After running for nine years, the JOSB Done campaign is drawing to a close.

JOSB Done has been a multi-faceted campaign focussed on promoting the benefits of oriented strand board (OSB). It has been supported by manufacturers Norbord and SmartPly and resin supplier Huntsman, and has received endorsement from the Wood Panel Industries Federation.

The campaign has used a variety of tactics to spread its message over the years, from eye-catching adverts and a presence at trade shows, to merchant breakfast mornings, Apprentice of the Year competitions, football tournaments, tank driving days, case studies and a partnership with London design studio Material Lab.

Alastair Kerr, director general of the Wood Panel Industries Federation and main spokesperson for the JOSB Done campaign, said: “From the beginning, we have set out to challenge entrenched attitudes and misconceptions about OSB’s properties and applications, as too many tradesmen believe it’s not up to the same job as ply, which simply is not the case.

“Through various engaging and educational initiatives, we have been able to advise builders, specifiers and merchants alike why OSB is an attractive panel proposition – and we have certainly made significant headway.

“The response we have received and the feedback from the ground is that our message has been heard and since we began the campaign, you can certainly see an increase in the use of OSB for a plethora of projects. Just walking down the street, you can see OSB is being used on a larger scale than perhaps previously.”

As the campaign comes to an end, two final informative videos of OSB’s uses and the trade’s thoughts on this versatile panel are set to be launched later this month, plus JOSBDone.com will remain as a testament to the campaign and as a useful online resource on everything relating to OSB.

Beyond this, the manufacturers and supporters of JOSB Done, Norbord and SmartPly, will continue to champion the benefits of OSB, focusing on the quality and reassurance their homegrown products have to offer over OSB imports that have recently been entering the UK market from overseas.

Mr Kerr concluded: “JOSB Done has always been a unique initiative and every year, we came back with more to say and more to do. It’s fantastic to see how far we have come and how the timber panel landscape has changed over the past nine years, and while it may be the end of an era, we want to thank everyone who has been a part of the campaign as it’s been a job done very well indeed.”