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Combilift has secured two more awards – Design Team of the Year and The Industry Leader of the Year this time at the UK Engineering & Manufacturing Awards 2024. Source: Timberbiz The ‘Design Team of the Year’ award was presented to Combilift’s Heavy Equipment Team for their exceptional work on the groundbreaking 12-Wheel “Combi-LC Blade.” This cutting-edge machine has been specifically engineered to handle offshore wind turbine blades, which can reach up to 115 meters in length and weigh as much as 70 tonnes. Heavy Equipment Design Team drew upon their extensive experience in engineering complex transport systems, previously creating the renowned Combi-SC Straddle Carrier and Combi-MG Mobile Gantry ranges. In addition to this remarkable team achievement, Combilift’s co-founder and CEO, Martin McVicar, received the coveted ‘Industry Leader Award’, sponsored by Menzies. This accolade honours McVicar’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to innovation, which have played a pivotal role in transforming Combilift from a small Irish manufacturer into a global leader in the material handling sector. Mr McVicar’s leadership has been instrumental in Combilift’s success. Since co-founding the company, he has overseen its rapid growth, transforming it into one of Ireland’s top exporters, with a projected turnover of €500 million this year. His approach to leadership combines technical expertise with a hands-on, inclusive management style. Known for his engineering prowess, Mr McVicar has a background as Chief Engineer at Moffett Engineering, a role he held at the young age of 19. Under his guidance, Combilift has become synonymous with innovative problem-solving in material handling, consistently delivering tailored solutions for complex logistical challenges. The judges highlighted Mr McVicar’s ability to navigate the company through a range of external challenges, from the impacts of the pandemic to global supply chain disruptions, while maintaining a forward-thinking approach that identifies opportunities for growth and transformation. Beyond business success, Mr McVicar is deeply committed to fostering a strong corporate culture. Combilift’s headquarters, the largest factory under one roof in Ireland, serves not only as a manufacturing hub but also as ambassadors for corporate social responsibility. The company regularly hosts apprenticeship schemes, charity events, family days, and educa-tional visits, further solidifying its role within the local community. Combilift also sponsors the local Ladies GAA team, demonstrating McVicar’s commitment to supporting gender equality in sports. Combilift’s double win at the UK Engineering & Manufacturing Awards 2024 is a testament to the company’s innovative spirit and visionary leadership, reinforcing its position as a global leader in the material handling industry.

In the early 1800s, more than 500,000 acres of red spruce forests blanketed the Appalachian Mountains. As the population realized the value of red spruce, it became heavily logged for paper, construction lumber and musical instruments. In the 1970s and 1980s, the same lands were worked for surface and underground mining, further reducing red spruce forests until less than 50,000 acres remained. Source: Timberbiz As a haven for West Virginia northern flying squirrel and endangered Cheat Mountain salamander, the red spruce plays a vital role in ecological communities. Numerous conservation groups, like Green Forests Work (GFW), have been established to bring back the native tree and restore the lands to their natural forest state. Creating ideal soil conditions on former mined land for the red spruce trees to take root is a difficult task, requiring large machinery and agricultural knowledge. Komatsu began a partnership with GFW in 2019 as part of their reforestation program to provide machinery, financial and manpower assistance to their projects. To date, the partnership between GFW, Komatsu, and the US Forest Service has resulted in the planting of more than 800 acres with over 575,000 native tree and shrub seedlings, and nearly 650 wetlands have been created. Tree survival rates typically exceed 90% thanks to the GFW’s methods of soil preparation using Komatsu equipment. “To see Komatsu machinery expertly craft channels for planting is incredible. In our mission to be good stewards of the Earth, our machines are providing the care and quality touch the lands need to become a thriving forest,” Rod Schrader, chairman and CEO – Komatsu North America says. Red spruce growth is divided into three stages: sleeping phase, creeping phase and leaping phase. The sleeping phase occurs from planting through year three, during which time the trees begin establishing their roots. In years three through seven, the creeping phase, trees begin to grow in height; this is the stage trees Komatsu employees planted are currently in. The leaping phase encompasses years seven through 10 and occurs as the trees compete for sunlight space. Canopy enclosure begins at this phase. Following year 10, the forest becomes more self-sustaining and wildlife habitats flourish. The Komatsu partnership with GFW mirrors the growing phases of the red spruce. In the first phase, the partners focused on soil preparation and tree planting. As that proved successful, the project moved into the second phase — pond decommissioning. The teams worked to convert sediment ponds that remained from mining reclamation into wetlands and forest habitat to protect cold-water streams that support native brook trout. In the next phase of the project, we will see teams explore new sites and transform them back to their native states prior to surface mining. “The financial and equipment donations from Komatsu have greatly accelerated the restoration work and improved the outcomes. We look forward to continuing this partnership and expanding the scope of these restoration projects in the coming years,” Michael French, Director of Operations for Green Forest Works, said.

