Forest Products Industry

The Federal government’s announcement that councils are to receive $1.7 billion early funding to assist with the provision of shovel ready housing projects is a key part of addressing the nation’s housing puzzle, according to HIA Chief Executive Industry & Policy, Simon Croft. Source: Timberbiz “These funds are an important investment and should predominantly be directed toward enabling infrastructure such as roads, water and sewerage to unlock residential land across a range of development settings,” Mr Croft said. “As all local governments, metropolitan and regional, are being encouraged to meet housing targets this is a key measure for investment in infrastructure where it is needed most. “Funding of infrastructure is a burden that has been unfairly placed on builders who then have little choice but to pass this cost onto home buyers. Councils have equally been struggling to fund the necessary infrastructure and this early funding from the Federal government can help ease this burden to enable the provision of more affordable housing delivery.” He said that the other key investment from this funding should be directed towards supporting council planning areas to fast-track approvals. The current resource shortages across local councils, was one of the primary reasons for protracted approval timelines being experienced across the country. “HIA would also urge that this funding have a specific percentage directed towards regional areas,” Mr Croft said. “With regional Australia now home to more than 8.5 million people and growing, it is important the funding be allocated proportionally to support the delivery of new homes in regional Australia. “We need to build 240,000 homes every year just to meet demand, yet last year we fell 60,000 homes short. This funding can play a key role in supporting local councils to bring forward housing approvals to get keys in the door faster,” he said.  

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Scrimber, a high value engineered wood product made from crushed thinnings and small trees, is roaring back into focus and could one day dominate the construction industry. Source: Jason Ross, Wood Central That is according to Stefan Zoellig, Dr Steffen Franke, and Dr Bettina Franke, who spoke to Jason Ross from Wood Central from the sidelines of the World Conference on Timber Engineering last week about new plans to commercialise the technology, which has its roots in CSIRO research dating back to the 1970s. Close to 50 years since the CSIRO established the timber technology, Scrimber CSC is working to commercialise the technology for use in engineered wood products. Mr Zoellig, CEO and founder of Scrimber CSC, said the push to revive the technology, which has failed to achieve industrial production on multiple occasions, is for three reasons. “One is to bring more yield out of the tree. Nowadays, we have a 30% yield for CLT or glulam. With scrimber, we can bring it up to 90%. (The second) to use underutilised species/assortments, which you cannot usually turn into load-bearing members. And finally, to compete with concrete, where we can prove the material that can store carbon in the buildings for hundreds of years,” Mr Zoellig said. The technology has the potential to achieve a 90% yield from a tree, much higher than the 30% yield from a standard cross-laminated timber panel. Learning from the past, Mr Zoellig and Dr Steffen Franke said that the past issues were 60% financial and 40% technical. “I don’t think they ran out of time. They ran out of money. It’s always the 3t’s – it’s the time, talent and treasury. So, if you have those three, you can make anything. The money is around. That’s not the problem. There’s plenty of money and plenty of money looking exactly for this type of investment. But you have to structure it,” Mr Zoellig said. “We are open for investments” Now speaking to interested partners, Mr Zoellig said past versions of scrimber ran into several technical problems because it failed to adopt an industrial process to its production cycle. “These include preparing the wood, crushing it, scrimming it, drying it, blending it with the glue, and finishing it.” Adding that there were major problems with crushing, which lead to very uneven strand diameters – caused issues with drying and the high-frequency press,” Dr Franke said. “We are looking at European spruce, but we are open to any other species. We know that plantation wood is coming and growing quickly, which presents an opportunity.” For example, Japanese cedar or perhaps even radiata pine. Asked if scrimber was 30, 40 or even 50 years ahead of its time, Dr Bettina Franke said. “It was maybe also too early for architects. They didn’t know how to use it. There was no mass timber movement as we have today. “Of the things happening around the world, the climate change drives us all to reduce carbon emission and instead rise carbon sequestration and storage in timber. On the other hand, we have to consider the other resources, like for example urban tree-cutoffs as well as additionalsite resources which we are not allowed to cut. And this is the way. And now we notice and want to go one step ahead for the next generation.”  

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Timberlink was thrilled to announce that two of its Bell Bay team members, Belinda Westergreen and Monique Koski, were winners at the 2025 Women in Resources and Manufacturing Tasmania Awards. Source: Timberbiz These annual awards aim to shine a spotlight on the women transforming traditionally male-dominated industries. Belinda Westergreen, Team Leader, won the Outstanding Tasmanian Tradeswoman, operator or Technician Award. Ms Westergreen started her journey at Timberlink as a night-shift cleaner and is now Green Mill Team Leader. Monique Koski, Bell Bay Site Manager, was a co-winner of the Exceptional Woman in Tasmania Manufacturing Award. Ms Koski is the first woman to lead the Bell Bay site. Congratulations to both Timberlink winners, as well as all 16 women honoured at this event.

