A Native Australian Specie

Hoop Pine (Araucaria Cunninghamii) is a native Australian specie found in Queensland and New South Wales. The colour is generally whitish or light-coloured, the grain is straight and the texture is fine to very fine. The wood weighs about 560kg/m3 when dried (and about 600kg/m3 in plywood form).

Plantation Grown

The Austral Plywoods resource is 100% plantation grown and managed by HQPlantations, part of the Hancock Group. The planting to harvesting cycle of Hoop Pine is presently about 50 years. The plantation programme has been in the second rotation stage since the mid 1980's. Tree stems are pruned to a certain height during the first decade of growth in order to maximise the amount of high quality clear wood in the butt logs.

HQPlantations

The HQP Hoop Pine resource is independently certified to the Responsible Wood (RW) system. This certification recognises HQP as a leading environmental agency as well as a premier forest management organisation.

Chain of Custody

RW certification also gives Queensland's timber industry access to a "chain of custody" process for green labelling its products as coming from sustainably managed forest resources when sourced from HQP. Please refer to the Austral Plywoods Chain of Custody for more information.

To keep your plywood in the best possible condition, we recommend:

• Count and inspect for damage, immediately upon receiving your plywood. Any claims must be made within the time period specified in our Claims Policy.


• Before installation, remember to keep your plywood dry and store in a protected area. Store your plywood on a flat, dry surface with a cover sheet on top. Do not store plywood sheets on their edge as it may cause bowing. Avoid direct sunlight, wind, rain and humidity, all of which can affect the appearance of your plywood.


• For semi-exposed applications, only use ariaply, connectaply or Endurapanel and reseal all cut edges and penetrated boards (ie over screws) with available sealer.


• Do not use oil based products on Hoop Pine plywood.


• Take care in free standing applications. Plywood is a natural product that can be affected by changes in ambient weather conditions, possibly causing previously flat sheets to bow. At Austral Plywoods all precautions are taken to ensure flatness at time of dispatch, however once the plywood has left our factory we cannot guarantee sheets to remain flat unless fastened. This is particularly important where free standing kitchen/cabinet doors are concerned.


• For Ariaply care & maintenance instructions click here.

A Sustainable Resource

Plantation Grown

Austral Plywoods utilises Hoop Pine, a sustainable resource that is 100% plantation grown and managed by the HQPlantations. HQPlantations is the largest plantation company in Queensland and is committed to sustainable forest management. Forests under HQPlantations care are managed from a long-term, stewardship perspective that benefits the environment as well as stakeholders.  The resource is RW certified.

HQPlantations

HQPlantations is independently certified under the Responsible Wood (RW) system. This forest certification system requires HQPlantations to meet internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable forest management covering economic, social, environmental and cultural perspectives. It also gives Queensland's timber industry access to a "chain of custody" process for green labelling its products as coming from sustainably managed forest resources when sourced from HQPlantations.

For more information, visit www.hqplantations.com.au. 

Monarch of the Forest from Simon Woods on Vimeo.

Responsible Wood

RW sets criteria for sustainable forest management from an economic, social, environmental and cultural perspective. It addresses aspects such as maintaining biological diversity, ecosystem health and vitality, soil and water quality and protecting indigenous cultural and spiritual values. Mutual recognition of RW with other similar national schemes by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) confers international status on RW. 

Read about the similarities and differences between the PEFC and FSC environmental schemes. 

For more information, visit www.responsiblewood.org.au. 

Superpod sustainable home

Austral Hoop Pine plywood was considered the best sustainable choice to lend an organic warmth and contrast to the Superpod sustainable home project.

Chain of Custody

What is Chain of Custody?

Chain of Custody is an environmental certification system that demonstrates an unbroken chain from a certified, sustainable forest, right through to the end user. It ensures that all resource is from responsibly managed forests, and that there is traceability of all resource inputs.

RW/PEFC Certification

The Austral Plywoods product range is also certified for Chain of Custody under AS 4707:2021. The Austral Plywoods Chain of Custody, linked to Responsible Wood (RW), was awarded through an independently audited process carried out by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) - accredited by JAS-ANZ. (Download certificate)

Green Star timber credits available

Green Star timber credits are available for our RW/PEFC products. Please contact us for more information.

Important to us, important to you

Chain of Custody certification is essential for Austral Plywoods, as it demonstrates the importance we place on the responsible management of forests that supply this company. By customers choosing our products, they are supporting responsibly managed timber harvesting and processing, which is vital for the future of Australia's forestry and wood product resources.

