36 | Sector Focus: Cladding & Shingles
SUMMARY
■Vastern has installed a thermal modification vessel
■Brimstone was previously thermally modified by Ducerf
■The modification vessel’s annual capacity is 1,200m3
■The Brimstone price is comparable with unsorted Siberian larch
BACKING MODIFIED BRITISH HARDWOODS
Vastern Timber has made a significant investment in its Brimstone business. Mike Jeffree reports
The heat is on at Vastern Timber. After extensive evaluation of the use of the thermal modification process with British hardwoods, validating its environmental credentials, putting technology to the test, and developing a healthy market for native thermally modified hardwood cladding and decking – having the timber processed in France – the company has installed its own state-of-the art Italian modification vessel in a purpose-built unit. The first charge was set to be loaded mid-December, with commercial operation starting January.
Above: Brimstone cladding – the thermal modification process turns the timber a deep brown TTJ | January/February 2022 |
www.ttjonline.com
With the kit in place at its Wootton Bassett site, managing director Tom Barnes is clearly upbeat about Vastern’s thermally modified business. That’s partly due to the positive prospects he sees for locally sourced timber in an increasingly eco-conscious market. It’s also down to the exhaustive process the company went through before it put equipment on the ground. “Of course, commercial thermal modification of timber has been around for a while. The Scandinavians introduced ‘Thermowood’ back in the 1980s/90s and modified hardwoods are now available from across Europe and the US,” he said. “I was convinced it was an option to create demand for under-utilised, under-valued British hardwoods, but I’m cautious and wanted to work things out myself to make sure.” As TTJ reported at the time, Vastern started its investigations into the process around 2015, working initially with Tyler Hardwoods. Going it alone, it then launched its first products under its Brimstone brand, using ash, poplar and sycamore, with the wood trucked to leading hardwood French sawmillers Ducerf for modification.
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