Pinewood Structures Using SterlingOSB Zero Across Its Offsite Systems

A specialist timber engineering company, active throughout East Anglia and the Home Counties, is making extensive use of West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero in the production of its diverse offering of high performance, sustainable offsite solutions.

Based in the village of Gamlingay on the Cambridgeshire-Bedfordshire border, Pinewood Structures was established in 1981 and has grown steadily to become one of the UK’s foremost suppliers of timber-based systems across a variety of sectors, including housing and retirement developments, hotels and student living. The selection of site-specific solutions includes both open panel timber frame and ‘NHBC Accepted’ status factory insulated closed panels as well as floor and roof cassettes.

The Sales and Marketing Manager for Pinewood Structures, Peter Keogh, commented: “Over the past 15 years we have successfully completed over 600 separate schemes encompassing not only residential and student accommodation, but also hotels, supermarkets and other types of development. We manufacture our offsite timber frame solutions at our two purpose-designed factory units in Gamlingay, which provide us with 40,000 square feet of production space.

“Importantly, although numbers for the housebuilding industry remain flat, timber frame is steadily growing its market share, and we confidently expect to increase our total capacity from the current figure of approximately 1500 units per year: partly due to the fact we work a lot in affordable housebuilding which is being quite strongly supported by the Government. We are also working with registered providers and developers targeting the buy-to-rent market who favour a quick build method.”

Referencing the company’s commitments to being a sustainable supplier, Peter added: “In terms of our manufacturing, we primarily use the West Fraser 9mm Sterling OSB Zero as the sheathing to our open and closed panel systems; though it is also employed in other applications such as for fabricating floor cassettes for apartment buildings which will have an OSB deck onto which an acoustic floor system is installed. We also use CaberDek for some projects.

“Pinewood has long had a strong emphasis on the use of sustainably sourced materials, with the low embodied energy of timber having obvious attractions, which we need to prove to our customers through sustainable procurement. In addition, as a major manufacturer, we need a strong supply chain with West Fraser being a national supplier able to support us through reliability and quality. Overall, we are in a good place in the market and are excited about the future for timber frame and what timber products can do to help meet climate challenge.”

West Fraser ensures that all its lumber is sourced from responsibly managed forests, mainly in the UK, carrying full chain of custody meaning stocks are conserved by replanting and carefully planned cropping. While local sourcing reduces mileage, West Fraser is also investing heavily in a new rail head for its Inverness plant and buys only renewable electricity for the site - and has switched from gas power to biomass for its drying process. Across the group, ESG commitments are being delivered, and Inverness is on course to attain its 2030 targets next year.

All West Fraser panel products produced in the UK are net carbon negative and manufactured in mills that have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation.  Responsibly sourced, the panels are FSC® certified (C012533) and created from locally grown timber, cutting embodied carbon from transportation. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com

New Factsheet Heralds West Fraser Carbon Negative Landmark

West Fraser has published a new factsheet, proudly announcing the achievement that its UK operations are now officially counted as carbon negative, showing the industry that this is the way forward as a responsible producer of timber panel products.

The four-page publication begins by declaring: “Since our founding 70 years ago, West Fraser has recognised its responsibility to the environment and society, while delivering solid financial performance. Guided by our values and leveraging strategic partnerships, we aim to integrate sustainability across all aspects of our business.”

In fact, the document goes on to stress that all of its UK products have been certified as being net carbon negative – meaning that they lock up more CO2e than is emitted in making them. For the environmentally conscious specifier or builder using West Fraser’s boards, they can be assured that the company’s approach to sustainability is “rooted in science, guided by global standards and inspired by a vision of a future where forests, products and innovation work together to address climate change.”

This assertion is backed up by the fact that West Fraser sequesters 1.1 million tonnes of CO2e in its European operations each year, while its OSB products have earned an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide – the highest possible rating. Other aspects of its progress include how three-quarters of the group’s use of renewable energy globally is based on biomass while 4.5^% comes from other renewables such as solar. And across Europe, 100^% of the grid-purchased electricity utilised is from guaranteed renewable generation: including wind, hydro-power and solar.

In terms of actual forestry management, 72.4 million seedlings are planted in Canada, plus over 2 million in the US. Impressively, the timber expert has achieved a 22^% reduction in SCOPE 1 and 2 emissions – along with a 13^% reduction in SCOPE 3. Interestingly, less than 1^% of its managed forest areas are harvested annually, which allows for longer-term and therefore more sustainable harvesting cycles. Other important facts can be found in the link provided in the factsheet: 2024 Sustainability Report.

The document ends with the statement: “Build with purpose - All our UK-made engineered wood panels are proudly net carbon negative and can offset building emissions” - with a link for the reader to find out more on its website.

The factsheet is strikingly presented with full colour photography, while offering a powerful argument to convince the most ardent of environmentalists that West Fraser goes above and beyond in achieving a carbon negative, yet positive future. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/ 

Working Together With West Fraser’s CaberFix Range

By combining the three products in West Fraser’s CaberFix floor fixing range, projects are guaranteed to be the very best in terms of application and longevity, while delivering a simple and safe on-site experience. Each floor fixing product is fully BBA-approved, guaranteeing 60 days of exposure to weather and on-site construction when used with CaberDek; the CaberFix range has been specifically developed for use with West Fraser’s flooring products.

CaberFix D4 is a solvent-free, one-component polyurethane adhesive for use with West Fraser’s CaberDek and CaberShieldEco. It is ideal for bonding flooring boards to both joists and tongue and groove joints, and for sealing the board edges. CaberFix Joint&Joist is a PU adhesive and sealant, and CaberFix tape, a polyethylene-coated cloth tape for sealing CaberDek perimeters to walls. Information on training and relevant regulations can be found here. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit Uk.westfraser.com