It's Awards time

That’s just as well when you’re approaching a milestone birthday and you have decided to hold a Caribbean themed garden party! Umbrellas are a poor substitute for sun hats and Jamaican jerk chicken is definitely better outside on the BBQ.

It’s been an excuse to get making things with timber – a “beach” bar is taking shape in my garden using old pallets and waste timber to try and give an authentic flavour to the backdrop of Bob Marley, steel drum music and inflatable palm trees – yes, they really do look that tacky! And I won’t mention much about the inflatable drinks cooler either – the beauty of Amazon.

Birthdays aside, this September issue contains the annual TTJ Awards Supplement which will be at the TTJ Awards 2019 on September 13.

Containing profiles of this year’s sponsors, guest speaker comedian Zoe Lyons, the voted categories shortlist and details of the trophy design and production by the technical machine meisters at SCM UK, the supplement represents the 23rd annual TTJ Awards, which will be attended by over 300 timber and wider sector representatives.

Here at TTJ we are very much looking forward to the day and if you’re coming then I hope you are too, with some new awards categories for 2019.

Also in this issue is our annual Sector Focus on British timber. This industry is maintaining a sawn timber market share of around 40%, despite facing pressure from the glut of competitively priced imported timber recently.

The raw material squeeze for British timber producers has thankfully abated following the tight situation recorded in 2018, while private growers now account for around 60% of wood supply.

There is better news on the planting front, with Scotland recently exceeding its tree planting target for the first time. This needs to continue and expand in order to meet future raw material demand.

Grown in Britain’s Dougal Driver, details the importance of increasing woodland cover to boost the forest carbon sink and help meet the UK target for netzero greenhouse gases by 2050.

Staying with Britain, George Fereday says designers and suppliers should demonstrate value-added uses for home-grown hardwood, most of which is burnt as fuel. Oak, ash and sweet chestnut could all benefit.

He argues a number of landmark buildings in the UK have shown it is possible to promote a culture of ‘local materials first’ that can ensure elevated use of the UK’s diverse timber resources whilst bringing many positive changes to society.