FWPA SMAC Update: February 2026
The clear highlight of February was the SMAC CEO Roundtable, which brought industry leaders together to step back from day-to-day pressures, connect with peers and have open, practical conversations about where the softwood sector is heading.
SMAC CEO Roundtable
The two-day workshop produced a clear Purpose and Vision for SMAC, along with agreement on the four highest-priority research themes and problem areas for the industry. This outcome gives FWPA a strong mandate to focus investment where it matters most and ensure its work continues to directly support softwood manufacturers.
A follow-up meeting to advance the outcomes will be arranged ahead of the next SMAC Meeting on 15-16 April (location TBC).
Guest speaker Pete Bounsall, GM Strategic Procurement at Stockland, delivered a number of sharp insights for the industry:
Developers are no longer just looking for materials. They want fully engineered systems that slot into early design, reduce on-site risk and time, and come backed by solid performance data.
Supply certainty matters as much as price. Softwood demand will continue to grow, and the businesses that win will be those that can offer certainty of supply, price and performance.
The most critical point: material choices are increasingly made at the feasibility stage, months before procurement begins. If the timber industry wants to influence decisions, it needs to be present early in conversations with designers, estimators, engineers and cost planners. When timber enters late, it loses. When it enters early, it competes extremely well.
Industry Health Check
Dr Erick Hansnata’s February analysis covers two important data points. Australia’s imports of prefabricated and modular buildings reached a record AUD$326.4 million in the year ended November 2025. At the same time, imports of major reconstituted board products including particleboard, MDF and OSB declined year-on-year, despite improvements in the main end-product market of housing.
A webinar covering the BlueScope Steel 1H FY2026 Financial Results Investor Presentation is also available to watch.
Research and Development
A new Emissions Knowledge Gap Analysis for the forest and wood products sector has been released. Funded by the Carbon Farming Outreach Program and conducted by Indufor in consultation with industry, research organisations and rural R&D Corporations, this report is an important resource for the sector.
The National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life has published updates on end-of-life pathways for treated timber from vineyards, with potential disposal cost savings of up to $3,000 per hectare. The Summer 2026 newsletter also covers a new project using AI-assisted workflow to improve quality assurance for LOSP treated softwood timber, as well as regulatory barriers to circular pathways for end-of-life treated timber and engineered wood products.
WoodSolutions Update
WoodSolutions has launched a new newsletter called “The Resource Edit,” drawing from its extensive library of independent timber design and building information. The February edition features the latest Condensation Management Guide alongside other technical resources. Subscribe via the WoodSolutions website.
Important Dates
- 9 March to 20 April: AFWI National Open Call, expressions of interest
- 29-30 April 2026: Sydney Build 2026 Expo, ICC Sydney
- 18-19 May 2026: FTMA National Conference, Sunshine Coast
- 23-24 June 2026: WoodTECH 2026, Brisbane
- 1-2 July 2026: SMAC Meeting (location TBC)
- 20 July 2026: AFWI project applications close
- 22 July 2026: Annual Showcase, National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life
- 9-10 September 2026: SMAC Meeting (location TBC)
- 3-4 November 2026: SMAC Meeting (location TBC)
