Friday Offcuts – 23 October 2026
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Welcome to this week’s Friday OffcutsThe New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement is now in force, removing tariffs on more than 95% of New Zealand’s current wood product exports to India. We also look at why imports, rather than local sawmills, are meeting most of the extra sawn softwood demand when Australia’s housing market picks up. In New Zealand, forestry rates in Carterton are back in the spotlight after a Council modelling error raised the prospect of even steeper increases. We also visit Pan Pac’s new Whirinaki support hub, look at the future of Tasmania’s Burnie Chip Export Terminal, and cover the latest log markets and AI tools for forest road design. Elsewhere, mass timber is taking shape at Sunshine Coast Airport, a new study tour will explore steep-slope forestry and erosion management, and community volunteers are helping restore a Rotorua stream. We’re also gearing up for a busy few weeks, with WoodWorks 2026 in Hastings next week, followed by HarvestTECH & Wood Transport Logistics in Rotorua in November. Grab a brew and catch up on the latest.
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This week we have for you:
NZ–India FTA: New opportunities for wood processing [NZ]
The Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ (WPMA)
has welcomed the entry into force of the New Zealand–India Free
Trade Agreement on 20 October 2026, saying it will help strengthen New
Zealand's position in one of the world's fastest growing markets.
WPMA Chief Executive Mark Ross said the agreement is timely for New Zealand's wood processing and forestry sector, with more than 95% of current wood product exports to India becoming tariff free immediately and tariffs on almost all remaining wood trade being phased out over seven years. Based on current industry export volumes to India valued at approximately $193 million, the removal of existing tariffs of 5 percent on logs and pulp and 10 percent on wood products will deliver more than $10 million annually in cost savings and additional revenue opportunities for New Zealand exporters across the wood processing and forestry sector. WPMA acknowledges the work of the New Zealand Government and trade negotiators in delivering an agreement that creates meaningful opportunities for New Zealand’s wood product exporters to India. More >> Source: Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ (WPMA) Image credit: Hon Todd McClay Related articles:
Housing & Australian sawn softwood report [AU]New analysis from Terrafolia Advisory identifies a fundamental shift in Australia's timber supply chain. Since 2015, imports have supplied 83% of additional sawn softwood consumption during housing upswings, compared with just 12% before 2015.Australian sawn softwood has depended on housing, but housing has not depended on Australian sawn softwood. When house starts fall, domestic sawn output falls with them. When house starts rise, domestic output barely moves, and imports meet the extra demand.  The report examines the implications for domestic sawmilling, international competitiveness, engineered wood products and future manufacturing investment. The central question: how can Australia capture more of the timber demand generated by its own housing industry? Read the full report Source & image credit: Terrafolia Advisory Forestry rates blowout after Council modelling error [NZ]
Forest owners in Carterton District could face even steeper
rates increases after the District Council admitted errors in the
modelling behind its controversial rating proposal.
