Timber iQ Dec 2017 - Jan 2018 // Issue:35 | Page 3

EDITOR'S NOTE Life's what you make it A s we stand at the end of another busy year, it’s always good to reflect on the past year. I wish I could say 2017 was the sunshine and roses we had all hoped for after an extremely challenging end to 2016. But unfortunately, it seems the economic upswing we were hoping for this year, never quite materialised. 2017 was a tough one for most businesses – not all, but most. There was a lot of ‘wait and see’ in terms of big projects and generally there was considerable negativity and stress not just in our industry but in business as a whole. So, forgive me if I hesitate in writing an ‘it-will-all- be-better-in-2018’ column. There is no point in pretending that it will be a business- as-usual year. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m fond of saying ‘desperation breeds innovation’ because it’s so true. Sure, it’s not going to be easy next year, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit in a heap and close up shop. It just means you must find smarter ways to do things; ways of increasing efficiency and cutting costs (without cutting corners and compromising on quality – most importantly). Remember to share your successes with us in the new year – we’re always looking for new projects for our features, in particular. In this edition we look at the beautifully tranquil Hidden Valley Wine Farm located on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountains (page 20). Moving into Africa, we also feature the Tudor Creek development in Mombasa, Kenya (page 28) while internationally we draw inspiration from Maggie’s Oldham, the world’s first building made from hardwood cross-laminated timber (page 24) Our original features include a peek into the timber import and export market (page 44) as well as exploring the dos and don’ts of timber cladding (page 32). We also highlight impressive decking designs – turn to page 36. There is also a lot happening in the industry in terms of events. What did you miss at the Knysna Timber Festival (page 6) and what can you expect at Woodex 2018? – Check out page 4. With all this and more, we hope you find inspiration for the new year. Wishing you an enjoyable holiday period and a well- deserved break. Let’s start 2018 with the right attitude and make it great – even if the circumstances aren’t ‘great’. Ilana Koegelenberg What will your 2018 be like? Editor [email protected] The ball is in your court.