For more information:
Visit http://www.wpif.org.ukCall 0 1476512381
Email [email protected]
@wpif_org_ukFORESTRYJOURNAL.CO.UK MAY 20 18 65WPIF in 2007.
Strategic direction and oversight is provided by
the federation’s Managing Board which includes a
representative from each of the full members (board
manufacturers and resin producers). Headed by the
current chairman, Jim McCann of MediteSmartply, the
Board comprises senior executives from across the
business disciplines – that is, operations, technical,
environmental, commercial and wood procurement –
reflecting the interests from across the industry.
OPERATIONS
Alistair Kerr explained, “Being a specialist organisation
with a number of large company members (all of whom
are themselves part of larger European/international
groups), WPIF has made a point of understanding
the whole business from forest to product end use. By
engaging directly with personnel at all levels within
the member companies we are close to, and familiar
with, the wide range of issues that can arise for which
either an individual or sector response is required.
Although not directly employed by the members we are
nonetheless part of their team, with a keen eye that is
focused on responding to real problems.
“What WPIF isn’t is an overtly promotional
organisation, in the sense that we don’t advertise
or have glossy brochures (we do have a website),
although we have in the past managed promotional
campaigns on behalf of the members (‘JOSB Done’
was a campaign for OSB which ran for nine years).
Having a small number of large company members
has both advantages and disadvantages, but from a
communication and response point of view we are able
to react very quickly to issues as they arise and get
direction back from the members. This is particularly
useful if we are having to speak to the media on sector
matters.
“An aspect of our operations that is maybe different
from others is that we can quickly scale up or down the
level of support that is required to deliver on particular
objectives. Managing key issues as projects allows us
to raise specific funding to support the procurement
of services from outside agencies or consultants. This
allows us to in effect, ‘punch above our weight’. Such
projects are favoured by the members because a)
they have been initiated as a response to an identified
problem and b) they are time and cost limited.”ACTIVITIES
Alastair continued, “As our members are large
companies who have their own ability to respond to
issues, we focus on those areas where it’s beneficial to
make sectoral responses or where it’s just more cost-
effective to focus the effort through the Federation. A
good example of the latter is standards where WPIF
can represent the industries views rather than having
multiple representatives turning up at meetings at
significant cost. As well as holding the chairmanship
of the Key wood based panels committee at BSI, WPIF
also sits on multiple CEN committees and we work
hand in glove with our European body, the European
Panel Federation (EPF).
“The issues that carry the greatest business risk
for the sector relate to energy, wood availability and
environmental control. WPIF actively engages in all of
the key influences and seeks to influence outcomes. We
have been successful in enabling mitigations against
the excesses of regulation which otherwise could
impact on competitiveness and jobs.
“The unintended consequences of renewables policy
have been a major challenge where we continue to
battle through the lobbies in an effort to seek a balance
between the use of wood for products vs the use of
wood for energy. Wood availability is an issue for all
users and although WPIF is not a forestry organisation,
we do support others where we can to push the
message for increasing commercial planting.”LOOKING FORWARD
“Like most,” concludes Alastair, “we are really only
observers in the Brexit debate, but whatever the
outcome there are likely to be numerous implementation
issues where we can interact. Regardless of Brexit, our
members continue to invest in new capacity and value
adding, so we see a strong future for the sector but with
concerns around wood availability remaining.”