October 2012 - Trademax Publications

LIFT TRUCK
COMPANY

CONTENTS
CONTENTS
6
18
34
2
4
6
12
18
28
32
34
40
42
44
46
48
50
52
53
54
56
58
60
ED'S NOTE
contributors
feature - Voëlklip
cover story - Chestnut Grove
festival - Knysna Woodworkers
design software - Jacques Cronje
news - Envirodeck
feature - Mexico's House Ro
news - sappi
furniture - nest rest
refurbishment - UNISA Pietermaritzburg
advertorial - SAWPA
furniture - Shipwreck
furniture - Knock on Wood
furniture - crafty
news - handles inc.
cifor - Carving a new future
industry insight - Bad building practices
woodex - 2013
news
// OCTOBER 2012 1

ED'S NOTE
Labours of love
The inaugural Knysna Woodworkers Festival, which took place in
early October, led me to the Knysna Timber Village and a host of
people and experiences that not only cemented my appreciation
for timber in its raw and developed forms, but enhanced my
understanding and respect for those involved in all aspects of the
industry.
Exhibitors ranged from chain saw specialists, wood
sealants/preservatives and garden accessories, to
bonsai tree growers, furniture makers and local décor
companies. A smorgasbord of timber-related products,
activities and demonstrations, this festival left me with a
special respect for the real artists, the pioneers of true
craftsmanship. Two men I found particularly inspiring and
examples of exceptional craftsmanship were Phil Millard
of Kingfisher Canoes and Dave Stephenson of The Natural
Edge.
Dave inherited a lathe from his father a number of years
ago and after his childhood passion for turning was
reignited, Dave discovered that his designs were worthy of
selling, after which he packed up his city life and moved to
the Knysna area. Dave’s passion, not only for the wood he
turns, but the final products of his skilful turning, is
evident.
Phil is the owner of Kingfisher Canoes and a man of great
talent and eternal patience. In between talking to visitors
about his passion, he painstakingly worked on the finishing
touches to his latest work in progress.
Taking approximately two months to complete and having
taken a number of steps to help improve the process of
manufacturing his canoes, Phil shows a love for and
dedication to his work that this is as invaluable as it is rare.
A phrase I heard on multiple occasions to describe Phil’s
work was “a labour of love.” I cannot agree more.
It was heartening to see professions that usually take
place in one’s own home or workshop brought into the
public sphere, for the craftsman to come out into the light
and receive the praise of which he is so deserving.
This issue of Timber iQ showcases the Knysna
Woodworkers Festival and a number of the exhibitors and
craftsmen present. I hope it ignites or stokes your passion
for timber craft and leaves you feeling the need to take up
or revive your very own labour of love.
Enjoy the read!
Jen
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www.pullscar.co.za
2
OCTOBER 2012 //

contributors
Contributors
Jacques Cronje
Jacques is a registered Professional Senior
Architectural Technologist (Pr.S.Arch.T). While his
architectural training is ‘informal,’ having learnt by onthe-job
experience, mentorship and self-study, he has
degrees in building management and economics, a
post-grad certificate in energy economics and has done
several courses in energy efficiency and sustainable
development.
Daniel Conradie
Daniel is a Candidate Senior Architectural Technologist
and freelance writer based in Cape Town. He is
passionate about the design process and how the
technology and materials employed are composed to
express it. Jason Bakery lattés, sci-fi novels and Cape
Town summers assist in retaining his sanity and fervour.
THE TEAM
Editor:
Jennifer Rees
0861 727 663
076 119 8819
editor@trademax.co.za
Editorial Assistant
Alex Struck
alex@trademax.co.za
0861 727 663
Publisher:
Billy Perrin
billy@trademax.co.za
0861 727 663
Advertising:
Zahida Mahomed
zahida@trademax.co.za
0861 727 663
Benita Allers
benita@trademax.co.za
0861 727 663
Rosemary Rudd
Rosemary has diplomas in Small Business Management,
Business Enterprise Studies, Public Relations and
Journalism. She is the author of South African Timber
Buildings – A Craft Revived and says that her 12 year
tenure with Timber Frame Builders Association (now
the ITFB) was some of the most rewarding work she has
ever undertaken. Rosemary has an abiding love of
animals, especially cats, and is deeply passionate about
The Chaeli Campaign – a non-profit organisation, which
raises funds for wheel-chair needy children throughout
South Africa, and of which she is a founder member.
Layout & design:
Craig Patterson
craig@trademax.co.za
SUBSCRIPTIONS & DATA:
Celeste Perrin
celeste@trademax.co.za
0861 727 663
Trademax Publications
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DISCLAIMER
The views expressed herein are
not necessarily those of Trademax
Publications. Although we have
done our best to ensure the
accuracy of our content, neither
Trademax Publications nor Timber
iQ magazine will be held liable for
any views expressed or
information disseminated in this
issue.
4
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
Voëlklip
The brief for Voëlklip, Hermanus was to design a beach house
for a family of four, with three bedrooms, and a guest cottage.
Words and images: SAOTA - Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
“The site is a rectangular sub-division stretching between
10th and 11th Streets in Voëlklip with both sea and
mountain views. The sloping site facilitated planning of
the split-level living space, allowing the lounge, dining
and all bedrooms to have sea views. Fairly restrictive Title
Deed and Planning conditions also contributed to the
nature of the building,” says Stefan Antoni, Project
Partner.
The form of the house and detailing is purely functional.
The linear nature of the site resulted in a covered walkway
stretching from the entrance portico through to views of
the beaches. The roofs are flat cantilever slabs allowing
the first and ground floor levels to be raised to the
maximum permissible height.
6
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
The lower ground floor accommodates the main bedroom
with internal glazed sliding doors allowing a feeling of
open-plan flow and plenty of light into the main bedroom
from the living room and kitchen areas. The sea-facing
façade of all three bedrooms is glazed from side to side
and fitted with Balau timber sliding shutters for privacy
and security. The rest of the floor accommodates a staff/
guest bedroom, a games room and store room.
The first floor lounge and dining room have large panel
glazed sliders which open onto the sea-facing balcony. The
lounge, dining area and terrace also have views through
the house and up to the mountain through clerestory
windows.
// OCTOBER 2012 7

feature
The living room and kitchen open
up completely onto the patio, pool
and deck. The indoor/outdoor braai
room overlooks the rim-flow pool
and opens onto an intimate
courtyard and water feature with
stepping stones. The garage has a
glazed sectional overhead door
facing the courtyard, which allows
views into the courtyard over the
pool towards the house as one
drives into the garage.
The main garden courtyard
functions as an outdoor
entertainment room. A line of
newly-planted trees forms a screen
enclosing this space. The guest
cottage comprises two bedrooms
sharing a bathroom, a kitchenette,
courtyard and living room opening
onto a private terrace and garden.
8
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
ground floor
1. ENTRANCE
2. GARAGE
3. BEDROOM
4. COURTYARD
5. LOUNGE
6. DINING ROOM
7. KITCHEN
8. SCULLERY
9. TERRACE
10. DRIVEWAY
11. POOL
12. BILLIARDS ROOM
13. STAFF ROOMS
14.POOL PUMP ROOM
15. BEACH ACCESS
first floor
// OCTOBER 2012 9

feature
Materials
Floors are white cement screed from the beginning of the
entrance walkway through to the passageway leading to
the sea side garden. Having been included in the clients’
brief for the house, the use of timber in this project was
inspired by the local indigenous context of fynbos and
milkwoods. External decks, shutters, cladding, screens and
pergolas are Balau timber which will weather to a silvergrey
patina. The lower ground floor bedrooms have broad
width lime-washed Oak timber floors. The steps and ledge
at the split-level are clad in solid lime-washed Oak and
lead up to the lounge and dining area which also have
timber floors.
Walls are all plastered and painted the same colour. White
sandstone dry-pack cladding is used on the sea side
boundary wall. Ceilings are all off-shutter concrete and
frameless glass balustrades with brushed stainless steel
handrails add a slick contrast to the dominant materials.
Joinery is high gloss white lacquer with sandblasted glass
splash backs and mirrors. Mosaics are used throughout the
bathrooms; black glass in the smaller bathrooms and
shades of white and clear glass in the other bathrooms.
The pool has a dramatic reflective quality with black
mosaic tiling to the rim-flow and spillway and the water
level. Stainless steel and Balau timber pergolas and
screens are used extensively.
Project Name: Voëlklip
Location: Voëlklip, Hermanus, South Africa
Architects:
SAOTA - Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
Project Team:
Stefan Antoni & Richard Townsend
Interior Design: ANTONI ASSOCIATES
Project Team: Mark Rielly & Ashleigh Gilmour
Completion Date: 2009
Internal doors extending from floor to ceiling are satin
finished dark walnut stained African Mahogany.
For more information, visit www.saota.com and
www.aainteriors.co.za.
10
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
east elevation
section a-a
LEGEND
1. ENTRANCE
2. GARAGE
3. BEDROOM
4. COURTYARD
5. LOUNGE
6. DINING ROOM
7. KITCHEN
8. SCULLERY
9. TERRACE
10. DRIVEWAY
11. POOL
12. BILLIARDS ROOM
13. STAFF ROOMS
14. POOL PUMP ROOM
15. BEACH ACCESS
// OCTOBER 2012 11

cover story
Architect: Michael Dall
Alien Poplar
and Gum structures
From concept to completion
At Chestnut Grove, we manufacture trusses,
beams, rafters, columns, flooring, ceilings and
decking in a sustainable process that has
arguably the lowest carbon footprint in the
business, all made from alien timbers.
Achieving this footprint is perhaps best described by
friend and architect, Gawie Fagan, who, when discussing
building functionality and materials one late afternoon
on our farm stoep, said, “the answers are all around us,
and have always been.” This philosophy, together with
sourcing and taking products through from the ‘wood
from the trees’ stage through to the end product has
resulted in a process and product that interior designer,
Michele Basson says, “is so backward that it is actually
forward.”
Our business model with our clients is simple; identify
the need, design it, price it, schedule it, cut it, cure it,
treat it, work it, deliver it and recommend a preferred
installer to install it.
Architect: Jane Visser
12
OCTOBER 2012 //

