Australian timber industry news

The 2026 Wood Design & Building Awards took centre stage in Calgary, Canada celebrating excellence in wood architecture and design at the opening of the Calgary Wood Solutions Conference. Source: Timberbiz The Canadian Wood Council’s annual awards program, now in its 42nd year, recognizes the outstanding work of architectural professionals from Canada and around the world. This year’s event showcased 27 projects: 14 selected by the Wood Design & Building Awards jury, four receiving special sponsored awards, and nine receiving WoodWorks regional wood design awards. The winning projects demonstrate the versatility of wood across building types and scales, and the ingenuity of the teams behind them. “Congratulations to this year’s award recipients, whose work gives us much to admire and even more to look forward to,” said Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council. “Through their creativity, skill, and ambition, these teams are showing how thoughtful wood design can create places that are more inspiring, more enduring and better suited to the needs of people and communities. Their achievements move the conversation forward and point to exciting possibilities for the future of design and construction.” Technology is changing how buildings are conceived, engineered and constructed, and this year’s winning projects demonstrate how wood architecture is advancing in tandem. Innovations in wood products, engineering, and prefabrication are enabling increasingly sophisticated structural and architectural solutions, while retaining the warmth, character, and human qualities that set wood apart. From carefully resolved smaller projects to ambitious developments with a significant urban presence, the 2026 recipients demonstrate that innovation in wood design is taking place at every scale. 2026 Award Recipients Honour Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour (Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation, Treaty 4, Saskatchewan) | Oxbow Architecture & Richard Kroeker Design Limberlost Place (Toronto, Ontario) | Moriyama Teshima Architects with Acton Ostry Architects Knight Building (Big Sky, Montana) | Integrated Design Cubed (IDCUBED); NKBAK; Peter Rose + Partners Vonnegut Cabins (Thoreau, New Mexico) | ColoradoBuildingWorkshop at the University of Colorado Denver X24 (Rectorat de l’Académie de Créteil) (Paris, France) | DREAM and KOZ (now AA Group) in joint venture   Merit Chief Leonard George Building (Vancouver, British Columbia) | GBL Architects Inc. House for Rejuvenation (Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea) | JK-AR Koffler Scientific Reserve (King City, Ontario) | Montgomery Sisam Architects FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba) | Stantec Architecture Ltd. PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity (Venice, Italy) | Marlon Blackwell Architects with TEN x TEN Studio, D.I.R.T. Studio, and Stephen Burks Man Made Kìwekì Point (Ottawa, Ontario) | Patkau Architects Inc.   Citation The Seed (Shanghai, China) | Challenge Design & Jaz Build Tribeca Triplex (New York, New York) | Julian von der Schulenburg LLC   Industry Leadership Kalesnikoff Modular Facility (Castlegar, British Columbia) | Stanley Office of Architecture (SOA) Sustainable Forestry Initiative Sponsored Award University of Southern Maine Crewe Center for the Arts (Portland, Maine) | Perkins Eastman Architects Western Red Cedar Sponsored Awards A Legacy in Wood: Renewing a Home for Generations (Canmore, Alberta)| HSS Design Build – Designer Tla’amin Ems Aye – Our House Cultural Facility (Qathet (Powell River), British Columbia) | Mackin Architects Ltd.   Wood Preservation Canada Sponsored Award Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour (Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation, Treaty 4, Saskatchewan) | Oxbow Architecture &Richard Kroeker Design WoodWorks BC Wood Design Awards Chief Leonard George Building (Vancouver, British Columbia) | GBL Architects Inc. Fulmer Family Centre for Childhood Studies (North Vancouver, British Columbia) | Public Architecture + Design The Hive (Vancouver, British Columbia) | DIALOG   WoodWorks Alberta, Prairie Wood Design Awards 212 Saskatchewan Crescent East (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) | Oxbow Architecture FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba) | Stantec Architecture Ltd. Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre (Edmonton, Alberta) | Designed in joint venture by hcma architecture + design and Dub Architects in collaboration with FaulknerBrowns   WoodWorks Ontario Wood Design Awards Limberlost Place (Toronto, Ontario) | Moriyama Teshima Architects with Acton Ostry Architects Brightwood – 150 Wissler (Waterloo, Ontario) | mcCallumSather Making Home at 97 Victoria Street North (Kitchener, Ontario) | BNKC Architects Inc.   Projects were considered for creativity, design excellence, and the innovative and appropriate use of wood in meeting project objectives. “The jury brought an extraordinary depth of experience to this year’s program, but just as importantly, they brought real care and thoughtfulness to the process,” said Ioana Lazea, Senior Manager for the program at the Canadian Wood Council. “We had 149 submissions this year and selecting from such a strong field called for rigorous discussion and some difficult decisions. We are deeply grateful to Steven, Susan and Sasa for the time, expertise, and perspective they contributed. The projects recognized this year reflect both the high standard they brought to the jury room and the remarkable work taking place across the profession.”

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Nippon Paper Industries said it will cease production of graphic paper and pulp at a plant damaged by a powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in July. Source: Nippon The company made the decision after concluding that repairing or replacing production equipment at the mill in Yatsushiro would take three to four years and significant costs. It will explore new business opportunities at the site. Nippon Paper expects to book about 20 billion yen in losses related to the earthquake in the year ending in March 2027, including 15.1 billion yen for the first half. Including other disaster-related losses, the company expects to swing to a consolidated net loss of 40 billion yen in the year, compared with a profit of 11.7 billion yen the previous year. Nippon Paper will transfer production of newsprint and other items at the Yatsushiro plant to its other mills in Japan and outsource production of some products to other companies.

