Media Release

EWPAA Media Release

23 May 2023

Sad day for sustainable native forest management

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins the many voices condemning the baffling and unexpected move today by the Victorian government to significantly bring forward the end of sustainable native forest harvesting in that State.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “This ill-formed decision to walk away from the existing 2030 phase-out undermines industry confidence in sovereign security, and blatantly ignores the essential role sustainably managed native forests play in supplying much-needed timber to our renewable industries while supporting valued jobs and regional communities. It is especially disappointing, considering Australia’s existing challenges, including the increasing cost of living, and ongoing need for renewable products, emission reductions, and quality regional jobs.”

“Sustainably managed native forest industries produce a range of innovative and renewable wood products, that reduce emissions, store carbon, are used in new homes and many other essential applications. This kind of baseless decision undermines any long-term certainty needed by industry or workers to make essential investment or employment decisions. This is a sad day for sustainable native forest management and a sad day for Victoria,” Mr Matthew declared.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2023-05-23 EWPAA Media Release – Sad day for sustainable native forest management

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

26 April 2023

Investment in timber manufacturing innovation welcomed.

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins other industry voices in welcoming Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt’s recent announcement of successful companies to receive grant funding to underpin innovation, add value, and build capacity in our renewable timber manufacturing industries.

The Accelerate Adoption of Wood Processing Innovation (AAWPI) grant program will allocate more than $108 million in funding to timber manufacturing companies across Australia and will deliver an important Albanese Government policy commitment. Funding will be provided via grants of between $1 million to $5 million to 34 successful companies before 2025-26.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “The awarding of these grants is timely to underpin investment in regional manufacturing innovation and resilience following COVID, logistics and wood fibre supply challenges. This is further recognition that our renewable industries can reduce emissions, store carbon, provide jobs, and manufacture essential products, including innovative engineered wood products, to build new homes and businesses to improve housing affordability and sustainability. Wood fibre is a renewable biological resource which should be recognised as a preferred building material in a low emissions future.”

“Additionally, EWPAA will continue to work closely with the Albanese Government on their $4.4 million policy commitment to protect industry from illegal and conflict timber imports by strengthening Australia’s illegal logging traceability and timber identification systems – a growing and concerning issue that we feel strongly about,” Gavin Matthew said.

In Australia’s uncertain construction market, participants are increasingly aware of the supply risk of ‘illegal and conflict timber products’ sourced from Russia or Belarus, transformed in other manufacturing countries, e.g., China, and then traded to unsuspecting markets.

“Australia’s construction market needs to exercise increased due diligence (e.g., on branding, supporting information, and product certification claims) when importing timber products or building with them, due to increased risk they may have been manufactured from ‘conflict or illegally logged’ timber,” Gavin Matthew said.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2023.04.26 EWPAA Media Release – Investment in timber industry innovation welcomed

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

21 March 2023

International Day of Forests – celebrating wood’s environmental and health benefits

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins in celebrating International Day of Forests, and the essential role sustainably managed forests and forest plantations play in providing environmental and health benefits, while also supplying renewable wood products which support jobs and regional communities.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “Given the world’s ongoing challenges such as war, economic shocks, living cost increases, and extreme weather events, this year’s theme is both topical and important, being ‘Healthy Forests for Healthy People’. Sustainably managed forests provide direct health benefits but also produce an increasing range of innovative and renewable wood products, that store carbon, inspire designers, build new healthy homes, and are used in many other essential applications around the world.”

“Investing in sustainably managed forests and our renewable wood product industries provides many social, economic, and environmental benefits. Wood products are natural and provide measurable feelings of well-being and health outcomes to those that live and work in timber-based buildings. It is important policy makers recognise the significant potential in the built environment to provide essential shelter and cut emissions, by using renewable timber building solutions and low emission products,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2023-03-21 EWPAA Media Release – International Day of Forests

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

14 July 2022

Timber to play a big role in a Net Zero Future for the Built Environment

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) welcomes the announcement by the Federal Minister for Education, The Hon Jason Clare MP and Australian Research Council (ARC) of $3 million in research and development (R&D) funding to establish an ARC Research Hub to ‘Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment’ based at the University of Queensland (UQ).

