Timber Update February 2024
Industry News
- After it was reported that the UK economy entered a downturn at the end of 2023, the BBC now reports on new statements of upturn from the Bank of England Governor, Andrew Bailey. In conversation with MPs, he stated the “distinct signs of an upturn” could mean a shorter recession than expected and that once further evidence is seen of this interest rates could go down.
- Housing Today report on the unveiling of developer Human Nature’s ‘largest timber development in the UK’. Key names in architecture announce their support for a timber focussed future within the construction industry, with plans for a 700-home timber scheme in Lewes. This mixed-use scheme is said to be Europe’s “most regenerative” new development. Led by two former Greenpeace Chiefs and including plans from 13 architectural practices, this masterplan will prioritise the people that will share this space and champion engineered timber.
- Current technology allows for timber harvesters to track their yield on extensive levels, giving useful insight into the logs processed by sawmills on a daily basis. Confor (Confederation of Forest Industries UK) notes how this information will no longer simply be collected by the sawmills, but utilised by external sources and available for full analysis in public statistics. This access will inform and improve GB production forecasts, after success has already been seen in Sweden and Finland on similar projects.
- Timber Development UK (TDUK) have released average carbon data for the top 10 timber product categories, creating an extremely useful tool for architects, engineers and specifiers to assess the carbon impact of their chosen materials. The tool is available to download for free on their website
Supplier Spotlight
A number of our French Oak suppliers recently celebrated reaching a major milestone in the reconstruction of the Notre Dame in Paris, following the tragic fire in 2019.
The huge timber roof frame has been fully restored ‘on time’, highlighting the fantastic work of over 500 carpenters, stonemasons, scaffolders, sculptures, gliders and glassmakers involved! In true French tradition, a bouquet was craned to the top of the frame to mark the achievement and finalisation of a major stage in the reconstruction.
Image credit: woodcentral.com.au
Product Update
Get your landscaping stocks ready for the year ahead!
We work with over 20 sawmills across France and Spain to make sure we have quality Oak Sleepers available, with or without PEFC certification, to our customers.
Order 100 x 200 x 2400mm and other sizes in a full truck load and get delivered direct, or order packs through our stock site in Bristol.
Be Inspired!
Can we build a better world with wood?
On BBC Radio 4’s series ‘Rare Earth’, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by experts, Michael Ramage (Cambridge University) and Tim Searchinger (Princeton University) to discuss the impact wood and CLT applications could have on the future of timber construction in a sustainable world.
This episode further explores how our increasing public education of timber and its applications results in more accountability within industry practices and important UK decision makers.
Click here to tune in to a very insightful and affirming conversation regarding how the incorporation of timber in construction improves the mood and experience of those using the buildings in their finality!
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