Brazilian, Indonesian and Malaysian producers will be excluded from an approved list of plywood producers to be published by the National Panel Products Division of the TTF.
The list, to be issued in response to concern that end users were uncertain about which plywood was suitable for structural applications, will detail major manufacturers of plywood that meets the BS structural standard of conformity BS 5268.
Only US, Canadian, Swedish and Finnish producers are listed because they are the only country’s with quality accreditation regimes meeting the minimum standards of BS 5268.
Malcolm Cowley, chairman of the NPPD, said: ‘The list is designed to show customers buying plywood whether it is in or out of conformity with BS 5268. It is an attempt to clarify the situation.
‘It doesn’t include any Brazilian, Malaysian or Indonesia producers because none of them currently have product certified to BS 5268.
‘Brazilian producers say they are working on a national standard but it is going to take ages to put in place.’
Importers claim Brazilian elliottii pine, although of comparable quality to other softwood plywood, will continue to be forced out of structural applications.
Mike Harrod of PT Agencies said: ‘It is all very well to point to BS 5268 and say Brazilian plywood does not meet it, but the world has moved on since the standard was produced.
‘Why isn’t there a sensible document for plywood in structural applications that covers today’s producers of plywood in Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia?
Mr Cowley says the way in for manufacturers is firstly to have a quality assurance system controlled by a third party or an agrément certificate proving that the plywood product will actually meet the requirements of BS 5268.
