Timber Frame Report 1-11

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Survey of

Irish Timber Frame

Manufacturers

2004

compiled by Peter Wilson


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 2

1. Introduction 31.1 Objective 3

1.2 The Wood Marketing Federation 3

1.3 Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association 3

1.4 Timber Frame Housing 2002 Consortium Study 5

1.5 Irish House Construction Overview 5

1.6 Historic Supply Chain 7

2. Methodology 9

2.1 Timber Frame Manufacturers Identification 9

2.2 Questionnaire Development 9

2.2.1 Calls and Interviews 10

3. Results

3.1 Timber Specifications and Sourcing 11

3.1.1 Studs 11

3.1.2 Floor Joists 11

3.1.3 Battens 11

3.1.4 Bracing and Water Tank Supports 12

3.1.5 Traditional Cut Roofs 123.1.6 Roof Trusses 12

3.2 Timber and Wood Product Suppliers 12

3.2.1 Specialised Timber Agents 12

3.2.2 Direct from Scandinavia 13

3.2.3 Builders Merchants 13

3.2.4 Irish Sawmills 13

3.2.5 Board Materials 13

3.3 Statistical Analysis 14

3.3.1 Sawn Timber Usage 14

3.3.2 House Type 143.3.3 Perception/ Experience of suppliers of sawnwood 16

3.3.4 Quality Schemes 17

3.3.5 General Company Information 17

3.4 General Comments 17

4. Conclusions 1

4.1 Quality & On-Site Erection 18

4.2 Alternative Materials 18

4.3 Promotion 18

4.4 Sawn Timber and Timber Frame Manufacturing 19

4.4.1 Irish Sawnwood 20

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Executive Summary

For the last eleven years there has been year on year growth in the houseconstruction sector. House completions in 2004 reached almost 77,000 unitswhich exceeded many estimations. The switch to timber frame construction innew buildings is dramatic, from 5% in the mid-nineties to approximately 25% in2004, representing over 19,000 units. Forecasts by some industry commentatorssuggest that timber frame construction will account for 50% of new buildhouses within five to seven years. In Scotland the proportion of timber frame innew house construction is already at 60%.

Given house completions for 2004 of 77,000 units, the potential sawnwoodconsumption in the timber frame housing sector is in the region of 160,000m3

with an additional estimated 15,000m3 used for truss rafters. About 50% of the

sawn timber is used in studding with the balance used in flooring joists, bracing,battens and in-fills.

An indication of growth in this sector is the fact that the National StandardsAuthority of Ireland (NSAI) currently administers a quality scheme to forty-sixTimber Frame Manufacturing Companies, with twenty further applicationspending.

The supply chain for wood products to the timber frame sector is varied.Typically material is sourced directly, through timber agents or via the buildersmerchant.

All respondents are operating factory quality control schemes monitored byNSAI. While the majority of timber frame construction is finished to a highstandard, a number of interviewees expressed concern that a serious threat tothe integrity of timber frame buildings lies in the area of on-site workmanshipand control. To address this issue the NSAI and FS have set up a FETAC trainingcourse for Timber Frame Erectors and the NSAI will have a new registrationscheme for timber frame erectors coming out in 2005.

The future for timber frame construction looks very bright. Its development has

already brought changes to traditional supply chains and will bring more in thenear future. This report is intended to create an awareness of the timber frameindustrys needs and the support required from manufacturers and suppliers tothis construction sector.

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1. Introduction

1.1 Objective

The objective of this timber frame manufacturers survey, undertaken by theWood Marketing Federation, is to increase the understanding of the timberframe construction sector and of the wood product utilisation market. Thepurpose is to establish the procurement dynamics for wood products, the typeand level of service given and the potential for increasing the use of woodproducts in this sector.

