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The city of Bonn in Germany has been granted the title of “European Forest City 2024” by the European Forest Institute. Mayor Katja Dörner received the official certificate from EFI Director Robert Mavsar. Source: Timberbiz The award recognises the importance of forests for the city and its residents, as well as the city’s reputation for research and communication on forest-related topics. “By granting Bonn the European Forest City award, EFI is honouring not only the special connection between the city and its forests, but also its leading role as an international science and communication centre for forest-related topics. The city is making a significant contribution to raising awareness of the crucial role of forests in the fight against climate change,” Mr Mavsar said. The Mayor of Bonn Ms Dörner said she was very pleased Bonn was named European Forest City 2024 by the European Forest Institute. “Bonn’s sustainable approach to its forest areas and trees makes a valuable contribution to reducing the consequences of and adapting to the climate crisis. EFI builds a bridge between Bonn as a green city and a science city, and fits perfectly into Bonn’s biodiversity profile,” she said.

Tigercat will debut a prototype machine that will advance steep slope harvesting. Based on the 855E platform, the LS857 shovel logger represents a reimagining by Tigercat designers of what a steep slope carrier should look like. Source: Timberbiz The result is a machine with more leveling capability, superior cable management in winch assisted applications, and a series of design enhancements including increased boom lift and improvements to service access. The switch to in-tank hydraulic filters improves filtration and extends service intervals, and the shape of the fuel tank increases useable volume. The LS857 will be equipped with Tigercat’s new live heel feller-director boom set. This new boom system is the best of all worlds with nearly 11 m (36 ft) reach, a live heel for added utility, and the versatile and highly productive 5195 directional felling saw pinned to the end of it.

Deere & Company announced that it has named Mary Pat Tubb as the new Vice President of Worldwide Forestry. Tubb succeeds Timo Ylänen, who after three decades of exceptional leadership and service, will retire. Source: Timberbiz Ms Tubb will be responsible for the overall management and performance of Deere & Company’s global forestry business. She steps into the role with extensive experience and background. Ms Tubb has spent 25 years at John Deere, most recently serving as the General Manager of John Deere Construction and Forestry at Davenport Works in Davenport, Iowa, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of the company’s operations and market demands. “It is an honour for me to be joining the forestry team,” said Ms Tubb. “The passionate commitment and expertise of this team are the right ingredients for the ongoing advancement and growth of the forestry business. I am excited about the opportunity to lead and contribute to the next chapter of innovation and growth in this sector.” “Mary Pat Tubb brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leadership to her new roles. We are confident that under her direction, John Deere’s forestry division will continue to thrive and redefine industry standards, further cementing our position as a global leader in the market,” D. Campbell, President of Worldwide Construction & Forestry and Power Systems, said. Ms Tubb started her career with John Deere as a Tractor Field Test Engineer in Waterloo, Iowa after graduating from University of Minnesota with a degree in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. She has since received a Master of Engineering in Professional Practice from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an Executive MBA from Duke University.  

The Wood Guys one of the Tasmania’s largest retailers of premium Tasmanian timber, is on the market for the first time since its establishment in 2005. Source: Timberbiz In the heart of Tasmania, a unique opportunity awaits those who dream of owning a piece of the island’s speciality retail market. “Specialty timber is a valuable and finite resource. We currently have a huge stockpile of Tasmanian specialty timber, all sawn and air-dried, ready for use, which is now irreplaceable, given the recent changes in the industry,” said Holly Smillie, the current owner. This stockpile not only secures a sustainable supply for years to come but also presents an enticing investment opportunity amidst the soaring prices of specialty timber. The Wood Guys currently operates from two retail locations, with a prime showroom in Derwent Park and a smaller outlet in Devonport. What sets The Wood Guys apart is not just the quality of their products but the versatility of the business model. “The beauty of this business is you can do as much or as little as you like. It is the perfect husband wife business, with one doing the milling, machining, workshop work, while the other does the showroom-marketing side of things, or you could employ a manager and workshop staff and sit back, reaping the rewards,” Ms Smillie said. The business not only caters to the local market but has also garnered attention on the mainland, with increasing demand for expansion. For prospective buyers, the allure lies not only in the exquisite range of Tasmanian specialty timbers like Huon pine, sassafras, myrtle, celery top pine, blackwood, King Billy, and more but also in the beautiful handmade woodwork sourced from Tasmania’s finest craftspeople. “We have completed many notable commissions – new kitchen for the CEO of Estee Lauder, a custom table for Harvey Norman, timber for the Emirates Wolgan Valley resort (Australia’s only 6-star resort), a commission for the Archbishop of Australia, and many more,” Ms Smillie said. “The only reason we are selling is due to serious health issues. The business is growing at a rapid rate, and our health is impacting our ability to progress.”

