This would be the first large scale CLT production facility in the UK

A Scottish construction firm is investing £4.2m in a ‘massive’ timber production plant following university research. Lanarkshire-based construction firm CCG has bought a new 122 000 sq ft plant to make cross laminated timber (CLT). More commonly known as ‘massive’ timber, it is an exceptionally strong building material which can be used in commercial and residential structures.

The bold move came on the back of research undertaken by the university’s Institute for Sustainable Construction, which looked at the feasibility of the plant, assessed market demand and conducted timber engineering research for CCG. The work was led by Dr Robert Hairstans, Head of the Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures (COCIS) and was co-funded by Scottish Enterprise.

He said: “Currently the UK primarily imports CLT and this would be the first large scale CLT production facility in the UK, which many architects and engineers have hoped to see. The next step will hopefully be the integration of home-grown timber into the facility, which our research has shown is technically feasible once supply chain issues are resolved. And if that happens, it will be a significant boost to the Scottish and UK economies.”

The earlier applied industry research was supported via the Wood Product and Low Carbon Innovation Gateways which the University managed from 2009-2013.

The more recent research work into CLT production pooled academic expertise from across the Institute for Sustainable Construction, including The Wood Studio, Centre for Wood Science and Technologies and the Building Performance Centre.
CLT itself consists of multiple layers of lumber oriented at right angles to one another and then glued to make wood panels with exceptional strength and rigidity.
 
Dr Hairstans added: “This application of research work into commercial practice is what innovation is all about. The research fellow working on the project David Crawford, an Edinburgh Napier Timber Engineering masters student, has also had his career fast tracked gaining huge experience from the process.”

Source: Edinburgh Napier University (Edited)