WoodTECH News provides the very latest updates on breaking news, tech developments, research results, reports, case studies and links relevant to sawmilling, wood manufacturing and wood products companies in Australasia.

It’s designed to complement the annual technology events being run by the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) in New Zealand and Australia. It also adds to the weekly updates being provided to forestry and wood products companies through the region’s two leading industry e-newsletters, Friday Offcuts and WoodWeek.

As a sawmill, wood manufacturing or timber preservation site manager, if working in mill production, operations, maintenance or engineering, a saw-doctor, researcher, equipment supplier or technology provider to these industries, we welcome your contributions or comments to the stories posted. Please feel free to add your own links or stories. WoodTECH readers are your contemporaries.

WoodTECH is now a central site or portal for improved communication to this part of the sector. Any comments or suggestions on the site, please email: brent.apthorp@fiea.org.nz. If you’d like to add staff or send details for subscription to your own contacts, please share this with them.

Since 1998, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) has been running world class technology programmes. Many of you will be familiar with the events. SawTECH, ScanTECH, MainTECH, Wood Manufacturing, Lumber Q.C., Wood Quality, Wood Preservation and Wood Innovations events have been run for industry in both Australia and New Zealand over this time.

The objective since we started has been to work with industry and to provide a regular independent platform for local companies to learn from technology innovators and early adopters and to assist in the evaluation of new technologies, products or operating practices to their own business.

The aim has been to showcase innovation, to network and to learn from each other. The ultimate aim from these events is to improve the efficiencies, productivity and profitability of local wood producers.

For WoodTECH events, FIEA provide three main platforms:

1. Sawmilling, scanning and mill optimisation technologies (greenmill operations)
2. Wood manufacturing technologies (drymill and wood finishing operations)
3. Timber preservation and wood modification technologies.

These events roll over on an annual basis with each theme being covered once every three years.