| 39 Tunnicliffe Timber REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT At the cutting edge of timber processing Sue Russell Tunnicliffe Timber’s Mark Andrew says conversion to advanced modification technologies, such as thermal modification, would be far better for the environment. Lumber One, suppliers of timber treatment & priming services, are very proud to support, and be associated with Mark and the team at Tunnicliffe Timber Solutions. For enquiries, email: info@lumberone.nz There is a lot more to the processing of timber than necessarily meets the eye. One company, Edgecumbe-based Tunnicliffe Timber, which carries a proud and long history in the industry, is at the leading edge of timber processing technologies, as owner and manager Mark Andrew explains. “We own the first thermal modification kiln bought into New Zealand in 2004 by Scion – Crown Research Institute in conjunction with Carter Holt Harvey. Along with that kiln we bought from them in 2005, we also purchased the rights to the first stakes in the ground and testing data that went into accelerated field testing at that time. So not only do we have 18 years of test data, but since then we’ve accumulated a huge amount of data and experience using this processing technology,” he says. Wind the clock forward 15 years and in 2020 Tunnicliffe Timber received a Provincial Growth Fund loan to purchase a much larger kiln, coming from Denmark, a part of the world where thermal modification has been used and understood for many years. “It’s history goes back to the Vikings where they burnt the outside of their ships, which would have been ‘start of the art’ thermal modification in its day! Over in Europe the process was developed a lot in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s,” Mark explains. Thermal Modification changes the timber at a cellular level, removing the sugars and nutrients that insects and fungus survive on, leaving a more naturally durable and stable timber structure, eliminating the need to use nasty chemicals to treat the wood. Mark feels strongly that a lot of timber treatment could be converted to advanced modification technologies such as thermal modification rather than the standard chemically-based treatments. “That would be much better for the environment I feel.” Pinus Radiata is the greatest majority of the timber processed and prepared on site. Occasionally, Mark says, a farmer might come in with some macrocarpa from a fallen tree or some other timber-type to have it dressed. The entrenched position of standard chemically treated timbers in the building supplies market and the associated regulatory systems, means that here in NZ the vast majority of timbers used in construction fall under this category. Mark is hoping that with the new kiln and further experience and research into advanced timber modification technologies, the market will eventually open up to its use more generally. The company carries FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certification. This accreditation means that it prioritises timbers that have been sustainably grown and sourced. Mark admits that thermal modification has its strengths and weaknesses. “Until we advance more into some of the advanced modification technologies such as organic resin impregnation, the barriers to certification and appraisal of building supplies makes it very difficult for these new technologies to be widely used in construction.” Adding value to the already significant volumes of timber we send overseas is key, Mark thinks, to really future-proofing our place as a timber supply country globally. Ironically by bringing this technology to New Zealand we are bringing it to the world When Business North spoke with Mark, the kiln was almost fully commissioned. Once up and running the plant will be capable of processing 20 cubic metres of timber each day. “The modification kiln can process different timber species as well. It’s fair to say we have timber coming out of our ears at the moment and we now need to find the right customers.” And on a day to day basis Mark’s main priority is to ensure his team have all their ducks in a row to ensure processing goes smoothly. Most of the timber produced by Tunnicliffe’s is distributed through timber merchant networks mainly in the North Island. “There’s a really bright future for timber processing in New Zealand and we’re in a great position now to bring about meaningful, research-based outcomes that can add enormous value to the timber processing sector.”
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