TRADA Technology is the largest timber consultancy in the UK carrying out investigations into timber related disputes, and has been in operation for over 75 years. Our services include dispute resolution and bespoke expert witness work.
Areas of specific expertise include:
- Site and laboratory investigations
- Trade descriptions and fitness for purpose
- Personal injury and forensic investigations
- Fire and arson-related cases
- Preparation of expert reports and evidence in court
Investigations are undertaken through document reviews, inspections of products in service and by testing at our laboratories.
Where quality is an issue, timber products investigated have included: flooring, doors, windows, furniture, roof trusses, tiling battens, glulam beams, plywood, engineered wood products, cladding and fencing.
Where the performance of timbers in the built environment is an issue, investigations have included: internal and external joinery, garden furniture, decking, bridges, helicopter pads, sports stadia and marine structures.
TRADA Technology is a Member of the Trading Standards Institute, The Academy of Experts and the Expert Witness Institute, and is registed with the UK Register of Expert Witnesses.
Expertise of our staff is provided below:
Timber in Buildings - Architectural and Structural Timber
Richard White
Richard is TRADA Technology's Expert Consultancy Lead. He joined TRADA in 1986 and worked in Government and commercial research projects, and then in education and delivering training programmes for professionals in the construction industry.
Richard advises professionals involved with all stages of the design, specification, supply, installation and performance of timber and wood-based materials. He has served on several British Standards and Institute of Wood Science committees.
Richard works predominantly in the field of construction disputes and is an experienced Expert Witness. He is a member of the Academy of Experts and a Fellow of the Institute of Wood Science.
Paul Sharphouse
Paul is TRADA Technology's Principal Technical Consultant, with 40 years experience in timber technology and wood science.
Paul has expertise in structural and joinery timbers and in laboratory-based analytical techniques. He has inspected such diverse structures as bridges, aircraft, oil rigs, yachts and helicopter landing pads.
In recent years, Paul has carried out investigations in Europe, Africa and the Far East.
As well as providing technical support for British Standards on trade terminology, panel products, timber nomenclature and timber fencing, he was lead delegate to the European Standards Working Group on the natural durability of timber. Paul is a member of the Academy of Experts.
Philip O'Leary
Phil is Leader of TRADA Technology's Structural Investigations Section. He specialises in the condition, performance and strength of timber in buildings and in larger structures such as bridges, permanent staging and communication towers.
Phil is experienced in establishing the causes of timber failures, for example scaffold board and tool-handle fractures, and is also able to grade timber beyond British Standard permissible limits.
He is an expert on timber quality and timber characteristics and is responsible for all TRADA training courses on the strength grading of timber. Phil also has expertise in wood coatings, seals and finishes, and has published several papers on the subject.
John Kirkby
John is a Senior Technical Consultant at TRADA Technology. He has advised on the installation of new joinery and the protection of existing joinery during refurbishment and construction, notably at the Sage Music Centre in Gateshead and the Welsh Assembly.
As part of a problem-solving consultancy, John regularly attends meetings and undertakes survey work involving two or more parties in dispute with different views. Clients include construction companies, architects, structural engineers, joinery companies and surveyors.
John also undertakes surveys within the railway, power generation and telecommunication industries, and has experience in forestry. John has recently worked on projects in Indonesia and New Zealand.
Dr John Williams
John is Senior Technical Consultant for TRADA Technology, with more than 15 years experience. He specialises in assessing the condition, performance and strength of timbers in historic buildings and in heavy and marine construction.
John is a member of the International Research Group for Wood Protection and a Member of the Institute of Wood Science. He has undertaken inspections in Europe and the Far East, and has delivered training programmes in West Africa. He has extensive experience in surveying and in providing advice and technical solutions to a diverse client base. He is an experienced lecturer on timber for architectural use and timber technology. John has published a number of specialist papers.
