile) using cork, hemp, flax and paper by products, and develop ways to recycle and reuse textile waste. The overall aim is to contribute to a sustainable economy by unlocking the potential of bio-based and hybrid fabrics. To demonstrate the e-textile, the team will create high-performance clothing for biking that is abrasion and tear-resistant, waterproof or repellant, stretchable, and breathable. The product will also be biodegradable, and this will be tested in Scion’s biodegradation facility in Rotorua. Scion’s expertise in sustainable electronics will be used to create flexible sensors from biomaterials for integration into the clothing, sending temperature and humidity data to a user’s device. Scion will lead in turning recovered textile waste into filament or pellets for 3D printing meaning the clothing will be recyclable and a zero-waste product. Scion will also contribute to using AI/machine learning to optimise the production process reducing waste and increasing zero-defect products. Overall, the project will help with the transition to a modern textile fabrication process using natural fibres and reducing waste during and post-production. According to the EU, the textiles industry is responsible for water pollution through things like dyeing and laundering, and responsible for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions. End-of-life waste is a huge problem and tackling textile waste goes towards achieving a circular economy. New Zealand signed an association with Horizon Europe in February last year allowing it to access Horizon Europe funding. Scientists Dr Yi Chen and Dr Marie Joo Le Guen will be leading Scion’s science team. Chen says involvement in the bid came after the establishment of the International Associated Lab for biobased products, LIA BIOMATA, in 2023 forming a collaborative partnership between Scion and INRAE and providing an ideal framework for the development of larger partnerships. “Scion has been developing sustainable biosensors and using AI for forestry and packaging applications, and this technology translates to a variety of applications such as wearable devices. It is fantastic that our capability is recognised globally by world-leading partners. This success is a tangible outcome of the collaborative efforts over the past year with INRAE and the strong connections established through being an International Associated Lab.” While Horizon Europe funding is mostly for projects that will further the EU on the world stage, Chen says it also benefits New Zealand by attracting leading researchers and state of the art technology and raising our profile with future international collaborators. Some of the project’s goals include substituting at least 50% of synthetic materials and using natural fibres from 100% local EU suppliers. The production process aims to reduce water and chemical use and carbon footprint. Scientists will develop bio-bleaching techniques, use cork coating for stability and antibacterial properties, flax for flexibility and hemp for mechanical resistance. Dr Alec Foster, Scion’s Bioproducts and Packaging Portfolio lead says work like this helps progress a circular bioeconomy and being involved in such a globally significant project is a privilege for Scion. “To be one of the first in New Zealand to be a Horizon partner, and to also play such a central role in a substantial consortium, is a fantastic achievement and exemplifies the tremendous opportunity Horizon Europe presents for our country. “The cross-fertilization of ideas and knowledge with some of the world’s foremost experts in the field is the best way to achieve a circular bioeconomy and make a global impact.” He says being part of such transformative project with European partners “underscores Scion’s commitment to making a significant and positive difference in the world with new technologies”. MBIE and Horizon Europe will support Scion’s involvement in the project. The other organisations involved include research organisations, universities and textiles companies from France, Sweden, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and the United Kingdom covering the technical e-textile value chain, from fibre to prototype manufacturing and testing, as well as stakeholder engagement and market analysis.

