The new director of the British Woodworking Federation announced plans to take its Timber Window Accreditation Scheme to “the next level” – which includes consumer promotion and the creation of an associated installers scheme.

Speaking to construction and other trade press in London last week, Richard Lambert praised the work of his predecessor in developing the TWAS, which gives third party assurance of a timber window’s quality and performance. The plan is to build on this, he said, by expanding membership of the scheme and taking its marketing campaign in new directions.

“The scheme has developed fantastic momentum since its launch in 1996 and created great awareness of the quality of timber windows in the market,” said Mr Lambert. “One of our key aims now must be to take the campaign beyond the trade to the consumer to raise their awareness of a BWF-accredited window and to enable timber to compete more in the replacement market.”

Part of this campaign, he said, would be a consumer leaflet co-authored with the wood. for good campaign. A BWF TWAS-accredited installer scheme was also being developed.

&#8220One of our key aims is to take the campaign beyond the trade to the consumer to raise their awareness of a BWF-accredited window ”

Richard Lambert, BWF director

Mr Lambert said that the identity of the first company to join the latter would be released shortly, and that the BWF aims to sign up 25 by 2005.

He said the scheme as a whole was aiming to increase total membership of accredited manufacturers, suppliers and installers from the current 28 to 85 in the next three years.