Timber Frame Construction
Robin Lancashire
Robin is the Leader of TRADA Technology's Building Performance Section, having joined TRADA in 2001 with ten years experience in the construction industry. Robin advises the timber frame industry on best practice and is one of the cohort that developed TRADA's frameCHECK and Building Performance Services.
Robin is a Course Leader on all TRADA timber frame training courses and co-authored TRADA's ‘Timber Frame Construction' book. He speaks regularly at national building exhibitions and conferences, and has experience of the ‘Code for Sustainable Homes'. Robin contributes regularly to various construction journals and is currently involved in TRADA research projects that relate to his expertise.
Timber Engineering
Dr Victor Kearley
Vic is Engineering and Product Services Section Leader for TRADA Technology. He is a structural engineer with a PhD in materials technology and has 25 years experience in research and consultancy with TRADA.
Vic's work is concerned primarily with improved product quality and improved performance in service of timber, wood-based panels and composites. This includes coatings, treatments and new structural products, as well as development work in recycling and reductions in environmental impact.
Vic is also involved with UK and CEN committees responsible for wood products. He is a Fellow and President Emeritus of the Institute of Wood Science.
Dr Hugh Mansfield-Williams
Hugh is Technical Manager of Engineering and Product Services for TRADA Technology, specialising in the performance of timber and wood-based products in structures. Research and consultancy projects for UK and EU Government bodies have included assessing the technical competence of overseas laboratories and the testing of new products.
Hugh is a member of British Standard Committees on timber structures and timber products and is a member of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. Hugh acted as Expert Witness in a recent international patent case, giving evidence in court in the UK and preparing submissions for the Munich Patents Court and for Australian and New Zealand lawyers.
Dr Keerthi Kumara Ranasinghe
Keerthi is Senior Structural Engineer for TRADA Technology, where he is responsible for design and research projects. He also manages TRADA's strategy for the transition to Eurocodes, including writing design guidance and software tools for structural engineers and delivering a series of lectures to members of the Institute of Structural Engineers.
Before joining TRADA in 2008, Keerthi worked in a London engineering consultancy. This followed ten years experience as an academic in Sri Lanka's Moratuwa University, where he lectured in structures and materials and managed research projects. He has wide experience in structural investigations, including an assignment with the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency on affordable housing.
Finishes - Paints, Stains and Fire Retardants
Peter Kaczmar
Peter is Senior Technical Consultant with TRADA Technology's Materials Consultancy Section, and has been TRADA's leading specialist in wood coatings and treatments, including fire retardants, for over 20 years.
Peter has also specialised in flooring and joinery over the same period. He has extensive experience in investigations and diagnostic work for the resolution of disputes.
Peter is the author of TRADA books on the installation of wood floors and the specification of floor seals, and wrote TRADA's best practice guide to floor preparation. Peter writes a regular column for the Contract Flooring Journal.
Fungi and wood-destroying insects
Dr Andy Pitman
Andy is Construction Technical Services Manager for TRADA Technology and specialises in the bio-deterioration of timber and its protection. He is a Fellow and Junior Vice-President of the Institute of Wood Science and is author of their Wood Protection module.
Andy is also a member of the International Research Group on Wood Protection, and sits on the Wood Protection Association's Technical Committee and the British Standards Committee on wood protection.
Andy has chaired sessions at several international wood science conferences, has examined PhDs at several UK universities and has refereed wood science papers for scientific journals. He has published over fifty scientific papers.
CE Marking and Product Certification
Mark Wilkinson
Mark is Head of Business Development for TRADA Technology, specialising in the CE marking of products for compliance with the European Construction Products Directive. On joining TRADA in 2002, he developed product certification services and the provision of guidance on CE marking for product manufacturers world-wide.
Mark sits on European Sector Group Committees for Wood-based Panels and for Structural Timber Products. He also sits on the Technical Board of the European Organisation for Technical Approvals. Within the UK he sits on the Issuing Body Forum of the European Technical Approvals and on the CE Marking Advisory Group. Mark joined TRADA with previous commercial experience in the building industry.
