Welcome to 2025 - with the Timber Framing Campaign

Written by Christine Briggs

Timber Framing Campaign Manager, WoodSolutions

Welcome to 2025 and here’s to 2025 being a better year for timber framing demand in Australia because we certainly need the housing supply to improve for all Australians. So, begs the questions, when demand improves (second half of this calendar year is the forecast for when we may see this with our key product category), there’s some scenarios of how this might look . . .

Market Share Tracking & Outlook – Future Demand Scenarios

However, firstly, let’s take a look at actual structural demand and its ratio to dwelling commencements over the past 6 years, with commencements being for detached and medium density only. This shows we lost share to steel during the boom of FY21 when whilst we may have been at capacity for manufacturing and importing, houses were built at an all record high so the ratio of structural consumption per new dwelling commencement dropped to a low point. The type of dwellings in this category didn’t change – this was steel taking share. Since then, it has been restored to pre-pandemic levels at a fairly healthy ratio. But, we’re not building enough.

So, now let’s take a forward view of new dwellings commencements and how sensitive is the projected timber demand based on various ratio scenarios. Just based on the difference in historical (FY17-FY24) ratio high and low ratios to drive out structural demand, there’s some 1 million m3 of logs that might not be processed. So, we want to ensure we can respond to the improving demand levels over the coming 3 years.

Who wants to take the hit here? Well, we want it to be steel . . . And as demand moves back to levels similar to Covid demand in FY28 (only 3 years away), this is what’s at stake . . . and steel won’t just settle for the balancing share. Food for thought and our FWPA Economics and Statistics program is going to continue work on this scenario and on monitoring the ratio of structural timber consumption per dwelling commencement in Australia on a quarterly basis. It’s an excellent indicator of lost market opportunity.

Upcoming Market Research & Your Opportunity for Input

Understanding the Builder Market – Our Key End-Users

So, whilst supply reliability continues to be one of the major drivers and concerns for builders, we are also going to be conducting some market research with big builders in Australia and trying to understand their attitudes and behaviors regarding structural timber usage in their new builds and also their views on what the big issues and opportunities are with our product category offering in the Australian market. Watch this space and if you want some specific insight or question to be posed in this research, please share this with me – noting research outcomes will be shared with all levy payers.

Meanwhile, our goal is to ensure that timber from quality reliable sustainable sources remains the superior choice for structural solutions in new home builds in Australia. This means reinforcing current preferences for timber in most building companies and giving them some additional reasons to “stick with timber” – namely our superior sustainability credentials compared to steel. And, as ESG drivers become more prevalent in this sector, it’s getting traction.

And, here’s a reminder about our campaign objectives are as follows:

The goals of the timber framing campaign remain the same, i.e.:

To promote and support the timber framing industry in Australia and maintain market share in volume and market position.
To increase understanding of the environmental benefits and sustainability credentials of timber framing.
To promote increased use of timber framing as the material of choice amongst builders.

Examples of Recent Builder Comms & What’s on offer to Big Builders who Partner with Us

So, here’s some of our messaging that’s been in the public space, targeting builders, big, small and medium as well as tradies on the tools everyday.

Note here some of our offerings to big builders are designed to directly counter some of steel’s promotional messages and mediums . . .

In targeting the bigger end of builder town, we’ve done some paid advertising in their industry publications with MBA and HIA

Digital Marketing – Active on Socials

And, we’ve been active on the Socials . . . With digital advertising, sponsorships and competitions to get the engagement with all types of builders.

Our Campaign Future – FY26

If you would like any more information about any of this content, please reach out to me. And, don’t forget, we’ll be coming back soon to ask you whether you’d like our campaign activities to continue into FY26 which will require everyone to consider reaching into their hip pockets modestly so we can keep promoting Renewable Timber Framing to Australian builders and for them to proudly adopt these messages into their own marketing!

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our campaign’s Reference Group members who have provided invaluable networking opportunities and connections with some builders.

I’d also like to thank you for your company’s past support which has enabled this year’s campaign to be ongoing until the end of this fiscal year.