An Apprentice and Trainee Safety Committee has been set up by the South Australian Government with apprenticeship safety a key area of focus for 2024. Source: Timberbiz The Department for Education, in partnership with the Skills Commissioner spoke to more than 1700 employers to educate them on their responsibilities in relation to their apprentices and trainees, an increase of 3% on the previous year. They also investigated 36 employers for non-compliance with their obligations, an increase of 29 from the previous year and imposed 18 sanctions upon non-compliant employers, an increase of 11 from the previous year. The main types of non-compliances investigated in 2023 include: Failures to provide adequate and/or appropriate supervision, including issues associated with bullying and harassment. Failures to release apprentices for training or to adequately progress them in their training, including not letting them attend off-job training and/or not providing on-job requirements. Failure to provide full scope of work to enable the apprentice to achieve competency across all aspects of the trade or vocation, including issues with licensing. The most common regulatory response is applying conditions to an employer’s registration. Common conditions include requirements for the employer to provide evidence of appropriate supervision and/or training, to limit employers from taking on new apprentices or hosting apprentices without a risk assessment by the department first, and ensuring the apprentice understands their rights and obligations and where to seek assistance if required. Additional sanctions have included prohibiting an employer from employing apprentices and cancelling their registration, suspending an employer’s registration, sometimes until further notice or specific compliance issues are addressed, and issuing compliance notices requiring employers to take specific actions to correct non-compliances. South Australia skills commissioner Cameron Baker will chair the new committee, which will be made up of organisations that have responsibilities for oversight of apprentice and trainee training, safety and wellbeing, including SafeWork SA. The committee will work to ensure additional quality on-job training and safe work-place initiatives for the state’s over 28,000 apprentices and trainees, and they will begin work in March. It will also include representatives of those who will be impacted by the work providing an avenue for direct guidance from apprentices and trainees. The Apprentice of the Year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year and Trainee of the Year will be amongst those joining the committee. Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer said workplace issues were contributing to apprentices and trainees dropping out of their courses. “By making workplaces safer for all workers, we will see more South Australians take on a trade and more apprentices finish their course and fill skills shortages in areas such as construction,” he said. “Our government has zero tolerance for the very small number of employers who do the wrong thing, and we take all action necessary to ensure all workplaces are safe for apprentices and trainees. “Not only are we doing more to educate employers and taking action when employers do the wrong thing, but the new apprenticeship safety committee will provide valuable advice to the government on what more we can do to ensure every worker gets home safely.” South Australian skills commissioner Cameron Baker said the South Australian Skills Commission is committed to supporting safe workplace initiatives, especially as many apprentices and trainees are aged between 16 and 21 and inexperienced in the world of work. “Helping them navigate workplaces for the first time and ensuring they are provided with the on-job training they signed up for, and their safety, both physical and psycho-logical, are key priorities for me and the team at the Skills Commission,” he said. “The formation of the Apprentice and Trainee Training and Safety Committee is an important step in protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable workers. “We are pleased to take the lead in this important work to develop lasting changes and ensure we are best placed as a state to meet the skills needs of the future.”

ASH at Heyfield is still open for business. With the closure of the native forest industry, the manufacturer has lost its cherished Victorian Ash timber, but the company is not panicking – it is in expansion mode. Source: Philip Hopkins for Timberbiz Each month, 30 40-foot containers carrying American hardwood from the country’s north-east arrive in Heyfield. “We aim to be growing that,” ASH’s managing director, Vince Hurley, told the Gippsland Times/Express. “It’s the prince of hardwoods – regarded as that everywhere, not just in the States. It’s the timber that everything is compared to, it’s why England conquered the world with their oak boats. Oak is the king that everything is compared to. “It is a really good outcome; we import a raw material, a very basic raw material, and we manufacture in Australia – a bit un-Australian really, isn’t it? Importing a raw material and manufacturing it in Australia?” Mr Hurley said ASH had branded the timber ‘Glacial Oak’. “The reason is, the wood is extremely consistent and blond in colour, it doesn’t contain any pink. Often pink oak has variations and pink doesn’t sell,” he said. “Glacial Oak has been one of our star performers and we originally started with Glacial Oak nearly four years ago, off the back of trying to grow a market, we actually started before we knew what was happening with the Victorian supply,” he said. In 2017, ASH lost half its Vic Ash volume, which gradually diminished further to only three% of its supply in 2023. The dwindling supply prompted a strategic rethink in 2017, with a few aims: look after the company’s people, diversify the fibre input, have a greater emphasis on advanced manufacturing and tighten the supply chain to the end user. “We had no relationships in the US – they couldn’t be developed overnight,” Mr Hurley said, so ties with US suppliers began in 2019. The company also targeted greater use of plantation hardwood from the Strzelecki Ranges that was available through HVP (previously Hancock Victorian Plantations). “As it happens, we developed markets and products and a good supply of the US hardwood,” he said. With the government’s announcement in May to close the industry, ASH turbo-charged its US ties. “’Let’s go!’, we said. Everything was in place – Glacial Oak, the produce out of the plantations; we just had to bump them up a bit to cover what we were missing. Out of necessity, we put ourselves in a good position. With the closure announcement and the actual closure of Victorian hardwood supply, we have