Pryda Pod

As we celebrated Pryda’s 60th birthday this year, we’ve enjoyed reflecting on the people and milestones that have shaped the business into what it is today.  In the Season 3 finale of the Pryda Pod, we're taking a look back at Pryda’s 60 year journey with Chris Rogers, one of Pryda’s earliest employees.  Chris is a living encyclopedia of Pryda so if you’ve ever wondered about the origin of th...

In 2023, Vanuatu was hit by two major cyclones causing severe damage to hundreds of people’s homes and livelihoods.   Responding to a call for help from New Zealand-based REACT Charitable Trust, Pryda donated a variety of building materials including screws, timber connectors and nailplates, aiming to rebuild 100 homes for families in need, strengthening these simple island-style homes against fur...

In a competitive construction materials market where supply outweighs demand, manufacturers and suppliers are looking for opportunities to reduce costs through productivity and efficiency.   How do you measure performance? What are the cost levers outside raw materials? How do you create an environment that engages your people to want to get better?  In this episode, host Adam talks to Peter Robin...

In this episode, we're pleased to welcome Joe Gattas , the Associate Professor at the University of Queensland’s School of Civil Engineering. With expertise in Structural Engineering, Joe also specialises in Computational Building Design, which harnesses digital tools to enhance design and fabrication processes.  In a recent research , Joe and his team have found improving timber production e...

One of the notable changes in the timber supply market recent years is the increased availability of low-density species imported into Australia. In the first episode of the Season 3 Pryda Pod, we're pleased to have Kurt Schrammel , the Managing Director of Vida Wood Australia to talk about the range of imported timber available in Australia – predominantly European species and Canadian speci...

As we head into the holiday season, we wanted to make sure our listeners didn’t get rusty and forget the fundamentals of timber frame and truss design.    For an end of year special, we handed the Pryda Pod reigns over to the comedy duo: AKA guest engineers: Jerry Roberts & Martin Chrysalis. These guys are masters at breaking down engineering concepts, and they’ve given the truss and frame ind...

The Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition is run by WoodSolutions , with an aim to attract new home designs across Australia that best showcase the positive aspects of building with timber, in particular the ability to withstand adverse weather events. As the competition has been wrapped up, we are bringing you an exclusive conversation with Paolo Lavisci , the Program Manager of the competiti...

At Pryda and ITW Construction Asia Pacific , a safety-first culture is a fundamental part of how we work. Ensuring a safe environment enables us to show up every day at work and play to our full potential. Being safe is not only for our benefit but for our workmates and our loved ones. In this episode, we delve into what safety-first culture really means and how it’s embedded in a company with a s...

In this episode, we have an enthralling conversation with Anton Engelmayer , a visionary builder who has a fiery passion for sustainable building. With a carpentry background and over four decades of experience in the industry, Anton has been passionate about renovation and extension to make the most of existing assets. Sustainable building practices have been a driving force throughout his career...

Have you ever heard of the circular economy? In this episode, we are diving deep into this fascinating realm of how the circular economy can make a significant impact on the construction industry, and especially how it can be translated into actions within Frame and Truss construction.  This episode is hosted by Pryda Marketing and Engineering Manager Adam Dawson, and joining him is Spencer Morris...

On this episode we are joined by Ravi Sanyal, CEO and Product Manager at Techmatics Robotics, who is on a mission to save building inspectors and engineers from unsafe work in tight spaces with the help of clever robotic technology designed, developed and built in Christchurch, New Zealand.   Techmatics builds high-quality inspection bots with custom software for video transfer and capture. The ro...

In this episode we’re pleased to welcome back Kim Aitken, the founder and co-director of Truss House. This time we’re tapping into Kim’s knowledge of building science, design and regulation, and her experience in the Canadian and New Zealand markets to help us explore the question “is this the end of 90mm framing?”  Kim believes that the global network of Frame and Truss designers, fabricators and...

In our first episode of the Pryda Pod, Software Product Owner Nicky Woodward took us behind the scenes of Pryda’s development roadmap. Today we’re zooming out and looking at the long-term outlook of timber framing.  Hosted by Pryda Software Delivery Manager Mina Kardani, in this episode we have the privilege to welcome guests Dr Kazem Ghabraie and Dr Mahbube Subhani from Deakin University. Dr Kaze...