Australia is set to commence construction on little more than a million new homes over the next five years, almost 200,000 short of the Australian government’s target. Source: Timberbiz “It is possible to build 1.2 million new homes over five years, but it will require significant policy reforms. These reforms need to include lowering taxes on home building, easing pressures on construction costs, and decreasing land costs,” HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt said. “As it stands, both the detached housing and multi-units markets are set to be recovering in 2024/25 from recent decade lows,” he said. Mr Devitt said that a cut to the cash rate this year was increasingly uncertain as unemployment remained low and inflation “increasingly sticky”. “The recovery in home building isn’t, however, reliant on a cut to the cash rate, but a more stable interest rate outlook. Pent up demand for housing will allow market confidence to grow and buyers to return to the market,” he said. “This recovery will, nonetheless, be insufficient to meet government housing targets as long as home building continues to be constrained by punitive taxes and regulations.” Punitive tax surcharges on foreign investors were squeezing out precisely the investment needed to help meet government housing targets and at the same time recent changes to building codes were likely to add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of building new homes. “More effort is also needed to increase the capacity of the industry. Access to skilled labour from overseas will remain crucial, as will the need to train and upskill our existing workforce. More support for apprenticeships, including maintaining current apprenticeship subsidies, will go a long way in this direction,” Mr Devitt said. “Reforms in these areas would represent a material upside risk to this housing outlook and could see Australia exceed the government’s target and potentially build sufficient homes to meet demand.” Detached house commencements: An annual total of 96,250 detached house commencements in expected for 2023/24, down by 12.6% on the previous year and down by almost a third on the 2020/21 peak. This will mark the trough of the cycle and the weakest financial year since 2012/13, over a decade earlier. Commencements are expected to remain weak at 97,800 in 2024/25, just a 1.6% improvement, before recovering and exceeding 110,000 by 2026/27. Multi-unit commencements: Multi-unit commencements are expected to total 72,010 in 2023/24, up by 14.1% on the 63,100 trough and 11-year low in 2022/23. The recovery in multi-unit commencements is expected to continue, up by 23.1% to 88,610 in 2024/25 and reaching almost 100,000 by 2026/27 before moderating back to 96,230 by 2027/28.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is set to launch an on-road targeted operation, focused on mechanical safety and compliance with mass, dimension and loading requirements of heavy vehicles operating in support of the construction sector. Source: Timberbiz NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said the operation will run for four weeks across NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, ACT, and TAS. “Throughout the operation, we will prioritise education in the first instance to ensure operators and drivers have a clear understanding of the risks associated with non-compliance during heavy vehicle transport activities in the construction industry, and know how to manage them,” Mr Salvati said. “Drivers and operators should always be practicing safe behaviours, such as implementing a daily check list to ensure the mechanical safety of vehicles, or utilising measuring devices, such as tape measures or height sticks, to confirm the vehicle and its load are within allowable dimensions. “Managing safety risks can help prevent injuries and fatalities, avoid financial loss for the business, evade legal sanctions, enhance business reputation, and create a culture where informed safety decisions are made.” Reflecting on last year’s construction focused national operation, Mr Salvati provided insights into the compliance outcomes. “In the last operation, from 1 March to 15 April 2023, the NHVR’s on-road officers inspected more than 1,200 vehicles, and we saw encouraging signs of compliance,” Mr Salvati said. “Overall, 56.4% of heavy construction vehicles were compliant across all HVNL categories, with especially high compliance across mass and loading. “The results however, in the mechanical compliance category were indicative of the work we still have to do. “Of the defective components identified, the most serious were in brakes, body and chassis, while others were found in lights and reflectors.” Mr Salvati said the regulator is urging all operators and drivers working in the construction industry to keep safety front of mind. “Heavy vehicle hazards in the construction industry traditionally include loads not being properly restrained, vehicles exceeding mass or dimension limits and of course, the mechanical safety of vehicles, especially heavy rigid truck, and trailer combinations. “These may seem like standard risks, but they are amplified especially on a construction site by time pressures, constant loading and unloading, and the frequency of travel alongside other motorists on major roads and thoroughfares.”

FWPA has revamped its website. The brand-new site houses a comprehensive library of research reports, resources, data and tools created by FWPA to support the success of its members and the broader sector. Source: Timberbiz The new website is intuitive, and specifically designed for simplicity and an improved user experience. Its powerful combination of enhanced navigation capabilities, outstanding search functionality, and comprehensive indexing enables visitors to find the information they need more easily than ever before. Head of Marketing and Communications at FWPA Sarah Downey said the organisation is committed to actively supporting and delivering benefit for members and the industry, and this new website is one of the many ways it is delivering on that promise. “We heard what members and stakeholders need from the FWPA website and we are proud to present a platform that we believe will exceed their expectations,” she said. Whether you’re looking for general information about FWPA, current projects, past research reports, or resources based on specific keywords, the friendly redesign ensures quick and easy access to the information. The website is a showcase for the many programs, projects, resources and tools created for members and the broader industry. To enhance the user experience, the FWPA has organised an immense amount of information into three distinct sections. Resources is where you find all past research reports, webinars and support tools. Research is the place for research and information relating to current projects, funding opportunities and investment plans. Industry Info is home to all the industry data from our statistics and economics program to support decision making and business planning for members and industry. Visit the new website at www.fwpa.com.au