been able to ramp it up.” Trucks from the Port of Melbourne laden with the US timber arrive in Heyfield. “We unload; we have an 85-tonne container forklift we got it when we were exporting a lot, now we are importing a lot,” Mr Hurley said. “We are using it (Glacial Oak) to supply the market we have developed and as a replacement for some of our Vic Ash as well. It has been really good in that space – staircases, windows, doors and furniture. We also have a new engineered flooring line; we’re also going to have an engineered floor made of it as well.” It was important that the engineered floor match the ASH staircase. “Home builds, interior designers involved – they want to match the stair with the floor, and now we have an exact match,” he said. Mr Hurley emphasised this point. “We are not importing something and re-selling it; we are importing raw product, manufacturing it in Australia as a finished product – not a sawn board, but as finished products,” he said. These included stair treads, stringers, stair rises, window styles, window sashes, door moulds, furniture components, kitchen bench tops and furniture tabletops. “It’s a balancing act. Part of our solution is to ensure we have a good long-term growing company with access to a long-term certified supply of sustainable timber,” he said. “These are private forests, but they are grown as forests. That’s their business; they want it to be there forever. There are weekly auctions for wood – it’s a massive industry.” Mr Hurley said the US hardwood all came from mixed hardwood forests selectively harvested. “There is no clear-fall at all. It’s a great way of doing it. We went to a couple of its operations that were harvested six months before – you would not know they had been there! Basically, they go through once every 25 years, they take effectively a bit less than a quarter and gradually go through. They leave old trees; they stay there, they do not burn,” he said. Such selective harvesting meant ASH paid more for the timber than if the wood was from a clear-felled coupe. “You’re effectively paying for social licence, to make sure you are looking after everything in the forest,” he said. ASH is part of a group of more than 40 Gippsland and Victorian businesses connected to the forestry sector, led by Bowens and including Dahlsens, who have written a letter to the Premier, Jacinta Allan, urging a rethink of forest management. “There are management solutions that deliver important benefits and wider community needs including – forest health and resilience, reduced wildfire risk, greater biodiversity and wildlife protection outcomes, and also sustainable, renewable, local and independently certified Victorian hardwood products,” Mr Hurley said. “The current situation enables the opportunity to consider forest management from scratch-a fresh start. The fresh start would not consider the industrial type clear fall harvesting or coupe burning. Active Forest Management as widely practised in the hardwood forests of Europe and USA for centuries has maintained the same forest and biodiversity in perpetuity. “Active Forest Management incorporates all forest values and is now being successfully practiced in Tasmanian private forests, with the same species as in Victoria under a strictly approved Forest Practices Plan. This model enables funding for biodiversity, research, forest improvement and fire prevention work. It is also self-funding. “Monitoring of is an important component both […]

Australia has seen a steady build-up of timber in timber yards across the country because the country is not making progress towards those housing targets, according to Australian Forest Products ­Association NSW chief executive James Jooste. Source: Timberbiz Slow release of land, slow approval rates for loans and houses and economic factors including high interest rates have all had a major impact on timber supplies for some months. “What’s emerged is we’ve got these ambitious targets, that we need housing, yet we’ve got timber sitting in mills, which is an indicator that that things are moving,” Mr Jooste said. “It came on very quickly. It was probably predictable once we started to see those rate rises kick in. “But was it sharp? Absolutely. “We need a roadmap and a steady plan for how we’re going to get to these housing targets, we need to make sure that we get out of these boom and bust cycles for the industry, because we’re seeing significant capital investment being made by mills. “The timber industries continues to be a strong employer of local workers in our regional areas, in our manufacturing areas, in the downstream employment that created our construction sector, but in order to retain those workers, to enable a steady platform for business investment, and for that capital investment, we need to make sure we have a steady increase in the housing construction market, and not go back to these boom and bust cycles,” he said. AKD Softwoods chief executive Shane Vicary said the company’s Tumut mill at Tumut was processing 500,000 cubic metres of logs but that had fallen to 250,000 cubic metres. AKD is the largest sawmill company in the country, producing about a quarter of the nation’s timber consumption. “This mill is doing half the volume that it used to do, and it’ll do half for the next 20-plus years, based on the fact that those logs got burnt,” Mr Vicary tole The Australian recently. Despite this dramatic reduction in production, timber continued to sit on the shelf without being sold, he said. “We can’t get enough people to buy the timber,” he said. “At the moment, most of our employees are earning less because there’s less activity: we’ve got overtime bans, we’ve got employment freezes.” The federal government has previously laid out ambitions to build 1.2 million new homes in the next five years but NSW Premier Chris Minns has already admitted the state would not meet its target this year. Mr Jooste said that New South Wales carried the lion’s share of the of the housing construction industry. “So, we feel the boom and bust cycle because as a state, we’re most exposed to it. “But these handbrakes that have been put on the economy are nationwide, and those timber mills, across the country will all be seeing a similar picture, as we are in New South Wales. “So what’s the circuit breaker going to be? “We’ll have to wait and see what the Reserve Bank and others do. But we need to make sure we continue to keep a focus on fixing, working hand-in-hand between local government and state government around how we’re getting the planning process right. “And we’ve got to give credit to the state government in New South Wales for doing that and identifying those issues, and then making sure we have a stable business and operating platform for our meals to continue to produce the timber that we rely on.”  

