March 2005

Welcome to ‘The Doorway’

30 March 2005

On 23rd March the Timber Trade Federation launched a website designed to attract new entrants to the timber and related industries. www.thedoorway.org.uk was put together by the Federation’s Education, Training & Careers Committee with input from across the timber sector, from growers and sawmillers through to end product users in carpentry, joinery and timber engineering, and constituent jobs ranging from designing timber buildings to electrical engineering and supply chain auditing. 

www.thedoorway.org.uk/ features a list of job options, leading to career profiles of young people currently fulfilling those roles.  The job options covered in the launch phase are:  Architect (Timber specialist), Carpentry & furniture-making, Charity NGO, Education, Electrical Engineering - Sawmilling, Engineering (Timber buildings); Environment (Responsible purchasing); Finance, Forestry, Human Resources, IT (Information Technology), Joinery, Marketing, Public relations, Purchasing, Sales, Shipping, Supply Chain Auditing, Warehouse operations, Wood machining, Yard assistant.  Further profiles will be added as the site expands. 

The website also features an initial selection of career route maps giving suggestions for qualifications.  These will be extended over the coming months.  TTF Director General John White comments:  "At a time when people are making career choices earlier than ever its vital that we make available the full range of interesting careers and jobs in our sector more widely known.  This new website makes a great contribution to that effort and ensures that we continue to attract bright and energetic individuals into our industry."

The website is hosted and sponsored by Timber Trades Journal. “Reaching out to young people is essential if our sector is to attract good quality recruits capable of running the many different types of organisation which make our industry function.  We must also compete on the same footing as other industries which makes a website an essential tool for today’s ‘wired’ generation,” says editor Mike Jeffree. 

TTF ETC Committee chairman Rob Simpson of SCA Timber Supply is intent on promoting the site:  “Our next task is to promote the site to schools, colleges, universities and careers advisers, and this is something in which TTF members and indeed everyone across the sector can participate.” 

For further information, please visit www.thedoorway.org.uk/

TTF Takes Centre Stage At Forest Dialogue

15 March 2005

The TTF’s initiatives in dealing with illegal logging were centre stage at the recent Forest Dialogue Hong Kong summit. (8 -11 March 2005).

Addressing the meeting of governments, NGOs and industry, TTF CSR Adviser Andy Roby said, “ The Forest Dialogue is an invaluable process for bringing environmentalists, governments and the private sector together to find cost-effective and practical solutions to the problem of illegal logging. 

Illegal logging costs governments billions of pounds in lost revenue, damages the environment and provides unfair competition to those companies that remain within the law, depressing the price of wood and wood products traded in the world marketplace. “

TTF Chief Executive John White, added, “The TTF has taken the lead through its Code of Conduct, its Responsible Purchasing Policy and through its collaborative work with both the UK Government and the European Union in helping to promote the sourcing of legal and sustainable timber. “

For further information contact Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891

Notes to Editors:

1. The Forests Dialogue emerged in 1999 from processes independently convened by the World business Council for Sustainable Development, the World Bank and the World Resources Institute.
2. Major companies such as Stora Enso and Weyerhaeuser are member s of the Forest Dialogue.
3. The Responsible Purchasing Policy is a TTF initiative that commits Members to assessing their suppliers for evidence of legality and sustainability and encourages them to improve.
4. The EU Action Plan on Illegal Logging includes a project with the EU trade and developing countries to extend capacity building leading to greater supplies of verified legal and sustainable timber.  

TTF Welcome Report Into Price Premiums

A price premium for ‘green’ wood is available according to a new TTF/ Government funded Report.

Written by forestry specialist, Rupert Oliver, the research shows that demand versus supply drives the premium concluding that premiums tend to be applied in the early stages of certified material supply, but diminish with its expansion.  As a result a price premium for softwoods cannot be identified as most supply is certified.  Hardwoods on the other hand show premiums up to 30%.

The Oliver Report also shows that the market for verified hardwoods is hampered by poor distribution channels and the relatively small demand in the UK for hardwood products.  It adds that hardwood producers are likely themselves to continue to demand price premiums to off-set the costs of extra investment.

TTF Chief Executive, John White said, “The Oliver Report is a welcome and important piece of research. The industry needs to know there is a commercial benefit in the market place for its excellent efforts to ensure a good supply of certified product to its customers.”