1.2 The Wood Marketing Federation

The Wood Marketing Federation (WMF) was founded in 1989 and comprised allthe major organisations involved in the forestry and forest products industry atthat time. Its main objectives are to promote the use of wood as a versatile,viable and renewable resource for the building and building related industriesand to ensure that the highest standards and highest quality are maintained.

The WMF carried out a number of wood promotion campaigns and initiated amajor project to publish a timber specifiers guide because information andguidance on timber for specifiers was not available to the same extent as othermaterials such as concrete, steel and plastic.

The outcome Woodspec - A Guide to Designing, Detailing and SpecifyingTimber in Ireland was published in June, 2001 and was widely circulated to

third level colleges, media, designers, wood processors, architects, engineersand other specifiers. During 2003, Woodspec was promoted through a series ofroad shows in Waterford, Wexford, Galway, Limerick and Dublin which weresponsored by the Wood Marketing Federation.

Part of the strategy of the WMF is to gain a better understanding of the woodproducts market and to initiate market studies to provide members with marketsector information, hence this study of the timber frame construction sector.

1.3 Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association

The Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association (ITFMA) is the TradeAssociation for the timber frame manufacturing industry supplying to the islandof Ireland. The ITMFA was formed in 1991 in recognition of a quickly growingindustry. It now has a full time working office from where all administration andevents are co-ordinated. Its main objective is the development of an industryoffering a quality product which offers end users complete satisfaction. This isachieved through information exchange, publicity and promotion, qualitystandards, procedures and practices, and adoption of new technology andmethods as appropriate.

Currently the ITMFA has twenty four members all of whom are quality accredited

through a recognised body - National Standards Authority of Irelands Timber

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Frame Manufacturing Scheme or the UKTFA Manufacturers Scheme. TheAssociation has its own guide to practice and membership criteria beyond thepresentation of a technical quality approval mark. The member companies

account for more than 85% of ex-factory turnover in the sector.

ITFMA members have supplied domestic dwellings and public service buildingspredominantly to the Irish market but also to a limited export market, for longerthan 30 years, currently producing in excess of 16,000 units between themannually. A significant rise in production has occurred since the beginning ofthis decade and this rise is set to increase further. It is anticipated that outputis likely to account for more than half of new homes in the next 5 years.

The industry employs approximately 800 people full time, in manufacturing anderection, and supports the employment of hundreds more in component and

services supply and in site preparation. The Association aims to be the represen-tative voice for the growing Irish timber frame industry.

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1.4 Timber Frame Housing 2002 Consortium Study

A consortium of consultants was commissioned by the Department ofEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government to study construction of

residential buildings using timber frame construction methods in Ireland in2002. The terms of reference for the study were; to examine practice andprocedure in timber frame construction in both the private and local authorityhousing sectors; to assess current regulations and technical requirements ontimber frame housing and to assess systems pertaining to quality control withinthe timber frame construction industry. It is recommended that all interestedparties should become familiar with this document.

1.5 Irish House Construction Overview

Since the mid 1990s housing in Ireland has been increasing annually (Figure 1)

and now Ireland has one of the highest rate of completion per head ofpopulation in any country in Europe (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Irish House Completion 1995-2004.

Source:Department of the Environment, 2005.

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0

10000

20000

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50000

60000

70000

80000

1

995

1

996

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Figure 2: Number of houses built per 1000 population in various

European countries in 2004.

Source: CSO, 2005.

However, with the increase in housing activity, there has been a shift in the typeof house being built from the traditional bungalow and detached house to thesemi-detached house and apartment (Figure 3) which, by the nature of theirconstruction, use less sawnwood.

Figure 3: Irish House Completion 1996, 2000 and 2004 by house type.

Source: CSO, 2005.

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0 5 10 15 20

Sweden

Germany

Great Britain

Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland

0

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1000015000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

TotalFlat /Apartment

HouseTerrace

HouseSemi-D

HouseDetached

Bungalow

1996

2000

2004


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The number of new build houses and apartments in Ireland using timber frameconstruction has risen dramatically over the past five years (Figure 4). Informedsources predicted a 25% market share in 2004 (NSAI, 2004). This was achieved

with over 19,000 units built in 2004. Market share could grow to 50% or morein the course of the next five to seven years. The growth in market share hasresulted in a change in the traditional timber supply chain from forest throughto completed buildings.