The Bandit team has launched the HM6420 hammermill grinder to market. This highly productive 40” capacity grinder is designed and manufactured to be an alternative solution for those grinding applications that may contain contaminants. Source: Timberbiz A Caterpillar C32, 1,200 horsepower engine provides ample torque and horsepower for optimal machine performance and productivity. The heart of the HM6420 is a 50” diameter x 66” wide hammermill. The heavy-duty mill features a 1.75” drum skin custom formed from rolled plate. The mill is supported by a 7” main shaft constructed of alloy steel that has been ultrasonic tested. Each pocket within the mill is manufactured from high strength A-514 steel. These combinations create a structural sound mill for added durability and integrity. The mill is equipped with 20 carbide infused hammer inserts built to withstand the toughest material fed into the machine. Each holder is securely attached to the mill via a patent-pending quick change pocket system. Each holder recesses into the mill pocket, increasing durability. A top plate covers the pocket and holds in place by six hex bolts. The hammer insert is attached to each holder utilizing two bolts. With this set-up, the mill hardware is easier and quicker to replace. A heavy-duty slat-style infeed conveyor is directly driven generating over 18,000 pounds of pulling power. The large diameter feed wheel is also directly driven and provides an additional 17,000 pounds of pulling power and 8,650 to 17,300 pounds of down force when hydraulic pressure is applied. These combinations allow the HM6420 to grind massive quantities of material efficiently and effectively at one time. A proportional feed system is standard and regulates the feed system from 82 – 132 feet per minute. The HM6420 has one of the fastest feed rates on the market allowing it to quickly process material. The proportional feed system allows operators to adjust the feed based on material being processed ensuring maximum output and grinder efficiency, all while achieving a higher quality end-product. Three screens are located on the top side of the HM6420 mill. A variety of screen sizes are available up to 7” to produce various end-product sizes. The top feed wheel moves upward, and a removable screen cradle allows for quick screen set-up changes. All work for screen changing is performed outside of the machine. An impact detection system is standard and designed to limit damage if a contaminant is struck inside the grinding chamber. Once an impact event is detected, the grinder will idle down, open the gate, disengage the clutch, and reverse the feed. A 56” wide height adjustable discharge with a stacking height of 16’ 8” is standard. The height of the discharge can easily be adjusted accommodating various grinding scenarios and situations. The standard wireless remote controls all grinding and tracking functions and features an LCD screen that will display engine coolant temperature, engine oil pressure, engine load percentage, engine RPM, and battery voltage.

John Deere has announced it has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to provide cutting-edge satellite communications (SATCOM) service to farmers. Utilizing the industry-leading Starlink network, this solution will allow farmers facing rural connectivity challenges to fully leverage precision agriculture technologies. Source: Timberbiz This partnership, an industry first, will enable John Deere customers to be more productive, profitable, and sustainable in their operations as they continue to provide food, fuel, and fibre for their communities and a growing global population. “The value of connectivity to farmers is broader than any single task or action. Connectivity unlocks vast opportunities that were previously limited or unavailable,” said Aaron Wetzel, Vice President of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems at John Deere. “For example, throughout the year, farmers must complete tasks within extremely short windows of time. This requires executing incredibly precise production steps while coordinating between machines and managing machine performance. Each of these areas are enhanced through connectivity, making the entire operation more efficient, effective, and profitable.” The SATCOM solution will connect both new and existing machines through satellite internet service and ruggedized satellite terminals. This will fully enable technologies such as autonomy, real-time data sharing, remote diagnostics, enhanced self-repair solutions, and machine-to-machine communication, all of which help farmers work more efficiently while minimizing downtime. “John Deere has led the agriculture equipment industry for more than two decades with satellite-based precision guidance technology,” said Jahmy Hindman, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at John Deere. “Now, we are bringing satellite communications service to the farm at scale so farmers with cellular coverage challenges can maximize the value of connectivity to their operations. The SATCOM solution unlocks the John Deere tech stack so every farmer can fully utilize their current precision agriculture technology in addition to the new innovative solutions they will deploy in the future. We initiated this process with a fierce focus on delivering value to our customers, and this partnership ensures we have a solution that meets their needs today and in the future.” John Deere’s SATCOM solution will leverage SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet constellation. To activate this solution, John Deere dealers will install a ruggedized Starlink terminal on compatible machines, along with a 4G LTE JDLink modem to connect the machine to the John Deere Operations Center. The SATCOM solution will initially be available through a limited release in the United States and Brazil starting in the second half of 2024.  

