The guest speaker at the British Woodworking Federation’s annual dinner was TV prankster Jeremy Beadle, so you were half expecting BWF president Roy Wakeman’s insignia to explode, or the top table to combust spontaneously.
As it turned out, it was Mr Wakeman who sprang the surprise and, to be frank, gave the sparkier speech! In a barnstorming performance, he announced that the Federation has hit the 500 members mark with a ‘remarkable’ 20% increase achieved over the last year. Income has not yet reached the £1m target, but it is getting there.
Mr Wakeman attributed the BWF’s success in part to the drive and energy of director Kevin Cubbage and his team. It was also down to the organisation’s quality and performance accreditation and labelling initiatives for timber fire doors and windows.
Based on independent assessment of manufacturing standards and product quality, the ultimate aim is to give the specifier and consumer the confidence that a BWF-certified timber product is one that ‘cannot fail’. The proof of the schemes’ success is that companies in other industry associations are signing up to the BWF as well so they can take part. And the ultimate result of the initiatives will be greater trust in and stronger sales of timber joinery which, said Mr Wakeman, has to be ‘good for wood’ generally.
Among the aims of new Timber Trade Federation director-general Paul Martin is to develop the TTF’s own assurance mark. The ‘badge of quality’ would assure people buying from a TTF member that they are purchasing ‘reputable material from a reputable trader’. Mr Martin acknowledges that developing such a scheme would be a demanding process. But, if the BWF’s experience is anything to go by, it looks like an effort worth making.