Installation & design: Lucas Quality Thatchers
cover story

cover story
The Chestnut Grove sawmilling teams are highly skilled
and all of the timber that we cut is done so to order from
pre-determined cutting lists. In this manner we do not
waste any timber. All we leave behind are off-cuts that are
used by farmers and staff as firewood and the sawdust is
used for mulching.
Mobile sawmills moved into the plantations are used for
the breakdown and recovery of timber. The timber is cut at
source, minimizing transport costs, as well as transport
footprints. Fossil fuel motors used to drive the saws are
small and fuel usage is limited. In times gone by, animal
traction has been used to move and manipulate timber;
however, sadly, the pace of modern construction dictates
that speed and efficiency are required in getting products
out, making the use of carting horses expensive and too
time consuming. (With the right client, I still look forward
to one day cutting the beams and planks in pit-saws,
moving the logs around using animal traction and making
the trusses up using timber dowels and wet deer skins to
fasten members together.)
Once the timber is cut, it is packed on site to air dry –
either a four month process in summer or a full winter is
required.
Wynand Wilsenach Architects
14
OCTOBER 2012 //

Architect: Michael Dall
cover story

cover story
Wynand Wilsenach Architects
We pack the wet timber of approximately 68% moisture in
stacks, orientated to maximise the prevailing wind flow
and, with the help of the sun, see the wet timber expel the
free water (that water which moves up and down the cells)
down to 28%, the fibre saturation rate. At this stage we
need to get rid of the bound water, which is part of the
wood fibre. Shrinkage of the over-cut timber starts once
the bound water is expelled and we let the process
continue until the desired 14-15% dry moisture content is
achieved. We now have a stable plank ready to make a
ceiling, floor, architrave, skirting, counter top or whatever
is required. Likewise, beams are air dried in stacks in order
to get rid of the free water, so that the timber can be
treated to specification.
The dried timber is now ready to be moved to our yard in
interlinks, ensuring maximum volume on minimum fossil
fuel usage. At this stage a credit in all three categories of
the triple bottom line has been achieved.
Socially, we have created employment in impoverished
rural areas and uplifted communities. Ecologically, we see
aliens eradicated; fountains and water-courses that have
run dry due to high alien water demand (up to 120l per
tree per day) are now again free flowing. Financially, the
landowner is better off having been paid for his timber.
At our yard, Hennie Meyer of our sister company, Cape
Trusses and Moulding, accepts the timber, with the planks
going directly to a 6 cutter moulder that does all the
planing, moulding, tongue and grooving of the ceilings and
flooring, etc. Beams are cut and trimmed to size and
treated prior to delivery.
The completed products are then loaded onto flatbed
trucks and installed by either the client’s own contractors
or by our recommended or preferred contractors. The
entire process is completed dealing with a business that
has, as its principle, a quantity surveyor, wood cutter,
farmer and aviator.
We pride ourselves in providing a product that is green,
relevant, of great quality, structurally sound, and adds a
serious wow and investment factor to any form of building,
from concept to completion.
Landline: Nicholas Basson 046 685 0676
Email: info@chestnutgrove-sawmills.co.za (Nicholas)
Email: sales@chestnutgrove-sawmills.co.za (Hennie)
Web: www.chestnutgrove-sawmills.co.za
Preferred truss manufacturers, working closely with
engineers employed by the client or by ourselves, are used
to make up trusses.
16
OCTOBER 2012 //

ecor
Furniture
Bar Stool Helix Winerack Easel
Henk Meyer:
+27 (0)79 496 8467
Jaco Mells:
+27 (0)82 923 8621
Schalk Meyer:
+27 (0)79 496 5105
www.berlow.co.za

festival
Entrance to the festival.
A celebration of heritage
past and present
Held at the Knysna Timber Village from the 29th of September
to the 6th of October, the inaugural Knysna Woodworkers
Festival delivered upon its promise to highlight and celebrate
Knysna's timber and furniture-making heritage.
The Festival was officially launched at the
Knysna Yacht Club with a jovial celebration
of wooden boats and opening by Mrs.
Margaret Parkes, after which it continued
on the beautiful, rustic grounds of Timber Village
in Welbedacht Lane in the very heart of the Garden
Route.
The Knysna Woodworkers Festival offered the
woodworking professional, hobbyist and those
interested in wood and timber a myriad of exciting
opportunities to experience and purchase
beautiful furniture, arts and crafts on exhibit, as
well as learn new skills at specialised workshops
held over the course of the Festival. Unique talks
about timber, with specific reference to the area
were also available to attend at no cost.
Celeste Perrin, Johan Nel and Billy Perrin.
18
OCTOBER 2012 //

festival
Courses included sharpening and maintaining basic hand
tools, basic joinery, bend lamination and steambending and
making a breadboard with hand tools, presented by Richard
Henley, who has been a professional woodworker since 1978,
has years of experience on yacht interiors and a passion for
furniture. A course on relief African carving was presented by
Jeffrey Chipala, a workshop holder at Knysna’s Timber Village
with a passion for teaching others his craft.
Talks included The Knysna Forest, presented by SANParks,
Knysna’s proud timber heritage, presented by Margaret Parkes
and A sustainable non-damaging living, presented by Dr. S du
Toit.
The Festival also included the opportunity to visit a Wood Art
Exhibition at the Knysna Art Gallery, or the Woodcutters
Museum on the Timber Village premises, as well as a
Woodwork Auction.
Wood-Mizer SA.
STIHL provided a chainsaw demonstration, the end result of
which was to add the torso and head piece to a large wooden
totem man at the entrance to Timber Village. They also
provided a planning demonstration in which they showed the
precision of the STIHL planning machine and the possible
thinness to which a plank of wood can be cut. Jeffrey Chipala
also demonstrated his relief carving skills and WoodMizer
Africa demonstrated the conversion of logs into usable planks.
Makita hosted a demonstration of their power tools.
Exhibitors:
Fechters.
Log Home Building.
Bargain Books
The business was founded on the premise that many
thousands of books which had not sold at full price and were
usually destroyed would find a ready market if reduced in
price. Over the last decade Bargain Books has supplied its
customers with an ever expanding range of titles at bargain
prices. The focus of the business has been on buying books in
bulk in South Africa and around the world and passing the
resulting savings to our customers as lower prices.
- www.bargainbooks.co.za
Berlow Furniture
Berlow produces uniquely handcrafted indoor and outdoor
furniture, as well as exquisite décor items from real wine
barrel oak. They also custom design furniture items and
install fully fitted interiors. - www.berlow.co.za
Birds of Africa
Birds of Africa is situated in the picturesque town on Knysna,
known for the Heads, lagoon and forests. Here, local skilled
craftsmanship is used in the creation of handcrafted wooden
birds that are hand carved and hand painted. Our crafters have
also developed other hand-skills to create other bird art and
crafts. - www.birdsofafrica.co.za
// OCTOBER 2012 19

festival
A great example of recycling timber wood.
Bonsai and Brass
Mark van de Merwe, born and raised in Pretoria, always had a
passion for crafts. Realising that the city life was holding him
back, Mark moved to Sedgefield, near Knysna, where he now
makes beautiful brass sculptures, jewelry and bonsai trees
which he sells at the Sedgefield market, arguably the most
beautiful market in South Africa. - www.bonsaiandbrass.co.za
Custom Designs
Custom Designs was born from the passion of a Knysna wood
craftsman, Jaco Mells, and the vision of a local investor. At the
end of 2010 they officially started building towards becoming
a household name in the handcrafted furniture and cabinetry
industry. - www.customdesigns.co.za
Patrick Brink Drums.
Epilepsy South Africa
Epilepsy South Africa provides strategic leadership to the
organisation to create a society in which people with epilepsy
and other disabilities have equal opportunities to function
optimally to achieve their fullest potential in all spheres of
life. The National Office also strives to develop and maintain
service excellence, sound management and financial stability
within the organization. - www.epilepsy.org.za
Fechters
Situated in Knysna, the heart of the South African indigenous
timber industry, Fechters ® offers a wide range of indoor and
outdoor furniture to suit a variety of customers' style and
budget. In addition we also offer a bespoke furniture design
service that helps you turn your dream piece of furniture into
a reality. - www.fechters.co.za
SANParks.
20
OCTOBER 2012 //

festival
Gardeners Corner
Situated in Knysna Industrial, Gardeners Corner supplies the
Garden Route with all they need to create the most beautiful
gardens. Gardeners Corner supplies sand, stone, garden
furniture, Solid Yellowwood and Blackwood Furniture, latte
and rustic garden edging. - 0783720393
Gardeners Corner.
Kluyts & Co.
Established in 1963 Kluyts & Co continue to build upon the
heritage of woodworking excellence in Knysna and today
produces a wide range of handmade wooden furniture that
sets the benchmark for furniture making – not only in the
Garden Route area, but countrywide. All our work is made
from sustainable timber bought from the Knysna Forest and is
FSC verified and which we cut and dry ourselves.
- www.kluyts.com
Knysna Book Exchange
Knysna Book Exchange is a small second-floor bookshop
where you can upgrade your reads before heading to a quiet
spot near the lagoon. - 0443822480
Kluyts & Co.
Keith Barnes' wooden ship pictures.
Mr Woodturner.
Log Dan
The Log Dan Log Concept standard specification structure
embodies substantially more value compared with
conventional brick or timber methods. This log concept
building is a hybrid modular system (HMS) incorporating the
best features of traditional natural log construction, modular
prefabricated timber-frame elements, structurally integrated
vertical/horizontal post and beam sub-frames, and modern
SIP (structural insulated panel) internal wall system.
- www.logdan.com
Log Home Building
I present a weekend Log Home Building Course, which, in just
2 days teaches you all the methods and techniques required
to build your own environmentally sustainable real log home
or cabin, on your own, mortgage free. You do not need to be
particularly practical and no previous construction
experience is necessary. - www.logbuilding.co.za
Makita
Makita is one of the power tool brand leaders in the Southern
African region with a reputation for high quality, new
technology, durability and service back-up, which are all
major reasons for its success. - www.makita.co.za
Mr Woodturner
Mr Woodturner is a South African supplier of pen making kits,
salt and pepper making kits, general woodturning supplies
and turning tools. We offer a full range of pen turning
supplies at the best prices with unbeatable service. From our
warehouse in South Africa, we supply woodturners
throughout Africa. - www.mrwoodturner.co.za
// OCTOBER 2012 21

festival
Kluyts & Co.
R&V Wood Design
Wooden toys.
Rare Woods SA
Rare Woods works with exotic woods that are sourced both
locally and internationally. The rough logs are shipped to Cape
Town and are processed into anything from specialised
furniture to rustic flooring and guitar parts.
- www.rarewoods.co.za
SANParks
South African National Parks, (SANParks), who have opened
the first of its 20th woodworking factories, manages a system
of parks which represents the indigenous fauna, flora,
landscapes and associated cultural heritage of the country. Of
all the national parks, most have overnight tourist facilities,
with an unrivalled variety of accommodation in arid, coastal,
mountain and bushveld habitats. - www.sanparks.org
Rare Woods.
Shipwreck Furniture
What started off as a passion for furniture and great original
design has, through a series of events, resulted in this unique
business; crafting one-of-a-kind furniture pieces from the
remnants of shipwrecks salvaged from the bottom of the
ocean to landfill-sites. The furniture exudes a sense of
adventure and history and you can be sure that your piece will
be the only one like it! - www.shipwreckfurniture.com
Shipwreck Furniture.
22
OCTOBER 2012 //

