One of the priorities for the new Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) when it was established in 2007 was to develop a generic wood promotion program, reports senior editor Jim Bowden, who attended a special FWPA meeting in Canberra 17 years ago.
FWPA managing director Dr Glen Kile said work has already begun on the campaign, with the Sydney-based marketing firm Sherbon and Osborn appointed to lead the project. He said the principals of the firm, Chris Sherbon and Richard Osborn, had experience with other forest-related and environmental issues for industry groups and government, and had worked for companies such as CSR, Boral, P&O, and Qantas, dealing with issues management, brand positioning, trends in product use, and changing social attitudes.
“The change from the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation to Forest and Wood Products Australia allows us to take a more active role in the promotion of wood products,” Kile said. “We will be working with our stakeholders across the forest industry value chain in developing and implementing this campaign,” he said “Our aim is to help dispel some of the myths about wood products and to promote their environmental benefits. Qualitative market research to find out what customers actually think about wood products will be the first step.”
FWPA consulted with peak associations to establish an industry reference group to assist with the development of the promotion campaign. Group members met with the consultants in Sydney for the first time on February 15.
The development phase of the campaign is expected to take around six months.
Kile said a positive campaign would promote the environmental credentials of wood and support the growth of the industry and the sustainable use of wood products in Australia. Industry reference group members for the project include Kathryn Adams, David Angus, Christine Briggs, Andrew Dunn, Neil Fisher, Ron Green, John Halkett, Douglas Head, Ken Jeffreys and Catherine Murphy.
FWPA was established in September 2007 as a not-for-profit organisation aimed at promoting the use of wood products and supporting the Australian forest and wood products industry. FWPA collaborates with government and industry stakeholders to enhance the market for forest and wood products, focusing on sustainability, innovation and research development.
The organisation also provides resources and education about wood products, including initiatives such as WoodSolutions, which offers information and resources for professionals in building design and construction.
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The National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) was the ‘cradle’ for the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation and the Forest and Wood Products Australia
Established in 1986, NAFI was an initiative of senior forest industry executives, state forest services and state forest associations, unions and CSIRO. NAFI’s vision was for an ecologically sustainable Australian society based, in part, on dynamic, internationally competitive forest industries. Activities were funded entirely by its members who between them represented all facets of the forestry industry and produced most of Australia’s forest output.
The NAFI’s charter included representing members by promoting environmental responsibility and the prosperity of Australian forest industries. The key role was to present the forest industries’ views to the people of Australia, governments and public authorities on matters relating to the national development and use of forests and forest products, including plantations. NAFI also promoted community awareness of the forest industries by providing information and educational materials to the broader community.
In all its activities, NAFI presented a critical analysis of available research and other scientific information and provided a national voice for the hundreds of firms and thousands of individuals who comprised the Australian forest industries.
Jim Bowdeen, now senior editor of Wood Central, founded the Australian Timberman in 1977 and in 1987 committed his resources to promoting the aims and objectives of NAFI and all it stood for. He was among the first to be granted associate membership, presented by NAFI inaugural president Dick Darnock, Weyerhaeuser, and executive director Tim O’Sullivan, with the certificate number 074.