Note to Editors:

The Oliver Report was commissioned by the TTF and the International Development Department.  The research into price premiums that maybe available for verified “legal“ and verified “legal and sustainable“ timber coming into the UK market is in three parts.  Parts two and three will be published during 2005 and 2006.

For more information contact Mark O’Brien 0n 020 7839 1891

TTF To Play lead Role At G8 Meeting

The TTF are to play a key role at the forthcoming G8 meeting of Environment and Development Ministers through a presentation on the positive role played by the UK timber trade in promoting the sourcing of verified legal and sustainable timber.

The G8 meeting will consider adopting public sector timber procurement policies, explore the possibility of legislating against illegal timber imports and discuss the role forestry has in helping to reduce poverty in the developing world. Andy Roby, the TTF’s CSR Adviser will present to the meeting the TTF’s extensive involvement in work to promote the legal and sustainable trade in timber.  

TTF Chief Executive, John White said, “This an exciting and challenging time for the UK timber trade and we are delighted to be taking a full part in the G8 meeting, where we will be explaining the sizeable steps we have taken to promote legal and sustainable timber. Through the adoption of our Code of Conduct and the recent launch of our Responsible Purchasing Policy we have shown the vigorous role that the private sector can play in advancing the sustainability agenda.” 

For further information contact Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Millennium Development Goals aim for a 50% reduction in poverty measured with reference to income, health, education and security and will provide the agenda for the Ministerial meeting.
2. The TTF have developed a ten-point action plan to help promote the sourcing of legal and sustainable timber from Indonesia.
3. The TTF are participating with other European Federations in a three and half million euro project to develop capacity building in developing countries where illegal logging is a problem.
4. The Ministerial meeting is taking place 17-18 March in Derby. 

TTF Welcome Low Carbon Economy Report

7 March 2005

The TTF has welcomed the publication of a new report calling for the expansion of UK forest cover and the increased use of timber in construction to achieve a substantial reduction in the UK’s CO2 emissions. 

The benefits of moving to 25% forest cover in the UK, combined with an effective programme to support bio-energy and timber in construction could achieve about 10% of what is required to halve the UK’s CO2 emission by 2050.

The new report (The UK’s Forest: a neglected resource for the low carbon economy?) published by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management states that a low carbon economy can be achieved by the combined effect of a) using more timber that displaces “ carbon intensive “ materials such as bricks and cement b) the provision of bio-energy for heat and electricity c) the increased storage of carbon through increased forestation.

The ECCM report calls for policies to increase the use of timber in construction; local authorities to encourage the development of local bio-energy markets; for the expansion of the forest resource and for the carbon benefits of wood to be recognised.

John White TTF Chief Executive said, “ This report is more excellent news in favour of expanding the use of wood and wood products.  Europe’s forests cover is growing by an area the size of Cyprus every year, which is almost 100 football pitches every hour.  The ECCM report provides further scientific evidence that increasing forest cover further combined with increased use of wood and wood products is a key way of mitigating the effects of climate change.”

For further information on the report contact Jessica Lovell on 0131 666 5060 or email info@eccm.uk.com or visit www.eccm.uk/com

Notes:

1. UK forest cover is 10% of land compared to a European average of 38%.
2. The substitution of 1 cubic metre of red brick by the same volume of timber can avoid the emission of almost 4000 kg of CO2.

TTF Take Centre Stage At FLEGT

4 March 2005

The Timber Trade Federation has won European backing for its work on promoting sustainable and legal timber supplies into the UK market.

Speaking at a FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) consultation meeting in Brussels last week, TTF’s Forest Policy Adviser, Gunther Hentschel, told representatives of the European Commission, NGOs and the European timber trade how the UK was taking the lead in responsible purchasing.  

Commenting on the event Mr Hentschel said, ‘I was delighted to find such unanimous support and admiration for our work from European colleagues, NGOs and the Commission.’

TTF Chief Executive, John White, added, “ The TTF is at the forefront of responsible purchasing.   Through our own Code of Conduct and the introduction of our Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP) we have both made the commitment to only sourcing timber from legal and well-managed sources, and, through the RRP, provided the toolkit to achieve this goal. We want to see Europe match our efforts to augment the already good work the trade has undertaken there.”

