FTMA Australia

07/09/2026

Study Tour 2026: England & Sweden - Industrialised Construction & Advanced Manufacturing.

Fancy seeing the future of offsite construction up close? FTMA Supplier Member Randek is running an exclusive study tour this November, taking participants through leading factories and job sites across England and Sweden.

Highlights include:

· Vertically integrated builders with their own panelised manufacturing

· Robotic and automated production lines for walls, floors and roofs

· Modular construction using prefabricated wall, floor and ceiling elements

· The Randek Open House in Sweden, showcasing the latest robotic wall frame and truss systems

· A look at hsbcad-driven BIM workflows powering automated manufacturing.

11–18 November 2026 (tour can be completed in as little as 12 days).

Expressions of interest have been extended to Wednesday, 9 September - places are limited, get in touch: [email protected]

Read the full details here: https://lnkd.in/gb2cU_mx

06/09/2026

Timber Framing is Proven in Termite-Prone Areas.

It's Week 6 of Let's Put Timber Back in the Conversation.

Think termites mean you should choose steel over timber? The NCC tells a different story.

For termite risk management, appropriately preservative-treated timber and steel are both recognised as materials not subject to termite attack. That means treated timber framing is a recognised solution for building in termite-prone areas, backed by established building requirements and proven products.

It’s time to replace old perceptions with the facts.

With proven timber treatments, established building standards and effective termite management systems, timber framing is a proven solution for Australia's termite-prone regions.

Together with WoodSolutions, we're sharing practical timber talking points the industry can confidently share. Reshare this post or explore more free timber framing conversation starters on the WoodSolutions website - we’re helping put timber back in the conversation.

04/09/2026

A huge day out and about for FTMA! 🌲 Yesterday the team split time between the Bowens • Timber & Hardware Supplies Expo and the Offsite 2026 prefabAUS Conference - and one message came through loud and clear at both: the future of Australian building is a team effort. At Bowens, the FTMA stand was buzzing with builders, carpenters, researchers and partners - all keen to talk timber. We shared how the average timber-framed home stores approx. 10 tonnes of CO2 for life, grows back in just 150 seconds, and why offsite prefabrication can save up to 70% of labour hours. Kersten Gentle, Kat Welsh, and FTMA Intern Jonathan Rivron had an epic day!
At Offsite 2026, Rhianna Robinson represented FTMA where the theme was collaboration - building Australia's future is a systems approach. Workshops covered the ABCB's National Voluntary Certification Scheme for Manufacturers of Modern Methods of Construction, and the National Building Products Coalition (FTMA is a proud contributor). Andrew Dunn from the Timber Development Association also spoke on the Future Framing Initiative, and the push for a deemed-to-satisfy pathway for lightweight timber frames up to 15m. Two events, one takeaway: when industry comes together, timber leads the way. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our stand, joined a workshop, and champions timber and innovation.

31/08/2026

FTMA News August is out now! 📰

This month's edition brings you the latest from across the frame and truss industry - here's what's inside:

🔹 Board & Partners Meeting - a wrap-up of the recent gathering, including key updates on where the association is headed.
🔹 Principal Partner Spotlight: MiTek Australia Ltd. - find out how MiTek are investing in technology, people, and capability to support the industry's future.
🔹 **NEW COLUMN: Industry Soapbox** - Taylor kicks things off with "Best of Times, Worst of Times: The Truss Industry's Dickensian Moments." A must-read.
🔹 Strategic Partner Meyer Timber highlights Meybrace technology and how they’re solving the bracing problem.
🔹 Supporting Partner A Grade put their stud screws to the test, how did they hold up?

FTMA are running a Winter competition! Go in the draw for a Carbon Warrior clothing pack.
Regular columns and much more… Twenty Nine Ideas

Read the full issue here 👉 https://mailchi.mp/95c6d56ac971/i1496p20p2-14194404

30/08/2026

Industrialised construction is transforming the way we build, but what does adoption look like in practice?

Join us for an afternoon exploring practical and scalable pathways to industrialised construction, from incremental improvements in design, planning and manufacturing through to advanced automation and robotics.

Hear from experts in digital design, frame and truss manufacturing, and construction automation, including Frank Davern of hsbcad , Kersten Gentle of FTMA Australia , and Ola Skoglund, of Randek, as they share insights on improving productivity, quality and efficiency through manufacturing-led approaches.

📅 4 September 2026
🕐 1:45 pm - 4:10 pm
📍 MBAV House, 332 Albert Street, East Melbourne

Peruse the agenda and register now: www.mbav.com.au/events/practical-pathways-to-industrialised-construction-forum/

30/08/2026

This Friday FTMA Australia CEO, Kersten Gentle will be speaking at the Practical Pathways to Industrialised Construction event in Melbourne, hosted by Built Offsite: Australian Prefab & Offsite Construction News Offsite and Master Builders Association of Victoria.

Kersten will be talking about something our frame and truss sector knows a fair bit about, prefabrication, and the important role our industry can play as Australia moves further towards industrialised construction.

Kersten is looking forward to joining Frank Davern from hsbcad and international keynote speaker Ola Skoglund from Randek for what should be a really practical discussion about where construction is heading and, importantly, how we get there.

There are still tickets available, and at only $20 it’s a great opportunity to come along, hear from the speakers and join the conversation.

