We’re excited to unveil our new, state-of-the-art testing facility, ProLab – marking a major step forward for Prolam and our development of engineered timber solutions for New Zealand's building industry. 

Prolam Managing Director John Woodman says the product testing facility has been a long-held dream for our family-owned New Zealand business, which has built a strong reputation for innovation in glue laminated timber products.

Opened on Friday 22 November by the Ministry of Primary Industries Manager Sector Transformation, Chris Baylis, ProLab is the only facility with a dedicated P21 testing rig in the South Island and represents a significant investment in the future of timber manufacturing in the region.  

Prolam has a track record of market-firsts, including the PLX20 Beam and the PLX Portal – unique timber and steel hybrid structural timber solutions that are strong, lightweight and more sustainable alternatives to steel beams and bracing systems.

With more innovations in the pipeline, the establishment of ProLab will bring a new level of speed and precision to Prolam’s product research and development.

ProLab is fitted out with purpose-built equipment, specifically designed to test strength and bracing in accordance with the BRANZ P21 methodology – the standard test for compliance with the New Zealand Building Code requirements, including resistance to wind and earthquake loads. 

“Engineered timber is gaining attention as the demand for sustainable buildings and materials grows and testing is a crucial element of the product development process,” John says.

“It involves a cycle of prototyping, testing and refining a product and then further testing before arriving at the final product.”

“Getting the product to an external testing facility at each step in the process adds time and cost,” he says. “Now, with our own, on-site test lab and in-house structural engineering expertise, we can expedite product improvements and get new products to market faster.”

All testing will be conducted in-house and then independently verified by a third-party structural engineer, who will confirm that the setup and procedures meet industry standards and analyse the data to ensure accuracy and compliance. 

ProLab also paves the way for future collaborations with engineering firms and universities to drive further timber innovation in New Zealand.