Smart literature and prominent use of its ‘Making the most of Wood’ slogan, underlined an evolution in the market strategy of the Wood Protection Association (WPA) at its recent annual conference. That’s not to mention the fact that the 65 delegates gathered the night before for the first ever WPA Awards.
The WPA is clearly not diverting from its key roles as guardian of quality standards, and provider of technical and regulatory guidance to the timber treatment sector, and its liaison to government and standard setters.
But, said speakers, in a fast-changing market that’s both competitive and offering growing opportunity, it must be outward facing too. It needs to highlight the value of timber treatment and professionalism of the treatment industry to reinforce customer confidence.
"There’s undoubtedly a rediscovery of wood, it’s becoming more important in the supply chain, but there’s also an emphasis on making best, most effective use of what is a natural resource," said director Stephen Young. "We must get the message across that wood protection is central to making the most of wood."
Keynote speaker, BRE director Ed Suttie, agreed on the potential market prospects for wood, and the possibilities this presented for timber treatment.
"Growing numbers of people believe wood is the ultimate in sustainability," he said. "Within that, its carbon credentials are also increasingly recognised, particularly in construction, where carbon performance can now even dictate planning. We must embed those views even more strongly; highlighting such facts as Norwich Open Academy school, built in cross laminated timber, storing 2900 tonnes of carbon."
The more it’s used in construction, he added, the more timber’s wider benefits are being discovered in terms of technical performance, and contribution to healthier interior environments.
"So in a market that’s no longer all about cost, we have increasing added value."
Where wood protection comes in is in underpinning timber’s performance and inherent sustainability.
"Sustainability is also about durability," said Mr Suttie. "It doesn’t sit comfortably with a throw-away society."
Life cycle assessment (LCA) also plays an increasing role in construction and manufacturing procurement, presenting another platform for wood protection.
"Reliability and durability are central to it," he said. "Premature failure is an LCA disaster."
The WPA, the conference heard, has a range of tools for conveying the wood protection sector’s commitment to quality and consistent product performance. The focus now must be on their development, uptake and profile.
First among them is the Benchmark quality assurance scheme. Introduced in 2011 to "tackle the premature timber failure issue and associated image failure", this entails independent auditing of a company’s ability to treat to BS8417 on 15-year minimum service life products.
"ISO9001 is a good overall quality management system, but Benchmark certifies the specific piece of wood, the product, offering that much greater customer assurance," said Mr Young.
Initially aimed at treatment for use class 3 and 4, Benchmark is now also being applied to classes 1 and 2, with four sites producing ‘Benchmarked’ general construction timber.
This February, the scheme steering committee decided to ‘ratchet it up’ again, the conference heard, raising required minimum retention to 10% above the BSI minimum.
Impressed with Benchmark’s ‘rigour’, Mr Young told TTJ the Highway Agency is also looking at tying it in more closely with its Sector Scheme 4 (SS4) for treating roadside fencing.
Currently 27 member sites are Benchmark approved.
Another five are in the accreditation process or discussions and the WPA urges more to join.
"We’d initially like the majority of companies treating to Use Class 4 in Benchmark, but ultimately all treaters who place a value on meeting customer expectations – for it to be the market definition of treated wood," said Mr Young.
"Being in the scheme means a company is taking responsibility for their output, rather than passing it to treatment providers, further increasing customer confidence. Benchmark companies report fewer customer complaints and it’s a brand that puts our commitment to quality out there, now covering 40 to 50 timber products."
Asked whether specifiers were asking for Benchmark treated timber, Mr Young said treater feedback showed there was increasing market awareness of the scheme. "Some companies are proactively using the brand in marketing and the steering committee is looking at increasing publicity, particularly to buyer and contractors groups."
The other key string to the WPA quality assurance bow is its Product Approval scheme for independently auditing treatment products.
It too continues to develop. All three main producers belong, it now covers five product categories, with a sixth pending and it has recently extended to classes 1 and 2 from 3 and 4 and is "in process to cover all constructional timber".
"It provides the assurance that the specific preservative is approved to be used on that material, for that Use Class at that retention," said Mr Young.
