A tiny town in South Australia’s far east has been chosen as the site for an Australian timber industry first that will provide dozens of extra jobs for a community which has been doing it tough. A $90-million expansion of Timberlink’s Tarpeena mill will add a $63-million manufacturing plant producing cross laminated timber (CLT) and glue laminated timber (GLT) for the construction industry. CLT is manufactured into panels and can act as a replacement for concrete, while GLT is produced as beams that can replace steel. Timberlink general manager of sales, marketing and corporate affairs David Oliver said the “enthusiastic and growing” uptake of the products by the construction industry was a “firm nod to moving into a sustainable future”, with timber “the ultimate sustainable resource”.