<b:panelset id="layout" b:rows="5% 20% 1% *% 1% 15%"> <b:panel id="top2%Panel"></b:panel> <b:panel id="headerPanel"> <b:box id="headerBox"> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td><img src="images/blueArrows_366_46.gif" /></td> <td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr align="left"> <td><div align="center"><a href="index.htm">Home</a></div></td> <td><div align="center">|</div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="project.htm">Project</a></div></td> <td><div align="center">|</div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="contacts.htm">Contact</a></div></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table></b:box> </b:panel> <b:panel id="top1%Panel"></b:panel> <b:panel id="contentPanel"> <b:box id="contentBox"> <div id="contentDiv"> <table width="100%"> <tr> <td> <div id="contentTopLeft"> <img src="images/RoadTrafficScotland.gif" width="220" height="118" /> </div> </td> <td rowspan="2"><div id="main"><h3>Welcome</h3> <p align="left" class="themeline">This is a new and innovative project aimed at meeting <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_1')"><span class="themelinelink">multiple objectives</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_1" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p>A key output is to help create conditions for growth and employment by improving regional competitiveness. It is aimed at developing a modern business model for rural timber logistics, which will improve pan industry cooperation in the coordination of supply and demand and have beneficial impacts on many SMEs involved in the forest industry supply chain.</p> </b:infobox> across the environmental, social and commercial spectrum.</p> <p>Timber production, processing and related services are a <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_2')"><span class="themelinelink">key sector</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_2" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p>The importance of the forest industry in Scotland is reflected in the support given to the sector in the form of the Forestry Cluster Groups, ConFor, Strategic Timber Transport Fund and Regional Development Funding.</p> </b:infobox> for the South of Scotland and source of employment and income for rural areas.</p> <p>Of the <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_3')"><span class="themelinelink">haulage companies</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_3" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p style="margin-top: 0"> Round timber haulage companies are faced with tax, fuel and labour cost increases and directives on working time which impact on their profitability against a long term price decline in the timber industry. Over recent years the cost ratio of timber haulage to product value has increased substantially depressing the net return to growers. </p> </b:infobox> operating in South Scotland many are finding it harder to grow in order to meet future demand. When <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_4')"><span class="themelinelink">compared</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_4" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p> This is due to a variety of reasons such as gross weights, maximum vehicle lengths, and fuel and other costs. </p> </b:infobox> to our major European competitors.</p> <p>For many years the <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_5')"><span class="themelinelink">use</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_5" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p style="margin-top: 0"> Consequently there is a need for greater efficiency of the existing timber haulage resource, this project is looking to deliver material benefits in management costs and profitability across the forest industry and enable a sustainable haulage resource. </p> </b:infobox> of round timber haulage on Scottish rural roads has focused attention on health and safety, infrastructure costs, environment alongside concerns by the industry as to sustainable resources</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0">This Pilot Project <a b:action="select" b:target="id('info_info_6')"><span class="themelinelink">aims</span></a> <b:infobox id="info_info_6" style="width: 300px" class="infobox"> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"> to improve profitability by; </p> <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"> <li>reducing the number of road miles per tonne hauled, </li> <li>increase the utility of timber trucks, </li> <li>reduce management time, </li> <li>improve communications, </li> <li>consolidate transport statistics, </li> <li>address the sensitivities of rural communities, </li> <li>monitor compliance of the Agreed Road Maps.</li> </ul> </b:infobox> through the cooperation and expertise of the industry sector in South Scotland to build a route optimising and scheduling software programme together with an innovative trading model that will demonstrate the benefits of collaboration in driving down cost and promoting sustainable growth</p></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div id="contentBottomLeft"><img src="images/arrows_200_164.jpg" width="200" height="164" /></div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </b:box> </b:panel> <b:panel id="bottom1%Panel"> </b:panel> <b:panel id="footerPanel"> <b:box id="footerBox"> <div id="footerDiv"> <table width="100%" cellspacing="4" id="footerTable"> <tr> <td colspan="7" class="footerText"><div align="center"><img src="images/aCollabarativeProject.gif" width="284" height="23" /></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" class="footerText"><h5 align="left">INDUSTRY SPONSORS</h5></td> <td colspan="4" class="footerText"><h5 align="right">PUBLIC SPONSORS</h5></td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" class="footerText">Adam Wilson and Sons<br /> BSW<br />Egger Forestry<br />Euroforest<br /></td> <td nowrap="nowrap" class="footerText">Forestry Commission (Scotland)<br /> AW Jenkinsons<br />JST Services</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" class="footerText">John Miller<br /> Scottish Woodlands<br />UPM-Kymmene</td> <td class="footerText"></td> <td><div align="right"><img src="images/eulogo243.gif" width="243" height="65" /></div></td> <td><div align="right"><img src="images/SE180.jpg" width="180" height="51" /></div></td> <td class="footerText"> <div id="whiteBorder" align="center"> STRATEGIC<br />TIMBER TRANSPORT<br />FUND </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" nowrap="nowrap" class="footerText"><a href="http://www.2kool.co.uk/" class="euText">Copyright 2Kool Limited 2007. 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