VALUE-ADDED TIMBER: HOW IT’S DONE
FORESTRY MINISTER, STUART NASH, recently saw how the Forest Industries Transformation Act could be applied to foster value-added timber products
At a visit to a newly-built Cromwell timber manufacturing plant he witnessed an all-timber housing operation in action.
Swiss backed, Hector Egger New Zealand, built a substantial factory premises in Cromwell’s industrial area over a year ago.
It aims to produce up to 100 buildings per year, from standalone housing to multilevel units such as apartments, motels and hotels.
To achieve this, the factory runs two seven man shifts per day in the electronically mechanised plant.
Current builds range from $500,000 to $7 million, much of it for Central Otago and Lakes District clients.
The bulk of the timber used is engineered laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and crosslaminated timber (CLT) sourced from Nelson Pine Products and glulam from Levin-based Techlam’s plant, explains Hector Egger Managing Director, Stephan Mausli.
“Building components are delivered on site, fully lined, insulated, fitted with conduits and flush boxes, window and door openings, pre-cut to 1 mm tolerances and external walls, lined with breathable and water proof membrane,” he says.
The company builds a 3D model of the initial design process detailing every aspect of the project. It includes every piece of timber, every staple and every screw in the model so the connections can be resolved prefabrication,” Stephan explains.
Hector Egger New Zealand is a 50-50 joint venture with Swiss-based Hector Egger Holzbau AG and local investors, including Tristan Franklin (Director) and Stephan.
“All our timber comes from sustainably managed New Zealand forests,” he says. “Mostly manufactured in this country, with the added benefit of carbon retention in finished products. Thus our buildings help mitigate greenhouse gases.”
Viewing the factory floor from the office balcony Stephan points out the various components of residences being built for a project being developed by Queenstown architects.
This includes up to 20 meter engineered timber beams spanning the roof ridge lines. The rest of the timbered exterior cladding and flooring was mostly cut from 12 meter lengths off engineered wood.
The only metal sighted is the aluminium window frames. A suggestion that this is available through Christchurch-based Health Based Buildings, cut from native hardwood, native red beech, is worth
looking at and could be an option, says Stephan.
The Queenstown initiative by property developers Black Robin is being funded through Capital Markets.
It is believed to be the first development ever financed through New Zealand’s Stock Exchange for growth businesses, according to Chief Executive Colin Magee.
The first home has already pre-sold for $2.75 million at Jack’s Point south of the township.
Other home units for the southern provinces would range from $500,000 upwards, says Stephan.
He explains that Hector Egger Holzbau AG is a leading European manufacturer with 20 years’ experience in off-site prefabrication of timber buildings and structures.
The Cromwell factory layout is a copy of its largest Swiss factory, using Swiss imported machinery, says Stephan.
He considers himself a New Zealander after moving here nearly 20 years ago as a qualified structural engineer in Switzerland.