Alex Goodfellow has been appointed as Chair of the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI), taking over from Roy Wakeman OBE, who is leaving the post after four years to spend more time on his other interests.
Under Wakeman’s stewardship the influence of the CTI as an advocacy group for timber has increased significantly, with All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries’ reports and events bringing industry and politicians together, strongly highlighting the status of timber as the material of the future.
The CTI is poised to help the UK Government make construction more sustainable and move towards a zero-carbon economy. Timber has a significant role to play in helping to decarbonise the structural fabric of new and existing homes, with every cubic metre of timber sequestering almost one tonne of carbon dioxide, and as a versatile material, it lends itself to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), which can help homes to be built quicker, and to higher quality.
“I have spent more than 55 years in the wood processing industry starting out as a lad tallying and measuring timber for Montague L Meyer in their Hull base,” said Wakeman. “In all that time I have not lost the passion nor drive for the material and I am pleased beyond doubt to see that at last we have moved the issue to the top of the agenda. I wish the organisation and colleagues every success in their quest for an even wider awareness of the unique advantages and selling points of the material in the construction, building, home improvement and consumer markets.”
Wakeman, who was awarded the OBE in 2012 for his services to the joinery industry, has been elected president of the British Woodworking Federation three times. He is also a Member of the Institute of Wood Science, a member of the Institute of Materials and Fellow of the RSA.
Stepping into the role is Alex Goodfellow, group managing director, strategic development, of Stewart Milne Group, who has previously served as a non-executive director of the CTI.
He has over 35-years’ experience of working within the housebuilding and offsite timber frame sector and has been with Stewart Milne Group for over 20 years, leading the UK-wide growth of th company’s timber systems business. He is also Chair of its strategy group, ensuring that its house-building business is future-ready by leading the product design and accelerated build strategies as the business maximises the use of MMC to deliver sustainable long-term growth.
Goodfellow is also a board member of the Structural Timber Association, having previously served as chair, and director of Offsite Solutions Scotland, an organisation established to grow offsite manufacture across the UK and internationally. His industry influence allows him to build innovative and collaborative relationships with many UK housebuilders and other industry influencers in the drive to ensure offsite timber manufacturing continues to provide an effective MMC solution to the housing crisis.
Goodfellow said: “I look forward to driving forward the mission of the CTI and placing timber at the centre of a sustainable, vibrant and prosperous modern UK economy. It is more important than ever we work collaboratively to promote and protect the markets for, and interests of, timber and timber products and systems. Building in timber is a form of carbon capture and storage and is essential to decarbonising construction. To make this happen we have a full calendar of engagements, political advocacy, market research, policy reports, and other events in the year ahead. Our many thanks to Roy for his hard work over the last four years to advance the interest of timber, and helping to secure a better, stronger future for our industry.”
The CTI is relaunching the APPG for the Timber Industries, with the inaugural Annual General Meeting coming up on Monday 28 June, together with a new #NetZeroNow campaign highlighting how timber can help the UK Government deliver on its economic, employment, housing, and climate targets now.
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