Australian Timber Industry lacks a pre-competitive strategy for its future

This is the second of two discussions about how I see the challenges that lay ahead in the global construction market for theAustralian timber industry. These were written exclusively for Forest Wood Products Australia.  www.fwpa.com.au                                                         This article offers ideas that the Australian and New Zealand wood industry may consider for a more prosperous future.

I am a big proponent for increasing the use of timber building products in modern construction. But, I am concerned that simply promoting the goodness and cleverness of timber building products as the industry’s main raison d'être are not sufficient. I am concerned the industry lacks a pre-competitive strategy to make a difference. 

The discussion in my view  must start by taking an agnostic disposition to the use of timber in modern construction. In my view the timber building products industry must first make its case based on how well they understand their customer needs and then, what timber offers.  In March 2015 the Forest Industry Advisory Council produced a Strategic Directions Issues Paper. Issue 5 discussed Consumer and Community engagement. The theme of this chapter was a proposition that “a high level of forest certification should be a major market advantage for Australian forest products domestically and abroad.” But does anyone care?

Read the article and feel free to comment. I will be taking this conversation  up at the Timber Queensland Conference on the 9th June in an address titled           “ Shaking the Tree – challenging our conventional thinking “.