Friday Offcuts – 13 July 2018
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! With NZ forestry under continued pressure on the East Coast following the recent slash tsunami, you really have to wonder just where all the ongoing regular good news stories have gone. To maintain our social license, to get alongside the local community, to get into the heart’s and minds of the Mum’s and Dad’s out there and to showcase the exciting opportunities that our industry has to offer to younger students looking at career options in front of them… we for whatever reason continue to miss the boat.Hand on heart, when was the last time you read or saw an article that would “spin the wheels” of the wider and community and the younger audience. Just bad news – right? With skills shortages looming and with an incredibly competitive marketplace out there, why as an industry aren’t we making an effort? The farming industry does. Check out the latest On Farm Story. Apparently, this particular video had 17,000 views over the first weekend and something like 50,000 hits. It’s an example of what could be achieved. Maybe there are a few lessons in here for forestry? To help get the ball rolling, look at the just completed Northland Forestry Awards evening that ran last Friday. More than 540 forestry workers and their families gathered in Whangarei to toast recent training and business success throughout the region. This followed Eastland, the Lower North Island and Southern Wood Council’s awards evenings. They all ran in May and all had record turnouts. For Northland alone, 46 nominations were received. If you’ve ever been to any one of the awards evenings you’ll know that all nominees have an outstanding story to tell, the majority of which will resonate with the audiences highlighted above. It’s these stories that should be appearing in the papers and on line if we’re at all serious about reaching out on a regular basis to Mum, Dad and the younger generation – isn’t it? We’ve got the resources – around 150 applications from NZ Wood Council award nominees this year. Now, how can we best use them? Last week we covered a story out of Canada where they’d introduced the country’s first counter measures, taxes, on US imports of steel, aluminium and other products including plywood, veneered panels and laminated wood products. It kicked in on 1 July. We’ve got an update this week on the other two heavy weights, the U.S. and China, who have started with their own retaliatory measures. Wood products trade between the two countries reportedly was already trending downwards with the U.S. slapping China's plywood industry with countervailing duties late last year. In the latest move, effective from last Friday, tariffs of 25% are now being levied on Chinese-manufactured woodworking machinery and wood panel processing equipment. With an additional US$200 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports being called for, 10 percent tariffs have also just been announced on consumer products including furniture - which currently ranks 6th among the top 10 imports from China to the U.S. Wood products have also been included in the list of thousands of Chinese imports being targeted. The trade battles appear to be escalating and wood, wood products and wood processing equipment aren’t immune from the escalating trade disputes. That’s it for this week. Enjoy this week’s read.
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New owners for Wenita Forest Products
Forestry investment manager New Forests is pleased to announce its Australia New Zealand Forest Fund 2 (ANZFF2) has acquired a 38% shareholding in Wenita Forest Products Ltd (Wenita) and full ownership of the Otago Land Company, which holds 22,500 hectares of freehold land on which Wenita operates via forestry rights. New Forests is acquiring the assets from The Rohatyn Group (TRG), a specialised asset management firm with expertise in emerging markets and real assets, which first purchased the Wenita shareholding in 2005 in a joint venture with Chinese logistics company Sinotrans and 100% of the OLC land in 2006. The transaction marks the successful completion and full investment of the AUD 707 million ANZFF2 fund. “The Wenita transaction is a milestone for our ANZFF series of forestry funds as we complete full investment of ANZFF2, securing significant scale in both target countries of Australia and New Zealand,” noted Mark Rogers, Managing Director for New Forests’ Australia-New Zealand business. “New Forests has been selective and disciplined in creating the ANZFF2 portfolio. The Wenita acquisition complements the fund’s hardwood and softwood plantation exposure in Australia and brings our New Zealand estate to more than 48,000 hectares in total.” Wenita is the largest softwood timber producer in New Zealand’s Otago region with a 29,200-hectare estate growing primarily radiata pine. TRG Partner Ian Jolly said, “The ultimate success of this investment for TRG has been the result of significant direct involvement in the management of the plantations, including the setting of its business model and an extremely collaborative relationship with Sinotrans. At the time of acquisition, the Wenita estate was depleted, had very high operating costs and relatively poor yields. During our ownership, inventory has recovered, yields are greatly improved, and operating costs have reduced dramatically as harvesting is now in the second rotation. We are delighted to deliver a strong realized return from this investment to our clients.” New Forests’ Australia New Zealand focused investment funds represent more than AUD 2.75 billion of forestry and processing assets. New Forests is currently investing its Australia New Zealand Forest Fund 3, which has capital commitments of AUD 873 million from a combination of pension funds and superannuation funds. New Forests manages AUD 4.5 billion in assets and funds under management, with more than 940,000 hectares of forests, land, and conservation investments in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the United States. Source: businesswire.com Winners forestry reputation leads to major awards
