Everyone in the timber industry should be a salesman for their products according to Paul Martin, director-general of the Timber Trade Federation.
Speaking at the Plywood Club of London‘s annual dinner he said: ‘We haven’t always made the most of language in making the case for our material.’
Mr Martin identified the biggest challenge facing the industry as overcoming concerns about the harvesting of timber. ‘Our promotional work has to be based on the message that trees are good to grow; good to cut down; good to manufacture things with and good to replant and begin the whole thing again.’
He said it can be challenging to put the environmental case for timber in the face of pressure from green groups, but that would not deter the TTF from advancing timber’s environmental credentials.
The club’s chairman, David Horton, said the panels sector was changing, with some very powerful players emerging. He went on: ‘Far be it for me to suggest they they will be able to influence policy in their favour, but the Federation must ensure that the views of all its members are taken into account when formulating policy or codes of practice.’
