John Park of the Wood Bureau replies to DIck Middleton’s letter on wood promotion
I advise Dick Middleton that I have great faith in wood; I do, however, have less faith in its future if the trade and industry do not accept a larger and more active part in this. Mr Middleton says “Every one of us must play our part”. I wholeheartedly agree but from this I must also deduce that he is unaware of what I and a number of colleagues have been doing over the past four or five years.
Wood remains under serious threat from this new competition. Recycled plastic – there were benches and picnic tables (another timber industry staple) on show at interbuild – will be sold on its environmental credentials. It will also be sold on consumer prejudices and ignorance of how wood performs.
Plastic windows still dominate the market and have attained their position by providing misleading information to consumers who, with little desire to carry out regular maintenance, fell for it. Now plastic windows are available as wood-grain look-alike.
The original idea for The WOOD Bureau arose during a British Woodworking Federation AGM 10 years ago when there was much bemoaning of loss of market to plastic and how little was being done to recapture this. Since then I have worked with enthusiasm to get this generic wood awareness initiative (not marketing or promotion, that is someone else’s responsibility) off the ground, with virtually no support from the trade. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Rob and Rick Sykes of George Sykes Ltd for their unfailing support and encouragement. At the opposite end of the spectrum is one person associated with the TTJ (I will not say in what capacity) who has asked to be removed from the mailing list.
The timber industry must work in collaboration, giving both time and money, if wood is to attain its rightful place as the material of the future. Michael Buckley’s letter on the same page as that from Mr Middleton is a reminder of what wood faces if we do not pull together.
I do, of course, have a day job. The WOOD Bureau has been a labour of love and is a demonstration of my passion for and commitment to timber. If the rest of the trade and industry could demonstrate such a commitment we could move mountains!
If anyone would like a copy of The WOOD Bureau Development Proposal I will gladly oblige. These are produced at my own expense so an accompanying cheque for £2 payable to The Wood Bureau Ltd would be welcome. It will also enable further development of the website www.woodbureau.co.uk