Dave Wilson has walked away with the top prize at the Northland Forestry Awards in a record year of entries. As well as being awarded the Northland Forestry Skilled Professional of the Year, Mr Wilson also won the Harvesting Excellence Award. He is known as one of the most professional crew managers in the region. He’s worked for Rosewarne Cable Loggers since 2013 and thrives on the challenge of running an efficient harvest crew in often challenging terrain using a 90-foot tower. While he has high expectations, he leads from the front. Mr Wilson has 11 national certificates, a testament to his quest to be the very best he can and with a keen eye to health and safety. He is a meticulous planner who is always looking to do a job better. Growing up in Tokoroa, he always knew his work would be in forestry, and looked forward to following his father into the industry. For 13 years he was in the Waikato, working his way up from breaker out to crew foreman. He and his family fell in love with Northland and decided to move. Since he started with Rosewarne Cable Loggers, he has been based in the Karaka Forest – an area with huge hills, long pulls, blind spots and open to the elements. Forestry companies he has worked for say he is the best around, and the longevity of his own crew highlights just that. Judge Jacqui Apiata-Coyne says Mr Wilson’s passion and expertise had helped him develop into a highly skilled professional and an authentic leader. “He is a man whose reputation precedes him,” says Ms Apiata-Coyne. “He leads a team who work in a demanding and complex environment.” Introduced to the awards this year was the Newey Transport Emerging Talent Award, which was won by Channing Green in a tightly-fought section. Ms Apiata-Coyne said the calibre of entries this year had been particularly high. “The competition within the Emerging Talent Award, Harvesting Excellence and Roading Excellence, was incredibly strong this year. The awards are becoming very difficult to judge, there is a high calibre among professionals within the industry and many of those recognised in our awards would be equally recognised on a national platform.” The awards are one of many initiatives developed by the Northland Forestry Health and Safety Group, aimed to recognised and grow excellence within the industry. “The Northland Health and Safety Group have a specific focus in developing a healthy and sustainable future for workers and the environment in the region and are making an active contribution to the work plan of the Forestry Industry Safety Council. “The awards are important as it is a rare opportunity for the whole supply chain to come together and be proud of who they are and what they do,” says Ms Apiata-Coyne. “It also provides an opportunity for the rest of Northland to learn more about the industry and its people.” This is the third year the awards have been held and organisers are now looking for an industry partner to help take it to a whole new level. “It’s a chance to celebrate the high achievers and players who hold mana within the industry,” says event manager Prue Younger. The event has grown each year in both entries and attendance, and she’s confident that will continue. The 2018 awards were celebrated at the ASB Stadium in Whangarei, with more than 540 on hand to toast the best of the industry. Poi Terei was master of ceremonies. Award winners were; Training Excellence Trainee of the Year : Brendon Sander – Douglas Logging Training Company/Contractor : Grimmer Contracting Skilled Professionals Forestry Excellence : Hoani Te Taaki Poinga – Silviculture Contractors Roading Excellence : Tom Ringrose – Rosewarne Cable Loggers Harvesting Excellence : Dave Wilson – Rosewarne Cable Loggers Distribution Excellence : Daron Turner – Kaitaia Transport Wood Processing Excellence : Shane Mansell - Northpine Breaker Out Excellence : Jack Bryant – Rosewarne Cable Loggers Faller Excellence : Pepe Paniora – Douglas Logging Special Award Emerging Talent : Channing Green – Lloyd Logging Industry Development Awards Forestry Family of the Year : Subritzky Clarke Logging Contractor of the Year : Forest Protection Services – Kevin Ihaka Outstanding H&S Management : Forest Protection Services – Kevin Ihaka Outstanding Environmental : Wise on Wood – Michelle & Nigel Harrison Northland Skilled Forestry Professional of the Year 2018: Dave Wilson, Rosewarne Cable Loggers Photo: Dave Wilson, Rosewarne Cable Loggers and MP Meka Whaitiri, Associate Minister for Forestry WoodTECH 2018 – new innovations focus of the series
After an absence of over eight years, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) will this year be focussing the WoodTECH 2018 event on innovations and new technologies around dry-mill and wood manufacturing operations. The programmes have just been sent out by direct mail and the information including full programmes for both countries have been posted onto the event website.The previous two WoodTECH events, 2017 and 2015 have both concentrated on sawmill scanning, sawing and green-mill optimisation technologies. The WoodTECH 2017 tech series drew in record numbers with over 400 delegates attending the New Zealand and Australian events. Exhibition booths sold out well in advance of the series being run. In fact, it was the largest gathering yet seen in Australasia of sawmilling companies, saw-doctors and sawing technology providers from around the globe. What’s being covered in 2018? Like