It has been said countless times before, but it really is the case that the greatest strength of the timber trade is its people; of course, we have great products and a really good story to tell, but people and networking continue to play a vital role in the development of our trade.
Trade associations have been well established within the sector for generations; those that have stood the test of time have done so because they continue to focus on the needs of their members and deliver value for money services. The Scottish Timber Trade Association (STTA) recently undertook a review of its operations and influence. The opinions of non-member companies were also sought, which provided food for thought. Although STTA is well supported and well respected, it was apparent that there are many businesses that are neither Timber Trade Federation nor STTA members. It was also recognised that if a trade grouping is to increase its profile and influence, especially in political circles, then it must be truly representative of the trade it represents.
Keen to respond to this feedback and improve networking across the trade, STTA has risen to the challenge and has devised a new networking initiative, known as the Scottish Timber Products Forum, which was launched on September 10. The principal purpose of the new forum is to bring people together; those who are willing to work together for the common good and for purposes of education, information and improvement.
Widespread engagement across the trade is our objective. As one leading trade figure said: “This is an important and long-awaited first step towards bringing the Scottish timber trade together, which in the future, it is hoped, will provide a platform to meet, discuss and debate issues that are relevant and appertain to the Scottish market. It is imperative that if this initiative is to be a success, then the trade as a whole must participate and support the Forum”.
Very positive feedback has been obtained from those who attended the launch and this is now being carefully considered to shape the future direction of the Forum.
We all have high hopes that the Forum will be a success and, in the words of the popular song, “This could be the start of something big…”