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Chinese commercial space firm Light Year Explorer has manufactured a rocket fairing with a wooden outer skin as part of the company’s push for lower-cost, mass-produced launch vehicles. The Jiangsu-based firm uses a lightweight plywood outer skin and metal frame to cut costs and time for commercial satellite launches source: South China Morning Post The design of the protective shell uses low-density plywood formed into a smooth aerodynamic curve, supported by an internal metal framework to bear loads, according to the Jiangsu-based company. “This configuration matches traditional composite fairings in key performance areas such as weight, structural rigidity, radio wave transparency and noise reduction, while reducing production costs and shortening manufacturing time markedly,” the company said in a social media post. “The 4.2-metre (13.8-foot) diameter fairing is tailored for mainstream commercial rockets. It is sized to handle multi-satellite ‘ride-share’ missions and large single payloads to support high-frequency launches for satellite constellations.” It said the fairing would undergo tests and validation procedures to finalise the design and deliver it to customers. A rocket fairing acts as the protective nose cone shielding satellites and other payloads during the initial ascent through Earth’s atmosphere. It protects equipment from intense aerodynamic pressure, heating and noise while maintaining its shape. Once the rocket exits the atmosphere, the fairing separates and falls away, and the load is released to enter its predetermined orbit. Conventionally, these structures are built from aluminium alloys or advanced composite materials. Their high manufacturing costs and long production cycles can limit the frequency of commercial satellite launches. Chinese commercial space companies have been exploring cost-effective technologies, including reusable rockets, to enable affordable, frequent and sustainable launches to open up possibilities for large-scale commercial space exploration. The United States maintains a lead in reusable rocket technology, mainly driven by commercial firm SpaceX, which has completed hundreds of successful booster landings and reuses. Light Year Explorer said it was focusing on developing cost-effective structural components for rockets. The firm said it manufactured rocket components, including stainless steel tanks, wooden fairings and corrugated cylinder-cone segments, that together made up about 60 per cent of a vehicle’s weight. Scientists around the world have been experimenting with wood for space applications. Wood can burn cleanly with minimal pollution, unlike metal which can leave behind particles when it re-enters the atmosphere. Wood might also be more durable in the vacuum of space free from water, oxygen and insects. In 2024, the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, developed by Kyoto University researchers, was released into space from the International Space Station. The 10cm (four-inch) cube orbited Earth for four months, although scientists were not able to establish reliable communication with it from the ground, thought to be due to software and antenna deployment problems. The next launch is set for next year, with the goal of ground communication, according to the April edition of Kizuna, the Japanese government’s official magazine.  

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Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou (TRONP), the post-settlement governance entity for Ngāti Porou, says Gisborne District Council cannot claim a clean bill of health from the Finlayson review while important questions about its historic regulatory performance and current issues remain unresolved. Source: Timberbiz TRONP Interim Chief Executive Henare Walker says Ngāti Porou landowners and communities are increasingly being caught between local and central government over forestry regulation and responsibility. “The panel found Council’s current consenting and enforcement approach was broadly justified, but the review itself acknowledges historic shortcomings in Council monitoring. Those issues deserve proper examination,” he said. “Council is making regulatory decisions with significant consequences for Ngāti Porou whenua and landowners. The regulator needs to acknowledge the role it has played in the long history of poor land-use outcomes in our rohe, and then we need to all move forward” Mr Walker says arguments over who is responsible are not helping Ngāti Porou. “We are being left in the middle while our landowners and communities deal with the consequences. We need local and central government working with us on solutions, not pointing at each other.” The report also identifies unresolved issues around forestry slash discharges and wider land-use transition. TRONP says Ngāti Porou must have a leadership role in determining how that work develops. “The Crown has been part of this story for decades and the report is clear it has an important role in what happens next. Ngāti Porou needs a leadership role in determining the direction, the priorities and what success looks like,” Mr Walker said. TRONP welcomes a planned meeting between its Board and GDC governance representatives on 30 November. Council is already aware of TRONP’s aspiration for a stronger Ngāti Porou leadership role in decisions affecting the long-term future of the rohe. “We cannot keep dealing with this one consent, one clean-up or one program at a time. We need to be thinking about what we want our whenua and our rohe to look like in 30, 50 or 100 years, and making decisions now that take us towards that future,” Mr Walker said. TRONP is calling for transparent scrutiny of Council’s historic monitoring performance and a jointly developed approach to regulatory improvement and long-term land-use transition, consistent with its position of “Right land. Right use.”

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  Eight outstanding businesses and individuals have earned top honours at the 2026 TTHG (Timber Towers Hardware Group/Mitre 10) Awards of Excellence NSW/ACT, celebrating the people driving success across the industry. Sources: Timberbiz, NTHA From exceptional customer service to standout garden centres, trade operations and local hardware stores, this year’s winners demonstrate the breadth of achievement across the TTHG NSW/ACT network. Held recently at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal, the awards recognised excellence across eight categories, putting the spotlight on the businesses and people making their mark in their communities and across the industry. NTHA Member WHS/HR Manager Vicki Stableford attended the event to congratulate the winners, whose achievements will now take them to the next stage: the 2026 National Awards of Excellence at TTHG Expo on the Gold Coast in February 2027. For the winners, the recognition is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work behind their success and showcase what their businesses can achieve on a national stage. The NSW/ACT winners Garden Centre of the Year: Gubbins Mitre 10 Moss Vale Trade Centre of the Year: Petries Mitre 10 Trade Centre Dubbo Excellence in Customer Service: Andrew Chapman, Gubbins Mitre 10 Mittagong Home Hardware Store of the Year: Dipper’s Home Timber & Hardware Moree \ Mitre 10 Store of the Year – Small Format: Sunlite Mitre 10 Paddington Mitre 10 Store of the Year – Medium Format: Bungendore Mitre 10 Mitre 10 Store of the Year – Large Format: Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale Village of the Year: Western Planers   The national awards will bring together leading performers from across the TTHG network, giving the NSW/ACT winners the chance to compete for national recognition. NTHA congratulates all eight winners on their achievements and wishes them every success as they prepare to represent NSW and the ACT at the national awards in February. Their success is a reminder of the people and businesses at the heart of the timber and hardware industry and the commitment it takes to stand out.

