This year has been one of steady growth and a maturing market in the joinery and woodworking industry, says Iain McIlwee, chief executive of the BWF.
Member firms may range from the very largest multinational companies to the smallest workshop-based businesses but they all have many issues in common, and with membership retention levels at a record high this year, it appears that the Federation is proving its relevance and value to all.
“Our focus is all about helping members trade more profitably,” Iain says. “That’s not always easy when we are facing so many policy and legislative burdens, and increasing costs of running a business. But we know by providing the right legal and business advice, technical support, and strong promotion for the quality work our members do, we can help save money and to offset the impact of these things. We also go into battle to fight for the industry’s needs whenever it is required.”
For the General Election earlier this year, the BWF published ‘Woodworking in the UK’, a summary of the industry’s most pressing demands on the new Government. This document formed the bedrock of an intense lobbying campaign that also helped introduce many MPs and parliamentary candidates to the local joinery firms in their constituencies and led to a number of very influential meetings when MPs came to visit those firms.
“One of the most rewarding activities this year has been seeing such increased levels of engagement with our members with our lobbying and campaigning work,” says Iain McIlwee.
“And the reaction of the politicians has been extraordinary. We’re not what they expect – that’s the comment I keep hearing. The joinery and woodworking industry surprises and delights, because we can demonstrate such importance to the local and national economy. We must keep that awareness growing through 2016.”
Regulation is, as always, a huge issue for the joinery industry and this year saw the BWF providing support and advice to members on the implementation of Part Q, the new security requirements in the Building Regulations, as well as on the CE Marking of internal and fire doorsets, plus the issues created by the new Consumer Rights Act and Alternate Dispute Resolution rules in October.
These led to a new range of factsheets, simple guides and template documents to set out how the new rules might be applied practically to your business and products.
During 2015, BWF took hundreds of calls to assist member firms on technical, health & safety, employment and legal matters through the helplines, with 70 companies now pledging a commitment to Health & Safety Hero campaign. The campaign covers topics such as wood dust, machine training, manual handling and offers short videos which members can show to their staff, presentations they can adapt to their own company's health & safety processes and safety essential checklists that can be given to each member of staff.
BWF was active throughout October’s UK Construction Week, promoting the BWF Stair Scheme Installation Guide, demonstrating the common problems with fire doors and the new best practice guide and showcasing timber windows. The BWF’s commitment to promoting skills and training in the industry also resulted in the launch of a new online training academy at the event, and more than 200 registered users in the first year of its new Continuing Professional Development scheme. Other highlights of the year included the BWF’s strategic alliances with the Structural Timber Association (pictured at the launch at UKCW) and the National Association of Shopfitters – initiatives which will significantly increase the promotion and voice of the wood products industry.
Nearer the end of the year, BWF held its Annual Dinner & Awards 2015, hosted by BBC business and economics journalist Declan Curry, at the Law Society in Chancery Lane. With a record number of entries, the judges had to choose between a number of ingenious innovations and outstanding examples of personal and business excellence. Houghtons of York Ltd won the longest standing award, the Technical Excellence and Innovation Award (kindly sponsored by Accoya) for a landmark second consecutive year and the event was a fine opportunity to showcase some of the most gifted businesses and individuals in our industry.
The BWF received its own awards over the course of the year for its membership success and its social media activities (see right). Hannah Mansell, the dynamic new manager of the Federation’s various schemes, was shortlisted as the most influential woman in fire safety in her first year leading the Fire Door Safety Week campaign.
Nice though these accolades are though, BWF’s ambitions are set even higher for 2016. “Next year is all about leadership,” Iain says. “We have to build our position around skills and apprenticeships, and do more to bring more new talent into our industry.”
The BWF is focusing on the future needs of its membership, not just the immediate issues on the doorstep, he explains.
“From BIM, to environmental performance, to new markets for our members’ products – our eyes are on the lucrative opportunities ahead, so that every woodworking firm in the UK can be at the front of the queue. That’s the best Christmas gift and New Year’s resolution we can give to the industry.”