Figure 4: Percentage of housing unit completions using timber frame construction.

Source: ITFMA, 2004.

Table 1: Percentage of housing unit completion using timber frame construction in

various countries in 2003.

Source: ITFMA, 2003.

1.6Historic Supply Chain

Until the late 1990s, processed construction timber from sawmills both in

Ireland and overseas was marketed to the construction industry through builders

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Scandanavia 90%

USA 80%

Canada 90%

Scotland 60%

Australia 60%

New Zealand 75%Ireland 22%

Country /Region

% Timber Frame ofNew House Completions

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2001

2004


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merchants. The principal groups are Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley, Brooks,McMahon and Associated Hardware, all with multi-branch outlets. A host ofsmaller independent merchants throughout the country also sell timber to the

construction industry. As there is little standardisation in the traditional housingsector, the builders merchants must hold extensive sawn timber stocks in orderto meet customer demand. At the same time, they are pressurised to operateon a JIT basis. Forecasting the demand for specific sizes is difficult and this feedsback to the sawmills both in Ireland and Scandinavia.

Economists predict that the housing sector will contract within the next twoyears. Builders merchants are concerned that growth in timber frameconstruction combined with this inevitable house construction drop willseriously reduce their market share as there is likely to be less demand forsawnwood products through the traditional channels.

One of the advantages of timber frame construction is the use of standardisedsawn timber components. This study aims to identify the standard timbercomponents used and the approximate volumes of these going into this market.

The Wood Marketing Federation, following discussions with other industryplayers, were aware of the trends outlined and took a decision to initiate asurvey of a number of key timber frame manufacturers to determine the impacton the timber market of this changing situation.

Mr. Peter Wilson of Resource Management was appointed to carry out a numberof confidential face to face interviews in the timber frame manufacturing sectorand compile a report on the findings of the survey.

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2. Methodology

2.1 Timber Frame Manufacturers Identification

Currently there are forty timber frame manufacturers registered, and twentyapplications that are being processed, with National Standard Authority ofIreland (NSAI) in their quality scheme.

Following discussions with Mr. Bill Robinson, formerly of Enterprise Ireland andcurrently contracted to them on technical issues, and Mr. Bob Davis of NSAI,twenty timber frame manufacturers were identified as potential interviewees forthe survey.

These included all the major manufacturers as well as a number of smalleroperators. One manufacturer in Northern Ireland was interviewed.

The companies were written to by the WMF Chairman advising them about thesurvey and the agreement of the ITMFA was also received.

2.2 Questionnaire Development

A nine page questionnaire was compiled by Peter Wilson of ResourceManagement. The initial drafts were discussed with:

External

Bob Davis (NSAI);

Bill Robinson (formerly of Enterprise Ireland); and

Lorna Kelly (Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association).

Wood Marketing Federation

Gerard Murphy Chairperson; Donal Magner - Secretary; Sean Wiley - (Enterprise Ireland); Eugene Hendrick - (COFORD); and Richard Lowe Coillte.

The topics covered in the questionnaire were:

Company Details; Production Data; Sawnwood Products Used; Timber Specifications; Perceptions / Experience of different source countries; Board Products used; and Promotion (of wood).

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It was decided not to circulate the questionnaire prior to the interview. Thequestionnaire was designed as an attempt to form a picture of the industry, itsfuture trends, and the impact of these trends on roundwood and wood product

suppliers. Participants were assured of complete confidentiality.

2.2.1 Calls and Interviews

Contact names within each company had been provided by the ITFMA and eachwas telephoned or emailed to arrange an interview.

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Documents

Timber Frame Report 1-11