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Forestry Corporation has embarked on the second year of an Alpine Ash and White Ash seed collection program to protect these important eucalypt forests from future fires. Source: Timberbiz Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) is a fast-growing eucalypt reaching heights of up to 40 metres in NSW and thriving in the high country. Although resilient in cold climates, it is highly susceptible to fire, particularly before trees reach 20 years of age. As an obligate seeder the species’ survival depends entirely on seeds released from the tree canopy following a bushfire. To protect ash forest stands from future fires, Forestry Corporation has engaged contractors Worseldine Forest Produce to collect and extract Alpine Ash seed to help build a seed bank that’s stored in a cool room at Eden. Forestry Corporation Resources Supervisor for the Southern Region Joel Dawson said alpine ash seeds have recently been collected from Maragle State Forest in the Tumbarumba area. “Expert seed collection arborists have climbed alpine ash trees in Maragle State Forest and collected seed capsules from the tree canopies in areas that we have been monitoring for the last few years. “Last year in conjunction with Worseldine Forest Produce we identified a widespread flowering event in the alpine ash stands, which meant there is mature seed present in the canopy that can be collected this year and next year,” Mr Dawson said. “These seeds will be stored until they are needed, and act as an insurance policy to the natural regeneration that is occurring in fire-affected stands as they reseed and regenerate following the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-2020. “Should another fire impact those same forests before the ash trees reach maturity then the there is no way for the forest to regenerate without intervention, the seed bank we are building will allow us to regrow those forests.” A range of technology has been used to collect seed including the use of drones to monitor and identify flowering events and all-terrain vehicles to help navigate rough terrain while minimising environmental impact on forest vegetation. Prior to last year, Forestry Corporation held just 3kg of alpine ash seed, a volume unable to execute a long-term reseeding strategy in case of another catastrophic fire. Today 440kg of seed is held in storage, with collection efforts to continue for another month before resuming in Spring – the overall goal is to build a seed bank comprising 800kg of seed. “In NSW, across both the National Park and State Forest estates 18,850ha of alpine ash forests has burnt twice in the past 25 years,” Mr Dawson said. “Just 4,650ha, or 6% of the total alpine ash area, remains untouched by fire since before 2003—the majority of which is located in Bondo and Micalong State Forests,” he said. White Ash (Eucalyptus fraxinoides) seed collection will also continue in the tableland state forests of the Eden-Monaro. Forestry Corporation has to date collected 25kg of White Ash seed with a goal of storing 150kg of seed to support long-term regeneration efforts.

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The Forest Stewardship Council Australia and New Zealand has appointed James Felton-Taylor as the new Chair of its Board of Directors following the conclusion of Jon Dee’s second successful term in the role. Source: Timberbiz Mr Felton-Taylor is a long-standing advocate for responsible forest management. As the owner and Managing Director of Australian Sustainable Timbers (AST), he leads the first company in Australia to achieve FSC certification for native forest operations. Based on the North Coast of New South Wales, AST is known for its commitment to regenerative forestry and the sustainable use of private native forests. With a background in environmental science, farm forestry, and remnant vegetation management, James brings deep operational insight and values-driven leadership to the role. He is actively involved across AST’s operations, from management planning to harvesting and timber marketing, and oversees a group scheme of FSC-certified private forests. “James brings a valuable combination of technical expertise, business leadership, and on-the-ground insight into what responsible forestry looks like in practice,” said Melanie Robertson, CEO of FSC ANZ. “His appointment reflects our continued focus on impact, integrity and regional relevance.” Jon Dee served as Chair since 2021. A passionate advocate for sustainability, he guided the organisation through a period of strategic growth and brought clarity and strong values to Board decision-making. “Jon’s contribution to FSC ANZ cannot be overstated. His values-driven leadership and steady support for the team have had a lasting impact. We’re pleased he’ll continue to share his insight and energy as a member of the Board,” Ms Robertson said. Mr Felton-Taylor’s appointment comes at a significant time for FSC ANZ, as the organisation is poised to commence the development of its new five-year strategy later this year, planning the strategic pathway of the organisation for the medium term. “Under Jon Dee’s Chairmanship, the Board has successfully stabilised FSC ANZ both financially and organisationally,” Mr Felton-Taylor said. “I’m looking forward to building on that foundation with the Board in the development of the new strategy to extend FSC’s reach and impact across Australia and New Zealand.” Mr Felton-Taylor expressed confidence that the new strategic plan will further consolidate FSC ANZ’s work on strengthening responsible forestry in across Australia and New Zealand, which is supported by a growing network of members, certificate holders, and promotional licence holders committed to sustainable forest management.

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