The Scottish Timber Trade Association (STTA) has expressed its concern to the Scottish Executive that the contract to supply oak laminated windows for the new Scottish Parliament buildings was awarded to an American company which is having the windows made in Thailand (TTJ May 26).
STTA president Bruce Muirhead headed a five-strong delegation, including Fergus Ewing MSP and Mike Moir of the Scottish TRADA Forum, which met Scottish Executive representatives and John Home Robertson MSP, chairman of the Holyrood Progress Committee.
Mr Muirhead emphasised that the loss of opportunity to supply timber and manufacture the joinery in Scotland was of major concern.
He said that, despite early samples of the Thai windows being rejected, the Holyrood Progress Committee is still anxious to press ahead with the contract and added: ‘The outcome of this proposal is of major importance to the timber industry in Scotland: if these windows prove to be sub-standard or fail in service it will generate bad publicity for timber windows.’
Mr Muirhead hopes the Scottish timber industry will receive a fair chance to provide joinery for the building which, he said, should be a showpiece for Scottish materials and workmanship. He added: ‘We will be watching developments with interest and will maintain our contacts to ensure the interests of our sector of Scottish industry are not overlooked.’
