Radiata passes

Press, 23 April 1979, Page 12

Radiata passes

New Zealand has a better chance of penetrating the lucrative Japanese building market now that the Forest S •.vice has completed strength tests of radiata pine. The Press Association reports that after 18 months of mechanical bending and stiffness trials at the Forest Research Institute, Rotorua, the Forest Service has proved to Japanese standards that Pinus radiata is strong enough to build houses. The service’s director of ulitisation development (Mr T. Foley) said the Japanese believed that the pine, a fast-growing wood, f

was not strong enough for construction. Last September, a group of Japanese officials and experts were brought to New Zealand to see the quality control and the extensive use of Pinus radiata in New Zealand construction. On their return, they began parallel testing of the timber in Japan: Mr Foley said he expected this to be finished by September this year. Reaction to the success of the New Zetland trials, which have been done strictly to Japanese strength standards using their timber grading rules, has been favourable so far.