TTJ Awards 2007 - the voting and entry rules

Who will you vote for ?

In five awards categories, the winners are voted for by the TTJ readership and key timber industry customer sectors. They are:

• Softwood Trader of the Year - sponsored by Arch Timber Protection
• Hardwood Trader of the Year - sponsored by Progressive Solutions
• Panels Trader of the Year - sponsored by Medite
• Plywood Trader of the Year - sponsored by W Howard Ltd
• Small Timber Business of the Year - sponsored by Lancer Sideloaders
• The "Timber Trader of the Year" - sponsored by Weinig Group, goes to the company receiving most votes overall

Why vote?

The TTJ Awards are an important part of the timber industry's year. It is a time when we take a look at our market and recognise those companies who have excelled in the products and services they provide us.

Now is the time for you to have your say in who should win these prestigious awards. Over the next couple of weeks you will be contacted by DUO Marketing Services, who will ask for your votes.

The voting process is easy. Take a look at the awards listed above and decide which company you think should win each.

You may vote for any company supplying you with timber or wood products, based in the UK or Ireland. However, you can only vote for a company once. This means you cannot vote for the same company in more than one category.

Think about which companies provide you with the best in terms of:

• Market knowledge
• New product information
• Advertising & marketing support
• Complaint handling
• Well-trained staff
• Prompt financial settlement
• Action on the environment
• Competitive pricing
• Stockholding

Remember, when you cast your all-important votes, you will be entered into a free prize draw for the chance to win two tickets to the Awards, plus overnight accommodation in London, worth £500!

Important voting information

As always, we make a conscious effort to canvass more votes from downstream businesses. Companies qualifying to vote will include our core readership involved in the onward sale of timber and panel products, such as timber merchants and builders merchants. We will also be asking for votes from a wider representation of consumers from the truss rafter, timber frame, fencing, pallet and wood packaging, and furniture sectors and other timber and panel products users. Voting is strictly limited to one vote per company. Your vote is guaranteed to be totally confidential and the information you give will not be revealed to any other party, even to the organisers.

How to vote?

There are two ways in which you can cast your vote. Both methods are simple and secure. The first is via our mailing and the second is by telephone.

• Via the mailing...

Qualifying companies will be mailed a form to complete and return. Each form will be personalised and include a unique reference number. Simple instructions will guide you through the process.

• Via phone...

Also through May to mid June our telephone canvassers will be contacting qualifying companies. They will be asking you to vote, taking your nominations over the phone.

For security reasons you cannot call us…we call you. We will attempt to contact everybody by mid June and, if you are unavailable when we call, we will leave a message.

When you vote by mail your name is automatically removed from the telephone canvass list.

Some do's and don'ts

• Only one vote per qualifying company.
• You can only vote for a company ONCE. You cannot, for example, vote for the same company in several categories. Either vote for another company, or abstain from voting in that category.
• No block voting allowed.
• No voting for your company or any company in the same group.
• No voting for any of the sponsors, except the sponsor of the Champagne Reception.
• When voting, include the location or the branch of the company you nominate (not the head office or billing address).
• Be prepared for the phone call and have your nominations ready.

How will you know who's won?

TTJ will publish a special Awards supplement with the September 15 issue listing all the nominees. The actual winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation in the Park Lane Hotel, London on September 20 by the event host and guest speaker Lord Sebastian Coe. A review of the Awards will be carried in the September 29 issue of TTJ.

Who is conducting the voting on behalf of TTJ?

DUO Marketing Services, a specialist organisation which is very familiar with the timber industry having worked on various timber related projects over the years including the TTJ Address Book & Buyer's Guide. DUO is an independent marketing services company - www.duomarketing.co.uk, 01892 783017.

TTJ Judged Awards 2007

There are also five TTJ Awards which are judged by independent panels. These are:

• Achievement in Engineered Timber - sponsored by Osmose
• Excellence in Marketing Award - sponsored by Combilift Ltd
• Environmental Achievement Award - sponsored by UCM Timber plc
• Best Technical Information Support Award - sponsored by TRADA
• Career Development Award - sponsored by SCA Timber Supply Ltd

TTJ Achievement in Engineered Timber Award - sponsored by Osmose

New this year is the TTJ Award for Achievement in Engineered Timber. The Award, sponsored by Osmose, is open to both individual products that take engineered timber to a new technical level and create new market opportunities, and to particularly interesting, technically demanding or ground-breaking applications of engineered timber products in joinery, manufacturing or construction.