STIHL
The STIHL name has stood for revolutionary technology
and innovative ideas ever since the firm was founded.
The STIHL brand is known around the world today for
exceptional quality and service. In more than 160
countries our products are helping people at work.
- www.stihl.co.za
The Saw Man
Sharpening services. - 0443822386
Wild Wood Boxes
Johan Nel is a craftsman working at Timber Village in
Knysna. An organiser of the Festival, he produces handmade
exclusive, elegant jewellery packaging and
presentation boxes from the finest quality local and
exotic woods, which are exported all around the world.
- www.wildwoodboxes.co.za
Wood-Mizer SA
Wood-Mizer is the world's leading manufacturer of thinkerf
narrow band technology, which reduces waste from
valuable timber by cutting more boards and less sawdust.
We offer a wide range of sawmills to suit all sizes of
operation, including mobile and static machines. They
are economical to purchase, easy to operate and to
maintain, have low power requirements and produce
accurate, high quality cut timber from the log.
- www.woodmizer.co.za
STIHL.
// OCTOBER 2012 23

festival
Woodoc
Woodoc sealers are formulated to protect and nourish wood
besides forming a tough decorative finish. They deep
penetrate the surface and bond with the wood, 'livin' with it,
giving it the longest possible life and surface protection. The
house of woodoc has dedicated distributors in all major
centres of south africa and in some other countries. they
distribute woodoc products to all leading hardware/
chainstores and provide full sales and after sales service.
Woodoc.
Artists and craftsmen
'Jeffrey' Patrick Chipala
At his most creative when being able to ‘see’ the design in the
raw material, he loved sharing his passion and enjoys teaching
others his craft.
Wally Rossini
Professional photographer turned woodworkers fifteen years
ago, Wally’s woodturning creations can be found as far afield
as Portugal, America and England.
Patrick Brink
Patrick specialises in creating furniture from 50 year-old
brandy barrels, including side tables, bar stools, bowls, wine
racks, rocking horses, garden walls and much more.
Makita.
Deon van Rensburg
Deon sources local, quality timber to produce handcrafted
furniture that can be passed on for generations. Deon also
lovingly restores any piece.
Richard Henley
Professional woodworker since 1978, Richard has years of
experience on yacht interiors and has a passion for furniture.
He also completed the City and Guilds of London advanced
course.
Kidbuddie.
Dave Stephenson
After losing interest in fixing computers for a living, and after
discovering his joy of wood turning again, Dave eventually
found that people would actually pay for his designs. A
meticulous and passionate woodturner, each piece from
Dave’s gallery comes with a card relating its botanical name,
as well as a brief description and history of its origins.
Rudolf Rosochacki
As a sculptor, Rudolf uses his artistic sensibility, technical
expertise and intimate knowledge of a variety of materials to
create unique pieces, each with its own personality.
Berlow.
24
OCTOBER 2012 //

festival
Kingfisher Canoes.
On display
A labour of love
The origins of wood-strip canoes go back to mid-
19th century Canada, where a need existed for
light-weight, sturdy canoes, using locally available
materials. These were used to transport beaverpelts
and other cargo to and from the Hudson Bay
Company by the trappers who ventured out into
the wilds of the Canadian wilderness.
Reception.
Over the years the design and construction
methods have developed and evolved to utilise
modern technology and materials, but the
satisfaction and sheer joy of constructing and
finally paddling your own hand-made canoe is still
available to anyone who has a few basic
woodworking tools, and a dream of creating
something of beauty with his own hands.
Phil Millard of Kingfisher Canoes combines old
Canadian tradition with modern construction
methods to develop beautiful wooden canoe kits,
enabling clients to create their own work of art.
For more information, contact Phil on
0448771955.
Log Home Building.
// OCTOBER 2012 25

festival
Riding proud
On display at the Knysna Woodworkers Festival was a 1923
Morgan de Luxe three-wheeler motor car. Johan Nel, one of
the organisers of the Festival, who also produces exclusive
jewellery packaging and presentation boxes from local and
exotic woods, was afforded the opportunity of rebuilding the
body of this Morgan de Luxe. He says, “This was a daunting
task, as none of these vehicles were built the same. I had to
work off the original blueprints and an existing body that was
in itself a rebuild in plywood.” He adds, “Between old
drawings, photographs and the owner’s input, we eventually
made it. The Morgan de Luxe three-wheeler was originally
made in Ash, so we went back to using Ash as the rebuild of
the car was in plywood and very crudely constructed.”
Refurbished Morgan de Luxe.
For more information, contact Johan at 073 394 0057.
Timber Village
With its unique rustic character and setting in the tranquil
Welbedacht valley, Timber Village is generally recognized as
the showcase of the beautiful woods of Knysna's famous
forests. We specialise in the manufacture and retail of
custom made hardwood furniture. The wood used is mainly
indigenous to the Knysna area and includes Yellowwood,
Blackwood, Stinkwood, Hard Pear and White Pear.
The organisers of the Knysna Woodworkers Festival are
especially grateful to Jock McConnachie of Timber Village for
this use of this venue for the inaugural Knysna Woodworkers
Festival.
Timber Village.
For more information about Timber Village, call Jock at 083
627 2464, email jock@timbervillage.co.za or visit www.
timbervillage.co.za.
Sponsored by Knysna Tourism and Timber iQ and held in
association with SA Epilepsy Cape and Karoo, the Knysna
Woodworkers Festival was very well attended and host to
visitors from near and far. A number of exhibitors and visitors
alike have already started enquiring about how they can
better get involved with next year’s event.
The organisers wish to give special thanks to Glen Faye Farm,
Knysna Arms Pub & Grill, Old Cape Smokehouse, Mitchells,
Kidbuddie, KO Creations (kerryopenshaw@yahoo.com), Dave
Watson at D&M Enterprises (dmwatson@mweb.co.za),
Robbie Ponting and Keith Barnes (Wooden ship pictures).
Bar area.
Get involved
For more information and to find out more about how to get
involved in the 2013 Knysna Woodworkers Festival, contact
Johan or Gill at 073 394 0057, email
info@knysnawoodworkers.co.za or visit
www.knysnawoodworkers.co.za.
26
OCTOBER 2012 //

design software
Now is the time for timber
Jacques Cronje, Cape Town architect and CEO and founder of
Jacques Cronje Timber Design, discusses design software and
its implications in timber design and construction.
28
OCTOBER 2012 //

design software
Think of the ornate Art Nouveau style of the turn
of the twentieth century, replaced by the clean
uncluttered functionalism of Modernist
architecture, which dominated architecture for
decades. This in turn was followed by various
'styles' generally grouped under the Post-
Modernist banner. One of these, which emerged
in the eighties, was called Critical Regionalism,
and in contrast to Modernism, strove to recognise
the geographical context of a building. This was
one of the first steps towards considering the
importance of climatic design in contemporary
architecture.
Following from this, many designers and
architects today will say that they don't subscribe
to any particular stylistic notion, but instead that
they respond to the contextual requirements of
each individual site and client. A dominant,
unifying trend of recent years, however, has been
the trend towards sustainable or 'green'
architecture. This has been brought about largely
as an imperative - the realisation that natural
resources are not infinite as was once thought,
that man made emissions are damaging our
environment and that building sustainable
buildings are the low hanging fruit in terms of
reducing our negative impacts.
The age we currently find ourselves in is one
typified by a trend of rapidly evolving technology.
Where the initial response to building greener
buildings was a back-to-basics approach (the
principles of which still apply), such as passive
solar design and building with natural materials,
we are now witnessing a convergence of these
two trends, as there is an ever-growing desire to
use innovative technologies to invent and design
ourselves out of our global warming problem.
My guess is that as the sustainability imperative
increases, it will become less of an architectural
'movement,' and more of a baseline norm, and
‘green’ will go back to being just a colour. So,
instead of being able to claim that an
architectural design is good because it is
sustainable, new trends will once again evolve to
be the driver of new architectural expression.
Architects and designers have historically sought to
produce an architecture representative of the age or
period of the time. Sometimes expressing an actuality of
the era, and other times, rather expressing the desires or
ideals of the time. Like most movements, or anything involving an
expression of style or fashion, it is often seeking to be new and
fresh, sometimes even as an opposite response to the trend that
preceded it.
Just as the famous Modernist, Le Corbusier,
questioned why great men should come home
from their awe-inspiring factories and grand
banks to their cluttered and over decorated
homes, it may well be asked why, with every
technology around us evolving, most buildings
are still built the way they have been, design
aside, for decades.
// OCTOBER 2012 29

