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Innovative Wood Products At Designbuild Australia 2003
Designbuild 2003 attracted some 16,354 visitors including foreigners from 33 countries mainly New Zealand, Singapore, China and South Korea. The largest group of visitors was architects, followed by builders, property developers, manufacturers and contractors. The exhibition covered a total area of 15,000m2, featuring over 350 exhibitors from countries such as Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Austria, Brazil, Hong Kong, Republic of San Marino, South Korea and Malaysia. MTC was one of the five companies representing Malaysia at Designbuild 2003. At its strategically- located booth laid with impressive Kempas engineered flooring, MTC displayed a variety of Malaysian timber products including mouldings, panel products, joinery products, picture frames as well as window blinds and wooden kitchenware items. Literature on Malaysian forestry and timber products, and brochures on the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) certification scheme were also disseminated at the exhibition. Besides the heightened interest in the scheme, most visitors to MTC's booth especially architects and specifiers were impressed with the wide variety of timber species available in Malaysia, and welcomed the idea of introducing new species other than Merbau, Kempas, Nyatoh and Dark Red Meranti, to Australia. Timber flooring remained the most popular product within the timber products category at the exhibition. Among the innovative flooring products promoted at the exhibition were particleboard sheet flooring and termiticide-treated sheet flooring. The former is made from precision milled wood flakes and bonded with moisture-resistant synthetic resin, providing additional protection during construction and exposure to weather. Other interesting development at the exhibition was the introduction of hygienic, slip-resistant vinyl floor. This type of flooring is suitable for both dry and wet areas such as poolside, hospitals, kitchens and laboratories. Although conventional timber decking made from species like Merbau, Balau, Jarrah, Yellow Cedar and Red Cedar are still a favourite in Australia, composite decking is making inroads into the Australian market. Composite materials produced from wood and recycled plastics are enjoying greater demand and being used to manufacture products like fences, railings, verandas, pergolas and outdoor furnishings. The demand for engineered timber as a practical structural material in the construction industry is also on the rise. Engineered timber is preferred by builders as it is lighter, more stable, durable, flexible, available in longer lengths and wider widths, and easier to use than traditional solid timber. The total value of Malaysia's export of timber and timber products to Australia in 2002 was RM535.4 million. The demand for such products is expected to continue as the sustained low interest rates in the country would result in higher growth of housing starts and renovations. Designbuild Australia 2004 will be held on 20-23 June at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. |
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Designbuild Australia, known as one of Australia's largest exhibitions for the
building industry, took place for the second consecutive year on 25-28 May 2003
at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Staged exclusively in
conjunction with the Royal Australian Institute of Architects National
Convention, the most important event in the country's architectural calendar,
the exhibition was collocated with three other exhibitions namely Tilex, Frame
Australia and the National Plumbing Show.
MTC’s
