SmartStruct, a division of Tilling Timber and the Principal Partner of the 2019 Timber Offsite Construction conference and exhibition, has announced it is bringing a new type of mass wood panel system down under for the first time. Owned by Metsä Wood, Kerto-RIPA is a large-scale panel system for floors and walls, with superior stability, strength, acoustic and rigidity attributes.
The laminated veneer lumber (LVL) system will be offered exclusively by SmartStruct in Australia and New Zealand, marketed as the Kerto Panel System. It will provide a host of benefits for building designers, engineers and construction companies.
Leon Quinn, National Sales and Marketing Manager at Tilling Timber, said the company was delighted to sign this exclusive agreement with Metsä Wood. “Our multi-million-dollar investment in the latest European automation, combined with our team of three engineers, 45 designers and two experienced commercial Business Development Managers, demonstrate our commitment to this construction method in Australia.
“SmartStruct’s Kerto panels now enable designers, builders and clients to bring timber solutions into higher density residential and commercial buildings. The Kerto Panel System is made up of LVL panels with 20% of veneers bonded cross-wise. Structural gluing is a key feature of the system, allowing for efficiency gains by offering six times more stiffness than screws alone, decreasing timber volume by 30% and reducing timber height by up to 50%.
Meanwhile, the system’s cavity supports heat and ventilation, as well as providing a space for running services. The panels also provide great workability, as they are easy to fasten, nail and drill. Panels can be used for all roof, floor and wall elements, and will be made available to standard widths of 900mm, 1,200mm, 1,800mm and 2,500mm, with lengths of up to 12m.
Well-established in Europe and particularly in Scandinavia, the panel system has undergone progressive and extensive technical development since its introduction in the 1990s. The technology has been placed under rigorous testing over the decades and earned a European Technical Assessment ETA 07/0029 certification.
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