the 2017 sawmilling event, short focussed presentations, quick-fire technology updates and a large number of exhibitions will be used to provide a unique platform for local mills and manufacturers to learn. Practical troubleshooting presentations such as breathing new life into your planer have been set up for production and operational staff to hear how they can extract the very best performance out of their own timber manufacturing equipment. “A real focus for the series this year is on new technology” says FIEA Director, Brent Apthorp. “Advancements and new developments around key manufacturing operations like wood scanning and board optimisation, finger-jointing, gluing, laminating, kiln drying, timber machining, finishing and material handling systems are being covered by technology leaders from around the globe”. “We’re also profiling new innovations that have just been commercialised and used in other industries but show real promise for wood manufacturing operations. Research and new trials for the first time in this region are also being unveiled” says Brent Apthorp. Smart sensors, the internet of things connecting all operations on site, wearable technologies to harness the real power of mobile connected employees, robotics and automation advancements, industrial exoskeletons - a future tool for reducing working fatigue and assisting physical operations within the mill, laser cutting rather than sawing of timber …. There’s plenty to add value to local companies and to open the mind here to systems that can be looked at and adopted to increase efficiencies. Full details on the wood processing event of 2018 can be found on the event website, WoodTECH.events.  AFPA pays tribute to retiring FIAT CEOThe Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has paid tribute to retiring Forest Industries Association of Tasmania Chief Executive Officer, Mr Terry Edwards, after a distinguished career as a passionate and effective advocate for Tasmania’s forest industries.AFPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ross Hampton, congratulated Mr Edwards on 16 years at the helm of Tasmania’s peak body for forest industries, in which he fought for the best deal for the State’s vital forest industries during a time of considerable upheaval and restructure. “Terry Edwards has been a stalwart of the industry renowned for his fierce passion and tenacity in striving to secure the future of Tasmania’s forest industries which employ tens of thousands of people across the State and operates at world-leading environmental standards,” Mr Hampton said. “AFPA welcomes incoming Chief Executive Officer, Mr Craig Jones, who brings extensive experience in industry, land management and environmental issues. We look forward to working with Mr Jones on growing the Tasmanian forest industries.” AFPA formally acknowledged Mr Edwards contribution to the industry at our annual Parliament House dinner hosted in conjunction with Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) on 20 June 2018. Source: AFPA Outstanding NZ forestry leaders recognisedThe NZ Institute of Forestry recognised the contribution of two of its outstanding leaders at its Annual Awards Dinner in Nelson this week.Peter Clark of Rotorua received the NZIF Forester of the Year award. The award recognises an Institute member who has made an outstanding contribution to either the forestry profession, or the forestry sector over the last 12 months. The award recognises leadership, excellence and personal integrity, particularly where this demonstrates the character and strength of the forestry profession, and it is one of the highest accolades the Institute can bestow. “The Forester of the Year award is a fitting recognition of the contribution that Peter Clark has made to the sector over a large number of years”, said the President, David Evison. Russell Dale (also of Rotorua) was awarded the Kirk Horn and medal. The Kirk Horn Flask is the most historically valuable award in all New Zealand science. The NZ Institute of Forestry awards the Kirk Horn every second year, to recognise outstanding contributions in the field of forestry in New Zealand. “Russell has proved himself to be an outstanding leader in forest management and in the management of major industry-funded forestry research programmes, over a long and distinguished career”, Dr Evison noted. “The NZ Institute of Forestry is delighted to celebrate the achievements and contributions to New Zealand forestry of Peter Clark and Russell Dale.” The election of Steve Wilton of Masterton as a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Forestry was also recorded. The election to this special membership status is granted by a vote of members and recognises the eminence of Steve Wilton in the profession of forestry. The contribution of Trish Fordyce of Auckland to the New Zealand forestry sector and her long service to the sector in the areas of environmental and land use regulation, and the application of the Resource Management to forestry and wood processing was recognised, by her election as an Honorary Member of the NZ Institute of Forestry. “The Institute believes it is very important to celebrate the significant contributions of members and non-members alike and Steve and Trish are most deserving recipients of these honours”, Dr Evison noted. Source: NZIF  Safety conference showcases forest floor success