How do you reinvent something as simple and common as nailing? In this episode, we’re exploring the process of innovation in construction and a new method of installation for the most common timber connectors and structural components. Joined by ITW Paslode’s Innovation and Product Manager Peter Johnston, Peter will share with us the development process for Paslode’s new PPN-Master™ (Positive Plac...

Wherever you live, chances are you’ve had your best laid plans ruined by inclement weather recently. Adverse weather conditions are causing major disruptions in the construction industry, adding delays, costs and complexity.   In this episode, we are joined by Wade Lamberth, CEO at WeatherEye, a weather risk consultancy founded by former Royal Australia Navy meteorologists.   With his experience i...

Today's episode is one of the first steps we're taking in our Pryda for the Planet campaign. We want to celebrate and promote businesses going above and beyond in the pursuit of more sustainable practices. This is a two part episode. First we'll be joined by John Recourt (HR & WHSE Site Manager) from MB PreFab Big River Group. John is on a mission to eliminate waste from the fab...

This week on the Pryda Pod, we're having an important conversation about mental health and wellbeing. The past few years have presented many challenges for people working in the construction industry - cost increases, labour shortages, weather delays, supply chain uncertainty - which are further compounding the challenges of a large backlog of work.  This week we're joined by Fleur Heazl...

In Episode 2 of the Pryda Pod, we’re exploring the next evolution of frame and truss design and construction. What if you could combine all the elements of the roof, floor and walls into a single truss to build higher performing, more climate resilient and widely accessible housing? Kim Aitken (Founder and Co-Director of Truss House) and her team in New Zealand are on a mission to simplify high pe...

Welcome back to season 2 of the Pryda Pod. To kick off the new season, we're discussing the National Construction Code (NCC), a topic requested by many of our listeners.   The release of the latest NCC will bring about the most significant changes to hit our industry in 25 years. Here to take us through what to expect and how builders and designers can prepare for these changes, is Peter Zago...

It's our last podcast of the year and Pryda's wise wizards of timber are here to share their words of wisdom (try saying that fast!). Adam is joined by Greg Hay (Software Product Owner), Ian Currie (Business Development Manager), Bernard Kennelly (Marketing Development Engineer) and Ian Hayward (Engineering Manager). Between them, they have more than 100 years of experience in the timber...

This week we explore the global timber supply chain with Hayden Slatter (National Product Manager for Engineered Wood Products) at ITI Australia. Hayden has more than 20 years' experience in the Australian timber industry spanning fabrication, retail, sawmilling and wholesale importing. The episode begins unexpectedly with Hayden sharing the surreal experience of being in Wuhan, China in late...

Our first episode with Dr Tim Law (Architectural Scientist and Building Surveying Lecturer at Victoria University) was so popular, we had to invite him back! In the first episode, Tim opened our eyes to the negative impacts of mould - the hidden dangers lurking behind your plasterboard, beneath your floors and above your ceilings. In this episode, Tim shares ideas about how to combat these issues...

Founder and Managing Director of Stormseal, Matthew Lennox has over 30 years of experience in building and project management. We're diving into Matthew's experience in protecting homes from further damage after storms and other disasters, and exploring what benefits could be brought to the home building process if frames were protected and enclosed almost as soon as they went up. Show n...

Our guest this week will be familiar to many of you: Kersten Gentle, CEO of FTMA Australia. Kersten details FTMA Australia's journey from humble beginnings to now representing over 53% of Fabricators nationally. Kersten also shares key focus areas for growing the industry - from attracting new talent, training opportunities, providing more HR & admin support for Fabricators and how we can...

Adam is joined by Paolo Lavisci, Program Manager for the Resilient Timber Homes Program, Forest & Wood Products Association. Paolo has been a key contributor to the growth of timber use in taller and more complex structures, changing the mindsets of many market participants and helping developers, builders and consultants to take advantage of the benefits of wood-based structural systems by ma...