Probably by the time you read this, you’ll have had the chance to see a recent article about constructional timber grading and the old ‘wet/dry’ saga.
While it seems a pity that some of the larger organisations have not seen fit to pursue this issue that affects everyone involved, there are a band of smaller companies throughout the UK that are determined to see this type of dealing eradicated.
For many in the trade it’s all probably a non-issue, where joinery softwoods, hardwoods and sheet materials are of more importance, but for those involved I can only hope that it is of use and for any who feel hard done by, let’s discuss it!
So, where’s the next ‘big issue’? What else is there that lurks beneath the surface, popping up for air every now and then?
Well, one that potentially affects us all is environmental accreditation, together with chain of custody certification; it’s the big thing to go for at the moment, with pressure from lobbyists and end users as well.
We’ve probably all seen plenty of statements in our trade press, from a huge variety of large and small companies, grandly announcing their achievments in this area. It can also be good for business and that’s just what the industry needs, providing another method of adding value to timber products, lessening the ‘lowest price’ factor once more.
But it all seems a little puzzling on the ground. After all, where does this accredited material come from and how do these companies actually manage to monitor it? Obviously there are schemes that are sophisticated and well run, but the desire just to get accredited is very strong and there are vibes in the industry of ‘quick fix’ arrangements.
Hopefully the reality is not so bad and people are acting responsibly; after all, with the amount of expenditure that has gone into lobbying for timber over the past few years, together with the massive capital investment in timber frame manufacturing alone, we really cannot afford to risk that by the use of shoddy accreditation.