The Timber Hub (led by UQ Professor Keith Crews) aims to support the transformation of Australia’s timber and construction sectors by stimulating growth in innovation, increasing the uptake of timber products used in buildings, and establishing a roadmap for change.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “This new funding and industry’s strong support for the Timber Hub recognises that our renewable timber products can reduce emissions and waste, store carbon, provide skilled jobs, and build the types of new homes and businesses needed in a net zero future.”

“Timber is a renewable biological resource that can be manufactured into a range of essential products, including many innovative engineered wood products, which should be the preferred building materials in a low emissions and circular economy that can also provide many social, environmental, and economic benefits.”

“We are proud to be a partner organisation and see the Timber Hub’s identified R&D themes of manufacturing innovation, building product performance, supply chain optimisation, low emissions, and circular economy closely align with our industry’s strategic objectives,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

 2022-07-14 EWPAA Media Release – Timber to play a big role in a Net Zero Future for the Built Environment

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

14 April 2022

Investing in wood product manufacturing is investing in a renewable future

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins the chorus of industry voices in welcoming the Coalition’s election commitment today of $219.5 million to support R&D activities, foster innovation, and build capacity in our renewable wood product manufacturing industries.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “The Coalition’s package is timely amongst the ongoing COVID, logistic and timber supply challenges that the building supply chain currently faces, and recognises that our renewable industries can reduce emissions, store carbon, provide jobs, and manufacture essential products to build new homes and businesses.”

If elected, the Coalition has committed to:

• $100 million to establish a National Institute for Forests Products Innovation, including a central Launceston hub with up to 5 regionally located centres Australia-wide
• $112.9 million in grants to underpin new wood processing technologies to maximise log recovery, process smaller logs, and create new and innovative products
• $6.6 million to extend funding for the 11 Regional Forest Industry Hubs

“Wood fibre is a renewable biological resource that is manufactured into a range of essential products, including many innovative engineered wood products, which should be recognised as preferred building materials in a low emissions future that can also provide many social, environmental, and economic benefits.”

“We urge the other political parties campaigning in this crucial Federal election to also acknowledge the long-term benefits of investing in our renewable industries, and make significant commitments to plant new production trees, support innovation, and build modern wood product manufacturing capacity across Australia,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2022-04-14 EWPAA Media Release – Coalition investment in wood product manufacturing

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

21 March 2022

International Day of Forests – wood products a sustainable choice

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins the chorus of voices around the world celebrating International Day of Forests and the essential role sustainably managed forests play in supplying much-needed timber to our renewable industries, while supporting jobs and regional communities.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “Given the world’s current challenges such as recovery from COVID, devastating war, economic shocks, and extreme weather events, this year’s theme is timely, being ‘Forests and sustainable production and consumption’. Sustainably managed forests produce an increasing range of innovative and renewable engineered wood products, that reduce emissions, store carbon, build new homes, and are used in many other essential applications across the globe.”

“Today, is a good day to pause and appreciate that sustainably managing forests, planting new production trees, and investing in associated industry provides multiple social, economic, and environmental benefits. It is also important to recognise the significant potential in the built environment to provide essential shelter and cut emissions, by using renewable building solutions and low emission products,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2022-03-21 EWPAA Media Release – International Day of Forests

 * About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

21 February 2022

$86m grants program to plant a renewable future

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement today of $86 million in grants for investment in new production tree plantings across Australia, to supply much-needed timber to our renewable industries while supporting jobs and regional communities.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “This is a smart long-term investment by the Federal Government and timely recognition that our renewable wood product industries reduce emissions, store carbon, and manufacture essential products to build new homes and businesses. We urge State and Territory governments to co-invest in a renewable future by working with industry and the Federal Government to support the establishment of new timber plantations across Australia,”

