Built Offsite welcomes FTMA as an Industry Alliance partner

FTMA is pleased to share the following article, published by Built Offsite, announcing FTMA as an Industry Alliance Partner. 

 

Why timber frame and truss manufacturers are central to offsite construction.

Built Offsite is pleased to announce that the Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia (FTMA) has joined the publication as an Industry Alliance partner, further strengthening the connection between Australia's offsite construction sector and one of the country's most established manufacturing industries.

Established in 2007, FTMA is the national representative body for Australia's timber frame and truss manufacturing sector. The association represents manufacturers and suppliers across the country and works to improve industry professionalism, technical capability and business performance while supporting the broader transition towards a more sustainable built environment.

While frame and truss manufacturers are not always front of mind when discussing modern methods of construction (MMC), prefabrication or industrialised building delivery, the sector has been manufacturing engineered building components in factory environments for decades. In many respects, timber frame and truss manufacturing represents one of Australia's most mature forms of offsite construction.

That connection between traditional frame and truss manufacturing and the future of industrialised construction is one of the reasons FTMA's involvement in the broader offsite conversation is increasingly relevant.

Leading that discussion is FTMA Chief Executive Officer Kersten Gentle, a long-time advocate for timber manufacturing, sustainability and industry development. Known for her commitment to promoting timber's role in a lower-carbon built environment, Gentle believes the industry's next opportunities lie in helping manufacturers expand beyond traditional products and participate more broadly in emerging forms of prefabricated construction.

The next opportunity for FTMA members

Speaking with Built Offsite, Gentle said many frame and truss manufacturers already possess the engineering capability, manufacturing expertise and operational systems required to play a larger role in Australia's evolving offsite construction sector.

According to Gentle, the opportunity extends well beyond the manufacture of roof trusses and wall frames. Increasingly, manufacturers are exploring the production of wall systems, floor cassettes and other prefabricated building elements that shift more construction activity from site into controlled manufacturing environments.

The challenge, she believes, is ensuring manufacturers recognise the role they already play within the industrialised construction landscape.

"I often remind our members that modular isn't something happening around them. In many respects, we are already part of it," she said.

That observation reflects a broader shift occurring across the sector. As labour shortages, productivity challenges and housing supply pressures continue to affect the construction industry, manufacturers are increasingly exploring ways to deliver higher-value building components that can reduce site labour, improve project certainty and support faster project delivery.

Gentle said investment in automation, optimisation and advanced manufacturing among FTMA members is increasing, with growing interest in panelised systems and other prefabricated solutions that can help builders deliver projects more efficiently.

She also sees frame and truss manufacturers playing an important role in helping builders adopt more advanced construction methods.

"If we want builders who currently build two-storey homes to move into three and four-storey projects, our sector is well placed to help them achieve that through the engineering expertise and technical support we can provide," she said.

 

Why timber needs a stronger voice

Beyond manufacturing capability, Gentle is also a strong advocate for timber's contribution to reducing the environmental impact of the built environment.

Under her leadership, FTMA has become increasingly involved in discussions around embodied carbon, lifecycle assessment and sustainability. The association is currently supporting initiatives aimed at developing more material-neutral approaches to carbon measurement and assessment, reflecting its belief that informed decision-making should be based on evidence rather than assumptions.

At the same time, Gentle argues that timber manufacturers must have a seat at the table as governments, regulators and industry bodies develop future policy settings for industrialised construction and housing delivery.

The association has also been vocal in encouraging greater clarity around modern methods of construction, arguing that manufacturers need clear definitions, consistent policy settings and practical pathways to participate in emerging government programs and initiatives.
That perspective aligns closely with Built Offsite's own approach.

Since its establishment, Built Offsite has sought to provide a platform for discussion across the industrialised construction sector, recognising that the future of construction will involve a range of building systems, materials and manufacturing approaches.

By joining Built Offsite as an Industry Alliance partner, FTMA brings an important manufacturing perspective to that conversation and helps ensure the capabilities, experience and innovation occurring within Australia's timber frame and truss sector remain part of the broader discussion about the future of construction.

We welcome Kersten Gentle, FTMA and its members to the Built Offsite community and look forward to sharing their insights, initiatives and industry developments with our readers in the months ahead.

View Built Offsite HERE. 

 

Written by
Michael Dolphin
Editor | Publisher
P: +61 3 9114 2288
M: +61 0417 014 505 
PO BOX 2200 St Kilda West VIC 3182
www.builtoffsite.com.au