The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) says the correction shifts an even greater share of roading costs onto forestry, despite the original proposal already showing rates increases of up to 1200 per cent. NZFOA chief operating officer Joseph Brolly says forest owners are being asked to shoulder an extraordinary financial burden, with the latest changes raising concerns about the consultation process. “Forest owners were already facing rates increases of tens of thousands of dollars a year more in some cases,” Brolly says. “For a medium-sized 300-hectare forest, the proposed increase would take annual rates from $8,700 to $107,700 – more than 12 times the current Bill. Now the Council has acknowledged a modelling error that could make that situation even worse.” “Increases of this magnitude threaten the viability of all forestry businesses and put at risk the jobs, local spending and economic activity they support in rural communities. “ Juken New Zealand chief forest officer Sean McBride says the proposed rates fail to adequately reflect the long-term nature of forestry and existing contributions to road funding from the sector. “Forestry, like any major road user, has a responsibility to contribute to maintaining local roading infrastructure, particularly during harvest. Log trucks already pay road user charges (RUC) to contribute to the wider funding of the roading network.” “But forests can go decades without generating logging traffic, while owners face rates bills every year. Increases of this magnitude will make it harder to justify investing in forestry in the district.” Roger Dickie NZ Director Jeff Dickie says the implications could extend well beyond Carterton if other councils adopt similar approaches. “Forestry investors make decisions based on costs and returns over decades.” "You can't impose rates increases of this scale halfway through an investment and expect it won't affect the outcome. If councils across New Zealand follow Carterton's lead, it's going to make investors think twice about whether they invest in the fourth-largest food and fibre export earner – one that employs over 40,000 Kiwis.” Brolly says errors in the Council’s modelling have led to further changes to the proposal, raising concerns about the fairness of the consultation process, with affected forest owners now having less than two weeks to respond before the 26 October deadline. “Given the scale of the proposed increases and the implications for forestry businesses, forest owners should have a fair opportunity to understand and respond to the revised modelling. NZFOA is calling on the Council to extend consultation before making a final decision.” Source: New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA)  SnapStat - NZ and BC log export volumes [NZ] While New Zealand harvest volumes are now similar to those from British Columbia, our log export volumes are quite different as today's graphs show.   Sources: figure.nz & russtaylorglobal.com TasPorts reviews future of Burnie Chip Export Terminal [AU]
The review will determine which ownership and operating model is
best placed to support BCET’s long-term future, while delivering
the greatest public value for Tasmania.TasPorts Chief Executive Officer Captain Allan Gray said the review reflected responsible stewardship of a strategically important piece of Tasmania’s export infrastructure. “BCET is a critical export gateway for Tasmania’s forestry industry and regional economy, and ensuring its long-term future is our priority,” he said. “As the terminal enters a significant reinvestment cycle, it’s appropriate that we assess which ownership and operating model is best placed to support its next chapter.” Captain Gray said reviewing ownership and operating models for specialised cargo handling facilities was common practice across Australia’s ports sector. “Across Australia, specialised cargo handling facilities are commonly owned or operated by industry participants, specialist terminal operators or joint ventures, while port authorities continue to own and manage the port, provide marine services and invest in the core infrastructure that supports trade. “TasPorts already operates under similar commercial arrangements across parts of our port network. This review will determine whether a similar approach could deliver the best long-term outcome for BCET and Tasmania.” Captain Gray said the review would also consider whether alternative ownership or operating models could attract long-term investment into BCET, while enabling TasPorts to continue prioritising investment in the wharves, marine assets and core infrastructure that support trade across the state. “TasPorts has an important responsibility to ensure capital is invested where it delivers the greatest long-term benefit for Tasmania,” he said. “If there’s a model that enables continued investment in BCET while allowing TasPorts to further strengthen the infrastructure that supports all trade across our port network, it’s appropriate that we assess that objectively.” An independent financial adviser will be appointed to assess a range of ownership and operating models. Subject to that advice, TasPorts may also undertake an open market process to test market interest and capability. Options considered will include continued TasPorts ownership, a joint venture or partnership, and alternative ownership structures. BCET will continue operating as normal throughout the review. Existing Facilities Management Agreements with Forico and Sustainable Timber Tasmania remain in place, and any future ownership or operating model would be expected to protect operational continuity, customer access and existing contractual commitments. Captain Gray said TasPorts was committed to an open and transparent process. “We will undertake an evidence-based review, engage openly with employees, customers, Government and industry, and determine the model that delivers the greatest long-term public value for Tasmania.” The review will commence in January 2027 and is expected to be complete by July 2027. Source & image credit: TasPorts New Pan Pac hub a shrine to pine [NZ]
It’s taken over three years since
Cyclone Gabrielle devastated Pan Pac’s Whirinaki industrial
operations for all the company’s workers to be back onsite again.