Due to the continued weak and uncertain market environment, Stora Enso plans to initiate a new profit improvement program which could lead to a potential reduction of approximately 1000 employees. Source: Timberbiz The profit improvement program is designed to improve Stora Enso’s long-term competitiveness by focusing on core business activities that can drive the Group’s strategy supported by a decentralised operating model. The profit improvement program would be implemented without any new production site closures. The majority of the savings would materialise during 2025, and the larger part of the employee reductions are planned to take place during the first half of 2024. The employee reductions, efficiency improvements and synergy opportunities would impact all divisions and Group functions and reflect the size of their respective organisations. “Although difficult, this plan is necessary to ensure our long-term success and competitiveness. Last year, we completed a restructuring program which led to the identification of synergy opportunities, which we plan to address with our new profit improvement initiative. “We are facing persistent weakness in the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment and need to focus on core business activities which align with our strategy. Through this programme we would strengthen our focus on profitability making us more competitive and resilient to market uncertainties,” Hans Sohlström, Stora Enso’s President and CEO said. No decisions regarding the planned employee reductions will be taken until the change negotiations have been concluded according to local regulations. At the end of last year Stora Enso completed a restructuring program which was initiated in June 2023 and resulted in 1150 employee reductions.  

Radial Timber is a Victorian based company that grows, mills and distributes a range of unique and standard products from durable and sustainable Victorian Hardwoods. Their latest innovative radial saw technology is unique and proudly developed in Gippsland Victoria. Source: Timberbiz The radial saw works by taking very small diameter hardwood sawlogs and cuts them up into wedges like a pizza. Once the saw has cut the log into wedges, it then cuts those wedges into boards whilst maximising the recovery of sawn timber from smaller logs. As such, radial sawing has a range of both environmental and technical benefits. Where conventional sawing methods require large diameter logs, the radial saw helps make small hardwood logs more viable by maximising the yield of high value timber products. Twenty years ago Radial Timber started with a prototype plant which was very manual labour intensive, and very low in productivity. Over the years the team at Radial kept refining and developing ideas and concepts. They realised if they were ever going move forward, they had to scale up to a fully commercial plant. As the demand for their radial sawn commercial timber increased, the team made plans to improve production as well as their processing methods. The team at Radial Timber started early discussions with engineering company AE Gibson & Sons, to discuss their concepts and ideas. They wanted to get a reputable engineering business in Australia to produce the sawmill equipment and help them to develop and improve on the sawmill machinery they already had on site. Once Radial Timber had the IP in place for the unique process, they knew they were onto a winner. The engineering team at AE Gibson & Sons took it in their stride to engineer a fully customised unique machine. The Gibson team understood the brief and came back with an implementation plan to engineer a suitable solution. Prior to the Gibson machine design, the initial radial saw was difficult to load and position the log accurately. It was also time consuming to extract the wedges from the cut zone. With the newly designed radial saw the log is positioned and dogged automatically, and the saw cut pattern is PLC controlled. As each saw cut is completed, the log rotates 45 degrees resulting in eight cuts per log. This greatly increases the machine production outputted and it’s all controlled by an operator located safely in a control cabin. The timber wedges move from the log saw to a transfer deck and then the resaw, where each wedge is cut into multiple boards. With eight timber wedges and up to five or six boards out of each wedge, this results in 35 or more long timber boards coming out of every small log. “It helps to predict exactly what you’re recovering from each log, if it’s a six metre timber log most of the boards are six metres long,” Radial Timber owner and managing director Chris McEvoy said. This was so important, since the company could see the log size coming from forests were getting smaller, and the increased need to recover more from the small logs. This helped them make the decision to invest in improving their overall process with Gibson machinery and technology. Radial Timber has also invested in plantation forests, with 1000 hectares of plantations that have been planted over the last 20 years with 1000 hectares more to go. The important thing about the latest radial technology is that it’s ideally suited to plantation timber. With plantation timber you can grow a tree to a certain size and a certain height. This enables Radial to plan and predict exactly what they are going to get out of every piece of timber. The more uniform the timber product, the higher the recovery with less wastage and the more profitability there will be.

