CSIC and STA join forces to boost timber sector innovation

29 April 2019


Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) and the Structural Timber Association (STA) have announced they are joining forces to support structural timber businesses across the UK to innovate and grow.

The partnership will build on the existing relationship between the two organisations, formed through several key collaborative projects that CSIC has already supported, with both the STA and its member company’s CCG, Stewart Milne Group and Scotframe. 

This formal partnership will create a strategic relationship between CSIC and the STA. It will deliver a supporting programme of activities and provide numerous benefits for STA members, including:

  • a series of innovation events for the timber sector, hosted at CSIC’s Innovation Factory;
  • a discount on use of CSIC’s Innovation Factory, which provides access to state-of-the-art equipment including an offsite cell and CLT/glulam vacuum press, as well as training and seminar spaces for up to 120 people;
  • support for STA members to understand the benefits working with Building Information Management (BIM) can bring, and how to adopt BIM working;
  • events and communications support.

“Innovation has always been at the heart of the structural timber sector and our alliance with the CSIC is testament to the very progressive and forward-thinking approach of our industry,” said Alex Goodfellow, vice-chair of the STA.

“Along with championing and supporting innovation, our partnership will also ensure that products, practices and new buildings are robustly tested, and performance is well understood and evidenced to maximise the benefits of technically advanced timber systems and offer assurances to clients and end-users.” 

“CSIC already undertakes a range of activity relevant to the structural timber sector, such as being an associate partner in Offsite Solutions Scotland and funding numerous collaborative projects with STA member companies,” said Stephen Good, chief executive at CSIC. “Formalising our existing relationship with the STA will offer greater opportunities for structural timber companies to participate in innovation activity and collaborate with client bodies, supply chain partners, public sector and academia.”

Stephen Good (left) CSIC chief executive with Calum Murray, managing director at CCG and STA board member