STIC

Our Company

Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC) is a research consortium developing and commercialising new technologies that will enable structural timber to compete more effectively in the building and construction market.

Although timber has long been used as a material of choice in the residential markets in both Australia and New Zealand, it is not typically used in the non-residential industrial and commercial building sectors.

STIC is developing a portfolio of new pre-fabricated LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) and Glulam (Glue Laminated Timber) structural building systems that will enable multi-storey commercial and long-span industrial portal framed buildings to be easily designed and rapidly constructed using engineered timber products.  Commercialisation of these new technologies will enable timber to effectively compete with structural concrete and steel, the two present materials of choice in these market segments.

To support these timber construction systems STIC is also developing a portfolio that includes:

• Design guidelines and span tables
• Analysis software
• Material properties
• Fire resistance rating achievement recommendations
• Sound transmission class rating achievement recommendations
• Impact insulation class rating achievement recommendations
• Embodied energy and sustainable building information
• Durability information and specifications

STIC is a New Zealand registered company with seven shareholders:

• Carter Holt Harvey Ltd
• Nelson Pine Industries Ltd
• Wesbeam Pty Ltd
• Building Research Association New Zealand Inc
• NZ Pine Manufacturers Association
• Auckland Uniservices Ltd (University of Auckland)
• University of Canterbury

In addition to these shareholders STIC has two other substantial financial Stakeholders, who are investing in the research and development, alongside the shareholders.

These are:
• Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and
• Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FRST). 
The Foundation is matching all industry investments in the programme dollar for dollar.

STIC's Mission is to:

• Contract and manage the required research and development to enable the vision to be achieved.
• To manage the intellectual property developed and to ensure its availability to relevant segments of the building and construction industry value chain.
• To facilitate and promote the implementation and transfer of the newly developed intellectual property into the Trans-Tasman building and construction industries.
• Provide new timber building solutions to the industry and add value to building owners/developers, constructors, architects, engineers and fabricators.