Pan Pac was one of the worst hit businesses in the region in 2023 with its mill site under 2m of floodwaters and silt, puting it out of operation for over a year. All the 1970s ofice buildings were flooded, causing over 100 staff to be relocated across three rented ofices in Napier. With a focus on restoring production to the lumber and pulp mills, replacing support ofices was not a priority, says Tony Clifford, Managing Director, Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd. “Our main goal was geting our operations up and running again,” says Mr Clifford. “It took some time to replace all the equipment ─ especially the electrical systems.” Once full production had been restored, the company turned its focus to completing the design and construction of a more resilient ofice building that would bring all its support staff together under one roof. “Thankfully our shareholder Oji was not only committed to our recovery but also our resilience, allowing us to design a building that supports the future success of our business.” Pan Pac was determined to showcase its premium appearance-grade pine within the building. The result is a stunning shrine to pine of different applications, with thermally modified timber walls and external fins by Abodo; and glue laminated timber columns and beams, and cross-laminated timber floors and ceiling panels by Red Stag. The sleek pine furniture in the meeting rooms and the cafeteria were all crafted by skilled local joiners. Pan Pac recently won Exporter of the Year at the ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards. The company is now looking at more ways to diversify its product range, investigating ways to broaden its sustainable forest product range, and encouraging markets to see pine in a new light. Source & image credit: Pan Pac  RoadEng 12 brings smarter AI to NZ forest road design [Int]
Softree Technical Systems released RoadEng Version 12, with new
tools for forest road design. Path Explorer AI, which searches the
terrain for the best location for a new forest road, can now work around
the roads, landings and crossings engineers already know.
Version 12 also adds hydrology tools for road drainage and culvert
design, plus Digital Pre-Planting, a new tool for planning plantation
rows.Path Explorer AI, introduced in RoadEng 11, finds road locations that meet grade and design constraints. In Version 12, routes can tie into existing roads, so new construction goes only where it is needed. Engineers can send routes through waypoints such as landings, saddles or preferred crossings, and set tangent segments the route must follow, such as a bridge crossing or a required approach into a junction. Path Explorer AI can also now locate a complete road network across a block, not just one route at a time. “RoadEng has long been the standard for forest road design, and Version 12 is another big step forward,” said Jamie Black, RPF, Operational Planning & Road Design Team Lead at Forsite. “The 3D visualization and integrated hydrology tools help me produce better designs, but Path Explorer AI is what has changed how we plan road location. The new controls let the designer make the critical calls, and we can compare several feasible routes in minutes. We’ve now used it to plan more than 100 km of road for a range of clients.” In an independent study published this year in the Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering, researchers from the University of Banja Luka and Šume Republike Srpske compared Version 12 Path Explorer AI with a field-designed forest road in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The AI designs needed at least 45% less estimated earthwork. The researchers concluded that AI-driven corridor planning has clear potential as a practical design tool, especially when paired with high-resolution LiDAR terrain data. Digital Pre-Planting is a new tool that brings RoadEng’s terrain analysis to silviculture. Developed with Forest Growers Research’s Precision Silviculture Programme in New Zealand, it helps plan the establishment of plantation rows, balancing tree spacing and stocking requirements with the operating limits of in-block equipment on moderate and steep slopes. Foresters build a terrain model from LiDAR or other elevation data, import or draw block boundaries, divide the block into planting polygons by slope and aspect, set planting parameters and generate the layout. The result is a geolocated planting plan that can guide future operations and be shared with regulators. More >> Source & image credit: Softree Technical Systems Sunshine Coast mass timber airport terminal [AU]
