top of page

your daily building industry bulletin


Apex Timber Frame Champions SterlingOSB Zero Across High‑performance Timber And SIPs Projects
A recent project in Surrey showcased Apex’s full design‑to‑install capability: a SIPS timber frame system supplied and installed for a developer constructing two new‑build, single‑storey, five‑bedroom homes. Designed to achieve excellent insulation performance and airtightness, all SIP panels were fully designed, engineered, and manufactured in‑house by Apex. As with all Apex timber frame builds, SterlingOSB Zero was used extensively to sheath the external wall panels, contri


West Fraser Quantifies The Climate Benefits Of Choosing Timber In Building Design
West Fraser’s 2025 Sustainability Report is bringing new clarity to the role timber can play in reducing the climate impact of buildings, revealing that the use of wood products helped avoid an estimated 19.8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions in 2025. The figure comes from the company’s latest analysis of “displacement”, the measurable emissions avoided when timber is used instead of more carbon-intensive materials such as steel and concrete. Photograph courtesy of U


Strength, Consistency And Versatility From CaberMDF
In the world of high-performance panel products that deliver reliability, consistency, and versatility on every project, CaberMDF from West Fraser continues to stand out as a trusted solution, offering exceptional versatility for both structural and decorative uses. Engineered to exacting standards, CaberMDF combines durability with a smooth, uniform surface finish, making it suitable for all sorts of projects – from carpentry and interior finishing to commercial fit-outs. Ph


What England Can Learn From Scotland’s Housebuilding Industry
Drive north across the border and something quietly different begins to reveal itself in how homes are built. It’s not immediately obvious in the streetscape, but beneath the surface Scotland has, over time, reshaped the fundamentals of housing delivery - how homes are constructed, who builds them, and how confidently the system moves toward its targets. At a moment when England’s construction sector is grappling with the dual pressures of scale and sustainability, Scotland’s


Designing Homes That Perform For The Long-Term - And The Role Of Engineered Wood Panels
Designing homes that perform for the long-term means creating dwellings that are durable, energy-efficient, comfortable, adaptable, and environmentally responsible throughout their entire lifespan, not just when they are first built. West Fraser’s consistent goal is to design and manufacture panel products that meet customer’s (trade and consumer) needs, minimise running and maintenance costs, and reduce environmental impact over many decades. A key way this is achieved is th


West Fraser Publishes 2025 Sustainability Report
West Fraser’s new Sustainability Report showcases the company’s performance in 2025 across a variety of environmental, social, and governance goals and disclosed targets. “Our 2025 Sustainability Report, Building Foundations for the Future, reflects our commitment to transparency and responsible operations - highlighting our progress while identifying priority areas for further action to enhance our ability to succeed in a rapidly changing world” - Sean McLaren, President and


West Fraser Celebrates International Women In Engineering Day 2026
NWED gives women engineers around the world a profile when they are still hugely under-represented, with 2021 figures indicating that in the UK only 16.5% of engineers are women. As the only platform of its kind, it plays a vital role in encouraging more young women and girls to take up engineering careers. Agnes Woo, Graduate Engineer at West Fraser On the 23 June for the past thirteen years, the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) celebrates the outstanding achie


Embodied Carbon Is Becoming The Next Major Challenge For Housebuilders
Simon Woods, European Sales, Marketing and Logistics Director, West Fraser, explains Embodied carbon is not yet a legal requirement for most UK housing, but it is fast becoming unavoidable. For housebuilders, it is shaping up as the next major structural challenge after energy efficiency, with implications for design standards, material supply, planning consent, and investor credibility. Many large housebuilders are already preparing because early movers, as always, will find


West Fraser Products – The Natural Choice For MMC
Offsite construction has moved from niche curiosity in the 1990’s to mainstream necessity today as the industry is being reshaped by the demand for faster build times, higher energy performance, and precision‑engineered components. This shift places Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) at the centre of the transformation - driving manufacturers, developers and material suppliers to rethink how homes are designed, manufactured and assembled. Against this backdrop, products tha


West Fraser And Kirkwood Timber Frame Strengthen Partnership To Support UK Offsite Construction Growth
A strong and reliable supply chain is essential to the continued growth of offsite construction in the UK, and the collaboration between West Fraser and Kirkwood Timber Frame Ltd is a clear example of how aligned partnerships are helping to deliver high-quality timber buildings at scale. Founded in August 2021, Kirkwood Timber Frame has quickly established itself as a dynamic manufacturer of open and closed panel timber frame systems, supplying projects across Scotland, the H


West Fraser Welcomes Top Industry Bodies To Inverness Plant
Two of the timber industry’s leading bodies – the STA (Structural Timber Association) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) – visited West Fraser in Inverness recently to see for themselves the impressive SterlingOSB Zero manufacturing process in action. Daniel Clarke, Senior Key Account Manager at West Fraser Celebrating four decades of producing SterlingOSB board products, now the SterlingOSB Zero portfolio, the Inverness plant employs 140 work