design software
The processes and tools in terms of design have, however,
not lagged behind at all. Design software has progressed
in leaps and bounds, so that in two decades we've gone
from drawing boards, to Computer Aided Design (CAD), to
Building Information Modeling (BIM). Where CAD was a
computerised simulation of a drawing board process, still
involving the drawing of lines and 2D shapes, BIM has
expanded the design process into a whole new realm.
Using 'Parametric Modeling,' or modeling using solid
shapes, the designer essentially creates a virtual 3D model
of the building as he works, using materials and
components with 'intelligent' properties. Instead of the
old method of drawing plans, documentation for building
is created by capturing 'views' of the model. In line with
the sustainable imperative, because these models have
'intelligence' (the materials used have measurable
properties) simulations are easily done to predict thermal
and energy use performance as the design progresses.
Another emerging trend is an emerging movement
towards a more organic looking architecture, evolving
partially as a result of the earlier mentioned sustainability
and technology trends.
I recently attended a design course called 'Going over the
Edge,' presented by well known organic architect, Keith
Struthers, at which participants debated why, when
nothing in nature is straight, architects have for centuries
persisted with predominantly rectilinear forms. Ideas
included availability of materials, cost and simplicity. I
also ventured the opinion that, in times past, when
mankind thought nature and its resources were infinite,
perhaps we sought to dominate nature in our simplicities,
and that our architecture with its bold and rectilinear
forms was a way of expressing this.
So what is the relevance of these trends to the use of
timber in architecture? Firstly, because it is a truly
renewable resource, timber is fast becoming a material of
choice amongst designers and architects wanting to do the
sustainable thing. The trend towards green design has also
evolved into further sub-trends. 'De-materialism' seeks to
achieve maximum building with minimum materials, and
'resource efficient design' seeks to utilise designing to
standard material dimensions to reduce wastage. Both
tend towards a structural efficiency and logical clarity in
design. High strength-to-weight materials like timber and
steel beams are favoured over high mass reinforced
concrete, for example, except of course, steel doesn't have
the sustainability credentials.
In terms of technological advances, BIM and its associated
design software technologies have co-conspired to favour
building with components, particularly as many of these
can be manufactured off-site to simplify and speed up the
construction process. Design software such as Cadwork,
largely popular in Europe, takes the process a step further
as what is designed can be fed straight to the
manufacturing machinery - a process called Computer
Numerical Control (CNC), also becoming known as Digital
Fabrication.
Construction professionals have over recent years
complained over the loss of skills and upcoming artisans in
both conventional masonry and timber construction. The
cyclical nature of the construction industry contributes to
this, as during each recession more artisans and craftsmen
leave for other industries, and fewer youngsters seek
employment in trades.
In a recent project in Japan, by the firm, Nikken Sekkei, in
building a low rise timber building, overcame the shortage,
and resultant high cost of craftsman, by collaborating with
them to enable digital processes to craft highly detailed
and precise joinery. These were, as a result, designed,
rather than hand cut by the master craftsmen. On a
residential scale, software programs such as Wallframe, by
Cadimage, an add-on to Archicad's BIM software, produces
timber frame wall panel details and cutting lists to keep
repetitive design work to a minimum.
In terms of more organic design, timber again comes up
trumps. Wood itself provides an old-world charm, while
BIM and CNC technology allows the timber components to
be fashioned into any shape imaginable. With timber’s
versatility, what one imagines can be designed, and within
engineering constraints of course, what can be designed
can be manufactured and built.
The one thing we can be assured of in life is change, and
this applies equally to architecture, especially given its
continual evolution as an expression of our era. In terms
the current trend/imperative of sustainability, the rapid
evolution of technology, and an emerging trend towards a
more organic architecture, timber, for now anyway, is
perfectly placed to be the material that best embraces and
adapts to these changes.
30
OCTOBER 2012 //

news
Green Company Envirodeck
Claims Award
Warren Graver, founder and director of Envirodeck, an industry leader in
environmentally conscious and sustainable decking products, was awarded
the 2012 Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year ® title at the annual
Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® Competition.
This year’s competition saw 12 finalists qualify for
the 2012 Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year®
category, which celebrates entrepreneurs who,
irrespective of the duration the business, have
been active and posted a business turnover of R20 million
or less in the 2011 tax year.
Due to the increasing demand on natural resources and the
growing awareness to safely dispose of or re-use nonbiodegradable
waste, Warren initially saw an opportunity
in the market for a practical, alternative solution to timber
in the decking sector.
Fast forward eight years and today Envirodeck is the
fastest growing supplier of environmentally sustainable
decking and finishing products, as well as tangible
solutions for customers across South Africa and Namibia.
As a result of the phenomenal market growth in Southern
Africa, Envirodeck is now also expanding into Angola,
Botswana, Nigeria and Mozambique and will continue to
do so over the next five years.
Warren attributes his entrepreneurial success to intense
research and product sourcing. He says that research
continues to fuel the business, as innovative technology is
constantly growing and evolving within the industry.
Another one of Envirodeck’s strengths is partnering with
like minded and professional business partners who share
the same passion and energy for the industry.
32
OCTOBER 2012 //

news
According to Dr Kerrin Myres, a member of the 2012
Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®
judging panel, Envirodeck stood out amongst the other
finalists for many reasons. “Warren is riding the wave of
the green movement in South Africa, something that only a
handful of entrepreneurs are doing right now. Using a high
quality raw material, he creates original outdoor products
with flair and great design. Envirodeck is a business with a
great future.”
Warren Graver has a passion for products that fulfil
demands for energy saving and recycled sustainability and
his business incorporates this into all products sold.
Envirodeck is focused on adding value throughout the
supply chain, whilst supporting local eco-systems and
focusing operations on sustainability. Envirodeck has
partnered with Carbonworx working towards afforestation
rather than deforestation of natural habitats. To celebrate
Arbour month in September, Envirodeck planted 100 trees
in Umtata, Eastern Cape, providing jobs for local people,
whilst offsetting carbon emissions.
Envirodeck’s green credentials speak for themselves
through its exclusive African partnership with Advanced
Environmental Recycling Technologies (AERT) in the USA.
AERT is a leading global plastics recycling company with a
proven track record and all product is manufactured using
95% recycled content. With a composition of fifty percent
wood fibre and fifty percent plastic this is a product that
saves money and time by not having to maintain the
product whilst protecting our fragile eco systems.
In fact, Envirodeck is the only African supplier of a product
which is completely waterproof and kiln dried, like timber
decking, making installation hassle free. A 16m2 deck
saves approximately 280kgs of CO 2 and 360l of fuel. It’s
also great knowing that over 900 grocery bags that would
otherwise find themselves in landfill sites are required to
make just one board.
Envirodeck’s growth has been phenomenal with over tenfold
growth in the last three years. Graver attributes this
success to providing high performance decking that sets
itself apart from the competition. The biggest challenge to
this innovative industry is providing a product that
performs well and that also looks attractive. Creating a
consistently high quality decking product through
inconsistent raw materials remains the industry’s biggest
challenge and Envirodeck has been able to successfully
bridge this gap. Envirodeck will continue to actively
educate the specifying market as to performance benefits
of composite materials over traditional timber and for the
industry to understand the performance differences
between competing composite products in the industry.
Warren Graver’s passion for the industry and
diversification into other product lines will provide
increased revenue for the business, whilst the demand for
sustainable green building products continues to show
strong growth in South Africa.
For further information on this award winning business,
visit www.envirodeck.co.za.
Small Business Entrepreneur
Winner 2012
// OCTOBER 2012 33

feature
Layered living
Timber and slate harmonise in natural Mexico
Words: Daniel Conradie
Photographs: Marcos Garcia
How does one distinguish good architecture from the
already expansive oeuvre of built works? One of the
ways in which the value of architectural contributions
can be considered successful is when the original idea
behind its formation is diligently preserved during the realisation
of the building and apparent in the finished product.
This is not an easy task. As the design process continues a number
of influences begin to challenge the concept: structural design,
budget adjustments, as well as changes invoked by an animated
client. A powerful idea is able to address these concerns and
provide solutions regarding its construction. At project
completion it is this thread that ties the whole lot together. Most
often this is where a design begins to falter, resulting in an
illegible smorgasbord of mismatched magazine clippings.
Situated in a forested area near the town of Tapalpa, Mexico, a
weekend home sits perched lightly on a manicured landscape.
The first realisation by the viewer is its simplicity; it is clear that a
singular gesture had been fervently followed. An elegant
agglomeration of regional materials - slate and wood - each one
is clearly articulated and meticulously detailed to produce a crisp
and contemporary built form inspired by its context.
34
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
The architects investigated the organizational typologies
employed in the neighbouring properties, but found the
general response to be combative in their attempts to
address a cooler climate. The most common response,
reminiscent of an onion (whereby a sequence of layers are
used to dress and group a collection of rooms), translates
into built works that appear reclusive, and which are
ultimately divorced from their respective contexts.
The organizational methodology employed is therefore
contextually relevant - not in a literal sense - but
reinterpreted and restructured to produce an architectural
work of exceptional clarity and depth.
Studying the floor plan, a clear distinction between
private and public realms are made: the private rooms are
enclosed while the public corridor and living quarters have
a much more direct connection to the surrounding
landscape, and extend out onto a timber deck.
The clients' request for a place of refuge, where isolation
from chaos and noise of urban life takes precedence, gave
the architects an ideal opportunity to explore an alternate
approach to the definition of place. In response to this
design objective an exercise in unwrapping was employed:
spaces are peeled open and given the opportunity to
embrace their surrounds.
Formally the design manifests as a single linear gesture,
oriented on a North-South axis along its longer elevation,
with a single corridor that serves as the main connecting
artery between the public/private and inside/outside
realms.
Unifying and covering the ensemble is an expressive
single-pitched roof- a wholly timber construction perched
on two steel delicate beams - with its slender rafter beams
exposed. It lends a powerful atmosphere to the interior
spaces and its presence felt throughout the house.
Southern light spills across its surface and playfully
entices the viewer's eyes to glide across it.
The pitched roof lends a
powerful atmosphere to the
interior spaces and its presence
felt throughout the house.
In section, the roof provides an interesting juxtaposition
to a built form otherwise occupied in the horizontal plane.
The roof seems to follow this peeling notion as it attempts
to explode and merge with the forest.
// OCTOBER 2012 35

feature
The material selection was deliberate:
each one's colour and texture was
employed to suit and entice a particular
ambience to the space being enclosed. It
also assists the viewer in identifying the
organizational definition of the private
and public realms. The private bedrooms
are clad in slate - primordial, secure and
warm - with selected openings punctured
toward carefully curated views. The
public realm on the other hand is
wrapped with timber, lending to the
space a much lighter and inviting quality.
It also serves as a threshold and means of
transition between the two.
These glass infill
panes prevent the
stone and wood from
ever wholly meeting,
forever remaining in a
state of tension.
36
OCTOBER 2012 //

feature
1. ENTRANCE
2. TERRACE
3. Living room
4. kitchen
5. restroom
6. laundry
7. bedroom 1
8. bedroom 2
9. main bedroom
master plan
n
// OCTOBER 2012 37

feature
The private bedrooms are clad in slate - primordial, secure and warm
- with selected openings punctured toward carefully curated views.
The public realm on the other hand is wrapped with timber, lending to
the space a much lighter and inviting quality.
Connecting these two seemingly contrasting
materials (and concluding the definition
between interior and exterior) large panes of
glass are used. These glass infill panes
prevent the stone and wood from ever wholly
meeting, forever remaining in a state of
tension. This building entices discussion,
stimulates the senses and makes one aware
of the balances and imbalances prevalent in
nature.
The composition, articulation and assembly
of the materials show the architects' degree
of technical prowess, and with a confident
hand the characteristics of each are
conducted and accentuated. It is this material
confidence on the architect's part which
provides the foundation for great
architecture.
Project details:
Architects: Elias Rizo Arquitectos
Location: Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico
Architects:
Elias Rizo Suarez, Alejandro Rizo Suarez
Collaborators:
Rigo Gonzalez, Gabriela Chavez
Project year: 2008
38
OCTOBER 2012 //