The conference heard the latest on the WPA’s next ambitious quality assurance project, its proposed National Warranty Scheme, building on the Benchmark and Product Approval Schemes. Products processed with WPA-approved treatments by a Benchmark audited company would be backed by the WPA warranty, initially on a 5- or 10-year basis.
No time date is set for launch, as, says the WPA, it requires Benchmark membership achieving ‘a critical mass’, but it is clearly determined it will happen.
"Industry wide warranties operate effectively abroad, as in France and the Nordic countries," said Mr Young. "They add credibility to companies’ expressions of quality commitment and improve perceptions of the industry overall."
Currently the UK has a range of treaters’ own warranties, some underwritten by their chemical company’s liability insurance. The WPA scheme would underpin these, with the ultimate aim of their ‘migration’ under a national warranty umbrella.
"We have a number of insurers teed up and been told the insurance bond could be as low as £200,000," said Mr Young.
The conference also heard the latest on the WPA-backed long-term field trial of treated British softwoods’ durability.
The WPA has commissioned the BRE to undertake the 15-year project, which will evaluate performance of standard and incised 75mmx75mm fence posts treated to Use Class 4, and some higher retentions, against untreated controls.
Project manager Gordon Ewbank said that the last of the 1,560 posts had just been installed at the test sites at the BRE in Watford and a James Jones plot in Mosstodloch.
Also backed by the BRE, Forestry Commission, Grown in Britain and Scottish Enterprise, plus company and organization associate sponsors, it covers larch, spruce, pine and Douglas fir from BSW and James Jones, all kilned and treated to BS8417 with WPA-approved Arch, Koppers and BASF Products
WPA awards a Winner
The inaugural WPA Awards for Wood Protection Excellence, held in conjunction with its Conference, were described as an outstanding success.
The aim of the event was to create a "showcase for all that’s best about our industry" as part of its wider efforts to raise the sector’s profile.
"And for the first event, we got a good number of high quality entries," said director Stephen Young.
The Best Treated Wood Project of the Year went to John Brash & Co for its supply of FR and preservative treated plywood and shingles for the Bradfield College Greek Theatre. Highly Commended was Coillte Panel Products for the supply of FR Medite panels for the Breathless Beauty art installation.
Winner of the Quality Award, due to its "deep understanding of the technical aspects of timber treatment" was Walford Timber, with Smartply runners up.
And Treated Wood Trader of the Year went to WH Bond, described as "putting customer satisfaction at the heart of business ethos". BSW was highly commended.
Cases for Treatment
The thorny issue of the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) was among other topics discussed at the conference.
This industry-wide ruling comes in on July 15 and will entail most UK treatment companies securing an IED permit to operate. Regulatory affairs director Gordon Ewbank said the WPA has been guiding members towards the Directive for some time.
"We’ve produced IED guidance notes, and provide site specific consultancy," he said.
Outstanding problems were the threat of the IED creating an unlevel playing field, with apparent uneven implementation across Europe and permits costing less in Ireland and Scotland, than England and Wales.
"Because the EU doesn’t recognise wood treatment as an industry of sufficient scale, we also don’t have a sector specific IED Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF)," said WPA Director Stephen Young.
Mr Ewbank said the WPA was "fielding a steady stream of IED enquiries", continuing to liaise with UK national authorities and pressing for a treatment sector BREF.
Another EU ruling causing continuing concern, said Stephen Cope of Meyer Timber, is the Construction Product Regulation and its stipulation for CE marking on fire retardant treated permanent structural timber products. He highlighted the complexity and detail of CPR compliance documentation.
Mr Young confirmed this remained a key WPA focus and its CE Marking Guidance note was in demand. "The fact that I recently saw just superficial fire retardant coating recommended for use on roof-top timber decking highlighted ongoing problems," he said.
WPA Director Dr Chris Coggins discussed outstanding issues surrounding the BS8417 preservation of wood standard. Currently the previous version is allowed to coexist with the 2014 revision, with some companies wanting this to continue. But Dr Coggins said other treated timber users thought coexistence caused confusion.