The Sydney Timber Architecture and Construction Forum will be held on 22 February 2024 and organised by WoodSolutions. This in-person event will take place at the NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre, located in the heart of Sydney. Source: Timberbiz At the forum, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with industry experts, architects, builders, and suppliers, all passionate about timber. Discover the latest trends, innovative techniques, and sustainable practices that are shaping the future of timber construction. Immerse yourself in a morning filled with presentations on the latest in active moisture management from international guests, the latest in Passive House construction, and the new face of industrial buildings in wood. Learn from speakers who will share their expertise, success stories, and valuable insights. Gain practical knowledge that to apply to projects, while exchanging ideas with like-minded professionals. The seminar will feature internationally renowned expert Jason Teetaert of Structure Monitoring Technology, a leader in real-time building physics tracking. He has travelled from Canada to showcase permanent roof leak detection, which is able to pinpoint moisture breaches early before major damage. This proactive safeguard system uses sensor networks installed directly into roof assemblies. This is an event targeted at architects, engineers and builders. For more information and to book click here.

Recent research suggesting that hazard-reduction burning increases bushfire risk has come under fire from the NSW Rural Fire Service. Source: Timberbiz RFS community risk director Simon Heemstra has echoed comments from Forestry Australia that there is no panacea for reducing the impacts of catastrophic bushfires. The research – “Identifying and managing disturbance-stimulated flammability in woody ecosystems” – published in scientific journal Biological Reviews, draws on studies of the severe bushfires in 2009 and 2019-2020 to identify factors that may increase the intensity of a burn. It found that that the risk of extreme blazes decreased as trees grew taller. However, Dr Heemstra told the ABC that while the report offered some insights regarding fuel accumulation it did not outline anything the organisation could put into practice. “To wholesale adopt the recommendations of this report would make the landscape much more dangerous and threaten life and property,” he said. Dr Heemstra said prescribed burns reduced the fuel load, helped certain vegetation reproduce, made putting out small fires easier, and provided training for RFS staff. “There is always a reduction in risk when you reduce part of the fuel,” he told the ABC. “Fires are going to be not as intense, not run as fast, and be more easily controlled. “Our losses of property and risk to human life are significantly reduced once we reduce fuel load. “The more we implement prescribed burning and have strategies to try to reduce ignitions and suppress fires, the more we’re reducing these big fires with a very significant impact.” Dr Heemstra said the report was overly simplistic in its suggestions about lightning strike modelling and drones dropping retardants on ignitions to prevent sparks becoming bushfire blazes. “There are options we need to look at in the future, but it’s not a silver bullet and it needs to go in the mix with everything else we are doing as far as bushfire risk management,” he said. Dr Heemstra told the ABC the RFS aimed to burn bushland every five to 10 years to minimise risk. He said that was an ancient practice. “The Australian landscape was shaped after tens of thousands of years of management through Aboriginal Australians and their cultural burning practices,” he said. “There is a lot to be learned and understood from the use of fire in the landscape.” Forestry Australia Science Policy Adviser Dr Tony Bartlett said that while there was no panacea for reducing the impacts of catastrophic bushfires, prescribed burning was a scientifically proven part of the solution. “Simply, reduced fuel levels in forests will reduce the severity of bushfires on all bar the most catastrophic fire weather conditions,” he said. “Any criticism that prescribed burning can make Australian forests more flammable is misguided. Criticising prescribed burning is like dismissing the value of seat belts in cars because people still die in car accidents. Both seat belts and prescribed burns are highly beneficial most of the time. “Forestry Australia’s view is that using cool burning to reduce fuel hazards is critical to good forest fire management and very consistent with the way Aboriginal people managed these forests for thousands of years.”

