When it comes to French Douglas fir, its difficult to decide what’s more striking; the numbers or the increasingly broad spread of products and applications the timber’s being used for, notably in construction.
Sabrina Pedrono, general manager of France Douglas (FD), the sector’s market development body, starts with the stats. They are impressive. In fact, her organisation, comprising 50 mills, forest operators, Douglas users and specifiers, was established 23 years ago because the species’ growth potential and need for new customers were recognised even then. Now, said Ms Pedrono at the Carrefour International du Bois, that potential is being realised.
“Large-scale Douglas planting only started after WWII,” she said. “But it’s continued ever since, and today our Douglas forests cover 420,000ha, making us second biggest producer after North America.”
This growth is set to continue at the rate of 5 million m3 of standing timber annually, with projected harvest rising to 6 million m3 by 2030. That, in turn, will generate sawn timber output of 2.5 million m3, compared to today’s 700,000m3. That’s over two thirds of the UK’s current total sawn production. In one species.
This means that FD has to step up efforts in line to ensure markets for this huge volume of material, and it sees the UK among them.
Its work has included supporting technical evaluation to demonstrate Douglas’ performance credentials. Latest research by the FCBA technical centre found all 1,200 samples it tested were C24 grade, and a new mechanical classification system, backed by FD, further underlines its mechanical strength and resilience. Its insect and fungal resistance has also been put to the test.
“We’re marketing it strongly too, especially to architects, other specifiers, building contractors and engineers, with three conferences a year, plus individual presentations,” said Ms Pedrono. “They’re drawn to its versatility; that it can be used structurally, in post and beam and timber frame, for joinery and decoratively inside and out. The fact that it can be left to age naturally, but is also suited to timber treatment further adds to its appeal, notably in cladding and decking.” Evidence that the timber has inherently low natural emissions, is additionally winning it customers in the school, healthcare and hospitality build sectors. Another plus for specifiers, and consumers is French Douglas’s environmental credentials. It’s all PEFC-certified, in plentiful supply, and it’s on the doorstep, giving a minimal carbon footprint in terms of transport to site.
Strengthening its case in construction, French sawmills and manufacturers are also increasing its use in glulam, with CLT next on the tick list.
Underlining the timber’s growing market diversity, FD now has individual brochures for use in construction, interior joinery and decorative application and the refurb/ renovation sector.
And the industry’s focus on the UK is underlined by publication of its construction brochure in English, with translations of the others to follow.
“We’re also producing a special UK four-page marketing leaflet and an English version of our website, www.france-douglas. com, by the year-end,” said Ms Pedrono. “We see it as a potentially prime market given its growth in timber use in building, environmental concerns and strong demand for other target Douglas products, like wood cladding, decking and flooring. And we see UK sawmills as potential customers too.”
