Business Guides

TTF Guides

The Federation produces a series of TTF Guides especially created to inform Members on a range of topics from technical issues such as standards and grading to environmental matters and RPP.

These guides include:

Technical Support

From simple enquiries to sourcing products and services, through to more complex information, TTF staff has the knowledge and contacts to help your business. We value Members’ enquiries as an important means to monitor issues affecting the trade on a dayto-day basis. If it concerns you, then it concerns us. Our Membership fee enables us to promote timber and wood-based products generically, providing Architects and Designers with the information they need to specify the products being sold by our Members.

Graded Timber – Basics

This provides a basic guide to the different type of strength and appearance of graded timber.

TTF Guides to Timber Standards

It is often difficult to know exactly what the most relevant British and European standards that apply to your products are. Therefore, TTF has created a series of three timber standards guides for the main commodity types (Softwood, Hardwood, and Panel Products) together with background information to explain exactly what standards are, why they were created, what harmonised European Standards and CE marking are and how they are relevant.

Guide to Constructional Plywood

This TTF Guide provides information on the different types of constructional plywood available and what to look for when specifying them.

Environmental Market Outlook

The TTF undertakes market research into legal and sustainable timber, using industry analysts such as Forest Industries Intelligence and Timber Trends, and makes this information available to Members and their suppliers. TTF also monitors market drivers through frequent interaction with a wide range of national and international organisations, such as governments, NGOs and customers with environmental interests.

Country Guidance

A total of 18 Country Guides covering the major timber supplying countries to the UK have been published on the TTF website for the exclusive use of TTF Members. A further eight are due to be published this year. The Guides have been compiled using information from a range of third-party websites including national Government, NGO and timber trade organisations. These guidance notes are updated on a regular basis and provide straightforward advice to timber buyers on due diligence.

A Simple Guide to CITES

Obtaining the paperwork surrounding the certification documents for importing timber can be complicated. In conjunction with DEFRA, we have now put together a TTF Guide that should help members to conform to what is required.

Import Support Service Guidance

The importation of timber is a complex process and TTF Members have direct access to a variety of information and support services designed to make this process easier. From avoiding Plant Health pitfalls to the correct choice of Customs codes and the efficient use of financial instruments to ease cash flow, are all subjects that we regularly help Members with.

Panel Guide

The Panel Guide gives website visitors a complete overview of veneer and core plywood, particleboards, oriented strand board (OSB) and fibreboards. It also gives guidance on panels in construction, storage, handling, environmental aspects and health and safety.

On-Line Members’ Directory and Buyers’ Guide

The TTF website provides Members with the opportunity to promote their businesses to an ever growing on-line audience. Space is provided for each Member’s site to display its own logo, list contacts and location details (including a map facility); detailing the product categories stocked. Search facilities allow potential customers to locate Members by name, location or product type.