The NZFOA/NZFFA Transport and Logistics committee has released a new appendix to the New Zealand Forest Owners Road Engineering Manual, titled Forest Roads for High Productivity Motor Vehicles with Two Drive Axle Log Trucks. Source: Timberbiz Prepared by Paul van der Voort from Forest Management NZ, and supported by funding from the Forest Growers Levy Trust, this update provides essential guidance for designing forest roads to accommodate High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs). HPMV trucks, which can carry up to 58 tonnes and extend to 23 metres in length, have become popular in the forestry sector. However, these vehicles require different road design considerations compared with older, smaller configurations. The original manual’s design specifications, based on trucks with a 44-tonne capacity and 20-metre length, are no longer sufficient for the heavier longer HPMVs. This appendix offers practical solutions to address these challenges. It includes updated charts for curve widening, recommendations for road gradient, camber, and pavement materials, and emphasizes the importance of road surface compaction. It also discusses the increased stress on roads due to heavier axle loads, advising on pavement design and construction. Additionally, the appendix acknowledges the critical role of driver skill in navigating forest roads, especially in difficult conditions, and provides recommendations for situations where HPMVs may not be suitable. This update is a valuable resource for forest road engineers and planners, ensuring roads are safe, efficient, and capable of handling modern truck configurations while adhering to environmental standards.

Trade businesses have been put on alert for cyber-attacks and should review their digital security measures after a data leak hit major Australian hardware chain Total Tools. Source: Timberbiz COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat has warned businesses in the construction and trades industry of the threat of secondary attacks following revelations of a data leak which could affect more than 38,000 customers. “It is critical for tradespeople and anyone in the construction industry with online hardware business accounts to be on heightened alert for suspicious activity in the coming hours, days and weeks, as cyber criminals try to use the stolen data for nefarious purposes,” he said. “We are warning businesses to be aware of scams and secondary attacks and take steps to secure your sensitive data, finances and client information. Enrolling in the free Cyber Wardens program, supported by the Federal government, only takes two minutes to help every small business and their employees protect themselves from cyber-attacks.” Customer data including names, credit card details, email addresses, Total Tools passwords, mobile numbers and shipping addresses have been compromised in the leak. COSBOA and its member organisations, including Master Builders Association, the National Timber and Hardware Association, and the Master Grocers Association, are working together to alert small business owners and their employees to take immediate steps to protect their personal and business information. The free Cyber Wardens eLearning program, funded by the Federal government, has been designed to help Australia’s 2.5 million small businesses fortify their digital doors against cybercrime. Businesses concerned they have been targeted are urged to call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).

Mandating the processing of resource consents to within 1-year for wood processing facilities and related activities announced by the New Zealand Government as part of the resource management reform proposals is welcomed by the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association. Source: Timberbiz “In the current period of uncertainty due to escalating energy prices, it is encouraging to hear of the positive actions the government is proposing under the RMA reform to incentiv-ise industry development, while at the same time safeguarding our environment,” said Wood Processors and Manufacturers Chief Executive, Mark Ross. “We thank the Minister responsible for reform, Chris Bishop, and Act MP and parliamentary under-secretary Simon Court for listening to our members and providing the leadership needed to back future development of both new and existing wood processing facilities. “With examples of resource consent renewal taking up to 13 years and costing in excess of $2 million due to the drawn-out regional council processes, a more efficient system is essential.” Wood processing investments are capital intensive and long lived. Once established the ‘sunk cost’ and “make good” implications can be considerable, meaning that much of the focus of our members has been on renewing and upgrading existing operations, with excessive cost and uncertainty resulting in less focus on new and innovative investments. As a low net emissions industry, wood processing offers many public benefits, including being a high-value regional employer, adding value to commodities that are otherwise export-ed in raw form, along with providing domestic resilience in terms of the supply of building materials, residues for sustainable packaging and biofuel. WPMA looks forward to working alongside the resource management reform expert panel and officials to ensure that the new Resource Management settings are effective for incentivising future investment and growth within our industry.  

