The new body is going under the working title "Confederation of Timber Industries" (CTI) and has grown out of the Timber Industry Accord alliance of 14 trade bodies, which launched in 2012 to identify areas for collaboration.

In the ‘CTI’ several Accord members are proposing to formalise their alliance into a fully fledged legal entity.

Their representatives held initial talks last October. Subsequently, in February, officers and executives of the Timber Trade Federation, British Woodworking Federation, Structural Timber Association, Wood Window Alliance, Trussed Rafter Association, Wood Panel Industries Federation and TRADA convened to agree on ‘mechanisms’ for launching the new body.

BWF director Iain McIlwee presented a concept for a ‘confederal’ lobbying [organisation] which could co-ordinate strategic communications, and provide a "platform for co-ordinating knowledge dissemination and growing the timber sector".

At a further meeting the CTI’s role was elaborated to include establishing direct dialogue with government, running a "vigorous" public affairs programme, and influencing "market buying motives". Funding would come from the TTF, BWF, TRA, STA, and TRADA and a secretary/administrator would be chosen. Immediate past president of the BWF, Roy Wakeman, was elected chairman, and James Latham plc managing director Chris Sutton vice-chairman.

It was also agreed to establish a working relationship with Wood for Good as soon as possible to "form the centre of excellence for communications".

"We’re also inviting other members of the Accord group to join," said Mr Wakeman. "We want everyone on board."

The initiative, he stressed, was not intended to lessen the specific roles of the various industry bodies, but to combine their individual strengths.

"We’re building a confederation of independent organisations where bodies come together on shared generic issues so we have a much stronger voice and wield greater influence," said Mr Wakeman. "This will be the body politicians pick up the phone to when they’re dealing with issues involving our industry."

The new alliance, he added, could also achieve synergies and savings in such areas as outsourced services.

TTF chief executive John White said the CTI represented a major step forward.

"The fragmentation of the timber supply chain has resulted in a representational deficit," he said. "But there’s far more that unites than divides us and, through collaborative working on key themes, we’ll have a much more effective voice to communicate the unarguable message that wood is the greenest material."

Mr McIlwee said that, while the different trade bodies would continue to serve their individual memberships, the CTI would "explore commonalities and magnify public affairs work" on key strategic topics and issues such as the Housing Standards Review, BIM and embodied carbon.

"Work needs to intensify on common information platforms and key messages to deliver consistency," he said. "The CTI will be the vehicle for this."