In my life time I have seen some pretty dramatic changes, none so much as the industry-shaping dynamics of our forest products sector at present. British timber is undervalued, in fact all timber is undervalued, and our task is to demonstrate the real worth of this renewable resource.
A really pleasing development is the launch of the much talked-about Grown in Britain campaign, led by Dr Peter Bonfield.
A whole host of industry advocates and stakeholders support the campaign and it gives me great encouragement that the early indications are that the outputs can translate into solid recommendations, which will provide viable and tangible benefits for the UK timber industry.
There has never been a better time to celebrate UK timber – and more specifically the role it plays in improving and driving forward our economy. We are used to seeing quality marks stamping credibility and authority on British products in our supermarkets – so why not one for our building products?
The Grown in Britain campaign comes at a critical time for UK producers as a means of galvanising both industry and government support for British forestry and forest products – and providing a clear road map for the future.
I never tire of reminding people of the headline statistics. We provide 170,000 valuable livelihoods in the forest products industry, mostly in rural areas and across the whole of the UK, contributing £2bn to the economy and we need to ensure this message is heard, shared and promoted throughout the entire supply chain, from forest floor to end user.
We have to commend UK producers who are taking the fight to importers by investing heavily in advanced technologies, quality products, innovation and service. We have learned a lot from our own experience in spearheading initiatives, promoting home-grown C16/C24 timber and our easi product range reinforces the need to clearly educate and inform a diverse target audience of the great quality of homegrown supply – whether it’s an architect demanding technical excellence or the builders merchant requiring responsive customer service.
What is clear is that homegrown timber is competitive and is the solid platform to work from. Latest figures show that the dominance of the importers is beginning to weaken, with UK production gaining more and more market share. Again, the statistics are revealing – the UK-grown share of the sawn softwood market has risen from 13.5% in 1980 to 40% in 2012. What can be more sustainable than that?
Exchange rates have undoubtedly played their part. But, representing the sawmiller that produces almost one-third of all UK sawn softwood output, it is our multi-million pound investment in our modern manufacturing sites and customer service centres that will make the difference in the future, setting new industry standards.
And, from what I can see around me, this commitment to development of the forest products sector in the UK is being replicated by the rest of the supply chain, with around £1.6bn being invested over the past 15 years. In short, we have everything in place to meet the demands of the future, when stronger recovery is evident.
I look forward to working closely with key individuals, other industry partners and wider stakeholders to make Grown in Britain the success that our brilliant industry so rightly deserves.
