Top executives from Weyerhaeuser and Trus Joist‘s US and European operations visited Borders-based Oregon Timber Frame Ltd recently to study the company’s supply of whole house engineering to the new homes market.
The concept of supplying wall panels, cassette floors and pre-constructed roofs as a package has not yet arrived in the US – and with new starts there reaching more than 2.1 million over the past two years, the potential is good.
James Sweet, European sales manager for Trust Joist’s structural business, who organised the UK end of the visit, said: “In North America over 90% of timber frame construction is stick built – the site is a place of manufacture. And even where there is some off site manufacture, it is only partial.
“We at Weyerhaeuser and Trus Joist are focused on developing an integrated construction system and being able to offer a whole house package to builders and developers in the US and Canada.”
Oregon Timber Frame managing director John Merry said his company was happy to share information on its approach and to spread the word on the benefits of off-site constuction – specifically better build quality and improved health and safety on site.
He added: “We are also keen to learn about the latest research in the US and any recent developments in the manufacture of floor and wall cassettes. It’s a real opportunity for an intellectual exchange of technologies.”
The group visited two Oregon sites and the company’s new £1.5m manufacturing facility at Selkirk. A reciprocal visit next year to Weyerhaeuser and Trus Joist facilities in the US by Oregon is being discussed.