Paperboard producers in Australia lifted their use of recovered paper to an all-time high in 2023-24. Local producers used 1.879 million tonnes of recovered paper for the year, a lift of 8.2% or 142,000 tonnes on the prior year. Source: IndustryEdge Growth in local use of recovered paper was driven by a change in production away from printing and communication papers (like copy paper) and toward recycled corrugated packaging. Analysis for the 2024 Pulp & Paper Strategic Reviews identifies the large uplift in local recovered paper use as one of the major features of a year in which global and local fibre balances were changing and remained disrupted. Higher prices for pulp, sustained high prices for recovered paper and inventory and supply chain disruptions all fed the global market, but saw local use of recovered paper power on, despite the potential allure of international opportunities and pricing. As a result of the increased use of recovered fibre and a sharp (and directly linked) fall in use of virgin fibre pulp, Australia’s fibre balance shifted sharply to a record high for recovered paper, rising to 57.2% of total fibre used in the Australian paper and paperboard manufacturing industry. Australia’s Proportional Recovered Paper Use: 2014 – 2024 (%) Evidence that Australia continues to collect large volumes of recovered paper, for local use and export, continued in 2023-24, with total exports also rising. Exports returned to growth over the year, lifting over the 1.0 million tonne mark, after falling back the prior year. Full details, charts and tables will be provided in the 2024 Pulp & Paper Strategic Reviews, due for release in mid-October. For more information www.industryedge.com.au

The appointment of the Master Builders Australia to the National Construction Industry Forum (NCIF) has been described as another positive step in tackling key challenges faced by the building and construction industry. Source: Timberbiz “As the only industry body representing the commercial, civil and residential sectors of the industry, it makes sense to have a seat at the table,” Master Builders CEO Denita Wawn said. She said the building and construction industry was at a critical juncture. “It’s important that all key stakeholders are around the table to discuss and progress reforms in relation to the massive issues facing the industry,” she said. “This is the opportunity for meaningful and positive change in the industry. “The forum needs to have a clear focus on reversing declining productivity and stamping out unlawful and corrupt conduct, so we deliver on the housing and supporting infrastructure needs Australians rightly expect from us. “There is still a long way to go until we fix the poor culture in some areas of the industry and stamp out this unlawful and intimidatory behaviour once and for all. “Given the multitude of investigations going on and previous Royal Commissions, we hope the Minister keeps an open mind to the need for an industry-specific regulator with sweeping powers and resources. “Our members are telling us that there are too many instances of conduct falling through the cracks because of limited powers and resources for regulators and law enforcement agencies. “Master Builders’ Building Breaking Bad proposal outlines sensible measures to improve industry culture and ensure the errors of the past are not repeated. “We look forward to continuing our constructive relationship with Minister Watt and members of the NCIF,” Ms Wawn said.

