New Forests’ Timberlink manufactures its first GLT beam

About

Timberlink is a leading Australasian timber products manufacturing business managed by New Forests as part of the original Australia New Zealand Forest Fund. The business has two sawmills at Bell Bay (Tasmania) and Tarpeena (South Australia) that manufacture plantation structural pine products.

Timberlink’s NeXTimber facility in Tarpeena is Australia’s only combined radiata pine Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glue Laminated Timber (GLT) facility, increasing Australia’s sovereign capability to manufacture these products while reducing reliance on imports.

CLT is made from pieces of timber that are finger jointed and glued at a 90-degree angle to the layer below, giving the product strength in both directions. CLT Products can be a suitable building product for applications such as walls, floors, stairs and roof structures.

GLT is made from pieces of laminated structural timber that are layered and glued ontop each other with the grain running in the same direction making it well suited for use as beams or columns.

Key Initiative

Mass timber products such as GLT and CLT offer an exciting alternative to traditional construction materials, with the potential to assist to decarbonise construction in Australia by storing carbon for the life of the timber.

In August 2023, the NeXTimber facility produced their very first GLT beam on its newly commissioned line. Since then, Timberlink has also pressed their first piece of CLT which can be produced in panels up to 16 metres long x 3.5 metres wide. This will unlock significant capability to manufacture mass timber building products in Australia.

“This is a very meaningful day for Timberlink,” said Ian Tyson.

From our first sod turn in February 2022 to producing our first GLT beam in August 2023, to full production for October this year.

Impact

Aligning the Timberlink business with forest resources enables the company to have a long-term committed approach to its business and customers.