Demand for treated wood is on the increase, according to builders’ merchant presentations during the recent Wood Protection Association annual event and conference.
Speakers from the construction supply chain told delegates at the conference – held as part of a two-day event at Oulton Hall in Leeds in May – that wood use is growing, and specifiers are increasingly recognising the importance of correctly treated product.
Gareth Nicholls, Head of Timber Category at MKM Building Supplies, said the company’s share of treated wood joist sales has risen from 57 per cent of the total in 2021 to 65% last year. He added that industry efforts to improve product labelling, dedicated staff training, and increased knowledge about fit-for-purpose treated timber, will help boost this sector further.
Meanwhile, Paul Pennick, Procurement Director at h&b Buying Group, said the treated wood sector should focus on providing clarity and consistency of specifications and provide authoritative data on performance and service life. He added that engagement and education of stakeholders – including merchants, architects, and installers – should be an important part of this process, alongside collaboration throughout the supply chain.
Titled Future-Proofing Demand for Treated Wood, the annual conference also featured overwhelmingly positive interim findings from a major WPA field trial of British softwood fence posts. Presenting the results, Ed Suttie of BRE said ‘This is real data, and it doesn’t get better than this’, particularly for those seeking to make the case for wooden fencing against alternative materials such as concrete or metal.
Fredrik Westin of the European Wood Protection Association (EWPA) gave an update from Europe, which included the increasing priority given to principles of circularity and sustainability in EU policymaking and encouraging the treated wood industry to collaborate closely in political lobbying and promoting wood as the sustainable construction material of choice. ‘Wood locks up carbon – treated wood locks it up for longer’, he reminded the audience.
WPA Chairman Steve Young closed the conference by focusing on the strategic opportunities to future-proof demand for preservative-treated wood. He explained it was vital that the industry understands changing dynamics in the market for treated wood and the factors that influence its production and sale. He emphasised that there were opportunities to grow demand for preservative treated wood and that the role of the WPA will be central to realising these opportunities.
He added that WPA strategic priorities revolved around:
- Improving supply chain and end-user knowledge about choosing and using quality treated wood products;
- Promoting the sustainability credentials of treated wood;
- Improving communications with external stakeholder organisations to build trust in preservatives and preservative-treated wood;
- Trying to influence UK gov policy and carbon reduction programmes to favour the greater use of wood protection technologies; and
- Collaborating with organisations such as TDUK, Confor, and the European Wood Protection Association to help achieve these priorities.
This year’s WPA Awards winners were presented at a buffet dinner held the previous day (May 7), as follows:
- Best use of Treated Wood in the Landscape – sponsored by
Winner: Accsys Technologies: The National Autistic Garden, Carmine, Scotland - Best use of Treated Wood in Buildings – (sponsored by Timber Development UK)
Winner: Woodsafe: The World of Volvo, Gothenburg, Sweden - Treated Wood Champion (sponsored by WPA Benchmark)
Winner: Josh Horsley, Koppers - Treater of the Year (sponsored by Sika Wolman)
Winner: M&M Timber (Finalists: James Jones, Arboyne; Walford Timber; Palmako) - Best Kept Treatment Plant (sponsored by Bridewell Consultancy)
Winner: James Jones Hangingshaw
Finalists: Dunster House; Palmako
