Clearing the Path for Structural Timber
Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association (STA) discusses the defined pathway to an increasing use of structural timber and the Association’s key aims for 2017.
In light of the recent Farmer Review, which clearly indicates the urgent need for the construction sector to utilise the benefits of offsite construction to modernise and to meet Government housebuilding targets,the structural timber frame sector is ready and poised for growth. This ethos was further supported by the launch of the RIBA Plan of Work Overlay: Design for Manufacture and Assembly, which signals only the beginning of a consistent increase in offsite methods and subsequent use of structural timber frame throughout the construction industry.
The STA 2016 Strategy Conference was extremely positive and sought to make use of these industry catalysts to further increase structural timber’s market share. Beginning the event, Professor Noble Francis, Economics Director, Construction Products Association and Visiting Professor
at the University of Westminster shared the 2016-18 construction industry forecasts and highlighted the growth potential, despite the uncertainty created by the fallout of the Brexit referendum.
Leading the conference, incoming STA Chairman, Alex Goodfellow, Group Managing Director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems, outlined the five key priorities for 2017:
• Grow the market share and use of timber structures and systems by making the sector more valued, attractive and specified
• Improve the quality of the sector in all measureable ways to improve market perception, capability, worth, value and profitability
• Increase the efficiency, productivity and profitability of the sector
• Develop a risk management culture system to protect and serve the sector
• Get a fair trading deal for all STA members in business trading
