TTF AGM takes to the Thames

TTF managing director David Hopkins outlined developments at the TTF during the last year, which have included a restructuring of the areas of focus. Although the National Panel Products Division (NPPD), the National Softwood Division (NSD), the National Hardwood Division (NHD) and Forests Forever still exist, they are joined by working groups.

These are fire; preservative treatment; cladding; engineered wood products; flooring; a merchant forum; Chinese plywood; Department for International Development (DfID); and the All Party Parliamentary Group on timber. Training courses and the new TTF timber academy plus promotion and publicity are other working groups.

The rationale behind the working groups, said Mr Hopkins, was to look at key areas of the market and where the barriers to selling lie.

“We always look at where our product comes from and don’t look enough at where it goes to,” he said. “If we’re about growing the use of wood we have to grow the market and work with people to help them overcome any challenges getting those products to market.”

Teasing out the areas of focus from within the NSD, NHD and NPPD means that issues that affect all supply sectors can be looked at cohesively. Fire, for example is an issue that affects all timber products and markets. Likewise, cladding has been singled out because it is a significant softwood, hardwood and panel product market which is “under attack” because of increased scrutiny of combustible cladding material.

Mr Hopkins said that the TTF’s strategy had always been to work with other trade bodies, such as the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), the Structural Timber Association (STA) and TRADA and highlighted some of the on going collaboration. This includes working closely with the Wood Protection Association (WPA) on the issue of fire and wood preservation generally.

Work includes creating an online portal for guidance on products for all applications.

“It is important because we have to have a single message [on fire],” said Mr Hopkins. “We have to provide the same information as the WPA, TRADA, the BWF and the STA so a wedge can’t be driven between us.”

Brexit has dominated the political agenda, said Mr Hopkins and “had sucked the life out of the room”, but having lobbied hard for the last three years to ensure that timber had a voice in the Brexit debate, the TTF is now ready to move on to other targets.

“We now want to move onto the housing debate,” said Mr Hopkins, adding that, along with the Confederation of Timber Industries’ signatories, the TTF had set up an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on how the timber industry can help solve the housing crisis.

Evidence sessions looking at the capacity and sustainability of the industry, plus skills levels will be held on July 9 at Westminster, July 25 at Cardiff City Hall and August 21 at Queen Margaret University.

The AGM also touched on a new DfID grant, which would enable the TTF to engage with users of tropical timber and saw the official launch of the TTF Academy (www.ttfacademy.com). There was also a presentation on the TTF Essential Sales Foundation Management course, a six-day programme spread over 12 month, which has been developed in partnership with Reed Consultants.