"We give away a lot of our products too cheaply – and we have to do that because we’re competing," he said.
"The panels sector is oversupplied; it needs consolidation, and there’s not enough differentiation in products. A lot look the same to the customer, especially at the commodity end," he said.
Companies needed to find "points of difference" and a reason for customers to "want your board".
Mr Rivers acknowledged it was difficult, when cutomers talked about wanting quality but really wanted the cheapest price, "but we are giving away our quality products too cheaply", he said.
The industry had been poor at promoting timber but it had to sell its products’ virtues to architects and specifiers.
Part of the problem, Mr Rivers added, was the industry’s fragmentation.
"We must promote ourselves better and get a stronger market voice," he said.