A national forest safety conference in August will bring the latest practical solutions to the table for all contractors and forest managers to hear about and learn from. Following the challenges that this industry faced in 2013, it has responded with passion and commitment to new ways to embed safety culture into everyone’s mindset on the job. Also, over the past 5 years mechanical harvesting technologies have come a long way for keeping workers safe in logging, especially on steep slopes. “Some of our most inspiring forestry safety specialists are those with hands-on experience in both crew culture and harvesting technologies. They have been out there doing it, earning the respect of their peers,” says Forest Industry Engineering Association spokesman, Gordon Thomson. “For our 4th National Forest Safety Conference we’ve got a great group of practical speakers. Many of them, like Les Bak and Wiremu Edmonds, have earned respect from men and women who work on the forest floor. They bring very practical examples and a down-to-earth approach. Forestry people value those who have been out there doing safety change with boots, and attitudes, and are firmly grounded,” adds Thomson. Registrations are now open for the August 2018 conference series running in Rotorua and Melbourne. Thanks to great support industry, led by principal event partners McFall Fuel and VicForests, a special on-line early-bird delegate registration offer is now available for a limited time. See: https://forestsafety.events. Some of our ‘must-see’ speakers include: - Implementing Forest Contractor Certification: Chris Lindley of BraveGen and Lee Perry of Gale Contracting. Over the past two years quality assurance for maintaining safe practices in forest harvesting and silviculture has been transformed. Chris and Lee will talk about the process of working through the Safetree Contractor Certification process. Lee Perry is an experienced Safetree field auditor and will cover what the field audit process entails; - Putting Safety II into Practice: Les Bak, Nelson Forests – Les will discuss how to apply these concepts practically in the workplace to achieve learnings and reduce human factors that can result in human error. His presentation will also provide clear thinking around the difference between human error and human factors. Les will also share how culture is critical to Safety II thinking and the role of leaders to build this strong base for human factor understanding; - Taking a Leadership Role in Safety Technology: Dale Ewers, Moutere Logging & DC Equipment – Dale will bring his latest vision plus an update on the last 5 years, opening people’s minds to the possibilities and the goal for 2025, “Logging from afar!” It is closer than you think! In New Zealand we are working with Fiona Ewing from Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) to organise a workshop in addition to our one-day conference. In Australia there is a pan-industry workshop on the afternoon before the FIEA conference – from 1 to 5pm on 14th August also at the Bayview Eden Hotel in Melbourne. FIEA has worked with Stacey Gardiner from AFCA and Diana Lloyd of Forestworks to make this happen. Our speakers are all practical industry leaders and safety champions. They have come forward to support the 4th FIEA Forest Safety & Technology Conference. The series sold out in 2017 and is running again in August 2018 in Rotorua and Melbourne. The summit is on 8th August in Rotorua at the Distinction Hotel. The following week, on 15th August, it runs at the Bayview Eden Hotel in Melbourne. For full conference details see https://forestsafety.events  Tariffs now hit China's woodworking machinery
Tariffs of 25 percent were levied on Chinese-manufactured woodworking machinery and panel processing equipment beginning Friday 6 July. It’s part of a trade battle being waged on several fronts by the Trump Administration, and which appears to be escalating as China retaliates with tariffs of its own - primarily on agricultural products, tobacco, and vehicles.The U.S. begins collecting ( click for list) 25 percent tariffs on planing, milling or moulding machines for working wood, as well as grinding, sanding or polishing machines, bending or assembling machines and related machine tools for working wood. A preliminary list issued in April by the was narrowed to a final list of 818 items with wood industry technology among them, issued June 15 by the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Also included are presses for making particleboard or fibre building board of wood or other ligneous materials, and machinery for treating wood. President Trump has called for an additional US$200 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports. Analysts speculate that this list could include more consumer products, possibly furniture - which ranks 6th among the top 10 imports from China to the U.S. (after vehicles, metals, plastics, apparel, and footwear). The wood industry news channel Fordaq cites a report by the International Tropical Timber Organization Trade of wood products between China and the U.S. already trending downward. Late last year the U.S. slapped China's plywood industry with countervailing duties after a Commerce Department analysis showed the engineered panels were being sold at its cost below cost of manufacture. Data from China’s Customs Department show the value of wood products trade between China and the U.S. fell 16 percent in March 2018. China’s imports also dropped by 5 percent, though overall first quarter showed a 9 percent increase in Chinese exports of wood products: China's imports rose 6 percent to US$2.28 billion during the period, while its exports to the U.S. rose 10 percent to US$3.98 billion. China’s fibreboard exports to the U.S. fell 11 percent to 71,200 cubic metres and plywood exports to the U.S. dropped 31 percent to 360,000 cubic metres in the first three months of 2018, says Fordaq, noting that as exports to the U.S. decline China's exports of panel products to Nigeria, Kenya and the UK are rising. Source: www.woodworkingnetwork.com Further tariffs (and extra US$200 billion) on a range of consumer goods were announced later in the week including