“Wood fibre is a sustainable biological resource that produces renewable wood products, including an increasing range of innovative engineered wood products, used in the construction of new homes and businesses. Investing in new production trees and the associated manufacturing supply chain also provides many social, environmental, and economic benefits,”

“Using renewable timber sourced from plantations, our industries manufacture many innovative and essential products that should be recognised as preferred building materials in a low emissions future,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2022-02-21 EWPAA Media Release – $86m Grants Program for new trees

About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia, including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

3 February 2022

$300m Timber Building Program – a smart renewable investment

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement today of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s (CEFC) $300 million Timber Building Program designed to support the construction of new buildings in Australia using renewable and low emissions engineered wood products.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “This is a vote of confidence in our essential timber manufacturing industries and welcome recognition of renewable wood products potential to store carbon and reduce emissions in Australia’s built environment. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Glue Laminated Timber (GLT) and Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) are some of the innovative engineered wood products focused on replacing concrete and steel in the construction of new multi-storey buildings.”

In late 2021, the CEFC released a new report called ‘Australian buildings and infrastructure: Opportunities for cutting embodied carbon’ which identified the significant potential in Australia’s built environment to cut emissions, by using sustainable building solutions and low emission products. CEFC’s Timber Buildings Program aims to increase the use of renewable timber construction in Australia, with the provision of tailored debt finance to eligible construction projects, including offices, retail, industrial, healthcare, education, residential, seniors living, hotels, and student accommodation.

“Our timber manufacturing industries produce many innovative, reliable, and renewable products, including a range of innovative engineered wood products, that should be recognised as preferred building materials in a low emissions future,” Mr Matthew concluded.

Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2022-02-03 EWPAA Media Release – $300m Timber Building Program

* About EWPAA. Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) is a member association for manufacturers of a broad range of engineered and solid wood products located throughout Australasia, including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. https://ewp.asn.au/

EWPAA Media Release

13 January 2022

EWPAA WELCOMES NEW FOREST & WOOD PRODUCTS AUSTRALIA CEO

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) joins many other timber product industry voices welcoming the appointment of Andrew Leighton as the new Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) Chief Executive Officer.

EWPAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Matthew said, “Andrew has significant previous experience and a strong knowledge of the issues affecting our renewable timber product industry supply chain and regional communities across Australia.”

“Andrew takes on this important leadership role at a critical time with very high demand for our essential products, a worldwide push for reduced emissions and renewable products, and COVID impacts continuing to disrupt supply chains.”

“The timber product manufacturing sector produces many innovative, reliable, and renewable products that should be recognised as preferred building materials in a low emissions future. There is much to be done but we are confident Andrew will hit the ground running, using his understanding of our timber product industries, and backed by the great work done by the FWPA team and the previous CEO Ric Sinclair.”

“EWPAA is keen to work with Andrew and his team to undertake quality industry R&D, progress standards and codes development, educate the market, grow our forest product industries, and increase recognition of our renewable timber products,” Mr Matthew concluded.

ENDS

Media Inquiries: Gavin Matthew, CEO of EWPAA. (b) (07) 3250 3700. (m) 0429 990 528

2022-01-13 EWPAA Media Release – FWPA CEO

EWPAA is looking for a new Technical Officer to join our dynamic small team based in Brisbane 2021-06 EWPAA Advertisement Technical Officer final.

Engineered wood products are the renewable and innovative products of the future, being used in new ways in residential homes, and the construction of new multi-residential and commercial buildings.

If you have an engineering degree or other relevant qualifications and a passion for our renewable timber products industry, then this new role will suit you.

The new role will work closely with the Technical Manager and is responsible for ensuring quality outcomes with EWPAA’s certification schemes, advancing the development of engineered wood products, and improving clients’ production processes.

Applications are open until COB Monday, 5 July 2021.

If you want more information and the full position description, please contact Harrison Brooke on (m) 0416 613 814 or harrison.brooke@ewp.asn.au