West Fraser Welcomes Top Industry Bodies To Inverness Plant

Two of the timber industry’s leading bodies – the STA (Structural Timber Association) and the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) – 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 workers and was the first facility in Europe to manufacture OSB, a panel product used in a wide range of applications, including construction materials, furniture, packaging, and art installations. Today, the site, when combined with the Genk site in Belgium, forms the largest OSB production operation in Europe.

The Inverness plant is also the first OSB plant in Europe to receive the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation, recognising its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. In addition, the plant has benefited from sustained investment over the past 40 years, including a £95m expansion back in 2018 to install a new manufacturing line and increase production capacity.

Daniel Clarke explains more about the visit,” West Fraser’s collaboration with the Structural Timber Association (STA) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) represents an important alignment with the most respected authorities in timber construction and responsible forestry. We offer both PEFC & FSC OSB to this sector. These partnerships strengthen West Fraser’s credibility, support its leadership position, and directly contribute to continued learning in a market where performance, compliance, and sustainability are increasingly decisive."

"Partnering with the FSC and STA helps West Fraser demonstrate stewardship of natural resources, reinforce our carbon negative position. align with evolving Scope 3 reporting requirements, support clients’ ESG/sustainability and life-cycle supply-chain commitments and meet regulatory expectations around traceability and responsible sourcing.”

Timber frame offers compelling advantages for housebuilders, particularly around speed, cost control, and performance. The Structural frame is erected quickly, reducing time on site and panels can be manufactured off-site while groundworks are being completed, allowing parallel workstreams and of course, a faster build. Earlier sales handover improves cash flow while fewer wet trades (less brickwork, concrete, plaster) means less weather dependency and often, fewer delays.

Timber frame is increasingly attractive as regulations tighten toward Future Homes Standard targets and, of course, timber is a renewable material with a low embodied carbon footprint compared to masonry, so these are just a few benefits that housebuilders are embracing. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/