Mass timber has moved decisively beyond the margins of low-carbon experimentation. What began as a question of technical feasibility is now a test of delivery at scale, where confidence in supply, programme and performance is the defining measure of success.
Five years on from G&T’s Mass Timber Forum, the industry’s focus has shifted accordingly. As demand for low-carbon materials accelerates, the question is no longer whether mass timber can be used, but how it can be scaled responsibly. Manufacturing capacity, logistics planning and procurement strategy are now central to that challenge, with supply chains evolving to meet growing demand while maintaining quality, resilience and carbon integrity.
A Growing and Maturing Market
Adoption of mass timber has accelerated across UK and European markets, supported by growing technical expertise and client confidence. According to Greg Cooper of Hybrid Structures:
“We’ve seen a significant rise in the use of mass timber across all parts of the construction industry. Five years ago, many projects stalled at feasibility stage due to uncertainty about the material. Today, greater knowledge and testing have helped the industry move forward with confidence.”
Timber’s lightweight properties make it particularly attractive for retrofit and cut-and-carve schemes, where structural loadings are critical and embodied carbon savings can be maximised. Clients are now engaging with mass timber earlier in project development to assess its carbon, cost and programme potential, often alongside hybrid steel or concrete options to ensure flexibility in design and procurement.
Expanding Global Capacity
International production has grown substantially since 2020 with around 1.7 million cubic metres of mass timber produced globally in 2023 (IMARC, 2024). Ongoing investment in new facilities across Europe, including expansions by Binderholz, Mayr-Melnhof and Stora Enso, is expected to push output beyond 3 million cubic metres by 2026.
Closer to home, the UK’s timber manufacturing capacity is developing rapidly, supported by growing investment and partnerships with established European producers. Firms such as Eurban and Construction Scotland Innovation Centre are exploring routes to domestic production, while design and engineering consultancies are forming strategic partnerships with European manufacturers to secure supply and share expertise.
For clients, this expanding capacity translates into shorter lead times, improved material choice and more competitive pricing, although cross-border logistics and currency exposure remain factors that must be managed carefully.
Towards Responsible Procurement
As the market matures, developers are shifting from experimental adoption to structured procurement. Most clients now require full FSC or PEFC chain-of-custody certification, ensuring traceability from forest to fabrication.
Procurement is also being shaped by the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment Standard (2023) and UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (in development), which are embedding embodied carbon metrics into project evaluation and tendering. This is encouraging earlier engagement with suppliers and greater transparency around material sourcing, transport emissions and end-of-life strategies.
In parallel, the rise of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and other modern methods of construction is changing how projects are procured. Early collaboration between consultants, fabricators and installers allows mass timber components to be standardised, reducing waste and supporting more predictable cost and programme outcomes.
“As mass timber scales, confidence increasingly comes from understanding the supply chain as part of the design process. When capacity, logistics and installation are considered early, projects move beyond ambition and into reliable, repeatable delivery.”
G&T’s experience shows that the most successful projects treat supply chain integration as a design parameter ensuring logistics, sequencing and off-site manufacture are considered from the outset rather than post-design.
Skills, Logistics and Delivery
While international capacity is strong, delivery capability within the UK remains uneven. Specialist installation teams are still concentrated in northern and central Europe, creating a need for skills development and knowledge transfer. UK contractors are responding by partnering with experienced timber installers and investing in in-house training programmes to build competency.
Timber’s off-site nature also places greater emphasis on logistics planning. Components are typically precision-cut using CNC technology and delivered to site on a just-in-time basis. Efficient sequencing reduces storage requirements and site congestion, but demands meticulous coordination between design, manufacturing and delivery.
“Programme certainty in mass timber projects is built long before materials reach site. Early coordination between design, manufacturing and logistics is what turns off-site precision into predictable delivery.”
Digital collaboration is helping to bridge these interfaces. Use of BIM models and digital twins is now standard practice on complex schemes, enabling precise clash detection and optimising crane operations, connection details and temporary works before materials leave the factory.
Turning Off-Site Precision Into On-Site Certainty - The Black & White Building
This was demonstrated on The Black & White Building, where mass timber delivery was underpinned by early and sustained supply chain coordination. From concept stage, the project team engaged closely with designers, manufacturers and installers to align structural design, off-site fabrication and logistics planning.
This approach enabled precise sequencing, reduced on-site risk and supported a highly efficient construction programme, illustrating how disciplined procurement and early collaboration can translate low-carbon ambition into reliable, scalable delivery.
Confidence, Collaboration and Next Steps
While supply capacity and technical understanding continue to expand, scaling timber use will depend on how responsibly the industry manages growth. Sustaining demand without overstretching resources requires consistent quality assurance, stable certification frameworks and transparent data on embodied carbon.
At the same time, progress on insurance and risk understanding is reinforcing confidence throughout the supply chain. As explored in G&T’s companion article (LINK), improved underwriting criteria and early engagement with insurers are helping developers de-risk delivery and access funding more easily.
Together, these advances in insurability and deliverability mark a new phase for the sector. Mass timber is no longer viewed as an emerging technology but as a credible solution for mainstream commercial and mixed-use development - capable of meeting performance, cost and sustainability targets simultaneously.
A Market Ready to Scale
The next challenge is to build resilience, diversifying supply, strengthening domestic capability and embedding skills that support safe, efficient delivery.
For G&T, the focus remains on helping clients harness this momentum - aligning cost, programme and carbon outcomes through early-stage feasibility, supply chain engagement and strategic procurement advice.
With data, collaboration and capability now converging, the timber industry stands on the threshold of responsible scale, ready to deliver the next generation of low-carbon buildings with confidence.
How G&T Helps
Scaling the use of mass timber is as much a delivery challenge as it is a sustainability ambition. Success depends on aligning supply chain capability, procurement strategy and programme certainty from the earliest stages of a project.
G&T supports clients in assessing how and where mass timber can be deployed effectively, drawing on early-stage feasibility, optioneering and market intelligence to test carbon, cost and programme outcomes alongside deliverability. This allows clients to make informed decisions about material selection, hybrid strategies and procurement routes before commitments are locked in.
A key part of this process is early engagement with the supply chain. G&T works with manufacturers, installers and contractors to help clients understand capacity, lead times and logistics constraints, embedding these considerations into design development rather than treating them as downstream risks. This approach supports more resilient programmes, reduces waste and improves cost certainty.
As the market scales, clarity becomes increasingly important. By combining data-led analysis with practical experience of timber and hybrid delivery, G&T helps clients navigate a maturing supply chain with confidence - supporting responsible procurement, predictable delivery and low-carbon outcomes that stand the test of time.
Look back at the findings from G&T’s Mass Timber Forum - read our reports here.
