Victorian Technologies Set to Revolutionize Timber Industry

That would be Victorian as in Victoria, Australia. I hadn't realized it, but the government seems to be pushing for an emphasis on "innovation" over in Victoria, and tossing taxpayer money at it in a serious way. The projects outlined on the Victorian Government's Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Initiative website are pretty wide ranging, from better materials for car bodies to improvements in irrigation systems. As for the title-linked timber project, from an April 14, 2005 write-up:

A new Woodend pilot production facility is set to investigate innovative technologies that can radically bend woods, assure timber consistency and quality, and open up new resources for use by the furniture industry.

Acting Premier, John Brumby, today announced that the Rapid Wood Forming for the Furniture Industry project would receive $1.1 million under the Bracks Government's Science, Technology and Innovation Initiative, Infrastructure Grants Program.

"Current wood processing technologies have a number of disadvantages because of the variable characteristics of wood, which can vary between species, between trees and within a tree," Mr Brumby said.

"By using new technologies it is possible to modify the structure of wood – reducing variability and providing improved physical properties and technological attributes."...