The growing sustainable wood products market could present significant commercial opportunities for merchants who gain early entry to the sector, Alsford Timber managing director John Griffiths has said.

Mr Griffiths’s comments came during SCA Timber‘s sustainability and timber debate held alongside the annual conference of the British Merchants Federation (BMF) in Stockholm on July 5.

Nigel Hollett, sustainable development co-ordinator with the City & County of Swansea, told attendees : “Local authorities want to buy sustainable timber as part of their sustainable procurement systems. They are also keen to work with companies to explore how this can be achieved.”

&#8220Local authorities want to buy sustainable timber as part of their sustainable procurement systems. They are also keen to work with companies to explore how this can be achieved”

Nigel Hollett, sustainable development co-ordinator City & County of Swansea

Staff training was pinpointed as the key to moving forward in the market, but SCA’s Steve Jones, who also delivers BMF Good Wood Challenge courses, said a recent survey of trainees showed 100% had not yet been offered any training on environmental issues.

“Trainees are concerned about the environment as individuals but are not yet able to bring these values into their daily work,” he said.