In other news, read on for: New Acimall board; A Nasty Rumor; Biesse ‘Best Managed’; Canadian wood product exports; Quantitative Easing could grow the economy; Homag Tool Manager; Grass looks to the future; Cross Laminated Timber seen as a risk; Order of Australia to forester.

New Acimall board

The general assembly of Acimall, the association of Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers, has elected the new Board of Directors: president Lorenzo Primultini (Primultini) and vice presidents Raphaël Prati (Biesse) and Luigi De Vito (Scm) – whose terms will be renewed next year – are now supported by Marianna Daschini (Greda) and Umberto Pizzi (Pgs), whose term as board members was extended by the assembly, and the newly elected members Filippo Pellitteri (Twt) and Franco Tanzini (Vitap). The fifth elected member was Giovanni Sedino, currently serving as Treasurer, who will join the board next year. At the conclusion of the meeting a ceremony was held to present a memorial plaque to the companies that have been Acimall members for over fifty years; these include Centauro, Cosmec Technology, Scm, Steton and Vitap; all names known in Australia over many years.

A Nasty Rumor

There’s a nasty rumour going around that a market research company is visiting country towns in Victoria to test the water on the public’s reaction to shutting down the native timber industry. Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI) CEO, Tim Johnston, said, “If this is found to be accurate, it would be severely damaging for the future of the industry, and the thousands of hard-working Victorians reliant on it. Participants were reportedly paid $100 and it is understood they were required to sign a confidentially note. It is reported the survey was partly funded by the Victorian State Government and participants came away from the meeting thinking the Government was really asking, “How can we sell this.” There was no discussion on milling or the environment or looking after forests better, just shutting it all down and importing all Australia’s solid wood needs, apart from softwood and private plantations. VAFI has called on the Vic Government to confirm this survey to close the industry.

In related news, the Victorian Environment Assessment Council (VEAC) report, released late May, dramatically slashed the state forest area by 90% while massively expanding parks and reserves. Pyrenees Timber as an example, will be have its access to the Mount Cole State Forest reduced by 44%. These closures will have an impact of timber available for building and high value uses such as furniture construction.

Biesse ‘Best Managed’

Biesse Group is, for the second consecutive year, among the “Best Managed Companies” (BMC) of Deloitte, for having distinguished itself among Italian companies for its entrepreneurial passion, skills and management skills. The “Best Managed Companies” (BMC) initiative aims to reward the commitment and skills of those companies that stand out by becoming market leaders and pursue excellence in all aspects of business management. 74% of the companies winning this award came from the Manufacturing sector.

Canadian wood product exports

The Canadian government has announced more than Can$8.5 million to strengthen Canadian wood product exports. The investment will support the Canada Wood Group, which brings together industry associations, in diversifying and expanding Canadian forest product exports to traditional and emerging offshore markets. This is due to the shrinking timber market in Canada where the last of the major Canadian forestry giants, Western Forest Products, has slowed its production and announced temporary curtailments at three of its British Columbia (BC) sawmills. Source: Timberbiz

Quantitative Easing could grow the economy

IndustryEdge reports, “The Australian economy is in a consumption decline.” Lower recent interest rates are not as likely to prime the economy as consumers have been using lower interest rates as a means of reducing indebtedness or maintaining the status quo. During the year-ended March, retail sales grew a mere 1.0% in cash terms. That is below the anaemic inflation rate of 1.3% for the same period, meaning that in real terms, retail sales went backwards. There has been some discussion about Australia engaging in a program of what is known as Quantitative Easing or QE. This financial strategy was used US, Europe and Japan post GFC and involves central banks such as the RBA, releasing large amount of money, currently held on the RBA balance sheet, into the economy.

Homag Tool Manager

HOMAG is now offering an app that will greatly facilitate your work. This app always gives you a clear overview of the available saw blades in your company. Including all the data for your saw provided by the manufacturer and accessible via Homag’s tapio software. You can manage up to 50 tools, currently your saw blades and in the near future other tools, for example, for your CNC and edge banding machines. Details of tool names, service life or sharpening cycles can be saved individually, along with tool data such as saw blade type, diameter, blade plate thickness, recommended speeds and material restrictions.

Grass looks to the future

How will we be living in 15 years from now? Futurologists agree on one thing: by 2030, 70% of the world’s population will be living in megacities. Today’s metropolises will grow into megacities within a few years. Housing will become a scarce and unaffordable commodity. It is there-fore inevitable that the requirements to be met by architecture and furniture will change completely. Where will we buy furniture in 15 years’ time? Will we actually still be buying it, or will it be hired or shared? Will the furniture showroom in the industrial area be the first port of call, or will we order our kitchens and furniture online? GRASS Global Brand Manager Harald Klüh has maintained an ongoing dialogue with trend researchers and other experts worldwide on the topics of the home, work and life in the future. He envisions the following scenario: “I could imagine home living in the future as being like staying at a hotel. We shall be using fully equipped homes, rather like today’s holiday apartments.”

Cross Laminated Timber seen as a risk

Lendlease’s design and technical boss has said the UK firm is avoiding the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) due to uncertainty in the building regulations. Lucy Homer, Lendlease’s general manager for design and technical, said the firm, which built 2016 Stirling prize-shortlisted Trafalgar Place at Elephant and Castle from CLT, said “We are not currently pursuing CLT projects. Technically it should still be feasible to use but from a risk perspective we have taken that decision.” Homer said the company is waiting for the Building Regulations to be clarified regarding the use of CLT in the wake of last year’s UK combustible materials ban.

Order of Australia to forester

Timber industry stalwart Paul Madden from Barham on the Murray River has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday 2019 Honours List for his service to primary industry and to the community of the Riverina. The inaugural chairman of Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), Ronald Adams, has been recognised with an Order of Australia on the Queen’s Birthday 2019 Honours List for his career-long contributions to benefiting Australia’s forestry and wood sector Source:  Timberbiz