AWPA MEMBERSHIP & OBJECTIVES

All Australian manufacturers of wood panel products are members of the Association. The principal object of the Association is to promote the development of agricultural and forestry resources of Australia for export development and import substitution, and for the development of manufacturing and industrial resources of Australia applicable to wood panels, and to promote the use, application and sale of Australian manufactured wood panels both within Australia and abroad.

FUNCTIONS

The Association has two main committees. Each committee has an elected member from each of the manufacturer members. These committees are as follows:

1. The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the governing body of the Association. It overseas the activities of all other committees and is responsible for all industry policy decisions.

2. The Technical Committee

This Committee is responsible for all industry technical matters such as preparation of Standards, technical data sheets and manuals for product end users.

The Technical Committee has produced (through active representation on Standards Australia committee TM005) all of the Reconstituted Wood Panel Standards and Test Methods covered under AS/NZS 1859 and 4266 series, which includes:

Part 1 Particleboard

Part 2 Dry Processed Fibreboard

Part 3 Decorative Overlay Wood Panels

Part 4 Wet Processed Fibreboard

The Technical Committee has also produced the Australian Standard 1860 Parts 1 and 2, Particleboard Flooring and The Installation of Particleboard Flooring. The Technical Committee also provides input to regional and ISO Standards development.

FACILITIES

The AWPA, located in South East Queensland, operates an Executive Office which handles general policy, communication and information issues, and a Test Centre Laboratory which provides a testing and certification service to the Australian and regional industry.

The Test Centre Laboratory is a NATA accredited facility able to do most of the wood panel tests specified in AS/NZS, EN and JIS. The centre, established in 1998, is modern, well equipped and staffed by nine technicians and offers professional and accurate reports.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

1. Research & Development

Over the last 15 years the Association has been heavily involved in sponsoring Research and Development to achieve lower formaldehyde emissions and formaldehyde work place exposures.

Developments during this period have led to the use of adhesives and other raw materials of low free formaldehyde levels, which have significantly reduced formaldehyde emissions.

2. Industry Publications

The AWPA publishes datasheets, application guides, health and safety guides and design manuals which are available to wood panel users and the general public. These can be downloaded from this website under publications and product information.

3. Product Certification

• AWPA JAS-ANZ Scheme
• JIS Mark Certification Scheme (AWPA is accredited by METI, Japan)

4. Standards Development (National, Regional & ISO)

AWPA, in association with the Japanese Particleboard and Fibreboard Manufacturers Association and the New Zealand Wood Panel Manufacturers Association, produced the JANS series of standards.

Standards Australia published the JANS test methods and specifications as interim AS/NZS in Oct 2001. In 2004 these standards, with some minor amendments, were published as full standards.

The three Associations presented the harmonised Standards to APEC and the ISO Technical Committee 89 – Wood Based Panels.

Through the efforts of the AWPA, Australia has been appointed as the Secretariat of Sub-Committees SC1 & SC2 of ISO TC89 – Fibreboards & Particleboard. The AWPA sends strong teams of delegates to each meeting and is heavily influential in the development of ISO test methods and specifications.