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The Precision Silviculture Program continues to support a number of final-year engineering student projects at The University of Canterbury, helping turn innovative ideas into practical solutions for the forestry sector. One of the most promising initiatives is the Bareroot Lifter Project, which has been under development for the last few years. Source: Timberbiz The project aims to create a commercially viable machine capable of rapidly lifting bareroot seedlings in the nursery, reducing labour demands while improving efficiency. Once lifted, seedlings can be transported for grading and processing, with future versions potentially combining lifting and automated grading into a single integrated system. Interest in the technology extends beyond New Zealand. Bareroot nursery operators in North America face similar challenges and have expressed strong interest in mechanised lifting solutions, highlighting the potential for wider industry adoption as the technology matures. More information at https://fgr.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/2026-Seedling-Lifter-Poster-FINAL.pdf

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Farmer and long-time tree grower Roger Poltock from northwest Tasmania has demonstrated how integrating trees into a farming enterprise can deliver environmental benefits, improve livestock welfare and generate strong financial returns. Source: Private Forests Tasmania Mr Poltock, a former Australian Forest Growers (AFG) National Tree Farmer of the Year has spent more than four decades integrating a productive agroforestry system across his farm. Today, the approximately 95-hectare property supports a beef operation and approximately 26 hectares of forests, plantations, shelterbelts and environmental plantings. For Mr Poltock, the decision to plant trees was driven by a motivation to make better use of the land while protecting his livestock from Tasmania’s harsh weather. Roger said he knows what it is like standing out in the cold in winter, so giving the cattle the protection of trees just makes sense. “One cold wet windy spring morning in the late 80s, in the early stages of lambing, I had more dead than live lambs on the ground. At that point I resolved to start planting trees for shelter,” he said. Inspired by farm forestry field days and supported by a loan through Private Forests Tasmania, he established a 10-hectare Pinus radiata plantation in 1987. The plantation was eventually harvested, generating net returns of around $20,000 per hectare while continuing to deliver shelter benefits throughout their growing life. These experiences have shaped Mr Poltock’s development of the property, with more trees strategically established on steep and inaccessible areas, alongside waterways and around dams, while more productive land remains in grazing. Mr Poltock’s result from plantings is a farm that finishes 100 to 120 beef cattle each year while supporting high-value timber production. One of the most exciting outcomes from his farm forestry program has come from a modest 0.7-hectare planting of Leyland Cypress. Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a fast-growing hybrid between Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Alaska Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), combining the durability and attractive timber qualities of both parent species. Originally developed in the United Kingdom, it has become popular with farm foresters because of its rapid growth, tolerance of wind exposure and ability to produce high-value appearance-grade timber. The timber is lighter in colour than Macrocarpa and has an attractive grain, making it suitable for furniture, joinery, cabinetry, interior lining and specialty timber products. It also has natural durability, giving landowners an alternative to more traditional plantation species while targeting higher-value niche markets. Mr Poltock said that the species ticked all the boxes. Planted by Mr Poltock and his family in 1992, the stand was established beneath a nurse crop of Eucalyptus nitens and carefully managed for over three decades. The trees were pruned to six metres across three pruning cycles, producing high-quality clearwood sawlogs suitable for appearance-grade timber products. Earlier this year, a test harvest of a single pruned tree delivered outstanding results. The tree measured 50 centimetres diameter at breast height when harvested and was processed by Britton Brothers Veneers in Somerset and the Somerset Men’s Shed. Feedback from timber processors was positive, with estimates suggesting the timber could be worth up to $4,000 per cubic metre. A relatively small planting requiring limited land has the capacity to generate substantial returns while continuing to provide stock shelter, aesthetic value and environmental benefits throughout its growing life. With around 100 additional Leyland Cypress trees now approaching harvest age, Mr Poltock is investigating selective harvesting and niche markets for the timber. The success of the trial reinforces the value of growing specialty species alongside traditional farm enterprises, creating future income streams from land that also provides shelter and environmental benefits. Mr Poltock credits this success to learning from other landholders and remaining open to new opportunities. “It was through going to field days and learning from other farmers that I got the idea of growing different trees,” he said. Mr Poltock’s willingness to learn and innovate has supported him to continually adapt his approach, identifying species and management techniques suited to his local conditions. Today, his forested land includes 20.2 hectares of radiata pine plantation, blackwood plantings, native riparian vegetation, shelterbelts and specialty timber species, all integrated within a productive grazing enterprise.

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Internationally recognised wood scientist Dr Adefemi Adebisi Alade has joined the Forestry Centre of Excellence at Adelaide University. Having previously held research positions at universities in Germany, the United States and South Africa, Dr Alade has built an international reputation for his work in developing high-performance, durable timber products and advanced wood-based composites. Source: Timberbiz A recipient of the prestigious 2022 International Academy of Wood Science PhD Award Gold Medal, Dr Alade has published extensively in leading international scientific journals and contributed to research collaborations spanning academia and industry. His expertise encompasses wood modification, preservation treatments, surface coatings, adhesion science and the development of engineered solid wood products and reconstituted wood composites. Dr Alade said he was looking forward to collaborating with the local industry to deliver on the Centre’s research objectives. “My research interests focus on improving the performance, durability and versatility of wood materials, and finding new ways to transform timber resources into high-value products that meet the changing demands of the building and construction sector,” Dr Alade said. “I am particularly looking forward to working with industry partners to explore opportunities in engineered timber, wood-based composites and implementing new manufacturing technologies. “By connecting wood science with advanced manufacturing and commercial applications, we can help develop innovative, climate-resilient building solutions while creating additional value from our timber resources.” FCoE Director Professor Jeff Morrell welcomed Dr Alade’s appointment, noting it reinforced the Centre’s commitment to attracting world-class research talent to regional South Australia and establishing the Green Triangle as a recognised centre for forestry and timber innovation. “Securing a researcher of Dr Alade’s international standing is an outstanding outcome for the Centre and a significant addition to the research capability we are building here in the Green Triangle,” Professor Morrell said. “His specialist knowledge in wood science, engineered timber products and advanced materials will be invaluable in helping us deliver on our strategic objectives, particularly in translating research into practical innovations that improve opportunities in product development, to support strengthening the industry value-chain.” To learn more about the FCoE visit https://www.forestrycoe.com.au

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A new training program aims to strengthen auditing capability across the forestry sector in Australia and New Zealand, helping forestry businesses build the expertise to navigate certification requirements, while expanding the pool of specialist auditors equipped to assess forest management practices against certification standards. Source: Timberbiz The JASANZ Futures x Responsible Wood program will help forestry businesses build internal auditing expertise. The program also provides experienced auditors from other sectors a pathway into forestry – or for auditors already in the sector, the opportunity to upskill. To encourage industry participation, Responsible Wood is sponsoring 15 places in the program. “Forest certification gives businesses a credible way to demonstrate responsible forest management and meet market expectations,” said Responsible Wood Acting CEO, Matt de Jongh. “By investing in auditing capability, our goal is to continue reinforcing the integrity of sustainable forest management practices, to equip businesses with additional skills to maintain their certification and to ensure forests are responsibly managed for generations to come.” The program combines Responsible Wood’s expertise in sustainable forest management certification with JASANZ’s expertise in accreditation and conformity assessment, delivered via online learning, mentoring and field trip opportunities, and is recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) as initial training for forest management auditors. JASANZ CEO Sarah Valentine said the partnership was an investment in market confidence.  “Accredited certification is part of the infrastructure of trade. It gives businesses a way to show their products and practices meet the standards their markets expect. “Our partnership with Responsible Wood is a long-term commitment to forestry and the trade it supports,” Ms Valentine said. A reflection of growing adoption of PEFC certification in New Zealand, the program offers an exciting opportunity to build capability for the trans-Tasman forestry sector. “The program builds on existing capability in the region, complementing sustainable forestry practices with on the ground support from JASANZ technical assessors alongside PEFC New Zealand,” said PEFC International’s South Pacific Programme Manager, Richard Laity. “While the program was designed for Australian and New Zealand audiences, it remains open to forestry and conformity assessment professionals from other regions.” The program runs from April to July 2027. Sessions will be delivered by specialists from Responsible Wood, JASANZ and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) – potential applicants are encouraged to explore the program for more detailed information at https://www.jasanz.org/futures-responsible-wood

