(AAC) was developed by the Forest Research institute as a more environmentally friendly option to the Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) which was the preservative typically used to treat timber used in outdoor structures such as decks, sheds, barns, etc. Approved by the Timber Preservation Authority it was used between 1979 and 1985 with Carter Holt Harvey its biggest user. Others were Pinex Timber Products Ltd (a subsidiary of CHH) and Prolog Industries Ltd (the processing branch of the state-owned New Zealand Forestry Corporation). Unfortunately once in use it was found to unsuitable for use with some timber failing within five years. Users of AAC lodged a total of $7.43 million in claims. In November 1992, the New Zealand Government and the timber companies (including CHH) agreed essentially to equally share the costs of settling these claims. Laserframe In 2003 the company was found guilty by the Advertising Standards Complaints Board of misleading advertising over the previous two years over the effectiveness of its Laserframe timber used in building house frames. Laserframe is an untreated kiln-dried, chemical-free timber that the company claimed in a brochure performed similar to H1 treated pine timber. CHH collecting any outstanding brochures and destroyed them. Shadowclad In 2013 the Ministry of Education launched a legal action against a number of cladding manufacturers due to issues with building cladding allowing water to leak into school buildings. Confidential settlements were subsequently reached with Australian manufacturers James Hardie and CSR, but Carter Holt Harvey fought to have most of the claim struck out as it was outside of 10-year limitation period set by the Building Act 2004. When this was rejected by the Supreme Court with costs being awarded against CHH, the case proceeded and is due to be heard in court in 2020. The Ministry wants Carter Holt Harvey to pay all the costs associated with removing and replacing faulty Shadowclad cladding on approximately 800 buildings, with the estimated repair bill reported as being between NZ$1 billion and NZ$1.3b. In 2014 the Fair Go television program found 24 property owners who believed they had been supplied faulty or substandard Shadowclad material. This led to a case action lead by lawyer Adina Thorn being filed in the Auckland High Court in 2016. The court action claimed at least NZ$40m in damages on behalf of 117 property owners. Brands Carters Building Supplies Futurebuild Shadowclad Ecoply Laserframe Pinex Handiply References External