Welcome to the latest issue of WoodTECH.News.
On behalf of the Forestry Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) and WoodTECH we are delighted to welcome our inaugural WoodTECH Brand Partners; HewSaw, Camco, Fagus GreCon, TimTechChem, Wellons, USNR, Arxada, Holtec, FWPA, Braford Industries and Key Knife Pacific. The Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) and WoodTECH are pleased to be partnered with leading wood technology companies and would like to thank these sponsors for their support.
Escalating prices for building materials, chronic shortages and delays in deliveries to builders really are taking all of the headlines this month. Actually, it’s an issue that’s hogged the media headlines for close to six months now. First, for the homeowners and building and construction companies, it’s a perfect storm. In New Zealand last week, news came out that the average cost of building a standard three-bedroom home in a New Zealand city has risen 21% in the past year. A major lumber retailer is also planning a 15% increase in the price of framing timber in July and Stats NZ said the price of plywood sheets went up 18% over 2021.
In Australia, it’s the same story. There’s a wait right now of up to nine months for roof and wall trusses. The hard truth is that the construction industry will have to weather the storm the best it can – likely until at least 2023. By then the home-building boom should be at an end, with higher interest rates likely to slow the pace of housing construction. Higher housing starts, of course, mean a much higher demand for lumber. Mills are all flat out and are expected to remain busy for quite some time. More details on both markets are contained in this issue.
In the tech space this month we’ve built in a story on a construction board that could substitute for plywood, particle board and plasterboard. It has a lot of product attributes being pushed as part of the new marketing effort. A NZ manufacturing facility is already producing and a AU$5 million facility in New South Wales is scheduled to be producing the new board as well this year. From Australia, we have the continuation of the very successful The Ultimate Renewable™ campaign, pushing the benefits of wood to consumers. A new two-million-dollar advertising campaign was launched on 19 June 2022. We also have the sad news of the recent passing of local sawmilling icon, known to many of our readers, John Gibson of AE Gibson and Sons.
Check out these stories and much more below. Enjoy this month’s issue.
Stories this issue:
- Timber shortages expected well into 2023
- saveBOARD construction board plant officially opens
- Balancing lubricant flow in saw guides
- Building costs going through the roof
- Vale John Gibson
- New Ultimate Renewable™ campaign launched
- Southern pine mill fly-through
- NZ’s first Green Hydrogen refuelling site
- Grand Old Lady turns fifty
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