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Certification is not the end goal. It’s a means of building better businesses, improving how we operate and delivering outcomes that matter according to ForestFit CEO Dionne Olsen. Source: Timberbiz That was the message as forest service businesses, government representatives and industry stakeholders came together in Launceston. Hosted by Artes Specialty and Mobius Insurance at the Arbre Forest Industries Training and Careers Hub, the event reinforced the essential role forest service businesses play in translating sustainable forest management commitments into on the ground outcomes. Felix Ellis MP, Tasmania’s Minister for Business, Industry and Resources welcomed the event as a valuable opportunity for industry to come together and highlighted the importance of collaboration in supporting Tasmania’s forestry sector and regional communities. “Forest service businesses are the backbone of Tasmania’s forest industry,” he said. “ForestFit is helping build a stronger, safer and more capable industry, and I commend the important role it plays in Tasmania’s forestry sector. “Our contractors have shown they’re serious about doing the job safely and responsibly and we welcome the efforts made to continuous improvement under the ForestFit certification.” “Forest service businesses are essential to Tasmania’s forest industry, translating responsible forest management commitments into action on the ground. Their capability to manage safety, environmental responsibilities and operational risks is fundamental to the sector’s long-term sustainability. ForestFit plays an important role in strengthening industry capability and driving continuous improvement.” A highlight of the event was a practical, toolbox-style discussion led by Chris Mangan of CJM Safety, with Tasmanian NHVR representatives on hand to answer questions. The interactive session enabled businesses to understand the legislative changes to Heavy Vehicle Accreditation (HVA), clarify audit expectations, identify potential challenges and gain practical insights into preparing their management systems. ForestFit also outlined plans to provide integrated audit opportunities for ForestFit certified businesses, incorporating HVA and relevant ISO standards. This approach will reduce audit duplication, streamline compliance and provide businesses with a more efficient pathway to demonstrating effective risk management and operational performance across their activities. “Good management goes beyond the boundary of a coupe, ForestFit certification ForestFit certification strengthens accountability for operational decisions and performance, ensuring critical environmental, safety and commercial risks are identified and effectively managed, with controls implemented throughout operations,” Mr Ellis said. “By working together, we can strengthen forest operations, environmental sustainability, workplace safety and continuous improvement processes by taking certification to the operational level for the future of forestry.”

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A corrugated cake box produced by Adara Pakkaus for Boulangerie Marco has received top honours in two major international flexographic printing competitions. Printed on MetsäBoard Pro WKL, the exceptionally detailed packaging demonstrates what can be achieved when ambitious design, advanced printing expertise and a high-quality coated white kraftliner come together to create strong brand impact. Source: Timberbiz The Boulangerie Marco cake box won both its category, Corrugated post-print (E and F Flute), and the overall Supreme Award at the FlexoTech International Print & Innovations Awards in London in October 2026. Earlier in the year, the same packaging received a Gold Award and Best of Show recognition in the corrugated category at the 2026 FTA Excellence in Flexography Awards in Milwaukee, US. At the FlexoTech Awards, the judges praised the exceptional level of detail achieved on a demanding substrate and described the work as an example of “best-in-class execution”. They also noted that there was “not a flaw in sight”. The FTA jury similarly recognised the cake box as a technically demanding piece of work that achieved superior tonal range, precision and overall visual impact. MetsäBoard Pro WKL 160 g/m², produced at Metsä Board’s Kemi mill in Finland, was used as the top liner of the corrugated board. “MetsäBoard Pro WKL’s smooth, double-coated surface supports the accurate reproduction of detailed images and brand colours, while its strength contributes to the performance of the finished package. This award-winning cake box is an excellent demonstration of what the material can achieve in high-quality flexographic printing,” said Aaro Åivo, Account Manager, Specialty Packaging at Metsä Board. The cake box was manufactured and printed by Adara Pakkaus. Its structure was designed by Kaisa Pietilä of Adara, while the artwork and prepress work were developed in collaboration between Boulangerie Marco, Adara and Marvaco. “The Boulangerie Marco cake box is an excellent example of what can be achieved with flexographic printing on corrugated board. At Adara, we have worked consistently over the years to develop our printing quality and production processes together with our partners Marvaco and Siegwerk,” Seppälä said. The award-winning cake box was printed at an exceptionally high screen ruling of 62 lines per centimetre, placing particular demands on the properties of the printing surface. “Such a high screen ruling requires exceptional properties from the printing material, starting with the smoothness of the surface. That is why we used Metsä Board’s double-coated MetsäBoard Pro WKL for this demanding print job. Overall, I would say this is one of the most demanding print jobs ever produced on corrugated board,” Seppälä said. The packaging was designed not only to look distinctive but also to make handling the cake easier. Its structure allows even a large cake to be pulled neatly out of the box without the packaging leaving marks on it. “We wanted the opening experience to be just as impressive as the box looks before it is opened. The structure allows the cake to be removed neatly, while the shape of the lid makes the packaging recognisably Boulangerie Marco,” said Kaisa Pietilä, Packaging Designer at Adara. With top honours in two international competitions, the Boulangerie Marco cake box sets an impressive benchmark for detailed flexographic printing on corrugated packaging.

