During late July and early August this year, Osmose ran a series of four seminars in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Mount Gambier. The seminar series was designed to update attendees with the latest developments in Osmose treatment technology and in addition, issues and news relevant to the treated timber industry.

The keynote speaker was Mr Gary Converse, Senior Vice President Osmose Inc USA. Gary presented on the new MicroPro® technology that has been introduced to Australia after being approved for use by the APVMA. Gary’s presentation reviewed the development of MicroPro by Osmose in the USA and the drivers that encouraged Osmose scientists’ to pursue a new treatment. Gary explained that the micronising technology at the core of MicroPro utlilises specialised grinding mills that grind particles of copper to the size required to provide proper penetration and retention of the preservative into the treated timber. This means that the MicroPro preservative system does not require amine solvents to dissolve copper that are used in copper azole and ACQ® formulations. Some of the many benefits of MicroPro treated wood include lighter colour, improved corrosion performance with fasteners and hardware and the treated timber can be used in direct contact with aliminium.

Gary also detailed the extensive testing and field trials that continue to be carried out around the world and which have conclusively shown that MicroPro treated timber provides effective protection against fungal decay and termite attack. Importantly, several studies have been performed at Australian test sites and carried out by independent Australian research organisations.

The Osmose MicroPro technology has received several green certifications in the USA which include the first treated wood process to be certified under Scientific Certification Systems Environmentally Preferable Product Program based on LifeCycle Assessment. In addition, the MicroPro preservative technology has also received the National Association of Home Builders “Green Approved” product certification and the GREENGUARD Children and Schools certification from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institution.

Moving to market acceptance, the figures are impressive with around 100 treatment plants using MicroPro and over 6 million cubic metres of MicroPro treated product produced each year in the USA. As Gary explained, ‘‘Our MicroPro technology represents one of the biggest improvements in timber preservation. MicroPro treated timber products provide consumers with many benefits while providing protection against rot, fungal decay and termite attack. MicroPro has been the most successful voluntary new product launch in the history of the U.S. wood treatment industry.’’

Gary’s presentation reflected his considerable knowledge of the development and implementation of MicroPro and the huge volume of performance information gained over several years of marketplace experience.

Image: Nick Livanes, Osmose Australia Business Development Manager, Gary Converse, Senior Vice President of Osmose Inc USA, and Elias Akle, General Manager of Osmose Australia

OH&S FOR MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES

It has been around two years since the Forest and Wood Products R&D corporation was privatised to create Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA). One of the drivers for this change was to allow the FWPA to be able to undertake generic promotion of the wood products industry, something it has done with great effect with its “Wood Naturally Better” campaign. Ric Sinclair, Managing Director, Neil Evans and Sarah Gyopar generously contributed their time in covering each seminar and explained the activities of FWPA.

The FWPA has a five year program consisting of four strategies, R&D, Adoption of R&D, Generic Promotion and recently, the role of Industry Standards Coordination. The budget for these activities is some $12 million plus per annum with the majority of funds gathered from timber growers , processors, importers and others. Significantly, R&D funds are matched by the Federal government.

Very visible to industry, the Wood Naturally Better program has had, at its core, a number of print advertisements promoting the use of timber and its environmental attributes, particularly as a means of tackling climate change. Other programs include the National Carpenters Day events, the Wood Solutions programs targeted at designers and more.

The role of Standards Coordination managed by Neil Evans is a recent addition to the FWPA’s activities and has been precipitated by the ongoing need to set priorities and coordinate the right industry people to ensure standards are technically correct and relevant to industry. An additional driver has been the need to fund more of the standards process with recent announcements by Standards Australia reported in earlier issues of Compass.

Image: Ken Hocking

Ken Hocking is the National Safety Officer for the Timber Trades Industrial Association (TTIA). Clearly OH&S is a major focus for any manufacturing business and several Osmose customers are TTIA members. Ken gave a very animated presentation on the need to ensure that all aspects of OH&S training and procedures are established and maintained. Ken explained that employers had a responsibility to provide:
• A safe work environment
• Safe systems of work
• Safe plant and substances
• Adequate provision of information, instruction, training and supervision
• Risk assessments of machinery and job tasks.
Ken explained these responsibilities and the need to ensure that not only that assessments, training and procedures are in place but critically that these are kept current and relevant.

The changes in the funding of standards development have led to the investigation of alternative means of enabling their ongoing revision and development. Dr. Harry Greaves has been intimately involved in the ongoing discussions and negotiations with Standards Australia as well as industry through the FWPA and the Timber Preservers Association of Australia (TPAA) for the continuation of the timber treatment standards. Harry explained the standards developed under his Chairmanship of the treated timber standards committee (TM-006) and the way many of those standards are used in the production environment and in the marketplace.

In addition, Harry explained the two state marketing acts which have acted in concert with, and in addition to, other state and federal regulation and legislation, being the Queensland TUMA and the NSW TMA . At the time of the seminars, Harry explained that TUMA was being reviewed and there was a likelyhood that the Act would be repealed. There was also discussion of the way that the end of TUMA would affect producers and the marketplace, Harry making the point that producers still had to meet the requirements of standards and consumer regulation if they claimed their products were produced to a Hazard Class or were sold as fit for purpose products.

Image: Doug Howick - TPAA, Dr Harry Greaves - Consultant, Christine Briggs -GM Sales and Marketing Gunns Timber Products