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UK minister announces ambitious timber construction growth plans
Mary Creagh confirmed the government will recommit to the Timber in Construction Roadmap, which outlines measures to increase the use of timber in the construction sector.
Above: David Hopkins (CEO of Timber Development UK), Defra Environment Minister Mary Creagh, Andrew Carpenter (CEO of Structural Timber Association), Andy Leitch (Deputy Chief Executive of Confor) at the Timber in Construction Summit, London PHOTO: TIMBER DEVELOPMENT UK
New, ambitious plans to increase the use of timber in construction to boost the domestic timber industry, economic growth, rural jobs and housebuilding targets, have been announced by UK Environment Minister Mary Creagh at the Timber in Construction (TiC) Summit in London.
The government has outlined new methods to deliver on its Plan for Change that will help to build 1.5million sustainable and affordable homes and drive further investment into domestic timber and wood-processing supply chains. Speaking at the TiC Summit, Minister
The new Timber in Construction Roadmap outlines more ambitious Government priorities and key actions including: • Encouraging the use of sustainable, low carbon building materials, and ensuring carbon emissions are considering during the design, construction and use of buildings.
• Fulfilling the Government’s commitment to delivering 1.5m homes this Parliament by using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) including the use of timber, to boost productivity in housebuilding and deliver high quality, energy efficient new homes.
• Creating a circular economy by championing timber’s potential for a clean growth future - supporting the construction sector to use the most sustainable, low carbon materials and construction techniques.
• Accelerating economic growth by creating new and diverse green jobs in the productive forestry and timber sectors, as well as stimulating further investment into domestic timber and wood processing supply chains.
SAM Mouldings announces £20m landmark investment in its 35th anniversary year
UK & Ireland MDF mouldings manufacturer SAM Mouldings has announced a £20m investment in its 35th year of business. The significant investment is in addition to the £7m SAM already invested during 2023/24. SAM says £10m of the new investment will be spent on installing new bespoke machinery to double current output and offer an even greater range of high-quality MDF mouldings to meet rising market demand. “At SAM, we understand the importance of delivering the right product at the right time,” said Sam McCrea, CEO of SAM Mouldings.
“This investment in advanced manufacturing capabilities ensures we remain at the forefront of the industry and continue to offer the high-quality product our customers expect.”
This latest investment is also to further expand the Solar PV panels that already provide a significant share of SAM’s energy requirements, underlining SAM’s focus on reducing its carbon footprint and supporting a more sustainable future for the construction sector.
The investment includes the recent opening of a distribution centre Warwick in the West Midlands to significantly improve SAM’s logistics capabilities, with enhancements in stockholding capacity and delivery efficiency. SAM’s ICT systems are also being improved to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency, while multiple new employee roles have been created across the business, further growing its already 200+ strong workforce. SAM, founded in 1990, runs production facilities at Antrim and Donington.
These actions will go alongside recommitting to existing plans such as promoting timber as a construction material, boosting skills and capacity across the supply chain and increasing the supply of sustainable timber products. “This Government is getting Britain building,” said Minister Creagh. “Our Plan for Change will build 1.5 million homes this Parliament. Timber will play a vital role benefitting development and nature.”
Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford highlighted the need to increase timber production from homegrown trees and use that timber in buildings to sequester carbon. “The Minister’s support for the Timber in Construction Roadmap shows the Government’s firm commitment to a growth agenda: growth for forestry, for housing, for low-carbon skills and for the economy,” said Alex Goodfellow, chair of the Confederation of Timber Industries, and CEO of Donaldson Offsite.
“The timber supply chain is a major economic player in the UK, connecting rural and urban environments.” “As a supply chain we will support the Government to deliver on all of the goals in the Roadmap and help build a more sustainable future.”
NWTTA annual dinner revived to new heights
The Crowne Plaza in Liverpool was the setting for a Northwest Timber Trade Association (NWTTA) annual dinner on February 26, that experienced a revival with more than 250 attendees, many raving about a fulfilling evening of entertainment and fine food. Nearly £4,000 was raised for industry charity the Timber Trades’ Benevolent Society (TTBS), which is a record for r the annual event, while comedy was provided from ‘The Chase’ star and comedian Paul Sinha. NWTTA president Ben Callas, of Graeme Holburn & Company, gave a rousing speech, and said the support for this year’s event had been overwhelming.
“The large attendance is a real motivation for our industry and will encourage us to work harder in the coming year,” he said.
www.ttjonline.com | March/April 2025 | TTJ
UK News
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