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UK wooden pallet repair volumes continued to rise in 2025 with an estimated 49 million pallets repaired for reuse during the year, according to the latest UK Wood Pallets & Packaging Market Report. Source: Timberbiz The annual report, commissioned by TIMCON and Forest Research, shows an increase of approximately 4% on the 47.1m repaired in 2024, and a long-term trend of increasing repair and reuse of wooden pallets and packaging. The interim results of the latest edition of report were presented by Guy Watt, Managing Director of Clegg Consulting, at TIMCON’s Annual General Meeting and industry meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland during September. This scope of this latest study is being extended as TIMCON is working with the National Association of Pallet Distributors (NAPD) to add further data on reuse. The full results will be presented later this year. The combined number of wooden pallets manufactured and repaired has grown significantly, according to the report. The latest figure is around 91 million pallets, compared with approximately 81 million when the survey began in 2015. The report also showed an increase in the proportion of UK-sourced timber used by the sector, accounting for approximately 76.4% of timber used by the industry during 2025. Respondents were also asked for their opinions about challenges in the market. Finding and retaining good staff was the most frequently cited issue, followed by rising costs. However, there were also some signs of optimism, with 70% of companies expecting sales to increase during 2027, compared with only 10% predicting a fall in sales. “We are really pleased to see the positive trend towards repair and reuse continuing, as well as the overall growth in the wooden pallet and packaging market since we first began this survey,” TIMCON President John Dye said. “Being able to quantify the size, activity and importance of the wooden pallet and packaging industry is extremely important to help us demonstrate the contribution our sector makes to UK supply chains and support our lobbying work. “Collaboration is essential if we are going to do this properly, so we are pleased to have brought the NAPD on board this year. Their members’ involvement will help us improve the statistical input into this invaluable report for TIMCON and the wider industry and become even more essential in our lobbying to the UK Government, DEFRA and others.”

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Curved glued-laminated (glulam) timber beams have been used in practice as structural components in roof systems and bridges, capitalizing on the architectural freedom of using wood as a building material. Sources: Timberbiz and ASCE Library Despite their use in practice, there is limited experimental data on the structural behaviour of curved glulam beams, both during fabrication and at their ultimate limit state. To address this gap, this study examines the structural behaviour of curved glulam beams both during fabrication and under mechanical loading to failure through a series of experimental tests. A total of 13 beam tests are described, which varied in their radius to better understand the influence of beam curvature on the residual strain distribution and the beam stiffness, strength, and failure mode at ultimate limit states. The beams were instrumented with distributed fibre-optic sensors to generate high-resolution strain measurements along the length and over the depth of the beams for the first time. Results of the study demonstrate that a complex state of strain, and thus stress, exists in a curved glulam beam after fabrication through mechanical bending of the laminations. Under structural loading, the studied beams exhibited a range of failure modes, which depended on the beam radius, including flexural failure in tension, shear failure, and radial tension failure. The experimental results are also compared with North American wood design standards, and the results suggest that these standards can predict the strength of the curved glulam beams tested in this study to within 5% of their ultimate load-carrying capacity. This study presents first-of-a-kind data on the distribution of strain in a curved glulam beam fabricated by mechanical bending of the laminations, which practicing engineers can use to understand the residual strain state during the design process. Furthermore, this paper highlights the different failure modes that can be encountered in curved glulam beams at the ultimate limit state, which should be considered by practicing engineers in their design. Results of this study highlight that existing design standards in North America are effective in predicting the strength of a curved glulam beam, but engineers should also consider the reductions in deformation capacity relative to a straight beam. For more information visit https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/JAEIED.AEENG-2362

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A new training program aims to strengthen auditing capability across the forestry sector in Australia and New Zealand, helping forestry businesses build the expertise to navigate certification requirements, while expanding the pool of specialist auditors equipped to assess forest management practices against certification standards. Source: Timberbiz The JASANZ Futures x Responsible Wood program will help forestry businesses build internal auditing expertise. The program also provides experienced auditors from other sectors a pathway into forestry – or for auditors already in the sector, the opportunity to upskill. JASANZ is Australia and New Zealand’s joint accreditation body, established by treaty in 1991. It accredits organisations that certify, inspect and verify products, services, systems and people, supporting confidence in safety, quality and international trade. Its work spans more than 130 conformity assessment bodies and over 140 schemes across a wide range of sectors. To encourage industry participation, Responsible Wood is sponsoring 15 places in the program. “Forest certification gives businesses a credible way to demonstrate responsible forest management and meet market expectations,” said Responsible Wood Acting CEO, Matt de Jongh. “By investing in auditing capability, our goal is to continue reinforcing the integrity of sustainable forest management practices, to equip businesses with additional skills to maintain their certification and to ensure forests are responsibly managed for generations to come.” The program combines Responsible Wood’s expertise in sustainable forest management certification with JASANZ’s expertise in accreditation and conformity assessment, delivered via online learning, mentoring and field trip opportunities, and is recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) as initial training for forest management auditors. JASANZ CEO Sarah Valentine said the partnership was an investment in market confidence. “Accredited certification is part of the infrastructure of trade. It gives businesses a way to show their products and practices meet the standards their markets expect. “Our partnership with Responsible Wood is a long-term commitment to forestry and the trade it supports,” Ms Valentine said. A reflection of growing adoption of PEFC certification in New Zealand, the program offers an exciting opportunity to build capability for the trans-Tasman forestry sector. “The program builds on existing capability in the region, complementing sustainable forestry practices with on the ground support from JASANZ technical assessors alongside PEFC New Zealand,” said PEFC International’s South Pacific Programme Manager, Richard Laity. “While the program was designed for Australian and New Zealand audiences, it remains open to forestry and conformity assessment professionals from other regions.” The program runs from April to July 2027. Sessions will be delivered by specialists from Responsible Wood, JASANZ and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) – potential applicants are encouraged to explore the program for more detailed information go to https://www.jasanz.org/futures-responsible-wood