Friday 4 September | 1.45pm to 4.10pm | Master Builders Victoria, East Melbourne

Tickets and more information are in the article below.

https://builtoffsite.com.au/news/practical-pathways-to-industrialised-construction-on-show-in-melbourne/

Industrialised construction is transforming the way we build, but what does adoption look like in practice?

Join us for an afternoon exploring practical and scalable pathways to industrialised construction, from incremental improvements in design, planning and manufacturing through to advanced automation and robotics.

Hear from experts in digital design, frame and truss manufacturing, and construction automation, including Frank Davern of hsbcad , Kersten Gentle of FTMA Australia , and Ola Skoglund, of Randek, as they share insights on improving productivity, quality and efficiency through manufacturing-led approaches.

📅 4 September 2026
🕐 1:45 pm - 4:10 pm
📍 MBAV House, 332 Albert Street, East Melbourne

Peruse the agenda and register now: www.mbav.com.au/events/practical-pathways-to-industrialised-construction-forum/

30/08/2026

It’s Week 5 – Let’s Put Timber Back in the Conversation!

🌲 Timber Supports Thermal Performance

Good thermal performance begins with material choice.

Timber's natural insulating properties help maintain comfortable indoor temperatures, reducing the need for heating and cooling. That means lower energy use over the life of the building - good for occupants, and good for the planet.

For the frame and truss sector, this is more than a talking point - it's a specification advantage. Timber-framed homes benefit from timber's low thermal conductivity compared to alternatives.
For manufacturers, this translates into a genuine value proposition when working with builders and designers: specifying timber frame and truss systems isn't just a structural decision, it's an energy-performance one - helping homes meet increasingly stringent thermal performance requirements under the National Construction Code. By maintaining consistent thermal efficiency across the life of the home, timber framed construction supports lower environmental impact (less emissions and demands of power to heat and cool the property throughout its life), while keeping homes more comfortable and affordable to heat and cool for the homeowner.

Together with WoodSolutions we're helping industry talk about timber with confidence.
Help put timber back in the conversation - share this post. 🔁

27/08/2026

Yesterday, we welcomed every single FTMA Board member and so many of our valued partners to Melbourne for our 2026 Board and Partners Meeting - and what a day it was.

It was a genuine privilege to bring our community together under one roof and share everything FTMA has been doing to deliver value for our members, and the sector.

We covered a lot of ground: our research and development initiatives, our marketing and communications work, and the growing impact of our National Safety Council services - all underpinned by strong financial performance that positions FTMA for continued growth. It was a valued opportunity for all the FTMA team, to present on their roles and FTMA projects/deliverables.

But the real highlight was the room itself. Having our partners and Board side by side gave us the chance to open up a genuine dialogue - to share our progress, hear their feedback, suggestions, insights, and strengthen the relationships that make our work possible, for future trajectory and growth.

Moments like these are a reminder of what we always say: we are stronger together. The frame and truss manufacturing sector thrives when industry, partners, and association work hand in hand - and yesterday was a great example of that collaboration in action.

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us in Melbourne. Here's to building on this momentum. Programmed Timber First Super Tilling Timber Hyne Timber Combilift Australia Vida Wood Australia, Multinail, MiTek Australia Ltd. Stora Enso Meyer Timber Pryda Australia Agrade Fasteners, Vekta Automation, toom Baumarkt Hundegger Australasia, cadwork

25/08/2026

Did You See the Webinar with Programmed Timber?

Do you actually know what it costs to cut your truss components - or just what the timber costs?

That was the question Programmed Timber put to the industry at the 2026 FTMA Conference & Trade Expo, and it's one worth sitting with. Most manufacturers track timber input cost closely, but the full picture - operator labour, equipment amortisation, waste disposal and waste percentage - rarely gets brought together in one number. That gap is often where margin quietly disappears.

Their production economics model made the case sharply: “in one modelled scenario, simply matching material specification to component demand (same saw, same shift hours) generated a daily cost advantage of $3,117 - over $748,000 a year, and more than $11.2 million across a 15-year saw life.”

The bigger question it raises for our industry: how much internal processing is happening by habit rather than by design, and what would it look like to simplify before automating?

Following the below article, FTMA and Programmed Timber got together a couple of weeks ago for an industry webinar on this exact modelling. Didn’t catch it? Every manufacturer should take a look...

🎥 Watch the full webinar and see the numbers for yourself https://www.ftmanews.com/index.cfm?module=news&pagemode=indiv&page_id=5951772

23/08/2026

Week 4 - Let's Put Timber Back in the Conversation.

Timber is Built to Last 🏡

Performance is measured over the life of a building. When properly designed, built and maintained, timber-framed buildings can achieve a service life of at least 50 years, continuing to perform for generations.

For frame and truss manufacturers, that long-term performance starts well before a frame arrives on site. Precision design, engineering and manufacturing all contribute to structural timber systems that are made to perform reliably throughout the life of a building.

Australia's frame and truss sector combines timber's proven performance with increasingly sophisticated manufacturing technology and expertise. It means the homes we're framing today aren't simply about meeting Australia's immediate housing needs - they're about creating quality, enduring homes that can serve Australian families and communities for generations.

This is Week 4 of 14 – Let's Put Timber Back in the Conversation, helping our industry share a consistent message about why timber remains such an important building material for Australia's future.


Together with WoodSolutions, we're equipping the built environment with simple, credible talking points about timber.

Reshare this post or download more free timber framing resources from WoodSolutions to share with your network.