Framing a global strategy to expand the market for timber products – including in residential construction – has been identified by industry experts as a key goal over the next decade. While the use of wood in home building remains at centre stage in North America, further efforts are needed to raise consumption levels in Europe, said Bo Borgstrom, chairman of the Confederation of European Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois). He said the industry needs to combine its strength to strive for a 4% annual growth rate in wood use to 2010.
Mr Borgstrom joined corporate executives, policy makers, suppliers and sector stakeholders from primarily Canada, the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America at the Vision 2015 Conference held in Vancouver, to focus on the future challenges and opportunities likely to confront the global forest products sector over the next decade.
The story of sustainability in North America has pulling power. Many engineers are now sourcing heavy timber for construction projects due to its environmental track record, said consultant Robert Malczyk, of Vancouver’s Equilibrium Consulting.
Indeed, at a time when architects are re-examining wood for design and demand is growing in Asia, British Columbia’s forestry practices offer reassurances to procurers. In addition, demand for construction ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, to be hosted by Vancouver and Whistler, offers architects timely opportunities for innovation in wood construction, too.
“We have some of the best timbers in the world here for strength, such as large dimension Douglas fir,” said Mr Malczyk. “We are now thinking about the cost of transportation in our project plans, and what happens after the structure is dismantled. These trends are now very prominent in Europe and we are starting to value some of them here in North America.”
Technological developments
The European revolution in construction design originally germinated from developments in technology and software applications, he said, which offered engineers and fabricators several opportunities to develop complicated structures using computer-aided modelling.
This was followed by dramatic advancements in computerised milling machinery in Europe – machines which spread quickly into Germany, Austria, Italy and France. Similarly advanced machinery is now in evidence in western Canada.
Lars-Goran Sandberg, founder of Swedish timber analysis company Timwood AB, said “mega-operators” are moving expertise away from the construction site and into the factory.
“We are moving toward more component-based building, which speeds up lead times and productivity – a trend which will increase and put pressures on wood companies,” he said.
Mr Sandberg predicted further consolidation among the large distributors, coupled with the continued growth of the DIY sector.
“With energy prices higher, everything will merge around sustainability,” he said. “We have a real chance to promote solutions that are more environmentally friendly than concrete, steel or brick.”
The key to growth, he added, will be to prepare packages of wood products, including home-grown materials as well as products sourced worldwide. Manufacturers and suppliers in low labour cost areas, like Asia, can add to the appeal of a company’s overall product mix, rather than necessarily be a threat to it.
And, according to speakers, Asia also provides future market opportunities for timber and wood products.
“I think there is going to be a renaissance in building with wood,” said Avrim Lazar, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada which jointly hosted the Vision 2015 conference.
“As society becomes increasingly urbanised and surrounded by steel, concrete and plastic, what is considered modern and desirable will be materials which have a more natural design. This will be particularly prevalent in mega-cities, such as those being built in Asia.”