TIMBER PRESERVATION SERVICES
An Operation of United Tube (PTY) LTD
TEL: 021 534 7001/2/3 | FAX: 021 534 7004 | EMAIL: pieterd@tpscape.co.za
86 Fitzmaurice Avenue, Epping 2
Pieter: 071 350 7641 | Moaim: 072 514 9509 | Willie: 083 634 8284
TIMBER SUPPLIERS FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS
• Own treatment Plant
• Facilities to rework timber
• SATAS Accredited
• Imported Pine timber available
• Various Tanalised TM (CCA) and new generation Vacsol TM
treatment options available to protect your timber.
Azure (Clear)
“ Lonza Wood Protection has
obtained third-party verification
on health, eco-toxicity and
environmental claims for
Vacsol Azure pressure
treated wood through
Ecospecifier Global”.
• H2 Low Hazard – Interior Use: Timber to be used under a roof.
Timber not to be in contact with the ground and not exposed to leaching
and weathering.
• H3 Moderate Hazard – Exterior Above Ground Use: Timber not to be in
contact with the ground but may be exposed to leaching and weathering.
•• H4 High Hazard – Ground Contact Use: Timber may be in direct contact
with the ground.
BOARDS
•• 18mm Shutterply Treated and Untreated 1.220 x 2.440
•• 21mm Shutterply Treated and Untreated 1.220 x 2.440
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COMPETITIVE PRICES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
Credit facilities available to approved customers
Stock subject to availability
Deliveries available
E & O
For more information on Treated Timber visit www.tanalised.com/sa

news
Sappi reducing transport-related
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa
As with other industries, Sappi relies heavily on fossil fuels for
transportation. They are committed to streamlining their use of transport
as this reduces specific emissions and also results in lower delivery costs.
In 2009, Sappi and timber transport contractor Timber
Logistic Services launched the first revolutionary
SMART vehicles designed to convey timber to Sappi's
mills. The vehicles were manufactured and certified for
use on South Africa's roads in a first for the South African
transport industry.
In order for a haulier to qualify for SMART truck permits,
they have to be accredited to the Road Traffic Management
System (RTMS). RTMS is a voluntary self-regulating system
that is supported by the National Department of Transport
and forms part of their national strategy. All RTMS trucks
have the RTMS logo displayed on the front of the vehicle
and annual external audits are compulsory.
RTMS is based on managing the following:
• Overloading
• Underloading
• Driver wellness
Sappi benefits from the use of SMART trucks
include the following:
• Increased payload per vehicle by 23%
• Reduction in number of trucks to move the same volume
by 22%
• Improved safety record - reduction in safety incidents
by 50%
• 18% less wear on roads
Sappi currently have 25 trucks (15 in KwaZulu-Natal, 10 in
Mpumalanga), with permits approved for a further 14. In
KwaZulu-Natal, the fleet of 15 trucks has been on the road
long enough for the company to be able to compare
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data with the standard
22m rigs. In terms of reduced GHG emissions per payload
ton, there is a reduction in GHG emission of 17.9%. On the
fleet of 15 trucks the reduction in GHG is 21.675 tons per
annum.
40
OCTOBER 2012 //

21403
responsible
Forestry. An industry that does a lot
more than grow trees.
Forestry in South Africa is a R12 billion industry. It is the base of a local value
chain that supports 750,000 people in rural areas. It generates substantial exports,
helping to improve the country’s balance of payments. Most importantly, forestry
is a responsible and sustainable industry, one in which Sappi is proud to be
playing a leading role. Our more than half a million hectares of plantation forest
are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. We actively support a range of
innovative environmental-protection projects. We also create opportunities for
local communities through tree-growing programmes and empowerment-driven
ecotourism initiatives. For details, please visit our website.
www.sappi.com

furniture
Nest Rest
Cocooning at its best
Thanks to its cosy, protective, organic
structure, NEST REST transforms your
typical garden sofa into a small
architectural piece - one that offers you a
secluded, suspended sanctuary as it gently rocks
you and puts you at ease like a warm embrace. It’s
the perfect place for relaxation, meditation and
open-air conversations.
Created by Fred Frety & Daniel Pouzet, two long
time collaborators of DEDON design partner, Jean-
Marie Massaud, NEST REST was inspired by the
shapes, textures and colours found in nature, and
by the sophisticated design of certain bird nests.
It is constructed out of a new, specially created
DEDON Fiber, four centimetres wide, guaranteeing
a sturdy and solid weave that is open, breathable
and private, allowing those sheltered within to look
out, while preventing outsiders from seeing in.
Built around an aluminium frame, NEST REST is
much lighter than one might initially assume,
weighing only 100kg. Available in both natural and
chalk colours, it easily integrates with the
surrounding environment and may be hung from
trees or from other available supports by use of a
specialized system of ropes.
42
OCTOBER 2012 //

furniture
Once installed, it creates what Frety and Pouzet describe
as a “secret hiding place” fit for a modern-day garden:
“An experience of nature and friendship and a perfect
expression of DEDON ’s open-air lifestyle.”
The interior contains a single, large mattress cushion,
luxuriously embellished and made even more
comfortable and inviting by an array of smaller cushions
strewn over the main one. A free-standing version of
NEST REST, equipped with a protective cover, is currently
being developed.
Colors: natural, chalk
Designer: Daniel Pouzet and Fred Frety
Models: Hanging lounger ø 200cm
Standing lounger ø 200cm
passionately creating excellence
TM
sales@villageonline.co.za
www.villagetimber.com

efurbishment
Second chances
UNISA Pietermaritzburg - Government House restoration
GVK-Siya Zama were appointed to carry out
extensive restorations to Government
House, a national Monument on UNISA`s
Pietermaritzburg campus. Works commenced in
November 2010 and are due to be completed by
December 2012.
Part of GVK-Siya Zama`s restoration brief was to
repair damaged floors and the underlying
structure. To this end, a comprehensive survey of
the building had to be undertaken to determine
the extent of the damage caused by general usage,
termites, damp and water ingress.
A row of floor boards had to be removed from
opposite sides of each room to create inspection
openings to examine the structure below. This in
itself created a challenge in that, in order to
release the boards, a saw cut had to be made along
the existing tongued or grooved joints. The board
size obviously reduced and additional strips of
timber had to be added to the boards before they
were replaced.
44
OCTOBER 2012 //

efurbishment
An unexpected problem which also arose was that with
past repairs of a similar nature, the damaged tongues of
the boards had been replaced with metal strips. Numerous
circular saw blades had to be used in order to cut through
metal lathes and special care had to be taken to prevent
sparks igniting the accompanying saw dust.
Once open, the Structural Engineer meticulously
inspected every face of each floor joist by using a mirror
and torch held through the formed openings. Instruction
was then issued on the repair method to be employed in
each individual case.
Where necessary, the floor boards were removed, retongued
and grooved and set aside for re-use. New
noggins were inserted and bolted between joists in the
existing structure to improve their structural integrity.
Where the original joists had been eaten away, new
76 x 228mm Balau joists were inserted alongside them
and bolted in position; a delicate operation, as in many
cases the original fragile pressed metal ceilings were still
attached below. All old conduit cut-outs were repaired
using Balau inserts epoxied in place.
Wherever the floors had been opened completely, cleats
were installed along the lower portion of the joists and
short lengths of recycled ceiling and floor boards were
placed above to accommodate a 50mm layer of grit
employed as a sound baffle. This system was used
originally in the building.
Floor boards were replaced, given two coats of sanding
sealer and then a liberal coating of wax.
In certain instances, where it was important to retain as
much of the existing material, damaged sections were cut
out and replacement yellow wood sections were finger
jointed in position by hand, with the hope that the new
timber will discolour and eventually blend into the
original structure.
To ensure that uncovered building relics such as an
underground masonry water storage cistern don’t go unnoticed,
trapdoors have been inserted to allow future
access to them. In other areas, removable panels of floor
were fabricated to allow access to services running under
floors.
The abovementioned repairs would not be complete
without a thorough termite eradication process. A detailed
survey of the entire building was carried out by the
appointed entomologists. A battle plan was drawn up,
which involved finding access ways through the structure
in order to spray, inject and soak the entire footprint of the
building to prevent further infestation. Treatments will be
repeated every five years as a preventative measure.
// OCTOBER 2012 45

advertorial

advertorial

furniture
The Shipwreck Furniture story
What started off as a passion for furniture and great original
design has, through a series of events, resulted in this unique
business of crafting one of a kind furniture pieces from the
remnants of shipwrecks salvaged from the bottom of the
ocean and landfill-sites.
How it all started
Nic Kruger, owner and founder of Shipwreck Furniture, who
has been involved in the construction and home
maintenance industry in Knysna for about eight years, has
always had an appreciation for great looking furniture and
good design. Nic says, “I have designed and built hundreds
of furniture pieces in my dreams over the years. Finally, I
stumbled upon the wreck of the Kunene and fell in love
with her timbers. I carted the bits off to my workshop in
Knysna without a specific plan and started cleaning the
multiple rusted nails out of the timber.”
The timber lay in Nic’s workshop for some time until finally
he had time to make his first item. ‘Table 1’ it was called for
the lack of a better title, but in no way did this simple
name detract from the character and warmth this table
exuded.
This is more or less how Shipwreck Furniture started and
now the company is busy setting the standard for great
looking, innovative furniture made in an environmentally
conscious manner, which is sent as far afield as the USA.
48
OCTOBER 2012 //

