WKW consultant Dainis Dauksta told TTJ at Ecobuild that Welsh sawmillers, timber frame companies and timber product manufacturers were increasingly seeing the market opportunities of using and selling wood in the construction sector.
"In the last sx months companies have made positive decisions, helped by home-grown timber being relatively cheap because of the weak pound," he said.
"The sawmills are catching on very quickly," he added, saying WKW was speaking to several mills about maximising use of the local timber resource to provide fit-for-purpose products for construction.
"We have been asked by two timber frame companies how to help them use 100% Welsh-grown timber," he added.
There is also interest from another Welsh firm to make glulam from Welsh larch.
Timber sector interest coincides with extensive research work by WKW and others to help find markets for Welsh timber, traditionally perceived as low quality.
WKW is also speaking to architectural practice ZEDfactory to secure the use of Welsh timber in the latter’s low-carbon timber-framed homes.
"It’s expected that ZEDfactory will be supplied with Welsh-grown timber for their timber frame homes," said Mr Dauksta. "We are going to be the organisation that helps makes that happen."
New techniques of drying have successfully lowered the moisture content of Welsh Sitka spruce down to 12%. Douglas fir is also being developed.
WKW’s work includes looking to determine strength characteristics of home-gown Douglas fir and larch.
