BSW Timber’s easipost awarded second WPA benchmark certificate

BSW Timber’s easipost, produced at the firms Newbridge on Wye sawmill, has been awarded the WPA Benchmark of quality for treated wood.

This is the second time that BSW has achieved this third-party accreditation for easipost, from the Wood Protection Association (WPA).
 
The increasingly regarded WPA Benchmark accreditation comes after the installation of a second new incising machine at the firm’s Newbridge-on-Wye sawmill, building on the successful launch and growing sales of the easipost₁₅ product.
 
The WPA Benchmark scheme verifies that a product such as a post is treated to specification for its end use and service life as defined in BS8417: Code of Practice for Wood Preservation  The scheme is specific to an individual treatment plant and an individual commodity. This means that  Easipost₁₅ produced at BSW’s sawmill in Newbridge-on-Wye, is certificated to  deliver a minimum service life of 15 years. Certification means that Easipost₁₅will now be identified with labels that carry the WPA Benchmark logo to reassure customer confidence with a third party assessment of the ability of this newly launched product to perform.

BSW’s Carlisle sawmill, which also houses an incising machine, was awarded a WPA Benchmark quality certificate for easipost₁₅, in 2012.

easipost has been developed using an innovative incising process which delivers chemical impregnation to a minimum of 6mm into the post to penetrate both heartwood as well as the sapwood. This process has enabled BSW to produce a treated post with the potential for an extended service life and the confidence to underwriteeasipost₁₅, with a 15-year performance warranty.
 
Awarding the easipost Benchmark Certificate of quality, Stephen Young, Director, the WPA commented that: “We are delighted to see a second BSW sawmill achieve the WPA Benchmark of quality on their easipost₁₅ product. It underlines the growing demand in the marketplace for timber treated in accordance with the WPA scheme.”
 
Alex Brownlie, Director and Head of Business Development at BSW Timber, welcomed the second award. He said: “This is a further step towards our relentless goal for total quality. This second external approval for our newly launched easipost and the direct result of our innovative approach to incising timber are being well received in the market place as the season kicks in.
 
“We are grateful to Lonza for their support in this process as we continue to drive the performance of the product. However, further improvements will continue to be targeted as we continue the enhancement of our treated timber offerings. We expect the continued technical and commercial support from Lonza in this area.

As the first mover with this technology here in the UK BSW Timber Group is demonstrating how serious it views the need to ensure a quality range of products is available to our customers. The response by competitors to attempt to enter this market further supports the progressive actions BSW Timber took in the early days. We continue to assist the sector in moving forward with a new and enhanced range of treated products for the needs of the market today and in the future.”   
The bespoke engineering system developed by BSW in-house team for easipost, guarantees the performance and durability of the Use Class 4 fence post. The system has been developed and tested extensively over the last two years by BSW experts to ensure its success in both preservative retention and penetration with British species underpinned by tried and tested Lonza Tanalith E preservative.

easipost builds on the success of BSW’s market leading ‘easi’ range, which offers construction, fencing and decking products, as well as sleepers, pallets and packaging.