TRADA Celebrates 70th Anniversary Aboard Cutty Sar

TRADTRADA, the Timber Research and Development Association, hosted a reception on board the famous Cutty Sark on 8th July to celebrate 70 years of timber research and development.

The event, sponsored by Timbmet Group Ltd, Arch Timber Protection and the TTL Chiltern Group, attracted more than 150 Corporate and Professional Members, along with representatives of the press and other guests.

TRADA evolved from the Timber Development Association, which was inaugurated on 11th March 1934 with 400 members, a Technical Director and £7,400, to promote the use of timber, supported by technical information.

In 1954 the Association pursued links with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, to add research to its activities.

The TDA became TRADA in 1962, with a DSIR grant of £60,000, 'its prime mandate, then as now, to promote the specification and use of timber,' said TRADA Chairman John Perry.

New activities and areas of influence continued to be added, including the birth of two subsidiaries, TRADA Quality Assurance Services Ltd (now BM TRADA Certification Ltd) and TRADA Technology Ltd.

Then in 1994, Mr Perry said, a move was made that demanded 'amazing vision and understanding by TRADA's Board and Members'.

This was the formation of TTL Chiltern Ltd as a buy-out vehicle for the two subsidiaries and the last 10 years have seen TRADA and Chiltern working together in a 'highly cooperative and constructive way'.

The flagship cooperative venture, he added, was the creation and launch of the askTRADA Knowledge Resource in 2003.

'This was a radical move, involving a very significant investment of effort and funds, designed to make TRADA's information accessible to everyone who might use it and to create a real sales interface for TRADA Members' products and services.' TRADA continues to fund research into important aspects of timber in construction and the askTRADA website has 'boosted our ability to deploy information into the market to promote best practice and to connect users/specifiers with suppliers.' TRADA is a "people business" and over the years has been fortunate to employ 'some of the very best engineers, designers, wood technologists and other specialists in their fields.

I am delighted that so many of the current TRADA Technology staff have been able to join us this evening and I would like to thank them all, and their colleagues, for all their enthusiasm, hard work and dedication on behalf of TRADA.' In closing Mr Perry said: 'There are many signs that we are in something of a timber renaissance in the UK and we at TRADA are extremely proud of our contribution to this.

I want to say "thank you" to all TRADA's Members for your support and interest, past and present.

I would also acknowledge the input over the decades from all those who have served on TRADA's various committees, on the Council that used to exist and on the Board which is its principal management vehicle today.' He concluded, 'Without your interest and support, TRADA would have no reason to exist and if we have to continue the cycle of self-reinvention in order to continue to command your interest and support over the decades to come, that we will do.'.

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