furniture
Rewarding challenges
Shipwreck Furniture uses timber exclusively from wrecks,
which in many ways dictates the size, shape and finish of
the final product. Originally, the wrecked boats were
chopped up with chainsaws and with little regard for
future use; the parameters for cutting were the size of the
dump-trucks that were used to transport the material to
its final resting ground at a landfill site.
"When people saw the
furniture, they asked if I could
make more, and so the orders
started coming in."
For this reason it is not possible to make very long tables
without joints, etc. Boats are also not square or box
shaped; it is their beautiful streamlined hulls that make it
possible for them to sail the oceans. Ultimately, there are
very few straight planks that come off these wrecks, a
challenge which makes working with a great raw material
such as timber even more rewarding.
The Shipwreck Furniture team is small at the moment, but
consistently delivers a great product. A lot of time is
spent extracting wrecks and turning the raw chunks into
usable raw material.
The wood is left with nail holes and some of the colourful
paint and curves found in timbers shaped for the boat
hulls. It is challenging to take an old boat apart that was
built to survive a life at sea. Shipwreck Furniture
therefore have a big budget for saw and planer blades
because of all the metal still prevalent in the timber. A
full time team member is involved in cleaning and
dismantling the wrecks. The metal bits incorporated in
some of the designs are leftovers from the wrecks.
Sea rescue
Most of the time, these old boats are bulldozed and
dumped once they are scrapped. The Shipwreck Furniture
team try to get there before this happens and are then
able to deconstruct the hulls in order to make better use
of the reclaimed timber.
So far, the Shipwreck Furniture team have managed to
save four boat wreckages that were all destined for
landfills and rubbish dumps. It is very rewarding and an
honour to turn the remains of these majestic old working
boats into quality furniture items that will last for years
to come.
Nic says, “We make our furniture with the same strength
and thoughtfulness that went into building the original
boats they once were. Anyone with information on old
derelict boats that are destined for the scrapheap can
feel free to contact us in this regard.”
For more information, contact Nic Kruger at 0732587800
// OCTOBER 2012 49

furniture
Knock on Wood
When two talented friends combined their individual fortes,
one for architecture and the other for furniture crafting, the
result was a furniture and decorative accessory range that
embraced not just their expertise, but also their passion for
product design using the endless possibilities of timber.
Georg van Gass’s design knowledge, combined
with Zander van Niekerk’s specialized furniture
manufacturing skills led to the inception of their
company, Goet.
After having been asked what it was that they do, Goerg
and Zander decided that the Afrikaans word for ‘stuff’
seemed a hugely appropriate response. The name
encompassed their infinite stream of ideas and diverse
offering, so Goet stuck.
The relationship between form and function clearly rings
true in this relationship, both in terms of the finished
product and in the teamed design process.
The natural combination of individual skills and innate
intuition results in aesthetically beautiful pieces that are
also totally functional.
“It’s very much a collaborative effort,” says Georg, adding,
“the lines are often blurred, though, between our more
defined individual roles and our experiences; we often
find ourselves swapping roles as designer and craftsman.”
With fun being a natural third ingredient to Goet’s design
ethos, it seems rather appropriate, in an industry
dominated by men, and refreshing that the real backbone
of the Goet brand is Georg’s wife Rhone.
50
OCTOBER 2012 //

furniture
As the third member of the team, she runs the helm with
an upbeat, yet firm touch, whilst her cool can-do attitude
aptly reflects the Goet brand.
Goet’s products combine ethically sourced timber, like
Ash, Jacaranda, Oak, Kiaat and Walnut. However, despite
their design heritage being firmly rooted in timber, there
is a playful combination of other materials in Goet’s
product offering, such as copper, stainless steel, glass,
fabric and duco paint finishes that render on-trend
products with an endless choice of finishes.
More recently the Goet team participated in Southern
Guild’s exhibition at the Everard Read Gallery in
Johannesburg. The exhibition embraces the very best of
South African design with a selection of celebrated local
designers carefully curated as participants.
Goet’s inspiration for their piece in the exhibition was an
ingenious combination of an old-school idea and cutting
edge design. The team created a bench that encourages
face-to-face interaction and debate, something that
modern technology and social media have almost
rendered archaic. The piece, entitled “Fallen
Conversation,” mimics a fallen tree into which they have
installed a laser cut steel bench and a hand embroidered
upholstered chair. The bench is a public meeting place
where people can exchange thoughts and ideas and
through this conversation the idea of “Ubuntu” is
explored. Quotes on the essence of Ubuntu from Nelson
Mandela and Desmond Tutu are laser cut into the steel
seat of the bench.
As the Geppetto of the local design scene, everyone is
poised to see what ingenious timber designs are next from
the Goet team.
www.goet.co.za
// OCTOBER 2012 51

furniture
Crafty
A furniture and décor company with a focus on upcycling,
Jasper & George specializes in transforming recycled
wooden pallets, which were originally used for shipping and
storage, into unique, versatile and affordable furniture.
Jasper & George is committed to designing and
producing clever furniture and storage solutions for
homes. One of the company’s latest creations is a
versatile craft table which does not only function as
a piece of furniture, but, with versatile matching crates,
also helps to organize the creative’s tools and stationery,
keeping the work area tidy. The crates are also compatible
with the Jasper & George kitchen bench.
The craft table, as well the crates, comes in a natural wood
finish or in bright colours. Customers can choose from the
available colour range or any bespoke colour.
As for all Jasper & George products only recycled pallet
wood and natural sealants are used. All products in the
natural wood finish are sealed with ProNature organic
sealants. For the painted furniture items only water based
paint is used. It is lead free and safe for the environment.
The paint is additionally treated with a protective layer of
water based, clear glaze.
Jasper & George can customize the sizes of all products
and also love working on custom made furniture.
Bench: 850mm(h) x 1200mm(w) x 540(d) - sizes may vary slightly according to the wood. Price R1300.
Crates: 210mm(h) x 450mm(w) x 320mm(d) - sizes may vary slightly according to the wood
The natural crates are R180 and the colourful crates are R220.
Please visit www.jasperandgeorge.blogspot.com for all available furniture and décor pieces.
52
OCTOBER 2012 //

news
As a responsible manufacturer,
sustainability remains of utmost
importance to Samuel Heath
Luxury need not cost the earth and the Samuel Heath believes you
can choose quality and style without compromising the planet.
Making high quality products is not just about
the end result, but about the process in which
products are made and Samuel Heath works
hard to minimise its impact and ensure the
highest levels of environmental accountability.
All of the company’s products are made in-house. From
design and tooling, to machining and electro-plating,
Samuel Heath has complete control over the quality of its
products and its manufacturing process at every stage.
Only the finest quality materials are used; 80 per cent of
the company’s raw materials and packaging are made from
80 per cent recycled materials. Energy consumption and
waste production within the factory are monitored
carefully and a comprehensive water recycling and brass
reprocessing programme ensures efficiency and
responsibility throughout.
It’s a process that consumers can trust and is the reason
that Samuel Heath is still able to produce some of the best
ironmongery in the world.
Samuel Heath products are available exclusively from
Handles Inc. Contact us for more information on
021 422 2322 or visit handlesinc.co.za.
// OCTOBER 2012 53

CIFOR
Men carve a furniture pattern in Jepara, Central Java, Indonesia. Murdani Usman for CIFOR.
Carving a new future
Jepara furniture industry bounces
back after global financial crisis
When mortgages in Nevada went sour in 2008, no one expected it to set
off a financial downward spiral that would affect industries as far away as
Jepara, Central Java. In a recent economic analysis, CIFOR scientists detail
just how every level of this export-furniture-making capital adjusted.
Words: Melati Kaye
One of the authors, Herry Purnomo, is head of
CIFOR’s Furniture Value Chain research project.
He urges two new strategies for the survival of
artisanal industries like Jepara’s. Suppliers need
to diversify their markets.
And governments should enact and enforce regulations to
certify that inputs – in this case teak logs – are legally and
sustainably sourced.
54
OCTOBER 2012 //

CIFOR
Jepara made its name as the go-to source for tropical
hardwood furniture in the 19th century when a local
noblewoman, Indonesian feminist icon, R.A. Kartini, sent
Queen Wilhelmina of Holland hand carved furniture as a
wedding gift.
However, only after the 1998 Asian economic meltdown
did Jepara take off as the international source for lowvalue
mahogany and teak furniture. Yet, just as foreign
markets allowed Jepara to soar above Indonesia’s
economic depression in the late 1990s, so its exportdependency
exposed it to the 2008 global downturn while
the rest of the country remained relatively immune.
CIFOR launched the Furniture Value Chain (FVC) project in
Jepara in 2008. The purpose of the project was to help
small producers acclimate to international markets that
they had entered after the 1998 Asian financial crisis.
Illegal logging and a weak rupiah in 1998 had created
prime circumstances for an export furniture market,
explained Purnomo. Although, in the early 2000s,
Indonesia’s economy stabilised and logging became more
controlled, many Jepara carvers had a hard time adjusting.
Competition in price from China, and competition in
quality from furniture manufacturers elsewhere in Java
created further hardships. But no sooner had the FVC
project started, than the global context changed. The
international market for Jepara carvings slowed as
consumers abroad cut back on spending. The incentive to
reforest decreased due to the decreased demand for wood
from the furniture industry. Yet, CIFOR research continued
to work with small-scale producers.
Now, in their latest paper, Purnomo and Fauzen profile
large, medium and small furniture producers in the wake
of the 2008 crisis. Interviewees ranged from a homebased
family of carpenters all the way up to a mechanised
factory with a payroll of 150 workers. The family business
hand-carved chairs for the domestic market, while the
mechanised plant produced “green furniture” for Western
markets, as certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) or the Verified Legal Origin (VLO).
When orders dried up in the economic downturn, Purnomo
and Fauzen found that women were the first to be booted
off the payroll. At every level of industry, businesses were
shifting to a domestic market or adjusting to slower and
fewer payments from foreign buyers. So producers cut
corners, eliminating “value-added” stages, starting with
the least skilled and lowest paid, such as sanding –
traditionally women’s work. Hardest hit by the crisis,
according to Purnomo, were the largest operations,
including those who had “gone green.” Their businesses
hinged on just a few big international wholesalers or
retailers, he explains, and “in that kind of hierarchical
value chain, there is no competition between buyers. They
set the price and suppliers just have to take it.”
“The only solution,” Purnomo says, “is for suppliers to
diversify their markets.” The domestic market could offer
a way out, judging from surveys that Purnomo has led,
which showed a sizeable proportion of Indonesian
consumers (16% of 408 people interviewed) would be
willing to pay nearly 20% higher for green certified
furniture – a “green” premium about on a par with English
consumers and twice as high as Norway’s, according to
recent research.
The problem, though, is that Indonesia lacks a domestic
certification mechanism comparable to the USA’s Lacey
Act or Europe’s Volunteer Partnership Agreement that
have made similar sustainability demands there law.
“Willingness to pay must come with law enforcement,”
says Purnomo. “For the domestic market, there is a
willingness to pay but there is no rule or law.” He
recognises that the case presents a catch-22 dilemma,
though: consumers won’t buy “green furniture” unless it’s
certified, but the government won’t set up a certifying
agency until there’s demonstrated consumer demand.
He expects that the dilemma will resolve itself as Jepara’s
furniture bounces back – wiser this time, he hopes, after
its post-2008 near-death experience.
Read more:
• Uncovering the complexity: An essay on the
benefits of the value chain approach to global
crisis studies-a case study from Jepara, Indonesia
by Fauzan A.U.; Purnomo, H.
• Women championing the preservation of an
invaluable cultural heritage by Nita Murjani
• New timber regulation to force companies away
from business-as-usual practices by Leoni Aurora
Published with permission from CIFOR.
For more information visit www.cifor.org.
// OCTOBER 2012 55

