Osmose has been working with Timber Training Creswick to develop a training program for plant operators. Timber Training Creswick is a nationally Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that specialises in Forest Industry qualifications from Certificate II to Diploma level. The program involves operators using a self paced CD based learning program to work through the knowledge needed for timber preservation, and then practical assessment of operators conducted at your premises.

Participants will complete the unit FPISAW3201B Treat Timber which is the required unit for plant operator competence under plant operator competence Restricted Chemical Product (RCP) status. The unit is part of a nationally recognised Certificate III or Certificate IV level qualification and you may be able to access federal government training incentives to have operators complete full qualifications.
Assessment can be conducted by Osmose representatives, and Timber Training Creswick will enrol the students and issue the Statements of Attainment or qualifications. We anticipate the CD will be ready for distribution from October 2011. To register your interest, or if you would like more information, contact Chris Tzioutziouklaris at Osmose,
chris@osmose.com.au.
If you have done the OSMOSE plant operator training program in the last 5 years, you will be able to apply for direct practical assessment without working through the learning program. Those who have done the OSMOSE training more than five years ago should find the CD quick and easy to work through, saving time on a complete enrolment.

Namu or “Tree” in Korean is the name chosen for the $69 million dollar upgrade and expansion project to the Sandy Lane Sawmill now owned 100% by Tasco and its Korean parent company Dongwha International. The $69 million investment will include the construction of a new Green Mill, Planer Line and Timber Treatment Plant with construction expected to commence immediately after the ground breaking ceremony which took place last month on August 13th.
Dignitaries in attendance from Dongwha included Dongwha International Chairman, Mr. Myung-Ho Seung along with Dongwha Holdings Co Ltd CEO, Mr. Byeong-Eon Lee as well as local MP John Barilaro and Mayor of Bombala Council, Bob Stewart who has been a tireless advocate of the Project. The new Timber Treatment Plant will be a large double door treatment plant, fully automated with the Osmose PCS (Process Control System) and will initially treat with CCA and MicroPro®.
Elias Akle from Osmose attended the Groundbreaking ceremony and gave his best wishes to Tasco and Dongwha on this significant investment in the Bombala region and in the wider Australian timber industry. Osmose looks forward to working with both companies in the future.

Fire authorities in NSW have warned of an impending “tinder box” with record winter rains replenishing drought-depleted soil and spurring vegetation growth and particularly grass across vast regions of the state and beyond. The Herald newspaper (29th August) reported that a spokesman for the NSW Rural Fire Service, Ben Shephard, said the big risk with grass fires was their ability to move swiftly. “It is not uncommon to see grass fires move at 20, 30 even 40 kilometres an hour”, Inspector Shephard said and went on to say “over the past few weeks we’ve been getting 20 to 30 fires a day in some areas”.

A report by the Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre and the Australian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) titled “Southern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Outlook 2011 – 12” explains how sea temperatures and the “El-Nino Southern Oscillation” is affecting our weather and pointing to a dry summer in many locations.

FireGuard™ is the Osmose product used by utility companies to protect their timber utility pole assets from scrub and grass fires. Extensively tested and proven over many years practical use in bushfire events, FireGuard is the industry standard in utility pole protection and can be applied before installation or in-situ. For further information on FireGuard protection for utility poles see our brochure. For further information contact Nick Livanes at nick@osmose.com.au

Osmose photo library now online | September 2011

Osmose has a variety of photos that have been collected over the years that suit many treated timber
products. With the aim of improving access to these images, the Osmose marketing department came up with the idea of creating an online photo library. Customers can easily access the photo library from their computer anywhere where they have internet access. Customers can easily copy and paste the file name of the image they want into the online form from the libraries home page and submit it. Our marketing department will then locate the electronic image from the server and send the image to the customer via email.
If you wish to have access to any of these photos, please read the conditions of use and fill in the form and submit. Osmose will send the files as soon as possible. We also welcome your comments or suggestions.
Please feel free to visit our online photo library at:
http://www.osmose.com.au/PhotoLibrary_index.
html. On another note, if you would like to share any of your photos with the timber industry
please feel free to contact Amanda at amanda@osmose.com.au.

It’s the end of an era at the Osmose manufacturing facility in Mt Gambier with the retirement of Bill Baldwin who has been the bulk tanker driver on close to 10 years. Bill bought his own truck specifically to service Osmose starting out doing mostly Southern Australia, however later on Bill bought another truck and engaged his son Kane to help and they then took on all the bulk tanker deliveries for Osmose. When Bill started with us he was living over the border in Casterton Victoria, and his wife Pam was a nurse at the Casterton Hospital. A few years ago they moved to Mount Gambier, and Pam began nursing at the Mount Gambier Hospital.

Bill thrived on being busy and always took pride in the tanker being immaculately clean for deliveries. There were no major dramas at any customer sites and no accidents involving the tanker while Bill was in charge. He was very efficient time-wise with deliveries and always endeavoured to get to customer’s sites as promised.

Unfortunately, Bill is a Collingwood supporter but we tried to let that one slide, unless he started to get too vocal about all their wins in recent times. Bill was always pleasant and usually unfazed when things were busy. In short, Bill represented Osmose in a very professional way at our customers sites and we thank him and wish him well in his next endeavours.

Osmose industry leading generic guarantee | September 2011