For further information contact Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891

Notes to editors:

1. The stakeholder meeting was attended by national timber trade associations from Belgium, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark, Germany and Latvia.  FEBO the European Timber Trade Federation was also represented.  Greenpeace and the WWF represented NGOs.
2. FLEGT is the international process that was launched at theG8 summit in May 1998 where the Action Programme on Forests was launched. FLEGT will seek to agree bilateral Voluntary Licensing Agreements between the EU and Malaysia, Indonesia, Cameroon and Gabon.  
3. Voluntary Licensing Agreements will enable legally verified timber to be imported into the European Union as part of the EU Action Plan On Illegal Logging, which was approved in October 2003.  
4. The Responsible Purchasing Policy helps Member companies to find out more about their suppliers and commits them to continuous improvement in sourcing their timber.

PanelGuide Goes On-Line at the TTF

2 March 2005

A comprehensive guide to the types and technical properties of wood based panels has been re-launched on the TTF’s website, following changes to codes and standards since its original publication in 2001.

The PanelGuide gives the panel user and specifier authoritative information and guidance, including current UK and European legislation on the use of wood-based panels both for construction and non-construction purposes and can be found at www.ttf.co.uk/buying/panel/

John White, the TTF’s Chief Executive said,  “This is another great opportunity for end-users to get information easily and simply regarding wood-based panels and their technical application and provides a comprehensive guide to the legislation governing their use. The end-user will see from this guide, the amazing range and versatility of panel products available and the exciting uses to which they can be put.”   

For further information call Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891

Notes to Editors:

1. The guide was prepared as a collaborative project between the Wood Panel Industries Federation, the National Panel Products Division of the Timber Trade Federation, TRADA Technology Ltd and the Building Research Establishment Ltd.
2. The project was co-funded by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, through its Partners in Innovation (PII) programme.  Responsibility for this programme passed to the Department of Trade and Industry and has since been superseded by other programmes.
3. Panel products include plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board and medium density fireboard and have a wide range of construction and non-construction applications.

TTF Calls For Sustainable Timber To Be At Heart of Building Regulations

1 March 2005

The Timber Trade Federation has called on the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) to maximise the use of sustainable timber within the Building Regulations as part of a recent review.

The TTF says that the renewability of timber should make it the number one environmental building material of choice and that the thermal efficiency of timber makes it an excellent insulator as well as a material that absorbs and reduces CO2 emissions.

A TTF Spokesman Mark O’Brien said, “ The consultation asks what percentage of sustainable timber should be used in buildings but many studies show that timber’s environmental credentials are so good, that as much sustainable timber as possible should be used in future construction and not just a random percentage.”      

The ODPM is examining ways of integrating sustainability into the Building Regulations following the passing of the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004, which allows sustainability and environmental issues to be incorporated into the Regulations.   

For further information contact Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891

NPPD Take The Lead On Product Origin

In an effort to encourage greater transparency about the accurate sourcing of products, the National Panel Products Division (NPPD) of the Timber Trade Federation has taken the decision to make it a requirement to mark all panel products with the specific country of origin.

Although it is illegal to mis-describe the country of origin, it is not a legal offence to show no country of origin.  The use of a generic description like Far Eastern, providing of course that the material has been manufactured in that general area is legally acceptable because no specific definition of such terms exist and therefore it is not deliberately incorrect or misleading. 

To prevent this situation being abused it has been decided to include within the NPPD Code of Practice, a requirement to mark all products with country of origin and this will constitute part of the work of the sub-committee reviewing the Code, which hopes to report by June 2005.
  
The TTF’s Product Manager Nick Boulton said, “As an industry we are proud of our manufacturing sources and therefore should not be afraid to ensure all of our products show a specific country of origin. For instance many within our industry believe the term Far Eastern should only be used for Plywood from a limited range of countries such as Indonesia or Malaysia.  However, in reality there is no legal basis for this impression and therefore the incorporation of a requirement to mark specific country of origin within the NPPD code is a positive way for TTF Members to address this issue.”

For further information contact Nick Boulton on 020 7389 1891

PEFC and UK Timber Trade Meet To Discuss Schemes Future Prospects

The Timber Trade Federation and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) have held a consultation and networking meeting (Thursday 24 February 2005) regarding PEFC’s promotional and communication’s work, which will become much higher profile in the next few months.

TTF Spokesman, Mark O’Brien said, “ PEFC is an expanding and important certification scheme and we support any positive steps that they take to boost their profile here in the UK, Europe and globally.  The meeting also stressed the importance of engaging with NGOs and we look forward to seeing progress on a range of communication and marketing fronts in the coming months. “ 

For further information contact Mark O’Brien on 020 7839 1891