The North East Timber Trade Association (NETTA) showed off its new image at the annual Newcastle dinner last week.
The association has a new badge for the chairman’s chain of office and a new logo. It is also the only association in England to have its own website – and there are plans to roll promotional activity out further.
Chairman Ian Robinson, who will hand over to Pat Burke later this year after seven years in the chair, said NETTA would continue to hold open days to promote the association, its members and timber.
It also plans to donate benches to hospices and special needs schools and encourage more companies to join. An award scheme launched at St Mary’s School, Hull last year for the most imaginative use of timber in technical classes is also to be expanded.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of prizes, sponsored this year by International Plywood (Importers) Ltd, for projects designed by architectural students at Newcastle University.
The competition, organised by NETTA in conjunction with TRADA, required the students to design a reception area, small cafeteria, educational space and system of construction for the RNLI at the Port of Blyth. The timber and wood-based panel construction had to have a maritime theme.
Speaker John White, chief executive of the Timber Trade Federation (TTF), said he was convinced the TTF now delivered value for money, but that it needed to work more closely with other trade organisations.
And he said the timber trade had to remain vigilant about sustainability. “The focus is always on us, particularly on the environmental side,” he said. “Dealing with environmental issues is crucial to the success of our businesses. Every time we fail we deliver another weapon to our competitors.”
