Dick Middleton responds to John Park’s letter
Having spent my working life in the timber trade, including over 20 years with TRADA, there have recently been occasions when I doubted the trade’s self belief. I am now a little clearer.
The letter from John Park of the Wood Bureau (TTJ May 4), to me, showed no faith in wood, the traders or in the training of today. He may have grounds for certain doubts, but to express them in such a negative manner is not conducive to solving the problems.
The letter denigrates the world’s most versatile material and suggests a competitor material while outlining some of its advantages to yet another competitor of wood – without reference to any of its many weaknesses. Even John’s reference to his own recent purchase implies doubt on its performance.
Rather than offering a useful PR exercise for competitor materials and an advert for a branded product, I feel that positive guidance on specifying to achieve acceptable performance from timber was a simple option. The opportunity was missed.
The progressive approach of the revitalised TTF, and equally the BWF, together with the ongoing research by TRADA and BRE, have set the stage for timber’s truly green credentials. Every one of us must now play our part on that stage.