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Victoria’s Timber Towns have wrapped up three days on the Murray, with the state election now 24 days away. Representatives of Timber Towns Victoria’s (TTV) member councils spent 28 to 30 October in Gannawarra Shire for the association’s 2026 forum, field trip and annual general meeting. Source: Timberbiz Gannawarra Shire Council hosted this year’s forum, which moves to a different member region each year so councils can see first-hand the industries and communities they represent. The program set out to show how a family red gum sawmill, worked forests, dairies and agribusiness support one another, and how flooding affects the region’s towns and roads. TTV President Cr Karen Stephens, who is also Mayor of Glenelg Shire, said members were returning home with plenty to share with their own communities. “There is no better way for councils to understand each other’s challenges than to stand in each other’s mills, forests and farms. Gannawarra showed us an industry that keeps investing and innovating, and our members will take those lessons home,” she said. The forum opened on Wednesday evening with welcome drinks and dinner at the Mates Royal Hotel, with Paul Madden, CEO of Arbuthnot Sawmills, as guest speaker. President Cr Karen Stephens presented The Honourable Peter Walsh MP Leader of the National Party 2014 – 2024 and representing Swan Hill and the Murray Plains 2002 – 2026, in recognition and appreciation of his support to Timber Towns Victoria and the communities therein. On Thursday, Mr Madden guided members on foot through the Koondrook mill, followed by morning tea at the Arbuthnot River Redgum Furniture Showroom and a tour of the company’s new sawmill facility. Established on its present site in 1889, the family company employs 15 full-time staff and six contractors who harvest in Victoria and New South Wales. Mr Madden said hosting councillors from across the state was a chance to show what a local mill means to a small town. “Arbuthnot has been part of Koondrook for well over a century, and the new sawmill was built to be able to mill additional volumes from our Victorian Licence based on the original decision of the Andrew’s government to maintain native timber harvesting from Victorian State Forests through to 2030,” he said. “Arbuthnot Sawmills was also led to believe by government officials that our community forest would not be affected by legislation impacting elsewhere in the state and our licence would be rolled over beyond 2030. Arbuthnot Sawmills is now totally reliant on logs from NSW State Forests and private property which in total are only sufficient to run the original mill.” Members then spent two hours exploring Campbells Island and Gunbower Island, inspecting a rehabilitation area of a worked forest and thinning operations. Gunbower Forest covers 19,931 hectares of the mid-Murray floodplain, opposite the 31,150-hectare Koondrook-Perricoota Forest in New South Wales. After lunch in Cohuna, the tour turned to agriculture, taking in the Quinn family’s 700-cow rotary dairy at Mincha West, the Dee family’s robotic compost barn, the first in Victoria, and The Emu Farmers Co, which has spent more than 30 years building a paddock-to-plate emu business. The day ended in Kerang West, which saw areas hit by the 2022 floods, the town’s eighth major flood since 1909. Back in Koondrook, Thomas Chick, Chair of the Koondrook Development Committee, addressed the members’ dinner. On Friday, members met at the Glass House, Sir John Gorton Library, Kerang, for the annual general meeting. Gannawarra Shire Council CEO Geoff Rollinson and Manager Economic Development Scott Wishart presented ‘The Art of Gannawarra’, before Dr Rob Waterworth, AFWI Enterprise Fellow at the University of Melbourne, spoke on carbon market opportunities and challenges for the plantation sector. IndustryEdge Managing Director Tim Woods then outlined Portland’s Plantation Processing Precinct as a regional sovereign manufacturing project, before members appointed TTV’s President, Vice President and Treasurer for the year ahead. Cr Tom Sullivan from Moorabool Shire Council was presented with a special acknowledgement award for his years of dedication to Timber Towns Victoria as a Councillor representative. Cr Sullivan has been a Cr serving at Moorabool Shire Council for 30 years and most of those to Timber Towns Victoria. What members want from the next government. Every stop on the field trip connected to the case TTV has put to all six parties ahead of the 28 November election, and members returned home with fresh examples to support it: Roads that can carry the freight: projected wood flows across Victoria have more than doubled, from 14.7 million tonnes in 2016-20 to more than 34 million tonnes for 2023-27, while floods like those that hit Kerang add to the wear. TTV wants multi-year funding for rural roads and freight-critical bridges. Fire protection across every tenure: January’s bushfires burnt more than 400,000 hectares of forest and farmland. TTV wants forest and fuel management coordinated across public and private land, backed by a statewide network of AI-enabled detection cameras linked to the CFA, FFMVic and the SES. Confidence to invest: a whole-of-government forestry and fibre strategy that supports engineered timber and advanced wood manufacturing and embeds forestry and fibre in Victoria’s climate and housing plans, so businesses like Arbuthnot and projects like the Portland precinct can keep building for the future.   Gunbower’s worked forests are the kind of landscape TTV wants better protected, and Cr Stephens made the case after January’s fires, saying “a coordinated proactive fire management approach, guided by scientific evidence, needs to be prioritised as a key method of reducing the future risk of catastrophic fires of this intensity.” Cr Stephens thanked Gannawarra Shire Council, Arbuthnot Sawmills, the Quinn and Dee families, The Emu Farmers Co. and everyone who opened their gates to members, saying the visit had shown councils exactly what is at stake in the weeks ahead. “Gannawarra showed us why these priorities matter, and we will keep making that case to every party until polling day,” Cr Stephens said.

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The Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of New Zealand has welcomed the National Party’s forestry and wood processing policy, particularly its commitment to doubling value-added timber exports, increasing the use of wood in construction, and strengthening workforce development. Source: Timberbiz The WPMA says the policy reflected many of the priorities the sector has consistently advocated for, including creating greater value from the trees we grow and supporting increased domestic wood processing and manufacturing. “We are encouraged by commitments to develop a NZ Pine brand and expand international market opportunities for New Zealand’s wood products,” the association said. “These initiatives align strongly with our objective of growing exports of higher value manufactured timber products and increasing returns to the wood processing sector.” The WPMA says it strongly supports policies that ensure timber and wood-based solutions are considered early in government procurement and project design. Providing greater consideration for New Zealand made wood products created a more level playing field and recognised the important role timber can play alongside other construction materials in delivering sustainable building outcomes. “Workforce capability remains critical to the future success of our industry and we welcome commitments to strengthen vocational training pathways, industry led qualifications, and skills development across wood processing,” the WPMA said. “We are also pleased to see recognition of the need to investigate opportunities to increase the supply of pruned logs. Higher quality log supply is an important foundation for increasing domestic processing, producing higher value products, and maximising the value recovered from every tree harvested. “As we head towards the election, WPMA’s focus will be on ensuring these commitments translate into practical outcomes, regardless of which parties form the next Government. “Our priority is to see policies that drive greater demand for New Zealand made wood products, support investment in domestic manufacturing, and create more jobs in regional communities. We look forward to working constructively with all political parties to realise that potential.”

