Kaitāia timber mills may close with loss of hundreds of jobsThursday 2 Apr 2026
High costs - power especially - have long cast a shadow over the future of the two mills, but Juken NZ has now signalled its intention to exit the Far North town of about 6000 people. The news has been greeted with dismay in Kaitāia, a town with few other employment options. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said news of the mills' possible sale or closure would be concerning for employees, their whānau and the wider Kaitāia community. "Given the scale of the potential economic impact, we'll be advocating strongly for government involvement. Councils can't advocate for this alone, we need all partners at the table." More >> Source: RNZ Related: JNL business update Statement from Mr Hisayuki Tsuboi, Managing Director, Juken New Zealand Ltd. “Juken New Zealand has today begun a formal consultation process regarding the future of its Northland Mill and Triboard Mill in Kaitaia. This reflects a combination of ongoing structural and market pressures affecting these operations, including declining demand in key export markets and increasing operating costs. We have been working over several years to improve financial performance at these sites, including increasing production and exploring new markets. Despite these efforts, we have not been able to return the mills to a sustainable footing under their current operating model. As part of this process, we are exploring whether the mills can continue operating under a different structure, including a potential sale or joint venture. We are taking the mills to market to assess whether there is interest from potential buyers. More >> Source & image credit: JNL | ||
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