Sunshine Coast Airport’s $170 million Terminal Redevelopment Project has reached a new milestone, with installation now underway on around 30 tonnes of timber chosen for its sustainability and environmental benefits, and reflecting the region’s subtropical landscape and laid-back character.When completed it will be Australia’s first mass timber engineered terminal, creating a passenger environment unlike any other airport in the country. As well as reinforcing the terminal’s connection to the landscape that surrounds it, the use of timber over traditional steel and concrete materials reduces the terminal’s embodied carbon with an estimated Global Warming Potential (GWP) saving of roughly 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The engineered timber, known as glulam or GLT, is being installed to form the terminal’s dramatic raking roof frames – a defining architectural feature designed by global architecture firm Populous: Fentress Studios’ Australian team in partnership with builder McNab. Sunshine Coast Airport General Manager Projects and Planning Mr Robin Mace, said seeing the timber structure take shape was a significant moment for the project. “This is where the vision our community helped shape really starts to come to life. “The timber frames will become one of the most recognisable features of our new terminal, and watching them go in is an exciting sign of the progress being made on this $170 million investment in our region’s future,” Mr Mace said. The scale of the installation is unusual for an airport project of this size – at around 30 tonnes, it’s a similar weight to an adult humpback whale, a familiar sight migrating past the Sunshine Coast coastline each year. “It’s genuinely rare for an airport to use timber at this scale,” said Mr Matt Findlay, Principal & Head of Aviation, APAC at Populous: Fentress Studios. “Most terminals of this size rely on steel and concrete, so committing around 30 tonnes of glulam to the roof structure is a significant statement about the kind of building we wanted to create – one that feels like nowhere else in Australian aviation,” said Mr Findlay Airports are widely recognised as high-stress environments – the noise, crowds and navigation involved in getting from drop-off to departure gate can leave even seasoned travellers feeling anxious. The terminal’s design sets out to counter that through biophilic design, a principle that draws on people’s innate connection to the natural world to help lower stress and improve wellbeing. By replacing concrete and steel with warm, exposed timber, the terminal is designed to have a calming effect on passengers from the moment they arrive. The raking glulam frames have been designed to do more than support the roof – they set the tone for the entire passenger journey. More >> Source & image credit: Sunshine Coast Airport / The Comms People --(2022)2.jpg) NZ Industry Report - October 2026 [NZ]
More positive news to report this month with most log market
fundamentals in a favourable context. Prices are generally
firm across domestic and export segments. Demand is strong and the mood
in both is positive.The positive vibes are an interesting phenomenon, when there is so much bad news out there, mostly promulgated by Donald Trump’s stupidities. It appears the rest of us are just getting on with it. Amazing isn’t it. Donald can announce a wonderful new diesel purchase of initially 300,000 gallons of diesel from Putin and he thinks he is wonderful. This volume of diesel will sustain US consumption for about 4 hours, so I am uncertain how this, and future sales, can be viewed as a good thing given the sales will only serve to assist Putin’s war efforts. Meanwhile, your average Russian citizen is facing shortages at the pump. Perhaps the “stupid is” statement by Forest Gump might be changed to “bizarre is bizarre as” when one attempts to describe that which surrounds Donald T. Meanwhile in the world of normality, both China and India are experiencing good demand with sales prices firming albeit not wildly so. China eastern seaboard softwood log inventory has increased by about 120,000 m3 to 2.5mil m3. But this was entirely expected as the China golden week holiday took place whilst vessels filled with NZ logs continued to arrive. The very positive news out of China is threefold. Softwood log daily usage post-holiday is running well over 60,000 m3 per day as at mid-October. This was expected, but the fact it is happening is improving the air of positivity. China manufacturing numbers are continuing to improve. This has been described by one market commentator as a clear signal China’s broader manufacturing base is “returning to expansionary territory”. Wood use is a very large component of China manufacturing and the resulting exports which in turn is positive news for Kiwi-forest owners. China trader margins have closed reflecting some domestic price improvements. To reiterate, trading margins reflect what traders buy the logs for versus what they sell them for. Trading margins have more typically been about negative US$6 – 7 per m3. As at mid-October the CFR price, being the price landed at a China port, is US$132 per m3. The selling price by traders is currently averaging US$128 with a US$4 loss viewed as positive. I was asked recently what the impacts of diesel cost increases were across the forestry sector. My research suggests, on an average day there are about 515 logging crews operating in NZ and about 2,500 logging truck and trailer units taking the logs to market. More >> Source & image credit: Laurie Forestry Exploring global best practice for NZ’s erodible steeplands [NZ]
