The proposed merger between the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has gathered support and momentum since it was mooted last June, and is now just a few months away.

The merger will see the creation of an over-arching company, the name of which has just been revealed as the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI), with its own chief executive. Its launch date is set as June 10 and it will be an "outward facing" body with strong political engagement in the UK and in Europe.

Presentations by David Lennan, the TTF’s interim chief executive, have taken place, in London, Manchester and Stirling, informing members of developments and inviting feedback.

The aim of the CTI is to establish "a more powerful voice and a united platform for growing the timber sector", said Mr Lennan. "We need a louder voice and a stronger rally call. We need to be ambitious and we should be at the top table," he said.

Establishing a common working environment between the BWF and TTF would enable them to provide better support for members, improve resource efficiency and resilience and, ultimately, enable the timber industry to grow, said Mr Lennan.

Joint objectives include raising the profile and understanding of the benefits the timber supply chain brings to the economy, the environment and customers; driving research and projects to support policy and market developments; improving supply chain interaction; providing a stronger training infrastructure within the timber sector; and delivering a dynamic range of membership services "based on the best of both federations".

"It is about restarting representative work for timber and trying to unite the sector in a pan-supply chain communication programme," added Mr Lennan.

The objective is not to take over other timber industry organisations, said Mr Lennan, referencing member bodies of the Timber Accord, but to create an environment through which others would want to participate and join the new Confederation.

As well as a chief executive and a communications executive, the CTI will have a small governing board drawn from the BWF and TTF – although if other associations join the CTI, they will also have representation.

The BWF and TTF will sit below the CTI, initially maintaining their own identities but, ultimately, completely merged. The BWF’s chief executive, Iain McIlwee, will take the role of chief operating officer, or a similar title, and oversee the ongoing merger.

This will include responsibility for their respective group management committees – the Wood Window Alliance, BWFCertifire and BWF Stair Scheme, within the BWF, for example, and the National Panel Products Division, Softwood and Hardwood committees, Forests Forever and the regional associations within the TTF.

The Trussed Rafter Association, for which the TTF provides secretariat services, has yet to decide whether to be part of the CTI.

While the CTI will focus on policy, engaging with national, international and local government, European trade bodies and standards setters, BWF/TTF, along with Wood for Good, will continue to do "the heavy lifting" of industry representation.

Due diligence of both the federations will be completed shortly and presented to their respective boards. They will then agree the resource required to deliver against the mission statement and how this is shared.

The CTI will be based at London’s Building Centre, where the BWF and TTF have offices, and two teams will be mixed. The structure, leadership and delivery mechanisms will be decided by the end of February, with an outline brand concept.

Leading up to the June 10 launch financial and operational plans will be developed. The chief executive will also be recruited in this period, a process, the steering group says that will be completely open and transparent.

The CTI’s future programme will include a public affairs strategy (government engagement); a website launch; identification of projects for shared investment; the introduction of members to reciprocal benefits and alignment of Codes of Conduct and the Responsible Purchasing Process.

By January 2017 the merger activity should be complete and all membership subscriptions will be collected by the CTI. However, the BWF and TTF ‘shells’ and bank accounts will be retained to support specific activity, protect assets and individual liabilities.