Government and industry work together to build high value wood exports
FUTURE FORESTS RESEARCH
MEDIA RELEASE
Date: 19 May 2015
Government and industry work together to build high value wood exports
The new government funding awarded to a Future Forests Research (FFR) led programme is a significant boost to creating a high-value specialty wood products industry from planted forest species other than radiata pine.
Research and Development Manager Russell Dale says this funding partnership between industry and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is great news for New Zealand and backs the forestry and wood processing industry and the Government’s strategy to grow high value export focussed manufacturing industries.
“The benefits to New Zealand from this investment are huge. We can expect export returns of around $350M by 2030, growth in regional employment and opportunities for MÄori forestry and wood manufacturing in the regions,†said Russell.
Forestry and wood manufacturing collectively is New Zealand’s third largest export earner and relies largely on radiata pine, which is not well suited to some higher value applications.
Plantations of species, such as eucalypts, Douglas-fir, and cypresses, already exist in New Zealand but the opportunities to turn these resources into high value products sought by global markets have been limited by processing challenges, geographic spread and lack of scale.
“These species can supply markets that demand chemical free, stiff and attractive timbers from sustainable resources,†said Russell.
The aims of the FFR programme are to: (i) transform processing options for eucalypts, Douglas-fir, and cypresses to produce high-value specialty wood products; (ii) develop improved Eucalypt breeding stock that will overcome the current problems of growth strain, checking and collapse; and (iii) develop a new, naturally durable eucalypt and cypress resource.
The programme will benefit the country top to bottom, says Russell, and regional strategies will focus on ensuring the viability of this new industry.
“There must be sustainable harvests of sufficient volume from existing forests, or new forests, planted within economic range of processing plants to support local industry. Our key investors have existing routes to market through their international market connections ensuring the research is well aligned to market needs.
“Scientists, engineers, seedling producers, foresters and wood manufacturers will come together to develop new export-oriented opportunities that will make New Zealand a recognised supplier of superior, high-performance wood products,†he said.
The 7-year long research programme represents a total $13.8M investment comprising $710,000 pa from MBIE’s Biological Industries Fund, $710,000 pa from the forestry industry, $550,000 pa from Scion Core Funding and support from the School of Forestry, University of Canterbury.
The programme is set to start on 1 July 2015.
Major industry investors are Southwood Exports, Juken NZ Ltd, Ernslaw One, Forest Growers’ Levy Trust, Blakely Pacific, Timberlands and Proseed. Science partners in the new venture are Scion, University of Canterbury and the New Zealand Dryland Forests Initiative.
Programme Steering Group Chair Peter Berg says this investment in research will deliver future harvests with predictable quality and high-value for domestic and international specialty markets.
“We are looking long-term and predict annual export returns of $3.6B by 2050,†Peter said.
Future Forests Research Limited (FFR) is an industry-owned company established in 2008 to facilitate collaborative research for the forest industry to create New Zealand wide benefits. .
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Russell Dale
FOA Research & Development Manager
Phone: +6479217258 mobile +64274938061
russell.dale@ffr.co.nz