Addressing 247 members and guests at the North East Timber Trade Association (NETTA) annual dinner, he said it was a time for the trade to look to the future and work together.
He said the new TTF business plan confirmed the strength of the underlying structure now in place and that the TTF was progressing purposefully, gaining access to new funding alongside support in government.
The CPET process, said Mr Tong, allowed promotion of certification schemes in a structured way. As part of that promotion, the TTF has published a Members Directory which will be circulated to buyers, specifiers and architects.
Mr Tong stressed the huge potential for the timber trade through housing shortages and activities connected to the 2012 London Olympics.
And he encouraged members to sign up to the TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy, which is The Federation is soon to vote on becoming a condition of membership, and urged them to work together on shared concerns such as the environment, transport and energy.
NETTA chairman Ian Robinson said the association’s most ambitious challenge this year was to have an open day at which environment minister Elliot Morley would be invited to talk about CPET and the implications of the new UK government timber procurement policy.
Mr Robinson also paid tribute to NETTA secretary Brian Bauckham whose place when he retires will be taken by Bernard Lowery.
