Addressing the North West Timber Trade Association annual dinner in Liverpool, Mr Tong especially urged unity on environmental certification.
Reinforcing the comments he made at the TTF’s own annual event in March, he urged the trade to promote all the certification schemes that were approved by the government’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber.
“Rather than supporting our competitors in the steel and concrete industries, by negatively comparing the relative differences between schemes, we should unite in promoting the fact that certified timber is the only construction material that, throughout its entire life-cycle, has a positive environmental message.”
Mr Tong also called on members to support the TTF’s own Responsible Purchasing Programme. “We cannot afford to let the minority of unscrupulous traders that you find in any industry tarnish the reputation of the rest of us,” he said.
- Mr Tong will be succeeded later this year as TTF president by Mark Plews, managing director of UCM Timber plc.