The WIDE Trust is proud to award Myles Guy a Best Practice Study
Tour grant of up to $30,000 to explore leading-edge practices and
innovations in forestry, land use adaptation and environmental risk
management internationally.Myles is an experienced forestry and environmental management professional, currently working as Environmental and Land Use Business Manager at John Turkington Limited. With more than 20 years’ experience across resource management, sustainable land use, forestry, erosion and sediment control, climate change policy and environmental regulation, he brings both strategic knowledge and practical industry experience to the study tour. The tour will allow Myles to investigate how other countries manage forestry and land use in steep, erosion-prone landscapes, and how those learnings could support future practice in New Zealand. Responding to a Critical Industry Challenge New Zealand’s forestry sector is facing increasing pressure to adapt the way it manages highly erodible steepland environments. Recent severe weather events have highlighted the vulnerability of steep landscapes, particularly where forest harvesting, slash movement, slope failure and downstream impacts can affect infrastructure, waterways and communities. These challenges have increased public scrutiny, regulatory expectations and the need for practical, future-focused solutions. Myles’ study tour is designed to respond directly to these issues by exploring international examples of erosion risk management, land use adaptation, restorative forestry and alternative approaches to forestry in high-risk catchments. Learning from International Examples The study tour is planned across two international legs in 2027, allowing Myles to visit regions that share relevant terrain, climatic or environmental challenges with New Zealand. The first leg will focus on Japan and China. In Japan, Myles intends to explore steep-slope stabilisation, bioengineering, landslide prevention and systems designed to reduce slash mobilisation. In China, the focus will include large-scale erosion control, landscape restoration and the transition of vulnerable land into more stable long-term cover. The second leg will focus on Chile and British Columbia, Canada. These regions provide opportunities to study steep-slope harvesting, riparian buffer management, continuous cover forestry, watershed protection and governance models that prioritise environmental resilience. Together, these destinations will provide a broad international view of how forestry systems can be adapted to better protect soils, waterways, communities and long-term productive landscapes. From Global Insight to Local Application A key strength of the proposed study tour is its focus on applying international learning back in New Zealand. The tour will explore practical themes including:
Myles’ background positions him well to connect these learnings with real industry application. His career has included senior roles across private forestry, regional council delivery and central government policy, with experience spanning environmental codes of practice, erosion risk classification, catchment strategy, resource management and forestry regulation. More >> Source & image credit: WIDE Trust  Forestry Australia welcomes new President [AU]
Forestry Australia is delighted to announce the appointment of
Leon Holt as President, with Dr Lyndall Bull and Professor Rod Keenan
appointed as Vice Presidents, marking an exciting new chapter in the
Association's leadership.The appointments follow Forestry Australia's Annual General Meeting in Canberra last week, where members elected two new Directors, Louise Bourke and Dr Phil Lacy, bringing fresh perspectives and experience to the Board. Congratulating the new leadership team, Forestry Australia Chief Executive Officer Jacquie Martin said the appointments represented an important milestone in the organisation's ongoing renewal and succession planning. "Leon brings a wealth of experience, a strong commitment to forest science and the forestry profession, he also has a genuine passion for Forestry Australia's future," Ms Martin said. "Leon played an instrumental role in establishing Forestry Australia's Future Foresters Initiative and was among our first Board Observers. His progression to President is a wonderful example of the leadership pathways we are working to create for emerging professionals." She added that Mr Holt, a recipient of the 2019 Prince of Wales Award for Sustainable Forestry, brought a valuable farm forestry perspective to the role. Together with his family, he is developing an agricultural business and growing a hardwood plantation on Djaara Country in central Victoria. "His experience reflects the increasingly important role farm forestry will play in the future of Australia's forest sector," she said. Looking forward, Mr Holt said his focus as President would be on chairing a high-performing Board that could navigate an ever-changing operating environment and set the organisation up for future success. "I believe in what Forestry Australia has become over the last few years, I think we have a very bright