USNR & Skookum to support mills through economic pressures

USNR & Skookum to support mills through economic pressures

Friday 5 Sep 2025

With decades of proven results, the performance-led, support-driven partnership continues to help timber processors across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific achieve lasting performance in challenging times.

For timber processors across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific, the economic landscape is tightening. Rising energy costs, global competition, and reduced domestic demand are testing the viability of mills across the region. In this climate, performance and support are not optional - they are essential.

That’s why USNR and Skookum are extending their decades-long partnership, reaffirming their shared commitment to a performance-led, support-driven model that delivers measurable outcomes for mills, today and into the future.

“It’s not just about delivering equipment,” says Geoff Strang, Engineering & Project Director at Skookum. “It’s about understanding what the mill needs, designing for the right outcomes, and being there when it counts especially in tough market conditions.”

For more than 30 years, Skookum has been trusted by leading timber producers for its full-cycle project engineering delivery, responsive regional service, and robust solutions proven in harsh environments. In parallel, USNR has spent decades building a reputation as the world’s most comprehensive supplier of sawmill technologies, integrating scanning, optimisation, automation, and industry-leading equipment into hundreds of mills worldwide.

Together, the partnership brings distinct and complementary strengths:

Performance-led: Skookum’s project engineering paired with USNR’s optimisation technology delivers measurable results.
Support-driven: Skookum provides regionally based lifecycle service, while USNR offers global backing from installation to lifetime support.
Built for the mill: Solutions engineered for durability and longevity, proven across both local and international mills.
Innovation: Continuous improvement, applying real-world process enhancements and cutting-edge optimisation technology.
Trust, proven by results: Decades of reliable delivery, trusted by mills where performance is non-negotiable.

“USNR’s systems are designed to perform in demanding environments,” says Jason Clay, USNR’s Australasian Representative. “But it’s the local integration, commissioning, and ongoing service from Skookum that ensures mills across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific get the full value from their investment.”

As mills look to weather the economic storm, the USNR-Skookum partnership offers more than technology - it offers confidence, resilience, and results that stand the test of time.

Source & image credit: Skookum

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