Responding to regional opportunities and technical innovations ahead for the State’s $3.2 billion forest and timber industry, a broad representation of Directors was elected at Timber Queensland’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week, which was hosted at the ARC Future Timber Hub at the University of Queensland.
A unanimous decision by members present, elected Mr Paul Bidwell Deputy Chief Executive, Master Builders Queensland as the Chair and Mr James Hyne, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Hyne Timber, as Deputy Chair.
Timber Queensland Chair Mr Paul Bidwell said the incoming Board visited the Future Timber Hub’s structural engineering and fire laboratories where experts from industry, government, and academia are collaborating to develop the skills, knowledge and resources to foster future growth of tall timber buildings.
“Many of these projects focus on developing engineered wood products (EWPs) in future building structures. Increased use of products such as glue laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber and cross laminated timber, offer new opportunities for the construction industry to reduce environmental impact and adopt timber solutions in the building market,” said Mr Bidwell.
“We were able to see first-hand the applied research and integrated approaches to tall timber design and engineering, with many exciting applications for future housing and commercial projects.” The Future Timber Hub is an interdisciplinary partnership between the University of Queensland, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Arup, Hyne Timber, Lendlease, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, Scion NZ, Griffith University, University of British Columbia and the University of Canterbury.
Mr Bidwell said a key strength of the incoming Board was its diversity of Directors who represent the full industry supply chain from growers and processors through to traders and fabricators. “Timber Queensland provides a united, powerful voice, and this board has insight into the policy and regulatory environment, as well as the environmental, technical and market development aspects of meeting the growing demand for timber products,” he said.
The Directors elected at the 2019 AGM included:
- Paul Bidwell, Master Builders Queensland
- James Hyne, Hyne Timber
- Robert Tapiolas, Parkside Group
- Craig Neale, AKD Softwoods
- Curly Tatnell, DTM Timber
- Islay Robertson, HQPlantations
- Bob Engwirda, Hurfords Wholesale
- Adan Taylor, GMT Logging
- David Simms, Simms Group
- Bob Ryder, DTM Frame and Truss
Timber Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Mick Stephens said the Board had identified some key priorities going forward in 2020, including resource security and expansion, waste management and improving regional timber supply chains.
Source: Timber Queensland
Photo: Directors present at the incoming meeting from L to R: Bob Engwirda, Adan Taylor, Craig Neale, David Simms (back row). James Hyne, Paul Bidwell (front row).