future. I am deeply honoured that the Board and our members have put their trust in me to help guide our organisation." "I am and always will be a forester at heart, and I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to work in native forestry and regulation in Victoria, and to receive a formal forestry education. I'm passionate about making sure forestry education has a strong future in this country." "We will continue to grow and engage with our membership, build partnerships with the stakeholders, the community and First Nations peoples, and continue to advocate for evidence-based forest management that ensures future generations will continue to benefit from Australia's iconic forests." More >> Source & image credit: Forestry Australia Responsible Wood AGM marks the end of an era [AU]
Members, directors, staff and special guests came together
recently for the Responsible Wood Annual General Meeting, held in
Canberra adjacent to the Forestry Australia Symposium.Beyond exploring the achievements of the preceding 12 months and launching the organisation’s 2025/26 Annual Report, the meeting was significant in marking the recent resignation of former Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries, with Acting CEO Matt de Jongh, Chair Dr Tony Bartlett and former Chair Dr Hans Drielsma AM all speaking to Simon’s extensive and well-regarded contributions. “Over the past 11 years, Simon has played a major role in advancing sustainable forest management and chain of custody certification as technically robust and commercially relevant,” said Acting CEO, Matt de Jongh. “His contributions leave a lasting legacy for not just Responsible Wood, but the broader sector”. Throughout his career, Simon has played an important role in strengthening the technical foundations and recognition of forest management and chain of custody certification. In a conversation with the Responsible Wood team, Simon noted one of his earliest career highlights, achieved at the ripe age of 25, while working as a technical officer with the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia. His efforts helped develop standards, auditing processes and testing systems that could demonstrate, through objective evidence, whether products complied with relevant standards. That early work put him at the forefront of his field, with industry professionals from around the world seeking his technical advice – a practice that continues today. At Responsible Wood, Simon identified the revision of AS/NZS 4708 (the joint Australian and New Zealand Standard for Sustainable Forest Management), and its subsequent recognition by the Green Building Council of Australia as among his proudest achievements. Each revision, including the latest which is nearing completion and on track to seek re-endorsement from PEFC in early 2027, has strengthened the Standard's performance requirements, balancing practical implementation with robust and demonstrable sustainability outcomes. Securing its recognition under Green Star was a significant milestone, supporting the continued acceptance of Responsible Wood-certified timber in Australia's commercial building sector. “On behalf of Responsible Wood and the forest and wood products sector, I’d like to thank Simon for his leadership and technical expertise throughout his tenure,” said de Jongh. “He’s leaving the organisation in a strong position, and his contribution will benefit the sector for years to come.” Source & image credit: Responsible Wood Community planting day drives Waipa Stream restoration [NZ]A collaborative effort between forestry, iwi and local community volunteers marked the start of a permanent ecological transition in Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Forest last month, with 8,000 native trees planted along the Waipa Stream corridor.Organised by Kaingaroa Tipu alongside Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi Tribal Authority, industry contractors and community members, the planting day brought together more than 30 volunteers. The initiative represents the start of a long-term programme designed to transition land out of harvested Pinus radiata into permanent native vegetation, enhancing riparian buffers and stream health within the Puarenga catchment. Beyond improving water quality and stabilizing stream banks, the project establishes wildlife corridors and long-term ecological benefits for local recreational users. Kaingaroa Tipu confirmed the planting will be supported by ongoing weed and pest management to ensure long-term ecosystem viability. More >> Source & video credit: Kaingaroa Tipu  Jobs
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And one to end the week on... The Surprise Party
The Surprise Party play's madcap take on politics this election as New Zealand heads towards voting on 7 November.
Read more: The surprise party play's madcap take on politics this election Source: RNZ  And on that note, enjoy your weekend. Cheers.  Brand PartnersOur Partners & Sponsors Friday Offcuts is made possible through the generous support of the following companies.
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