Our Initiatives

Respecting Our Resource

Central to our product quality is our excellent Hoop Pine resource. We have long recognised the value of our resource and have therefore worked towards utilising the veneer to its fullest potential. For instance, every log is peeled in a two stage process, thus maximising the recovery of high grade veneer. Once peeled, the veneer is carefully graded (and sometimes re-graded) so that it can be used in the highest application possible. Even veneer pieces are recovered by jointing into full sheets - little is wasted.

Utilisation of Wood Waste

Inevitably, wood waste is generated in the plywood production process. To counter this issue Austral Plywoods installed a heat plant in 1989, allowing us to convert our wood waste into energy. The heat plant is a clean and efficient method of virtually eliminating wood waste whilst at the same time providing energy for other parts of the production process.

Solar Energy

Recent advances in solar energy technology together with pressures in energy costs and availability, led Austral Plywoods to implement a solar energy system in 2017. The advantage of having significant roof space allowed us to install 360 solar panels, with room to expand the system in the future.

Environmental Licence

Austral Plywoods adheres to an environmental licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, a Queensland State Government authority. This, together with our Integrated Environmental Management System (IEMS), ensures that activities conducted onsite are managed in an environmentally conscious manner.

National Pollutant Inventory (NPI)

Since its inception, Austral Plywoods has participated in the NPI, an inventory of the types and amounts of pollutants being emitted by industry throughout Australia. Participation involves regular testing of a number of substance emissions, with results reported annually. Past results have shown our pollutant emissions to have a ranking of 1 (on a scale of 1-100, where 1 is the lowest emission rating available).

Future Improvements

Minimising our environmental impact is a continual work in progress. We are frequently investigating and evaluating methods of improving our environmental performance.

Do you sell direct?

Yes, our full product range is available to purchase via our online shop.  We also supply through our distributor network located throughout Australia and New Zealand. Please contact us for your nearest distributor.

Are your products certified to the E0 formaldehyde emission rating?

Yes, and we have also achieved Super E0 certification on all A-Bonded plywood (ie Marine, Exterior and Structural). Click to learn more.

Is your resource sustainable?

Yes, our Hoop Pine resource is 100% plantation grown and managed by HQPlantations (HQP). HQP is one of Australia’s largest tree planting organisations, establishing up to 5 million trees in its plantations each year. Click to learn more.

Do you have Chain of Custody?

Yes, the Austral Plywoods product range is certified for Chain of Custody under AS 4707:2021. Click to learn more.

Does RW plywood receive timber credits when used in "Green Star" buildings?

Yes, RW/PEFC timber is now treated equally with regards to Green Star timber credits (refer media release by Green Building Council of Australia). As plywood produced by Austral Plywoods is RW/PEFC certified, you may be able to claim Green Star credits when using our products.

Can plywood sheets be colour matched?

No, our plywood being a natural product is subject to a range of colour and grain variations. Our plywood is graded to Australian Standards for "A" and "B" veneers however variations can be apparent within these grades. It is important that the installer checks panels prior to installation to ensure they are laid out in a way that minimises variations.

What is the difference between "A" and "B" face veneers?

Veneer quality is provided for in Australian Standards as follows:

• Veneer Standards (A)
• Veneer Standards (B)

Is your plywood fire rated?

Yes, Hoop Pine plywood has been assessed at Group 3. Austral FR Panel, our Hoop Pine veneered MDF panel, complies to Group 2 and E0. For Group 1 applications we recommend Austral FireHoop. Contact us for more information.

Do you produce an external cladding?

We do not recommend plywood for fully exposed applications. For semi-exposed areas, both Endurapanel and ariaply are recommended.

Can you supply pattern advice and samples on Acoustic Plywood?

Yes, we have reliable perforators at various locations and are happy to supply direct contact details so that you can discuss your special requirements with the experts. If we are unable to provide a sample matching your needs, the perforator should also be able to assist. Contact us for more information.

Can you offer advice on fixing plywood, minimum plywood thicknesses, support spacings etc?

Contact us for more information.

Can you give recommendations on finishing plywood?

For best results, we recommend our pre-finished Endurapanel, ariaply, connectaply and iHoop. Please also view our website for information on interior finishing and exterior finishing.

Take care when using plywood in free standing cupboard doors.

Plywood is a natural product that can be affected by changes in ambient weather conditions, possibly causing previously flat sheets to bow. At Austral Plywoods all precautions are taken to ensure flatness at time of dispatch, however once the plywood has left our factory we cannot guarantee sheets to remain flat unless fastened. This is particularly important where free standing kitchen/cabinet doors are concerned.