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AFPA has echoed concerns by the Nationals that the Federal Government is failing to address or act on the continued flow of Russian conflict timber entering Australia. Source: Timberbiz The concerns follow Senate Estimates revelations that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) considers the presence of Russian timber to be “not necessarily an issue for illegality” under Australia’s illegal logging laws. AFPA Acting CEO Richard Hyett said there are serious questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s response to sanctioned Russian timber imports. “We have continued to raise this issue with the Government and Department. We support the comments made at the Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) mill in Heyfield today by Nationals Leader Matt Canavan and Deputy Leader Darren Chester highlighting the need to urgently address the growing problem of Russian conflict timber entering Australia,” Mr Hyett said. The Department’s 2023–24 trial found about one in four timber products tested did not match their declared species, origin or both, however DAFF confirmed it had not tested a single sample under the illegal logging laws this year, had tested no consignments for Russian content and had the equivalent of just 2.2 full-time staff working on compliance. “We estimate up to 100,000 cubic metres of timber products imported into Australia each year could contain Russian-sourced fibre, potentially contributing to the construction of 15,000 homes, with particular risks in blended products such as laminated veneer lumber and plywood,” Mr Hyett said. “This latest evidence suggests significant volumes of Russian timber continue to find their way into the Australian market, despite existing sanctions.” Recent forensic analysis by Source Certain has also detected Russian fibre at locations around the world, often accompanied by sustainability and traceability certificates that were cancelled following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “We want to see a better testing regime and Country of Origin labelling along with strengthening border checks to identify and stop rerouted timber before it reaches Australian businesses and consumers,” Mr Hyett said. “We simply want to see a level playing field and transparency in the claims being made.”

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Timber is being imported into Australia from Russia and the response from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is that it’s not necessarily illegal and it’s someone else’s problem, according to Nationals leader Matt Canavan. Source: Timberbiz “Industry is telling the Department Russian timber is coming into Australia, and the response is that it’s not necessarily illegal and it’s someone else’s problem,” Senator Canavan said. The Department told Senate Estimates last week that the presence of Russian timber “is not necessarily an issue for illegality” under Australia’s illegal logging laws and that sanctions are a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), despite industry raising its concerns directly with the Department. Asked at last week’s hearing about testing that found imported timber products did not match their declared country, the Department said it was aware of recent industry-commissioned testing by Source Certain but pointed only to its audits of importers’ due diligence when asked how the laws were being enforced. The Department’s own 2023-24 trial found about one in four timber products tested did not match their declared species, origin or both. Yet in answers to Senate Estimates this year, the Department confirmed it had not tested a single timber sample under the illegal logging laws, had tested no consignments for Russian content, and had the equivalent of just 2.2 fulltime staff working on illegal logging compliance. Senator Canavan said the Department’s evidence showed no one was taking responsibility for keeping Russian timber out of Australia. “The Department’s own trial found one in four timber products didn’t match what was declared, yet it has told Estimates it hasn’t tested a single sample under the illegal logging laws. That leaves the door open to illegal and Russian timber undercutting our own forestry industry, which has to meet some of the highest standards in the world. It is extremely unfair and must be fixed. “The Department has had testing powers since March 2025. If it hasn’t used them, Labor needs to explain why.” Senator Canavan said the Senate Committee report this year highlighted the need for stronger action and tougher reforms to prevent Russian timber products entering Australia vindicated local timber industry fears. “The report recommended tighter sanctions against Russia, ensuring penalties evolve with global developments, and addressing the imports issue,” he said. Australia’s forest industries contribute $24 billion a year to the economy, directly employing 80,000 people and another 100,000 indirectly. Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said Gippsland’s timber producers were held to strict standards on how they grew, harvested and processed timber, and deserved a level playing field. “Since Victoria shut down native timber harvesting, Gippsland producers have been left fighting for supply. They shouldn’t also have to compete with imports the Department isn’t properly checking,” Mr Chester said. “At the same time, the Regional Forest Agreement exemption ends in July 2027 with no state yet agreeing a replacement, and Labor’s $300 million Forestry Growth Fund still hasn’t paid out a single grant. Labor needs to start backing the people who grow and process our timber.” Leader of The Victorian Nationals and State Member for Gippsland South Danny O’Brien said the Coalition would bring back the timber industry, with a focus on active forest management. “The industry has been devastated by Labor’s shutdown,” Mr O’Brien said. “We will bring the industry back through an active forest management program that actually looks after our forests, and with the residual that comes out of that – the logs that come from building roads, from clearing fire breaks, from thinning the forests, will be made available to the Victorian timber industry.” Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) managing director Vince Hurley said cheaper imports were hurting the industry. “Local producers are struggling to compete and if you lose the local producer, you won’t get them back,” Mr Hurley said. “Lose all the local producers and then you are reliant on those imports for your products. We want a level playing field as well. Let’s have Australian manufacturing, let’s not kill Australian manufacturing, because you won’t get it back.”

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One Nation has described its view of what Australia’s forestry policy should look like saying that we have all the land we need to plant forests and be self-sufficient in timber, an essential material for housing and construction. Source: Timberbiz Yet Australia is not self-sufficient in timber. We have a $2 billion trade deficit in wood products (for example, Australia no longer produces standard office paper), importing raw timber from countries with lower stewardship credentials like Indonesia, Russia and Malaysia with all the biosecurity risks and expense that come with it. This doesn’t make sense, especially when timber prices in Australia have risen more than 200% since before the COVID-19 pandemic. This is having a significant impact on housing supply and construction, slowing it down and making it more expensive at a time when Australia can least afford it. Rising material costs are also a factor in the collapse of building and construction businesses. Forestry industries contribute about $24 billion to the Australian economy, directly supporting 80,000 jobs and indirectly supporting another 100,000 jobs. Forestry industries are vital employers in many regional areas. These jobs were placed at considerable risk by legislation introduced by the Albanese Labor government in 2024, which would have prevented investors in forestry from realising full returns due to the long period of time required for new plantations to mature. One Nation moved an amendment to the legislation to fix this issue after forestry industries had unsuccessfully approached the major parties, and we convinced a majority of the Senate to back it. One Nation strongly supports Australian forestry and strongly supports expanding the plantation forestry estate to make our country self-sufficient in timber. One Nation also supports current levels of native forestry, which represents a small fraction of all forestry: only six out of every 10,000 native trees in Australia are harvested every year. Strict laws require that native forest is regenerated after harvesting, and that ‘old growth’ forests and environmentally sensitive areas and habitats are left completely alone. One Nation supports this position – we can be self-sufficient in timber without harvesting in these areas. One Nation doesn’t subscribe to the ideology that human activity is responsible for climate change – humans are responsible for only a fraction of the world’s CO2 emissions, most of which come from natural sources. However, in this world of carbon accounting and offsets, it’s also a fact that more plantation forests in Australia will absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – Australian forestry plantations currently store about 258 million tonnes of carbon. Trees are, in fact, the perfect renewable resource and we should be planting more of them. One Nation will support Australian forestry jobs and promote timber self-sufficiency by: incentivising greater use of Australian timber in construction through a ‘local wood first’ policy in government procurement processes exempting basic building materials – including timber – from the GST for a period of five years for homes up to a value of $1 million supporting the industry’s call for a summit to develop policies incentivising adoption of modular and prefabricated timber housing cracking down on illegal timber imports supporting the introduction of country-of-origin labelling so that consumers can pro-actively choose Australian timber and wood products over foreign imports supporting the development of a national fire response plan for Australia’s forests supporting the delivery of forestry tertiary education for workforce sustainability and development changing National Electricity Market (NEM) rules to favour cheaper coal and gas to reduce electricity costs for timber mills and other wood supply chain businesses by 20% extending plantation establishment grants to assist the industry’s target of establishing an additional 18,000 hectares of forestry plantations per year opposing any moves to lock away more areas of native forest that is available for commercial harvesting.

