Innovative timber panel manufacturer, MEDITE SMARTPLY, can now produce its SMARTPLY OSB3 and high strength OSB4 panels in its largest ever format. Manufactured up to 7.5m x 2.5m, the panels are ideal for use in offsite construction, a method which is rightfully receiving a lot of attention at present.
The revival in the construction technique is, in part, down to the requirement of a minimum of 50,000 new homes per year for London alone. The only time the country reached something near that figure was in the glory days of ‘prefab’, or offsite, when 425,000 homes were built in 1968. But today’s offsite manufacturing techniques are a far cry from those used to produce temporary accommodation in the post-war years.
When compared to other construction materials, timber’s strength and weight ratio make it the standout choice for the offsite construction of housing units, mobile classrooms and medical centres, which will help to meet the new homes and services quota. Timber panels, therefore, have a significant part to play.
SMARTPLY OSB4 in long panel format couldn’t have been developed at a better time. The panels are primarily used for heavy duty loadbearing situations in humid conditions making them ideal for roof decking, walls and flooring. The long panel size means entire sections can be constructed efficiently and safely thanks to the added benefit of a quality controlled offsite environment.
David Murray, Innovation Manager at MEDITE SMARTPLY, is seeing a significant growth in demand for higher performing loadbearing OSB panels. “We have been working with the offsite construction industry for some time,” says David, “providing innovations, such as SMARTPLY OSB4, to meet particular challenges. This panel has been waiting in the wings until a significant call for stronger panels capable of wider spans was required. That time is now.
“SMARTPLY OSB4 panels can be used as a single layer solution for exterior walls, or roof decking thanks to its ability to bear load and withstand humid environments. With the structural integrity and design flexibility provided by such large format panels, SMARTPLY OSB4 is the obvious choice for offsite and Modern Methods of Construction.”
For those people at Timber Expo at the NEC this week, you can check out the sheer size of our new panel technologies hanging above the bar area from the 10th – 12th October. For more information on SMARTPLY OSB4, or to contact us, please see: www.mdfosb.com/en/smartply/products/smartply-osb4
