UK Woodchain (UKW) has agreed a deal with central government agencies to develop national performance standards for manufacturing all forms of engineered wood products (EWP).
UKW, Timbmet and Holz Schiller recently met to discuss the problem of inferior EWP in the market place. Following the meeting, the trio established the Rapid Technology Transfer Group (RTTG) to ensure the quality of technology entering the market and to promote training across the sector.
According to UKW, the agreement to establish national performance standards for EWP manufacturing was also set in stone shortly after the meeting and is “the kind of partnership between government and industry that is needed”.
“It shows that the government is not only listening but is ready to act,” said Bill Robertson, a spokesperson for the three firms. “The contracts provide a clear incentive to the work of the RTTG and will help to maintain the UK market’s confidence in well-engineered wood products.”
UKW has also announced a government-backed investigation that will look to find out what employers and employees in the wood-based industries require from the education and training sectors.
The four-month project, undertaken with the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills, aims to provide a “clear picture” of what is needed from central government and regional administrations responsible for delivering training and education to the sector.