industry insight
Bad
building
practices
and how
to avoid
them
Every industry has its fly-by-nights; those so-called
entrepreneurs who believe it is their role in life to reinvent
the wheel, 'show everyone how it is done' and in the process
almost wreck an industry.
Words: Rosemary Rudd
The timber construction industry is no exception.
We too have had our share of fly-by-nights. Many
unscrupulous contractors who have taken money
from unsuspecting clients on the pretext of
funding the initial outlay of materials and often even
taking a second draw, only to disappear, never to be heard
from again. There are those who attempt to cut corners so
as to pocket a better profit and consequently their
structures collapse into a huge heap of giant matchsticks
in the first strong wind to hit the site.
A particular builder believed that the exterior cladding
would serve as sufficient bracing.
Furthermore, he had not braced his roof trusses either, and
his joist spacings were almost double those prescribed in
SANS 1082.
All contractors worth their salt know that cladding is not a
structural component and may not be regarded as bracing,
and that once the frame has been built, it must, as soon as
possible, be braced correctly (diagonally) and secured
tightly to the foundation or footing. Bracing (or sheathing)
is an engineering process that is used to impart great
stability and strength to a frame structure and should
never be compromised.
56
OCTOBER 2012 //

industry insight
Choosing the right builder
Having made the decision to extend your existing home,
or build a new timber frame home, it is vital to choose
the appropriate builder for a particular project. Your and
the builder’s personalities are important factors in the
equation and contracting with a builder should never
simply be a matter of the lowest price.
There are various ways of ascertaining
the right builder for the job:
• Ensure that you have a valid, signed contract prior to
commencement of any work. Whatever you do, read
this contract carefully to familiarise yourself with all
its contents and clauses before you actually sign it.
• Get quotations from other contractors before making
a final decision.
• Where possible, get the contractor to commit to a
start-up and completion date, bearing in mind
extenuating circumstances such as inclement weather
conditions, staff stay-away, etc.
• Ensure that the builder is fully aware of your
requirements and has an idea of the budget to which
he should work.
• Visit him at his office/workplace, even if he initially
called on you at your own home or offices.
• Ascertain that he is registered and/or enrolled with
the relevant controlling bodies.
• Visit as many of his most recent contract sites as you
can and carefully scrutinise his finishes and the
orderliness of his site. If his building site is untidy this
generally means a lack of supervision on site and you
should avoid using his services.
Building your own home:
No doubt there have been instances, perhaps even many
instances, where people have successfully built their
own homes. However, such instances have seldom, if
ever, been reported. What was reported were the
numerous cases where owner-built homes were
seriously defective and required rectification by
reputable, registered builders, often necessitating the
involvement of a structural engineer, Bank Valuators and
various quality controlling organisations and bodies in
the industry.
Owner-building is not recommended
and here's why:
• Rarely, if ever, will lending institutions grant a bond to
an owner-builder.
• Reputable builders are eligible for excellent trade
discounts from suppliers – something for which an
owner-builder is hardly likely to qualify.
• As an owner-builder it is unlikely that you would be
able to register with the relevant controlling bodies.
• There are many government requirements pertaining
to SANS standards that would have to be met to ensure
the habitability, durability and longevity of the
structure.
• The ramifications are vast when one considers the
need to insulate for sound, as well as thermal
properties, the fire aspect, aesthetics and general
safety of the structure before proceeding with the
construction. It can be, and often is, a huge financial
trap for the unwary.
Be guided by the experts and you won’t regret any of it.
• Ensure that all agreements, changes and variations
involving the build work are reduced to writing, so as
to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding.
• As the owner, expect to pay for changes and variations
before they are actually commenced, provided you
have agreed in advance to such costs as may apply.
• Remember that it is the owner’s responsibility to
monitor the progress and quality of all work
performed at each stage of the project. If you are not
confident of your ability to assess this, perhaps you
should engage the services of a bona fide project
manager or other suitable qualified person. Keep in
mind that these people will, of course, have to be paid
for their services and this naturally will increase the
cost of your project.
// OCTOBER 2012 57

woodex
WoodEX for Africa back
in 2013 for all the right reasons
Following the success of the inaugural WoodEX for Africa Exhibition
at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand in March this year,
WoodEX for Africa will be back - bigger and better - in 2013.
WoodEX for Africa 2012, the premier exhibition for
the timber industry in Africa, was received with
enthusiasm by exhibitors, conference delegates,
speakers and visitors, ensuring that this event will soon be
among the finest of its kind anywhere in the world.
Most of the trade visitors were CEOs/General Managers or
in Sales Marketing/Purchasing with 77% either making
the purchasing decision or influencing the purchasing
decision, confirming that exhibiting at WoodEX for Africa
makes perfect business sense.
Bookings for exhibition space at WoodEX for Africa 2013
are now open. The event will be held from 21 – 23 March
2013 and will again present a large indoor and outdoor
exhibition with demonstrations, as well as activities such
as Timber Games and Chain Saw competitions.
Stephan Jooste, Director of WoodEX for Africa, says
WoodEX for Africa is receiving a lot of interest from the
African and European wood industry. “The show has
established itself as the perfect platform for reaching
target customers, forging business relationships and
promoting the use of new technologies in Africa. We are
very excited about WoodEX for Africa 2013.”
WoodEX for Africa 2012 Visitor Profile
International visitors to WoodEX for Africa 2012 came
from Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Kenya,
Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Germany, United
Kingdom, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Sweden, India,
Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the United States
of America.
Local visitors came from Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-
Natal, Western Cape, Free State, Limpopo and North West.
Reaching the target audience:
Visitors to WoodEX for Africa 2012 indicated that they
visited the show because they received a direct invitation
from the exhibitors or organisers, resulting in targeted,
relevant visitors.
Visitors also heard about the show through word-ofmouth,
street posters, the print media, e-mail
communication and radio. Slightly more visitors were
trade focused compared to consumers.
58
OCTOBER 2012 //

woodex
Areas of Interest:
WoodEX for Africa visitors indicated that they are
particularly interested in:
Wood Materials, Machinery & Veneer Production 45%
Furniture Machinery & Production 42%
Wooden Arts & Crafts 34%
Solid Wood Working, Machinery & Production 31%
Timber Construction 22%
Related Services in the Timber Industry 17%
Forestry Industry & Forestry Technology 15%
Industrial Surface & Preservative Treatment Tech 10%
Main business activities:
The main business activities of visitors to WoodEX for
Africa 2012 varied from Furniture Manufacturers,
Contractors & Installers, DIY, Woodworking Companies,
Traders in Wood Products and Woodworking Material &
Consumables to Joinery Companies, Furniture Component
Manufacturers, Flooring Companies, Building Material
Suppliers & Dealers, Importers & Exporters of Timber and
Construction Companies.
Main reason for visit:
The majority of the WoodEX visitors indicated that they
were visiting WoodEX for Africa to evaluate new products
and technology and to network. Other reasons for visiting
the show included to find new suppliers, to find new
customers and to explore import/export opportunities.
WoodEX for Africa is supported by The Wood Foundation,
the South African Wood Preservers Association, the South
African Wood and Laminate Flooring Association, the
Institute for Timber Construction in South Africa, the
Institute for Timber Frame Builders, the Thatchers
Association of South Africa, the Furniture Bedding and
Upholstery Manufacturers Association, Forestry SA, the
Sawmilling Association of South Africa and the European
Federation for Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers.
For more information about WoodEX for Africa visit www.
woodexforafrica.com.
Optimising the Future
Donald Fuchs machinery
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// OCTOBER 2012 59

news
Lonza's Tanapole TM raises the bar
in wood preservation solutions
Overcoming the challenges of wood breakdown due to fungal
decay, termites and weathering can be achieved if the correct
wood preservation treatment is applied from the outset.
This is the message from Lonza Wood Protection, a
major supplier of wood preservation chemicals in
South Africa. Tanapole, Lonza’s recently launched
umbrella treated pole brand, offers three packaged
Tanalised wood preservative treatment options.
TanalisedC (CCA), Tanalised Weatherwood (CCA plus
a special water repellant) and TanalisedE (Copper Azole
treatment) collectively, under the Tanapole brand, meet
all the stringent requirements of wood preservation,
particularly in the agricultural, fencing and building pole
segments.
Why Wood Preservation Treatment?
Over time, wood suffers gradual physical and chemical
change. As an organic material, it can support the life of
other organisms, which, under certain conditions, leads to
its rapid breakdown. Poles need to be correctly treated to
protect against fungal decay (wood rot), woodborer and
termites. Used in the correct application, wood
preservation treatment provides reliable and long-term
protection and in doing so, the performance of wood
products is extended way beyond what nature intended.
60
OCTOBER 2012 //