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In 2014, something impressive happened on a building site in Melbourne. A nine-storey apartment building, containing 34 homes, was assembled in five days. Thirty-six prefabricated modules were craned into place, creating a building complete with balconies, double-glazed windows and a six-star energy rating. The building was called One9. Its construction used a system developed by Australian architect Nonda Katsalidis and manufactured by Hickory Group. The entire project took considerably longer. There were designs to prepare, approvals to obtain and modules to manufacture. But the assembly of nine storeys in five days showed different way of building. More than a decade later, Australia is starting to turn that demonstration into an industry. Today, I want to talk about modern methods of construction, and how they could change the way Australia builds homes over the coming decade. Let’s start with a troubling statistic. According to the Productivity Commission, Australia builds around half as many homes per construction worker as we did 30 years ago. Over those decades, we’ve seen enormous technological progress. Computing power has soared. Manufacturing has become more automated. Digital design has changed what architects and engineers can do. Yet housing construction productivity has gone backwards. Some of this reflects larger and more complex homes, alongside higher building standards. But even adjusting for that, there’s been a 12% drop in building sector productivity over the past three decades. Much of our construction industry still operates in ways that would have been recognisable to builders a century ago. A house is assembled on-site, with different trades arriving in sequence. Work is interrupted by rain. A delay in one part of the project cascades into another. Economists are big on specialisation. In 1776, Adam Smith described how workers in a pin factory could dramatically increase production by specialising in particular tasks. In 1913, when Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line, the assembly time for a Model T fell from over 12 hours to just 93 minutes. Yet today, much of our housing construction still takes place through a succession of trades working on individual building sites. Modern methods of construction offer a different approach. Prefab wall panels, bathroom pods and complete modular units allow more work to happen in controlled factory environments. A factory can standardise processes and invest in specialised equipment. Factory manufacturing can also proceed while foundations are being prepared on-site. There’s a few advantages to building under a roof. Work can continue on days when it’s pouring rain or blazing hot. The Productivity Commission estimates that a 2% increase in construction output could lift Australia’s GDP by around $5.7 billion. Small productivity improvements, spread across a large industry, can have big economic benefits. And we can already see what this might look like in Australia. In Sydney’s Macquarie Park, a 20-storey student accommodation tower is being constructed using volumetric modular construction. The project will contain 528 student rooms. By September, 12 levels had been assembled, approximately 13 weeks after the first modules arrived. Each module is manufactured with its internal fit-out and facade already installed. Work continues at the factory as the building rises on-site. When completed, the project is expected to be Australia’s tallest volumetric modular building. There’s also considerable promise in regional and remote Australia. In remote communities, conventional construction can be prohibitively expensive. Specialist trades may need to travel long distances, and bad weather can delay projects for weeks. Manufacturing components elsewhere and transporting them for assembly can make a substantial difference. And consider crisis accommodation. Under the Housing Australia Future Fund, $71 million is supporting 117 crisis and transitional homes using modern construction methods. These include homes for women and children escaping family violence. When construction time falls, people who urgently need secure accommodation can get it sooner. Now let’s look at the economics. A CEDA and Urbis report estimates that modern methods of construction can reduce building times by 20% to 50%. At scale, construction costs could fall by around 20%. Right now, some modular developments still carry a cost premium of 10% to 20%. In other applications, particularly regional construction and high-density developments involving repeated unit designs, costs can already be around 10% lower. Part of the explanation is scale. Factories need a reliable flow of orders. Expensive machinery delivers its greatest benefit when production is steady. Design is another factor. Standardisation works best when it’s incorporated from the beginning of a project. Retrofitting a conventional design for modular construction can be expensive. And the benefits of faster construction extend beyond the direct building costs. Finishing a project earlier reduces financing costs. It also means that rental income starts flowing sooner. For a developer, those savings can determine whether a project stacks up financially. For a homebuyer, better productivity can eventually mean a lower price. But achieving these gains requires us to rethink some of the rules governing construction. Our regulatory system evolved around buildings being assembled on-site. Factory production changes the process. A completed module may arrive with structural elements and electrical systems already enclosed. Inspectors need reliable ways of establishing that these components meet Australian requirements. Ideally, a manufacturer should be able to demonstrate that a compliant product meets national requirements, then supply that product across Australia. Financing arrangements also need to catch up. Traditional construction finance often releases funds against progress achieved on-site. Factory manufacturing requires substantial spending before components reach the development. These are the sorts of challenges that become easier to solve when government works closely with industry. The Albanese Government is providing $120 million through the National Productivity Fund to help states and territories place modern construction methods on an equal regulatory footing with conventional building. We’re also investing $4 million in nationally consistent definitions and a voluntary manufacturer certification scheme, with full commencement scheduled for mid-2028. Led by Housing Minister Clare O’Neil, the aim is to give manufacturers a clearer route to demonstrating compliance with the National Construction Code. We’re supporting standardisation through the $39.3 million Kit of Parts initiative. This will make Australian-designed building […]

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