University of Queensland researchers have found improving timber production efficiencies by just 5% could unlock supply for an extra 8000 homes to be built in Australia each year. Source: Timberbiz The industry supported modelling was carried out at the $16.5 million Australian Research Council to Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment (ARC Advance Timber Hub) at UQ. Associate Professor Joe Gattas, who co-leads two research areas at the Hub, said supply chain efficiencies could result in more affordable and sustainable housing options for Australians. “Early consultation with our industry partners has shown us where efficiencies can be made across all stages of the forest to building supply chain,” Dr Gattas said. “Our research will investigate how to deliver these improvements using new technologies such as computer vision and artificial intelligence to get more usable material out of each tree and augmented reality and robotics to enhance productivity for time-consuming and repetitive tasks. “Every gain in the supply chain allows more houses to be built and we hope this will increase the use of Australian-grown timber as a more sustainable choice for construction.” Hub Director, Professor Keith Crews, said the research would encourage growth in the timber industry and identify new ways the material could be used in construction. “We all benefit from more timber in construction – by delivering a boost for industry and supporting sustainability targets because timber removes carbon from the environment and stores it,” Professor Crews said. “Timber has a key role in helping Australia transition to a circular and net-zero economy. “While timber is commonly used in smaller dwellings such as housing, we are working with the State Government and industry to look at ways it can be incorporated into larger projects such as athlete accommodation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. “Making more timber available will also help support the Australian Government’s National Housing Accord to deliver 10,000 affordable homes over the next five years.” Federal Assistant Minister for Education, Senator Anthony Chisholm, said the Advance Timber Hub funded through the ARC’s Industrial Transformation Research Program, demonstrated the benefits of investing in publicly funded research in Australia. “Australians want our country to be a nation that makes things through sustainable practices, but this can only be done when we back initiatives like the ARC’s Linkage Program, which promotes innovative national and international research collaboration and partnerships with global suppliers,” Senator Chisholm said. “The Advance Timber Hub will enable an advanced manufacturing transformation of Australia’s timber and construction industries, supporting resource diversification and creating new opportunities for regional development and employment.” Acting ARC CEO, Dr Richard Johnson said the linkage program is all about bringing together researchers and industry partners to drive innovation and translation. “The ARC is pleased to support this Research Hub, which involves strong collaboration among national and international universities and industry partners, to stimulate rapid growth in innovation in the timber industry,” Dr Johnson said. Partners include researchers from 12 Australian and five international universities and research institutes working in collaboration with 28 industry partners.  

Taxpayers have forked out almost half a million dollars on overseas copy paper for federal agencies, as the Coalition pushes for a return of paper manufacturing in Australia. Source: Herald Sun Australia’s last white paper mill at Maryvale in Victoria stopped making the product last year, resulting in up to 200 job losses. The average price of imported paper has soared by up to $100 a tonne to around $2000, up about 5% last year. Opposition forestry spokesman Jonno Duniam said the end of copy paper production had also cost Australia thousands of indirect jobs, as well as economic activity. Senator Duniam pointed the finger at both the Victorian and federal governments, saying the shutdown of Australian manufacturing “could and should have been prevented”. “A re-elected Coalition government would seek to work closely with industry to return paper manufacturing to Australia,” he said. New figures reveal federal government departments and agencies spent at least $450,000 last year on overseas paper after Australian-made supply ended. The Defence Department made up the bulk of the costs, spending almost $200,000 so far in 2023-24. This was followed by the Home Affairs department, which spent more than $62,000, the Australian Taxation Office at almost $55,000, and the Agriculture department at about $20,000. “In December 2022, the only paper manufacturer in Australia ceased operation, and Australian made paper can no longer be sourced,” an agriculture department spokesman said. Some government agencies reinforced their commitment to going paperless. But major government departments including health are yet to respond to the questions from estimates, which are now overdue. Senator Duniam accused Forestry Minister Murray Watt of being “asleep at the wheel” while his Victorian Labor colleagues terminated the native forestry industry”. “The Victorian Labor government’s blinkered, ideological opposition to forestry always leads to worse outcomes, including for the environment,” the Tasmanian Liberal said, adding other countries had lower standards. “It was a culmination of failures by Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allen who sold out Gippsland workers and formally banned Victorian native timber harvesting from the start of 2024.” Manufacturer Opal Australia shut its paper manufacturing facilities after struggling to secure timber supply. The decision was announced after the Supreme Court put regulations on VicForests, affecting its ability to meet contracts, because it did not do enough to protect endangered gliders. Opal Australia will in mid-February have a major shutdown at its Latrobe Valley site to upgrade it so it can focus on brown packaging.