• Entrants should send in the background to the development of the individual product or the rationale for using engineered wood in a building or joinery or other manufactured item.
• For products, please also provide a description of the development process, technical specification and information about the applications of the product.
• Information about the performance of the product in the field, and feedback from the market from specifiers or end users, if available, would also be helpful.
• For applications of engineered wood in construction, joinery or manufacturing, please provide details of the product or products used, how they have performed and the benefits they have provided for the building or finished manufactured or joinery item.
• Photographs of products and applications should also be provided, if possible.

The deadline for entries is August 3. They should be sent to Mike Jeffree, editor, TTJ, Wilmington House, 2 Maidstone Road, Sidcup DA14 5HZ.

TTJ Excellence in Marketing Award - sponsored by Combilift: customised handling solutions

TTJ's Excellence in Marketing Award is open to any company or advertising agency which has undertaken a project promoting wood or wood-related products. Eligible campaigns must have run between July 2006 and July 2007.

The brief is wide-ranging and entries can include campaigns in the consumer or business media, point of sale material, telemarketing, customer newsletters, use of internet and PR. Campaigns for ancillary products, such as treatments and finishes, adhesives, woodworking machinery, shipping or IT are also eligible.

The entry should include copies of any relevant print or other material which was used in the promotion.

• You must also include a description of 500 words maximum of the aims of the campaign and how they were achieved and measured.
• You can additionally provide an analysis of the total spend and any evidence of discernible direct results achieved in terms of sales, profits, market share or product trends.
• Detailed statistical or other supporting information, such as response rates, conversion rates and percentage change in sales can be included separately.

Please provide the name and contact details of an appropriate member of staff in case we have any queries about your entry.

Entries will be judged on the basis of their persuasiveness, impact and style.

The deadline for entries is August 3 2007. They should be sent to David Wildman, publisher, TTJ, Wilmington House, Maidstone Road, Kent DA14 5HZ.

TTJ Environmental Achievement Award - sponsored by UCM Timber plc

The TTJ Environmental Achievement Award recognises exceptional achievement in environmental performance in the timber and associated industries.

The Award is open to companies of all sizes that have accomplished something special in environmental improvement in the last 18 months.

Entries are also invited from businesses or organisations which have introduced a product or service with environmental benefits in its own right, or that assists companies in the timber sector to improve their environmental performance. This could range from environmental auditing and consultancy to a finish or treatment, or technology that helps the industry reduce waste, or make more effective use of its raw material and co-products.

Entries must be supported by documentation describing the achievement, product or service with a clear explanation of its environmental contribution and benefit. Background information on the development of products and services and their industry take-up would also be helpful.

The TTJ Environmental Achievement Award is open to UK companies and organisation and to overseas entrants who supply or service the UK market.

The deadline for submissions is August 3, 2007. Submissions should be sent to Mike Jeffree, editor, TTJ, Wilmington House, Maidstone Road, Kent DA14 5HZ.

TTJ Best Technical Information Support Award - sponsored by TRADA

The TTJ Best Technical Information Support Award was created by TRADA in recognition of the importance of backing timber and wood products used in construction with current and comprehensive technical data and support services. The entry form is available in downloadable format at www.trada.co.uk and copies are being inserted in two editions of TTJ.

To download an entry form please click on the link on the right under Files.

The deadline for entries is July 27, 2007. Completed entry forms should be sent to Karen Tipping, TRADA, Stocking Lane, Hughenden Valley, High Wycombe HP14 4ND. For further information contact ktipping@trada.co.uk.

TTJ Career Development Award - sponsored by SCA Timber Supply Ltd

The TTJ Career Development Award is designed to recognise special achievement in training and education of both new entrants in the timber industry under the age of 25 and employees of 25 and older who have been in the industry for a while and undertaken further training to enhance their career development. The entry form will be supplied as an insert in TTJ and is also available from TTJ, e-mail mjeffree@wilmington.co.uk.

To download an entry form please click on the link on the right under Files.

The deadline for entries is August 3, 2007. They should be sent to Mike Jeffree, editor, TTJ, Wilmington House, Maidstone Road, Kent DA14 5HZ.

If you have any queries about the TTJ Awards 2007 please call Natasha Denney on 0208 269 7833, ndenney@wilmington.co.uk.