West Fraser Champions Carbon-Negative Production In Support Of World Environment Day 2026
“Since our founding 70 years ago, West Fraser has recognised its responsibility to the environment and society, while delivering solid financial performance. Guided by our values and leveraging strategic partnerships, we aim to integrate sustainability across all aspects of our business.” - A full copy of West Fraser's carbon negative fact sheet can be downloaded here. West Fraser’s UK operations are officially verified as carbon negative, demonstrating industry leadership at


SterlingOSB Zero, The Versatile Panel Solution For UK Builders
As UK builders face growing pressure to balance performance, cost-efficiency, and environmental responsibility, SterlingOSB Zero provides a practical and adaptable solution. Its ability to perform across multiple applications means it can often replace several different panel types within a single project, simplifying procurement and ensuring greater consistency across the build. West Fraser 's SterlingOSB Zero is a high-performance, sustainable panel solution that meets the


Wards Builders And Developers Specify CaberShield ECO For New Townhouses
West Fraser has introduced CaberShield ECO, an eco‑friendly flooring solution engineered to meet the practical demands of residential, commercial and refurbishment construction. Providing a high‑performance, waterproof floor during the build phase, CaberShield ECO creates a slip‑resistant working platform while protecting floors below from the elements. BBA certified for up to 60 days’ weather exposure, the system combines CaberFloor P5 with a factory‑applied, solvent‑free, U


West Fraser’s CaberDek Protects Essex Housing Development
West Fraser’s CaberDek structural flooring has been specified by Essex‑based housebuilder Bocking Homes on a 10‑home residential scheme, helping to protect floor quality during construction while supporting programme efficiency and high standards at handover. Founded in 2017, Bocking Homes is a privately-owned, SME housebuilder delivering small to mid‑scale residential developments across Essex. The business focuses on creating high‑quality family homes, with robust construct


West Fraser Raises £10k Towards Hospice Charity’s New Community Van
West Fraser has donated £10k to neighbouring care charity Strathcarron Hospice in Denny, Falkirk for a new community van, allowing the team to provide further care across central Scotland. The funds raised by employees and the team at West Fraser have helped the charity purchase the new, specially adapted community care van, which will support it in bringing hospice care and important conversations directly into local and more rural communities across Forth Valley, Cumbernaul


West Fraser Products Reinforce Construction Safety Week 2026 Message
As the industry unites for Construction Safety Week 2026 (4 - 8 May), West Fraser – the UK’s leading manufacturer of engineered wood-based panel products – is highlighting how its carefully designed solutions help contractors, developers and housebuilders advance the week’s core mission: putting safety first, every day. From reducing slips and falls to improving the stability and durability of working platforms, West Fraser’s portfolio - including SterlingOSB Zero T&G, CaberD


West Fraser Celebrates The 2026 National Year Of Reading Through RIBAJ Storyboard Competition
West Fraser is proud to support the 2026 National Year of Reading, a major Department for Education initiative delivered with the National Literacy Trust, aimed at reversing the decline in reading enjoyment and inspiring audiences of all ages to “Go All In” on reading throughout the year. The national campaign seeks to reconnect people with the joy of reading through schools, libraries, community events and partnerships across the UK. As reading for pleasure reaches its lowes


Introducing The Sales Team That’s A Cut Above
2026 sees West Fraser enhancing its sales team; now it comprises Dom West, sales director UK and Ireland; Nigel Morris, national sales manager; Daniel Clarke and Daniel Andrew, senior key account managers; Mark Lewis-Ranwell, Sarah Burmingham, and Mercedes Scott, key account managers; Andy Byer, Miso Petrovich, Demetrios de Freitas, Emma Burton, and Lauren Cooper, business development managers. Nigel Morris, West Fraser’s National Sales Manager West Fraser’s National Sales M


West Fraser Marks Earth Day 2026 With Industry Leading Action On Forest Protection, Transparency, And Net Zero Progress
As Earth Day 2026 calls on governments and businesses worldwide to take bolder action to protect forests and the climate, West Fraser is highlighting the major advances the company has made in strengthening due diligence, enhancing supply chain transparency, and accelerating its journey toward net zero in the UK. Kevin Thomas, Wood Manager at West Fraser As one of the world’s largest producers of timber panel products, and long recognised as a leader in FSC® certification,


Rocking CaberAcoustic For A Quiet life
Favoured by specifiers who need to consider solutions to noise pollution in today’s busy, building world, CaberAcoustic from West Fraser is a versatile, economical sound-reducing flooring system which reduces both impact and airborne transmitted sounds. It can be laid over concrete and timber floors and is available in 18mm and 22mm thicknesses. Photo courtesy of Unsplash Recommended to be laid and fitted with D3 PVA glue in the tongue and groove joints, CaberAcoustic achi
bottom of page