A new national centre of excellence dedicated to mass timber research, innovation, and manufacturing has been launched by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST).

The Innovation Campus at BE-ST, supported by the Scottish Funding Council and host institution Edinburgh Napier University, will now house £1.5 million of newly acquired, state-of-the-art mass timber post-processing equipment and a SuperBlower extraction system. This new equipment will complement existing capabilities, further enhancing precision finishing, production capacity, and health and safety processes within the facility.

The Mass Timber Centre of Excellence is designed to provide the UK construction and built environment sector with the necessary facilities, knowledge, and industry connections to significantly accelerate the adoption of UK-grown mass timber solutions. This move aims to unlock the numerous benefits associated with mass timber, including lower carbon emissions in construction, stronger local supply chains, the creation of new jobs, and improved efficiency in the delivery of the built environment.

The Centre boasts access to some of the UK’s most advanced mass timber manufacturing equipment. This includes the largest commercially available CNC machine in the UK, alongside full-scale production capabilities for Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Nail Laminated Timber (NLT), and Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam). Once fully operational, the factory is anticipated to have an annual manufacturing output capacity of approximately 8,000 cubic metres.

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Recognising the UK’s dual challenge of a climate emergency and a housing crisis, the Centre has been established to position the construction industry as a key player in addressing both issues through the increased use of mass timber.

Mass timber, an umbrella term for engineered wood products created by compressing layers of timber into large structural elements, currently sees the UK importing around 73,000 cubic metres annually. By fostering the creation of higher-value timber products like mass timber within the UK and leveraging local supply chains, the Centre aims to unlock significant economic and environmental advantages for the nation.

The Centre will provide comprehensive support to accelerate the adoption of UK-grown mass timber across the UK. This includes not only access to advanced manufacturing equipment but also research, innovation, and systems design support through collaborations with industry and academic experts to develop tailored timber solutions. Additionally, the Centre will offer consultancy services to assist with product approvals, regulatory compliance, and manufacturing processes, as well as timber processing through trusted partners for felling, grading, kilning, and planing. Hands-on training and skills development programmes will also be available to upskill the workforce in the expertise required to deliver high-quality mass timber products.

Sam Hart, Associate Director of Manufacturing and Housing at BE-ST, highlighted the transformative potential of the Centre: "The Mass Timber Centre of Excellence opens up huge opportunities for the construction sector. By investing in mass timber, we are not just advancing low carbon approaches to construction, we are also investing in economic growth, creating jobs, and addressing some of the UK’s key challenges."

Stephen Good, CEO of BE-ST, added: "The launch of this Centre will support the wider adoption of mass timber, helping to reduce carbon emissions, strengthen supply chains, and deliver much-needed domestic, non-domestic, public, and private infrastructure where appropriate, in a more efficient, affordable, higher quality and sustainable way."

The Mass Timber Centre of Excellence is now inviting businesses, policymakers, and construction professionals to explore the significant opportunities that mass timber can offer, whether it's through adopting or manufacturing mass timber components or participating in their specialised skills programmes.