Forest Products Industry

A technical challenge presented by New Zealand’s premium glulam manufacturer, Techlam, has led to an exciting partnership with Scion, fostering a unique international collaboration. Source: Timberbiz In response to Techlam’s request for expertise, Scion proposed an innovative solution: inviting Jean Margerie, a student from France’s prestigious engineering school École nationale supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), to join the project on a six-month joint internship. Henri Baillères, Scion’s General Manager of Forests to Timber Products, explains that while Scion has long collaborated with the Levin-based company, this new partnership bridges industry and research, combining expertise and knowledge. “When Techlam approached us for support, we saw an opportunity to meet their challenge with an innovative, mutually beneficial solution,” he says. “For Techlam, it provided access to advanced equipment and research expertise that allowed them to expand their project scope and gain valuable insights into their processes. For Scion, this collaboration offered a direct link to industry, enabling us to apply our research in real-world settings and gain practical feedback to drive product innovation.” After travelling over 20,000 km to New Zealand, Mr Margerie joined Scion in February 2024 to support Techlam’s efforts in improving quality control for glulam beams. He split his time between research at Scion and hands-on work at Techlam. “Partnerships like this are central to Scion’s mandate and strategic approach, fostering cross-sector collaborations to advance forestry research, drive innovation, and promote sustainable forestry practices,” Mr Baillères said. Since its establishment 30 years ago, Techlam has grown from a small operation to a 50+ person company, supplying radiata pine glulam beams across New Zealand, South Pacific, and globally. Managing Director Brett Hamilton describes the partnership with Scion and ENSAM as “transformative.” “Jean tackled our most pressing challenges and contributed to research and development, driving improvements in both product quality and innovation in glulam manufacturing,” he said. Mr Hamilton highlights ENSAM’s status as a prestigious engineering institution known for producing high-calibre students. “The advanced, industry-focused training at ENSAM emphasises practical problem-solving and project leadership, not just theoretical knowledge. This approach has allowed Jean to apply his expertise directly to our processes, achieving impressive results,” he said. For Mr Magerie, the internship was the final piece in completing his studies in engineering. He says his first impressions were overwhelming, but the support from Scion, Techlam, and ENSAM was the key to his success. The internship had three distinct phases. First, a new testing device was implemented on the production line to measure a beam’s stiffness without damaging it, enhancing quality control. The second phase involved two months in Techlam’s factory focused on improving product consistency. Finally, back at Scion, research explored creating hybrid beams with exotic and carbon fibres, aiming for innovative beams compatible with Techlam’s existing processes. Although only a proof of concept was developed, it set the stage for future advancements. Reflecting on the experience, Mr Margerie says it was a unique way to do an internship and a great way to shape his career. “Working in both industry and research has been invaluable, giving me insight into the challenges and opportunities in each field. This experience has shaped my perspective and strengthened my career path in engineering.” Mr Margerie is not the first engineering student from ENSAM to intern at Scion, following in the footsteps of Scion Wood Process Engineer, Romain Meot. Joining Scion in 2023, he played a pivotal role in establishing this successful partnership, serving as Mr Margerie’s mentor and a vital link between Scion and Techlam. “The main advantage for students here is access to experts in many fields. They can reach out to specialists to solve technical problems, giving them well-rounded support.” Techlam Quality Control Manager, Dave Hollows, who mentored Mr Magerie during his time with the company, notes the significant impact of Mr Margerie’s fresh perspective. “Jean collaborated closely with Techlam and Scion to drive the development of innovative, sustainable building materials, and his insights have brought immense value to our team,” Mr Hollows said. “On a personal level, Jean reminded me to approach challenges thoughtfully, to question assumptions, and to look at problems through a more analytical lens.” He says this shift in mindset has fundamentally changed the way we approach problem-solving across our operations. “Having someone from the outside, like Jean, allowed us to step back and reconsider practices we’ve grown accustomed to. His questions often prompted us to think differently about things we’d taken for granted,” Mr Hollows said. “In many ways, he mentored us by encouraging a broader view of situations we hadn’t fully examined before.” While Mr Margerie’s internship concluded in August, he continued his work at Techlam as an employee for three additional months and is looking towards a new position starting next year, working alongside both Scion and Techlam. This collaboration is a model Scion plans to replicate with other companies, furthering industry innovation and strengthening global connections. Mr Baillères notes the growing interest from highly skilled students at prestigious institutions in New Zealand and worldwide who are eager to join Scion for internships, bringing specialised expertise in engineering and problem-solving. “For these students to make a real impact, we need more organisations to step forward and collaborate,” Mr Baillères said. “Companies gain fresh solutions, elevate their projects, and benefit from these dynamic, solution-driven minds, ultimately helping to lift the industry standard.”

By showing the leaders of tomorrow how it is done, Forestry Australia is doing its bit to support the future of Australia’s forest management sector with a call for applications for the 2025 Mentoring Program. Source: Timberbiz CEO of Forestry Australia, Jacquie Martin, said participating in a mentoring program not only fosters personal and professional growth, enhances skills, builds confidence, expands networks, but it creates opportunities for meaningful connections and knowledge sharing in a supportive environment. Now in its fourth year, the program has matched over 180 mentors and mentees Ms Martin said the program supported the development of the next generation of leaders within the forest sector and encouraged diversity of ideas, people and skills. “The program also supports Forestry Australia’s commitment to meeting the needs of its increasingly diverse membership and reinforces the principles of lifelong learning,” Ms Martin said. “A mentoring relationship is a powerful development experience that can deliver personal and professional benefits for both mentors and mentees.” Forestry Australia’s mentoring program runs for 9 months and is designed to establish connections within the forestry sector by pairing experienced forestry professionals with those who are seeking to evolve their career. The program has been developed around a framework and tool kit of resources which will support participants to ensure effective and sustainable knowledge transfer, skill acquisition and maintaining momentum for all participants. “We encourage anyone who is interested in growing their own career or giving back to the profession to help foster the next generation to get in touch and find out how they can become involved,” Ms Martin said. Applications to participate in Forestry Australia’s 2024 Mentoring Program close Monday 3 February 2025. For more information about becoming involved as either a mentor or a mentee, visit  https://www.forestry.org.au/mentoring/