Opinions Archive
Archive of industry opinions from the global ttj industryOpinions By Date
October 2022
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Are we at a tipping point for fire door safety?
The recent passing of the Building Safety Act 2022, along with the Fire Safety Act 2021, marks a critical point in the way building safety risks will be considered. To ensure compliance with the new regime, greater understanding and awareness of the benefits that third-party fire door certification provides is crucial, writes Helen Hewitt, CEO of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF)
Congo Basin Regional Scheme a PEFC first
The PAFC Congo Basin scheme aims to increase sustainable forest management certification in the region, writes PEFC development officer Thomas Seyvet
TTJ Awards' royal connections in 2022
News of the Queen’s death broke as TTJ was going to press.
August 2022
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Thank you for the glulam
The demountable Abba Arena in London is a masterpiece of hybrid engineered timber and steel construction and a building for our increasingly over-heated times, writes TTJ consultant editor Mike Jeffree
Figuring out the new normal
Today’s combination of supply, price and cost issues facing the European timber sector is unprecedented. The solution, after 20 years of price stagnation, must be market appreciation of the true value of wood, writes Jean-François Guilbert, managing director of France’s international marketing organisation French Timber
Resilience in the face of swings in trading dynamics
These days we seem to be beset by extremes all round – temperature, conflicts, inflation and big swings in trading dynamics.
June 2022
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Fog of war obscures outlook
Prospects for the softwood market have never been more difficult to read, writes Sampsa Auvinen, chairman of the board of the Confederation of the European Woodworking Industries (CEI Bois) and board professional
Species diversity key for climate resilience
We must widen our timber diet to ensure future supply, writes Dan Ridley-Ellis, head of the Centre for Wood Science and Technology at Edinburgh Napier University
April 2022
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SVLK Sustainability Credentials Stressed
Indonesia’s development and rebrand of its timber legality assurance system is seen as potentially adding value to FLEGT, writes consultant editor Mike Jeffree
The Bumpy Road to Net Zero
The UK panel industry is in the forefront of decarbonisation, but still faces challenges ahead, writes Wood Panel Industries Federation director-general Alastair Kerr
March 2022
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Trade supply relationships more important than ever after Ukraine conflict threatens stability
No sooner had Covid-19 restrictions dropped then war breaks out in eastern Europe.
January 2022
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Festival of hope
The World of Wood Festival showcased how developing timber’s market potential can contribute to forest maintenance and climate change mitigation, reports Timber Trade Federation FLEGT communications executive Lucy Bedry
COP26 could have done better
New initiatives were announced at COP26, but some didn’t live up to the fanfare, according to Chiara Vitali, forest governance campaigner at forests and rights NGO, Fern
December 2021
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Global forests need global governance
Timber Trade Federation chief executive David Hopkins explains why legal governance of forests and forest supply chains must be a priority
Rising to the challenges of 2021 and beyond
Sarah Virgo, campaign manager at Wood for Good, says the industry must make the most of the recent buzz around wood
Carbon takes centre stage
The issue of carbon has been extremely prominent in the media these last few weeks.
September 2021
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Coming to the defence of FLEGT
Recent comments from the EC arising from the ‘Fitness check’ on the EUTR and FLEGT have cast doubts on the latter’s future, but Republic of Congo minister of forest economy Rosalie Matondo says we must build on this ground-breaking timber trade initiative, not undermine it
Back the COP26 timber beacon
The UK timber industry has an unparalleled opportunity at COP26 to persuade decision makers that using wood is key to combating the climate crisis. But, says Keith Fryer of Fort Builders Merchant, a project to make timber’s case to the climate conference needs funding
July 2021
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Log exports threaten europe’s sawmills
Rising exports of logs from Europe are risking the future of sawmills across the continent says Nicolas Douzain, director of France’s National Timber Federation
Encourage waste segregation
Mark Hayton, director of EGGER Timberpak Ltd, shares his views on the waste wood hierarchy and the importance of segregation