Forest and Wood Communities Australia unfortunately finds it necessary to address the recent peculiar actions of environmental activists targeting Victorian plantation timber harvesting. While respecting differing opinions, it is crucial to underscore the irony and misinformed nature of these activists protesting in plantations which were expressly established for timber utilization. Plantation timber stands as a testament to commitment to sustainability and is meticulously designed to provide a renewable source of timber. Unfortunately, recent protests indicate a surreal misunderstanding of these practices, as activists inexplicably move into plantations with the rather baffling intention of opposing timber harvesting contrary to the very purpose for which these plantations exist. Forest and Wood Communities Australia fully supports environmental awareness and responsible resource management. However, the actions of these so-called eco-activists border on the absurd, as they protest the utilization of timber in the very spaces created for that very purpose. It is perplexing to witness these activists targeting Blue-gum plantation timber in Victoria, via the states Koala population. The truth couldn’t be further from the activist portrayals as Victoria has a thriving koala population of approximately 459,865 animals, with an estimated 412,948 in native forest and woodland and a further 46,917 in eucalypt plantations. In several areas, the population density is so high it is unsustainable, with the Victorian government spending millions of dollars on sterilization and relocation programs. Aside from these obvious facts brought to you by scientists from the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI), Victorian Chief conservation regulator Kate Gavens said plantation operators must adhere to harvesting conditions such as obtaining a permit from the regulator to harvest where there are koalas present, alongside consulting with an ecologist to decide how to ‘manage’ the koalas. “It includes having trained koala spotters on-site, retaining vegetation where you do spot koalas, and taking action if you do spot a koala,” Ms Gavens said. It seems the unhinged anti-everything inner-city activists cannot grasp that plantation forestry serves as an efficient way to meet the growing demand for timber while minimizing the impact elsewhere. The activists’ misguided approach undermines the pragmatic and ecologically sound reasons behind the establishment of these plantations. Forest and Wood Communities Australia condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent call for a moratorium on timber harvesting by environmentalists. Such an extreme proposition, lacking a factual basis, not only disregards the scientific foundation of sustainable forestry but also threatens the livelihoods of communities dependent on the forest and wood industries. The irony in the activists’ actions is undeniable. Forest and Wood Communities Australia extends an invitation to these activists to engage in a rational dialogue, understanding the comprehensive efforts undertaken to promote responsible forestry. The organization encourages activists to redirect their passion toward constructive efforts that support sustainability, rather than engaging in actions that unwittingly challenge the very practices they purportedly champion. Mick Harrington. Executive Officer of Forest and Wood Communities Australia

Pressure is piling up for the Federal Government to cut the nearly $10m funding of the Environmental Defenders Office. The Federal Opposition has been joined by Australian Energy Producers and the Australian Forest Products Association in calling for action against the EDO. The Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler has already said her government would be reviewing its $100,000-a-year funding arrangement. The call for defunding follow the EDO losing an action brought by the North East Forest Alliance  against the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of NSW with its lawyers arguing that the RFA should not have been renewed without assessment and approval under federal environment laws, and a landmark case against Santos’s $5.3bn Barossa LNG project, with claims the company’s proposed 262km pipeline would cause irreparable damage to First Nations people and their sites. In the second case, a Federal Court judge described a “cultural mapping” exercise and other key components of the Environmental Defenders Office case against the Santos Barossa gas project as “so lacking in integrity that no weight can be placed on them” and tainted by “confection” and “construction” of evidence. Opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in The Australian today wrote that “the absurdity of the Albanese government funding an organisation hellbent on undermining government processes beggars’ belief and points to a government that is both out of touch and out of its depth”. “That Anthony Albanese and Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek would continue to allow taxpayer money to be wasted like this is simply astonishing. It begs the question: is this all just a thinly veiled attempt to, as Queensland senator Susan McDonald puts it, ‘secure votes in inner-city seats under threat from the Greens’?” Very well put. All it seems Tanya Plibersek can say to the EDO is ‘I hope they take notice’. That might not be enough.