Prints Not-so Charming
A look at biometric attendance records – are they lawful? And what are the concerns employers should consider before introducing them? By Emma Watt A 2019 decision of a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission found that an employer’s direction to an employee to consent...
Put a Coat On
Customers may not always know exactly what colour they want, but when it comes to consistency and environmental concerns, they have some very clear views. There’s a surprising amount of crossover between interiors trends celebrating the natural qualities of timber and...
Let’s Get Connected
Physical links are essential to structures, and good engineering makes all the difference. By Afzal Laphir, Principal Engineer, Meyer Timber What does it mean to be connected? A street survey would invariably be full of associations to Linkedin, Facebook, WhatsApp or...
Covid-19 in Brief
You don’t need 96 rolls of loo paper, but you do need to stay abreast of the facts regarding the Covid-19 outbreak. By the time you read this, things will probably have changed again in Australia’s rapidly evolving response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Already the text...
New Facility
Timberlink has announced a new CLT and GLT manufacturing plant in SA or Vic. With mass timber carving out an ever-increasing market in Australian construction, it’s the ideal time for more local production. Leading timber producer Timberlink is taking on the challenge...
Clever Cladding
Two new products hit top trends with none of the traditional problems. InStyle Timber Products is known for its extensive, high-quality timber offer, so when the team there is excited about a new range, you know it’s something special. In this case, it’s two thermally...
Bushfire Recovery
Timber industry and government bodies are leading the way. The industry response to this summer’s unprecedented fire season is ongoing and inspiring. We know that the whole process of recovery is going to take time and involve a great deal of expertise, but there are...
Building the Future
As experts and exhibitors prepare for Timber Offsite Construction 2020, we preview some of the event’s highlights and look at how the new methodology is changing construction. For over two decades, Kevin Ezard and his Frame Australia team have been promoting the use...
Deck Fixings
Life is fragile enough without poorly engineered decks. I found myself outside Oslo Royal Palace two years ago. It has a grand processional arena 300m long that leads up the hill to the castle. Minding my own business, I watched a family with a stroller and German...
Echo in Australia
Japanese quality tools now have local availability and website. Workers have personal preferences when it comes to top-quality forestry tools, but power, light weight and premium performance are on everyone’s list. Japanese brand Echo’s X Series delivers on all fronts...
Managing Risk
Insurance is central to the survivability of any business in a disaster. We spoke with David Keys of AB Phillips about what businesses and insurers get right and wrong. Over the last few months, around Australia, thousands of people have been feeling relieved they...
Timber Noggins: Floor Squeaks
Squeaks in timber floor systems always have a cause, here’s how to find yours. By George Dolezal, principal engineer, Meyer Timber Timber floor systems have been used in residential housing for centuries. They are a natural material, renewable, light and stronger than...
New Views
Windows and doors are still largely sold on appearance, but the new technical innovations in the sector spell opportunities for retailers, fabricators, suppliers and builders. There are three practical factors behind decisions regarding windows and doors: how they...
Employers and Natural Disasters
Disasters and relief efforts bring their own employment issues. By Emma Watt Many employers have been touched by the fires around the country. Some employers have been directly affected, either by losing worksites, or having to evacuate. Others have released employees...
Thermory Modified Wood
This durable and environmentally friendly cladding and decking is ideally suited to Australian conditions. Australia’s harsh environment and voracious insect life means most of the timbers in our market are either chemically treated or naturally highly durable. The...
FLAMEfixx BAL 29 Pine
A clever new product gives pine a BAL 29 rating, marrying all the advantages of sustainable radiata to fire resistance. Innovative Timber Ideas (ITI) has recently launched FLAMEfixxdFx onto the Australian market. A highly innovative product, it’s the first durable...
Providing Support
Ottobock’s Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton. For fans of the Paralympic Games, chances are the name Ottobock is already familiar to you. The century-old German company is a world-leader in prosthetics, orthotics and wheelchairs. As part of their range, unpowered passive...
On the Up
Timber is increasingly being used as a major material for mid- and high-rise buildings in Australia. We asked the experts what could speed up the transition. By Donyale Harrison Change is only ever smooth in retrospect. In the middle of the process, it tends to be...
Get the Culture Right
How embracing a challenging process changed this company’s staffing problems. By Jane Clark When Kennedy’s Timbers picked up the gong for Small Employer of the Year at the 2019 Queensland Training Awards recently, it wasn’t a huge surprise to the audience. Twice as...
Finding Solutions
A focus on world-leading automation hasn’t stopped Bliss and Reels from helping smaller fabricators make an entry into the lucrative panelisation market. Post-war Australia was a time of booming industry. Large government infrastructure projects were being funded and...
Designing For Fire
As our regulatory bodies struggle to keep up with ever-worsening fire seasons, should we rethink how we design for homes in fire-prone areas? Just as I sat down to write this story in early November, the phone rang. It was my mums. They were on the road, having...
Open Source Gem
Wesbeam’s newest guide will expand the use of LVL. Problems regarding a lack of experience or knowledge re specifying Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) have caused some designers to stick with the more familiar steel or concrete instead of turning to timber. In response,...
Best in Show
Every year the Timber Design Awards highlight brilliant uses of timber materials, and 2019’s overall winner is a gem. The annual Timber Design Awards (TDA) Excellence in Timber Design Award celebrates the use of wood in architectural design. Rarely has a winner...
Young Crafts
Britton Timbers has supported these student designers. For many years, students at Northern Beaches Secondary College (NBSC) Freshwater Senior Campus have enjoyed a top-class technical education. The 2019 Year 12 students enrolled in ‘Industrial Technology Timber’ had...
