A YEAR IN THE WORK OF THE WOOD PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
We look back at 12 highlights of the Wood Protection Association (WPA)’s 2024 – and get a sneak preview of the organisation’s flagship event, which takes place at the Oulton Hall Hotel in Leeds at the beginning of May this year.
WPA Commercial Committee launched. The WPA Commercial Committee was formed to give members a platform to discuss the commercial opportunities and challenges impacting their businesses. Its responsibilities include advising on regulations and commercial strategies, developing strategic alliances with organisations such as TDUK, promoting the benefits of preservative-treated and modified wood, developing WPA’s marketing and communications, and enhancing WPA services.
Field trial extension. The WPA extended its preservative performance field trial of sawn, pressure-treated British softwood fence posts to 15 years. The trial, which was initially set up for a ten-year period from 2015, is now running until 2030, with posts bought in the market added to compare with the original purpose-produced samples. Building Research Establishment will conduct the first full assessment in March 2025, with the results available from May.
Getting together. Always a highlight of WPA’s calendar, the 2024 awards and conference took place at Coventry’s Windmill Village Hotel. The two-day event was blessed with sunshine for the golf tournament and other activities and featured presentations on preservative-treated wood, highways fencing, sustainable timber demand, and the timber supply chain. The 2025 event will take place on 7–8 May at the Oulton Hall Hotel in Leeds. Book your place now.
Promoting WPA Benchmark treaters. Promotion of the WPA Benchmark quality scheme continued to be a priority during the year, with the introduction of product labels to enhance visibility at the point of purchase.
Communications campaign. A Commercial Committee recommendation for a new communications campaign for the WPA Benchmark quality assurance scheme was approved by the WPA board. This initiative aims to raise awareness within the timber supply chain about the benefits of buying quality-assured treated wood under schemes such as WPA Benchmark, support scheme member businesses with guidance and practical tools to promote their quality-assured credentials. The campaign will roll out in the first quarter of 2025.
Improving market access. WPA successfully lobbied National Highways and the Sector Scheme 4 Advisory Committee to improve access to highways fencing contracts for more wood treaters by agreeing on an alternative route to verify the competence of treatment plant operators.
Updating preservative guidelines. A new version of the BS 8417 Code of Practice for wood preservation in the UK was published by BSI in August. Key updates to the guidelines include changes to preservative requirements, UC3 specifications, assigning deck substructure components to UC4, and information on warranties and service life explanations.
Industry collaboration. WPA partnered with the Association of Fencing Industries to investigate the causes of premature failures in treated wood.
Setting new standards. A WPA code of practice, Standards of Training for Plant Operators, was unveiled in June. Detailing the statutory responsibilities of employers to ensure the competency of their operators, the new guidance sets out the content that should be included in a well-structured training programme. The document is free to download from the resources page of the WPA website.
Building expertise. The WPA has collaborated with TDUK to develop industry expertise with CPD training courses, including one that covers specifying flame retardant wood and wood-based products, and one on the preservation of wood.
Statutory review support. WPA supported wood treaters during the statutory permitting review of timber treatment operations, with the goal of ensuring a level playing field.
Celebrating Chris Coggins. Dr Chris Coggins retired at the end of 2024 after 35 years with the WPA and its predecessors. Chris has had an exceptional impact on the wood protection industry and the work of the WPA. We wish him the very best for his retirement.
The WPA’s 2025 awards event and conference will take place on Wednesday, 7 May, and Thursday, 8 May, at the prestigious Oulton Hall Hotel in Leeds. The two-day programme kicks off with a choice of the annual golf competition or a wine-tasting event, followed by an early evening drinks reception, BBQ-style dinner, WPA Awards presentation, and after-dinner entertainment. A half-day conference on the morning of 8 May will focus on future-proofing demand for correctly treated wood, featuring speakers from across the UK timber supply chain and timber treatment industry. 2025 marks the 11th year of this gathering, a highlight of the WPA calendar. More details will be released in the coming weeks.
Main Sponsors: Koppers, Bridewell Consultancy, Wolman, Timber Development UK. Associate Sponsors: Fencing News (Conference), Bond Timber (Golf), BSW Timber (Wine tasting).