Cattle Australia (CA) has launched its Land Management Commitment (LMC) strategic policy, which emphasises the primacy of agricultural land and includes definitions of deforestation and forest in the Australian context, along with four recommendations for implementation. Source: Timberbiz CA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said the LMC was a vital piece of work centred on the continued development of a national framework that grows efficient and resilient beef businesses, thriving rural communities, and protects and enhances the unique Australian environment. “Through this work, CA has undertaken the necessary assessment of voluntary international frameworks, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the unique Australian context, to provide a clear pathway to deliver sustainable beef products to both our domestic and international customers,” Dr Parker said. “In a modern global context where Australia is a key player in the global beef trade, exporting over $10 billion annually, the alignment of Australian definitions with global definitions to ensure equivalency is crucial. “Globally, there is clear recognition of the importance of food production, and Australian definitions enable us to demonstrate the Australian regional context and the land management practices vital to maintaining food production, healthy landscapes and biodiversity.” Dr Parker said the implementation of the LMC definitions and recommendations would result in more certainty for Australian beef producers as they manage agricultural land to produce high-quality beef for the world. In addition, land management practices would continue for the benefit of the environment and biodiversity and ensure equitable market opportunities. “The outcome of the work is a decision tree model and educational information on the routine land management practices supported by the Australian State, Territory and Federal legislation through case studies, to ensure easy implementation for producers and the wider industry.” Under the LMC, deforestation is the illegal clearing of trees on land, used for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, that violates vegetation management laws and where trees exceed forest thresholds. Agricultural land is defined as land used for the production of food and fibre, including the grazing of livestock. Agricultural land use is demonstrated under the national Australian Land Use Management (ALUM) Classification system, with the majority of Australian grass-fed beef produced on Class 2 land type – Production from Relatively Natural Environments. Dr Parker said Australian producers already abide by some of the strictest vegetation management laws in the world, and the LMC would complement these to ensure the beef sector, and broader agriculture, can continue demonstrating sustainability credentials to meet changing market access requirements. “Australia has more than 136 existing vegetation laws embedded in State, Territory and Federal legislation that protects the environment and biodiversity, representative of the complexity of the 89 bioregions within the Australian landscape,” Dr Parker said. “As custodians of more than 50% of the country’s land mass, the Australian grass-fed beef industry grazes on 325 million hectares of native vegetation and over 46 million hectares of modified pastures. “We are proud to play a part in ensuring the sustainability and prosperity of our environment for generations to come through responsible land management – a role we take extremely seriously.” Forest is defined as an area, incorporating all living and non-living components, dominated by trees having usually a single stem and a mature or potentially mature stand height exceeding two metres, and with existing or potential crown cover of overstorey strata about equal to or greater than 20 per cent. Forest does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural use in line with international definitions. Dr Parker said despite the campaigns of industry detractors, the beef sector’s sustainability credentials are clear. “Australia sits in the top 10 countries globally for protected forest area, with 36% of Australia’s forest on land managed for conservation purposes,” he said. “The total legal land clearing and re-clearing of native forests was 0.134pc in 2020-21, and there has been a net positive change in forest for the past 16 years since 2008. “Invasive plants, pests and diseases are now the number one contributor to biodiversity loss in Australia, which producers spend $5.3 billion annually managing.” To ensure the beef industry can demonstrate its sustainability credentials to attract incentives for biodiversity, market access, and strategic growth, the LMC work has identified four key recommendations: Australian government to manage an accurate and up-to-date (updated annually) national dataset to demonstrate through satellite mapping, agricultural land use, nature and biodiversity. Ensure equivalency with international standards that support producers operating within the Australian context in maintaining market access to both domestic and international markets, and ensure technical barriers to trade are compliant with World Trade Organisation rules. Industry and government tools must be accessible to enable producers to demonstrate the benefits of the co-existence of beef production and biodiversity outcomes. Empower strategic agricultural growth through sustainable development plans that detail strategies that ensure food security, regional economies and local ecosystems are not compromised. Dr Parker said Australian beef producers are already world leaders in environmental and biodiversity management practices. “The LMC work has been undertaken at a time when the supply chain and financial sector are being caught under a broader trend requiring global businesses to publicly disclose the actions they are taking to promote sustainable outcomes for the planet,” Dr Parker said. “These definitions and recommendations are simply a means to ensure we maintain our world-leading reputation and can respond to the changing market access requirements. “The Australian beef industry plays a crucial role in addressing the world’s food security and climate challenges by exporting 70pc of our product to over 100 countries globally. It is vital this role is recognised, and the industry is supported by both the Government and the Australian people.” Read the full Land Management Commitment strategic policy at https://cattleaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CA-LMC-Paper-WEB_FINAL.pdf

Parkside Timber is planning to build a high-impact timber and laminating facility in Wondai, Queensland, contributing to the local timber industry and economy. Sources: Industry Update, Timberbiz It is projected to process up to 6000 tonnes of timber annually once it reaches maximum capacity after five years. It will create 10 full-time jobs. South Burnett Regional Council approved the development permit for Parkside Building Supplies Pty Ltd at a general council meeting in August. The facility at 2-30 Kemp St will focus on manufacturing wooden and laminated products. The facility’s infrastructure will include a glue lines building for finger-joining spotted gum, a racker and stacker building and car parking facilities with a minimum of 42 spaces. A site-based management plan prepared by Range Environmental Consultants classified the potential environmental impacts from the operation as ‘low’. The facility will also produce 5000 to 10,000 tonne of reconstituted timber products annually. Environmental management reviews will be conducted every year. Parkside acquired its first sawmill at Eungella, Queensland which then lead to Parkside expanding its timber sales and building materials business into Townsville in 1966. In 1972, Parkside acquired a larger and more efficient sawmill in Mackay. With a guarantee of its own timber supply. It later bought sawmills at Builyan, Theodore, Wandoan, Eidsvold and Wondai in South West Queensland. In 2019, Parkside expanded its milling operations further by acquiring mills and processing plants at Greenbushes and Nannup in Western Australia, and Orbost and Bairnsdale in Victoria. Parkside is one of Australia’s largest hardwood millers and timber manufacturers producing world class timber products for Australia, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Parkside’s current Wondai dry mill is a world class hardwood dry mill facility that produces hardwood decking, flooring, cladding, F27 and decorative timber.