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Mercer Mass Timber (MMT), a leading manufacturer of sustainable timber building materials and a subsidiary of Mercer International has announced a strategic partnership with CLT Toolbox, a structural design software platform built specifically for mass timber buildings. Source: Timberbiz The collaboration marks a major step toward making mass timber a mainstream construction material by connecting advanced digital workflows with real-world manufacturing capabilities. By embedding product-specific, code-compliant design tools into a digital platform accessible to structural engineers worldwide, the partnership removes long-standing barriers that have historically slowed the adoption of mass timber as a mainstream building solution. “Our collaboration with CLT Toolbox is about facilitating digital design in the realities of mass timber fabrication,” said Ricardo Brites Director of Engineering & VDC at Mercer Mass Timber. “It’s a smart, integrated and accessible approach and exactly the kind of alignment the industry needs.” This is one of the first integrations of its kind in North America and signals a broader shift toward digitized, scalable mass timber construction. By simplifying design, manufacturing, and installation, MMT and CLT Toolbox are using advanced technology to remove complexity from workflows and accelerate the transition to low-carbon building systems. This integration provides benefits throughout the building lifecycle: For engineers: It offers calibrated, best-practice design tools that reduce guesswork, enhance design confidence, and streamline approvals. For architects and developers: It ensures cost predictability, constructability, and compliance are addressed early, improving timelines and reducing downstream rework. For the industry at large: It represents a leap forward in the digitization and scalability of mass timber construction. “The world is ready for low-carbon construction, but technical bottlenecks are holding us back,” said Adam Jones, CEO and Founder of CLT Toolbox. “Once we remove those, mass timber has everything it needs to lead the future of building.”  

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Forestry Corporation’s Sales and Planning teams have welcomed heritage timber bridge restoration experts from Placemaking NSW, Transport for NSW and Broockmann Water Advisory to the North Coast for a guided tour of native hardwood production forests. Source: Timberbiz The visit offered a rare opportunity for the NSW Government’s bridge team to see first-hand where the high-quality, naturally durable timbers essential to their restoration work are sourced. “This was a fantastic opportunity to connect the dots between sustainable forest management and heritage timber bridge preservation,” Carl Broockmann said. “It’s great to see how our work in the forest directly supports the longevity of some of the state’s most treasured landmarks and most important public infrastructure.” Placemaking NSW manages Pyrmont Bridge, the oldest continuously operated electric swing span bridge in the world. The bridge, constructed in 1902, has two steel spans and 12 timber spans built with over 900 tons of renewal hardwood timber sourced from the north coast of NSW. The NSW Government has announced a contribution of $59.6million dollars to the restoration of Pyrmont Bridge timber trusses over the coming 10 years. This work is important to keep the vital pedestrian and cycleway route open between Pyrmont and the Sydney CBD. “High quality and durable timbers of large diameter with specific strength and durability requirements are needed for the Pyrmont Bridge restoration that are only available in NSW native forests,” David Glasson said. The Transport for NSW Bridge team is also responsible for maintaining 27 timber bridges of historical and engineering significance across NSW. Alan Pottie of TfNSW said ‘many of these bridges will require restoration over the coming 10 years and will require a steady supply of hardwood timber sourced from the north coast region’. “These structures require premium-grade timbers such as Ironbark, Tallowwood, and Blackbutt, species native to NSW and not available anywhere else in the world,” he said. During the tour, FCNSW staff showcased their sustainable harvesting practices and planning processes that ensure the long-term viability of these valuable timber resources. The visit also allowed FCNSW teams to gain insight into the end uses of their products and the critical role they play in preserving NSW’s infrastructure heritage. The tour highlighted the importance of collaboration between forestry and infrastructure teams and reinforced FCNSW’s commitment to responsible resource management.

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With just six weeks before the 2025 Gottstein Understanding Wood Science Course commences industry participants are encouraged register and not miss out on this excellent development opportunity. The Gottstein Understanding Wood Science Course is held just every second year. Source: Timberbiz As an example, Sustainable Timber Tasmania personnel, including non-executive directors, have and continue to gain a great deal from Gottstein courses. And to make it that bit easier for companies, the fee for the course has remained unchanged since it first began in 2023. Starting with registration followed by dinner and a course briefing on the evening of Sunday 7 September the course runs through to lunchtime Friday 12 September The course program is at https://gottsteintrust.org/upload/documents/WSCProgram_2025-07Preliminary.pdf The event starts at Albury, close to the three manufacturing operations which will be visited on the field trip component of the course. The group is then taken by coach to Canberra where they spend the rest of the week, including for a full day of learning at the Australian National University. This course has a contemporary edge with an emphasis on the engineered wood sector as it continues to grow. It’s a very good chance to get up to date on the wood processing sector, including research and development, as well as learning the fundamentals about the biological characteristics of wood. One of the great benefits of a Gottstein course is people spending five days as a group with time to network with others from different parts of the industry and different places. It’s motivating and opens eyes to how many different types of operations are within the Australian forest products value chain. The inspiring list of accomplished guest presenters offers a rare opportunity for participants. To register go to https://gottsteintrust.org/grants-courses/understanding-wood-science-course/registration or for more information consult https://gottsteintrust.org/grants-courses/understanding-wood-science-course or contact team@gottsteintrust.org

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