news
Tanapole tm Treatment Process
All Tanapole products are treated with water-based
wood preservatives in a pressure cylinder under a highpressure
vacuum process. This method ensures that the
wood preservative penetrates and is retained within the
wood cell structure. Vacuum pressure methods are an
effective means of controlling preservative loading and
the depth of penetration. The wood is placed in a cylinder
(pressure vessel), which is then flooded under vacuum
pressure with Tanalith wood preservative. Hydraulic
pressure is applied until the correct amount of solution
has been impregnated into the wood.
The pressure vessel is then emptied of solution and a final
vacuum is drawn before the timber is withdrawn and
dried.
Some of the predominant characteristics that set
Tanapole products apart as a viable alternative option
are that the product is odourless, it does not leave an oily
residue, it does not need to be rotated during storage, its
low conductivity protects against current leakage and its
low corrosiveness makes it compatible with a wide range
of metal fittings.
(weathering causes swelling and shrinking from exposure
to wet and dry conditions and temperature changes, which
in turn results in cracking and greying). These poles are
used in Hazard Classes H2 (interior above ground), H3
(exterior above ground), H4 (exterior in the ground
contact) and H5 (in fresh water contact) applications.
Tanalised Weatherwood pressure treated poles are
best suited for demanding applications such as
agricultural fencing (especially under drip and flood
irrigation), utility poles and vineyard posts particularly in
hot and dry climates.
3) Tanalith E is produced from a copper and organic
Azole Biocide formulation. It is suitable for residential and
commercial applications found in Hazard Classes H2 (such
as roofing and framing timbers), H3 (such as thatching
poles and lathes, timber decking joists, bearers and boards
and external cladding and walkways), H4 (such as
playground equipment, fencing and decking posts and
landscaping material) and H5 (such as fresh water jetties,
retaining walls and vineyard posts).
Tanapole tm After Sales Support
Lonza’s longstanding commitment to offer ‘peace-of-mind’
after-sale assurance to its customers is carried through in
its Wood Preservative Treatment Guarantee Programme,
the first guarantee of its kind to be offered in South Africa.
The online registration process makes life simpler and
more convenient for customers to immediately register
their guarantee.
Tanapole tm Product Options
1) Tanalith C wood preservative is used across all Hazard
Classes and has a proven track record of being effective
against all wood destroying organisms by rendering the
treated wood fibre useless as a food source for fungi,
termites and woodborer. Applications are wide ranging
from roof trusses to thatch roof and lapa poles, to
walkways and decking, fencing, agricultural and vineyard
posts, trellises and utility poles.
2) Tanalised Weatherwood wood preservative treated
poles are treated with a combination of Tanalith C (CCA)
wood preservative and Weatherwood, a water repellent
additive that stabilises the moisture content within the
pole to reduce the impact of weathering and cracking
Tanapole products that are treated according to H2 and
H3 Hazard Classes are covered by a 25-year guarantee,
while Tanapole products treated H4, H4V (vineyards) and
H5 Hazard Classes are covered by a 15-year guarantee
against insect attack and fungal decay. All Tanapole
products are treated according to SANS 10005 - The
Preservative Treatment of Timber, and meet the product
SANS 457 product specifications for timber poles,
droppers, guardrail poles and spacing blocks for Pine
poles (SANS 457-2) and Eucalyptus poles (SANS 457-3).
Furthermore, Lonza is able to connect potential purchasers
of Tanapole wood preservative treated products with
treated pole supply channels. As a leader in wood
preservation treatment, Lonza is able to provide a full
technical client support to its Treaters that is backed by
superior technical expertise and a reputable ISO quality
standard rating.
For further information, visit the website at
www.tanapole.co.za.
// OCTOBER 2012 61

news
Lonza to keep the Tanapole TM flying high
Lonza Wood Protection has launched an exciting marketing
campaign aimed to keep Tanapole TM top of mind in the market
and the preferred choice in treated poles
Lonza’s new umbrella treated pole brand called
Tanapole is marketed with three Tanalised wood
preservative treatment options, namely TanalisedC
(CCA), Tanalised Weatherwood (CCA plus a special
water repellant) and new generation TanalisedE (Copper
Azole treatment).
“The Keep the Tanapole Flying High campaign is a first in
the South African wood preservation market and is geared
towards the agricultural, fencing and building pole
segments. Current market conditions have created a
window of opportunity for Tanapole products, as many
customers find themselves searching for alternative
options. The campaign is therefore aimed at providing an
education platform that draws attention to the benefits of
the Tanalised wood preservative treated products,” said
Gerard Busse, Marketing Manager, Lonza Wood Protection.
The launch ofthe campaign follows an overwhelmingly
positive response to Lonza’s recent Tanalised Pole
Seminar in Zimbabwe and the hosting of farmer awareness
evenings on treated poles with Kaap Agri and Outeniqua
Pale in well known vineyard areas, Robertson and
McGregor in the Western Cape. The farmers in these areas
expressed an interest in the Tanapole options and
product differences compared to other types of wood
preservative treatments.
The Tanalised Wood Preservative Guarantee Programme
was also well received by the farmers and stood testimony
to a wood preservative manufacturer being able to stand
by its product.
“The Keep the Tanapole Flying High campaign will
further grow this education platform through a unique, yet
fun ‘tongue-in-cheek’ digital animation by Tiaan
Tanapole, who has been created as the face of the
Tanapole brand. The campaign is further supported
through the utilisation of a wide variety of marketing tools
that include a dedicated website, social media and online
competitions for pole treaters, farmers, fencing
contractors and purchasers,” concluded Gerard Busse.
Some of the predominant characteristics that sets
Tanapole apart as a viable alternative option is that it is
odourless; it is cleaner to handle and does not leave an oily
residue on the hands and clothes of workers; the wood
preservative remains fixed in the wood structure and
therefore does not migrate and it also does not need to be
rotated during storage.
For more information about Tanapole and the Keep the
Tanapole Flying High campaign, please visit the website
at www.tanapole.co.za.
62
OCTOBER 2012 //

news
Clean Sweep for STIHL at Chainsaw
Speedcutting Race Meeting
STIHL once again made a clean sweep in the important Pro
Standard Class category at the Speedcutting Chainsaw Meeting
where STIHL racers captured the first three places using the
iconic STIHL MS440 chainsaw.
The event was at the Sunday Tribune Garden and Leisure Show in
Pietermaritzburg from 21 to 24 September 2012. The two
categories won by STIHL competitors were Pro Standard, Small
Modified, with the champion chainsaw of the day undoubtedly going to
the STIHL MS 440.
In the Standard category (for saws up to 73 cc), Michael Tosen of STIHL
dealer Sherenco Grassnyerdienste in Middelburg, Juan Pretorius and
Duncan Fryer, both of STIHL S.A., carried the day. Using a 70.7 cc STIHL MS
440, they won first, second and third respectively. Michael is current
holder of the all-time record in this category.
Michael Tosen of STIHL dealer Sherenco
Grassnyerdienste in Middelburg,
carried the day for STIHL coming first
in the Standard category at the 2012
Speedcutting Chainsaw Meeting held
recently at the Sunday Tribune Garden
and Leisure Show in Pietermaritzburg.
Michael is current holder of the all-time
record in this category.
Not resting on his laurels, Michael Tosen also came second in the Open
category using a STIHL MS 880.
Keeping up the Tosen and STIHL name, Shaun Tosen won the Small
Modified category, again with an MS 440.
During racing, each competitor has to start his chainsaw and cut three
discs of a log of 250 – 300 mm in diameter. The clock starts with the
chainsaw still on the ground, not running, and stops when the saw is back
on the ground.
To be the best of the best in this exhilarating sport requires exceptional
skill and the very best equipment. For the Tosens, Pretorius and Fryer, all
veteran racers, the choice of equipment was no contest.
“The STIHL MS 440 is well balanced with low vibrations and has an
excellent power-to-weight ratio. Weighing 6.3 kg, it delivers a power
output of 4 kW and great torque, for optimum power and speed. The
single control lever operating the choke, starting throttle lock and on-off
switch, is another plus,” says Michael Tosen.
Thank you
“STIHL South Africa would like to thank TH Timber Harvesting Oil and
timber sponsor, UCL, for their support,” says STIHL S.A. MD, Hayden
Hutton. “Their generosity made it possible to stage a great event.”
William Tosen, Michael Tosen’s father,
at a previous competition.
Anyone interested in chainsaw racing can contact STIHL on
info@stihl.co.za
// OCTOBER 2012 63

news
STIHL MD issues warning on fakes
The MD of STIHL SA, Hayden Hutton, has personally cautioned all South
Africans, especially those in the Gauteng region, to beware of criminals
posing as STIHL employees and selling counterfeit STIHL products.
A
spate of e-mail reports from Gauteng
residents in recent days have told similar
stories: a middle-aged man, posing as a
STIHL director from Germany, has approached
motorists and offered to sell them “STIHL”-
branded chainsaws from the back of his car.
One of the near-victims managed to take a
photograph of these chainsaws – and STIHL SA
has identified them as counterfeit goods.
“Counterfeit chainsaws resemble original STIHL
products, particularly because of their orange
and light-grey colour scheme, and sometimes
even carry forged ‘STIHL’ brand labels and STIHL
model designations,” Hutton says.
“People can be sure that no genuine STIHL
employee will ever sell our chainsaws from the
back of a vehicle on the side of the road. That is
simply not the way we do business,” Hutton
said.
He added – as a general warning – that
unrealistically low prices are almost always an
indication of forged, poor-quality, high-risk
power products.
STIHL sells its world-renowned products
exclusively through specialist dealers,
guaranteeing authenticity, technical service and
advice. Customers can be absolutely certain
they receive 100% STIHL quality and not cheap
copies.
Counterfeit, inferior quality chainsaws are a
worldwide problem, even in first-world
countries. In England, counterfeit chainsaw
hawkers have been arrested, while the German
CID has also been pursuing the matter.
Counterfeit chainsaws can resemble original STIHL products,
with their orange and light-grey colour scheme, and sometimes
even carry forged ‘STIHL’ brand labels and STIHL model
designations, but the genuine STIHL product (below in
photograph) will only ever be sold at authorised STIHL dealers.
STIHL’s network of authorised dealers stretches
throughout South Africa. Genuine STIHL
products come standard with a world-class and
dedicated backup service from these dealers. A
full list of these authorised dealers is available
on the STIHL website at www.stihl.co.za
64
OCTOBER 2012 //

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