Hybrid laminated timber beams a New Zealand first for Prolam
While human beings have used wood to build houses for tens of thousands of years, a Kiwi company is finding new and innovative ways of engineering timber in 2024 for better, stronger construction.
Prolam is a family-owned structural timber business that designs, manufactures and supplies glue laminated timber products – known as ‘glulam’ – for the residential and commercial building industry across New Zealand.
Its top-selling product is the Prolam H5 post – the first and only engineered H5 timber post CodeMark certified for strict building code compliance, and for above- ground and in-ground structural use.
Now, after more than two decades in business and more than 100 employees, the Nelson-based company is again pioneering in the engineered timber industry with innovative hybrid timber and steel products like the Prolam PLX20 Beam and Prolam PLX Portal.
“No other company in New Zealand is currently making any product like this,” says Prolam’s managing director, John Woodman.
“These products include a glulam beam with steel inserted into the top and bottom timber laminates, which greatly increases the structural strength while being up to 40% lighter.
“Innovation is about finding the solutions to our customers’ problems by being the company willing to get out there and listen to the industry, and we have an innovation pipeline that we manage,” he says.
Woodman says Prolam has benefited from several Callaghan Innovation grants, including a recent research and development tax incentive grant to assist with business growth. In addition to the grant funding, he says Callaghan Innovation has been a vitally important partner for Prolam.
“We’ve made sure we are connected with knowledgeable people, and having Callaghan’s backing gives us the confidence to keep going and be more innovative.”
Since founding the company, Woodman says he has always considered Prolam to be much more than just a timber supplier. The company actively supports architects and construction professionals in designing and building stronger residential and commercial buildings through a range of innovative programmes and initiatives.
“We provide a full-service offering, including design, support and specification. We have our own specifier programme, the Prolam Specifier, which is a key part of our innovation pipeline – and we are constantly updating this to be the best out there.”
Prolam Specifier enables architects, engineers and detailers to perform calculations for structural timber elements and specify products beyond the scope of the NZS 3604 building code in a way that is fast, easy and compliant, and provides a PS1 certificate.
“Our key point of difference is that we solve problems. We listen to our customers – which include specifiers, merchants and builders – and they know they can count on us to provide expert advice,” says 20-year-old Burkley Woodman, marketing manager for Prolam and John Woodman’s son.
“Our starting point with customers is always to ask them, what issues are you facing? How can we help solve your problems? This drives the hard work we do, especially in the research and development space,” he says.
“We’re a family-owned business that is committed to supporting jobs and employment in the Nelson region and driving the innovation of timber products used in Kiwi buildings,” says John.
“We listen, build trust and empower our people, clients, and communities to innovate and create a better life and environment together. It’s about building better together – not just for us, but for the whole industry,” adds Burkley.
“Our vision is to be the leading supplier of engineered timber solutions in New Zealand – and from there we will look to take the products to the world.”
Story by Dave Crampton in partnership with Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA)
Innovation Nation is an annual series celebrating stories of innovation and diversity in entrepreneurship from around New Zealand.
