So we have the results for wood. for good to date. And, so far, according to the report from Jaakko Pöyry Consulting (JPC), so good.
The company’s analysis shows the campaign hasn’t whipped UK consumers into a timber-buying frenzy. It originally set a hugely optimistic target of boosting annual softwood sales by 1.8 million m3 in three years. Without an almighty surge, we won’t get there. But the JPC report highlights that there was, nevertheless, a strong increase in consumption last year, and a further jump is forecast for this. And companies consulted in the trade did attribute part of the rise to the campaign.
Significantly, consumer attitudes also seem to have shifted. According to JPC, after two years of wood. for good more people now think timber is versatile, easy to use, and the “material for the future”. Overall, the campaign has heightened their desire to use more timber around the home.
The environmental image of wood has also benefited. Jan Wintzell of JPC says that many consumers still wince if you mention timber, forests and chainsaws in the same breath. But more now believe tree cover in Europe is rising and accept the wood. for good slogan that “for every tree cut down, two are planted”.
The several million pounds a year question now is, what happens next? Wood. for good was scheduled to run for only three years and the Nordic backers, who still provide the lion’s share of the cash, are looking to spread the campaign (and their money) to the rest of Europe. So will the UK industry make up the shortfall? Mr Wintzell, for one, believes some form of promotion is essential or timber will lose market share.
If you needed further proof that the industry must keep talking up timber, just look at last week’s Building. Recently the magazine has run a couple of stories which questioned the quality and safety of UK timber frame (which TTJ has shown were either inaccurate or incomplete). Last week it continued the theme with an incredibly partial interview with Glenn Allison of timber frame supplier Stewart Milne. It was an atrocious hatchet job and reading it prompts the question, can the trade afford to be without wood. for good?