furniture and woood products. Further information can be found here New partnership between Xlam and NZ governmentNew Zealand Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni has announced a partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and Nelson manufacturing and construction company XLam.New Zealand’s Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni is pleased to announce a partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and Nelson manufacturing and construction company XLam. “The Ministry of Social Development and Xlam NZ Limited will work together to create entry-level manufacturing and construction opportunities for unemployed clients, especially in the Pre-Fabrication sector,” Minister Sepuloni said. XLam NZ Limited is a building manufacturing and construction company specialising in laminated timber panels and employs approximately 100 staff across Australasia at their Nelson manufacturing plant, Auckland off-site solutions facility, and in the Albury, Australia manufacturing plant. “Xlam NZ will provide training and support to our clients in the manufacture of pre-fabricated buildings with opportunities for on-site assembler roles,” Minister Sepuloni said. “This agreement is just one of the ways the Government is showing its commitment to getting people into meaningful and sustainable employment. This is particularly important in high demand areas like building and construction. Source: Devdiscourse NZIF launches new national forest policyNew Zealand forestry professionals meeting for their annual conference in Nelson this week received and discussed a new national forest policy. The document “Forest Policy for New Zealand” was presented to the Minister of Forests, Shane Jones, who formally opened the conference on Tuesday.David Evison, President of the NZ Institute of Forestry introduced the policy to the conference and suggested to the Minister that Government and its officials use the document to help develop sound long-term strategies for forestry development in New Zealand. “Unlike many countries, New Zealand has no national forest policy. Government decisions on matters as diverse as climate change, water quality, taxation, overseas investment and land use have too often adversely affected our forests. As trees live longer than most plants a stable policy environment is critical for good forest management”, Dr Evison said. “Four years ago a concerned group of forestry professionals, including members of this Institute, with expertise from across the sector, started a project to write a national policy. The document resulting from their hard work outlines five long-term policies to recognise, protect and enhance the many benefits that trees and forests deliver to the environment, economy, society and culture. The policies cover all forests (from conservation to production), management objectives, tenure types and all species (indigenous and introduced).” “A good policy provides important principles to guide decisions on legislation and regulation and helps achieve better outcomes. If the policy is well implemented, it will result in healthier, better managed forests which provide much greater value to New Zealand and New Zealanders”, Dr Evison said. Source: NZ Institute of Forestry 
Z Energy invests in permanent forest sinks
Z Energy has invested NZ$1.5million in permanent local forestry projects to voluntarily offset the emissions from their operations. The investment represents the largest voluntary purchase of units from permanent forest sinks seen in New Zealand to date. Z’s Sustainability Manager, Gerri Ward, says that for a carbon-intensive company that believes in the science of climate change, it was important to materially lead on solutions. “Under Z’s environmental sustainability stand, we have committed to reducing our operational carbon emissions by 30% by 2020, and offsetting those we are unable to avoid. “We’ve been underway for several years in identifying ways we can transform our business and our behaviours to reduce our emissions first, before looking to offset those we can’t avoid at this point in time,” said Gerri. Z has partnered with long-standing carbon consultants Permanent Forests NZ Ltd (PFNZ) for this offsetting initiative. PFNZ specialise in aggregating, marketing and selling New Zealand forest carbon credits on behalf of owners of forests registered under the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative. Gerri said that investing in local, permanent forests ensures the veracity of Z’s offsetting efforts. “The integrity of our offsets is absolutely paramount. By locking up the carbon in these long-lived forestry projects, we know we’re getting authentic outcomes which we can stand by,” she said. According to PFNZ’s Managing Director, Ollie Belton, many possible participants in the voluntary market, for example companies looking to voluntarily offset their emissions, or attain “carbon neutral” status, are deterred by the complexity of the carbon market, the lack of links between the compliance and voluntary markets, and the shortage of available permanent carbon offsets. “This complexity has resulted in a reluctance to enter the voluntary market in recent years, both by buyers and sellers of forestry credits,” said Ollie. “This deal with Z will undoubtedly make others sit up and take notice and will lead to more land being committed to long term carbon conservation under the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative,” he said. Alongside the offset programme, Z also continues to focus on reducing the carbon intensity of its business. Z’s biodiesel plant in Wiri is operational, and Z has also recently increased its investment in Wellington-based electric ride-sharing company, Mevo. Source: Scoop  3D printing of cellulosic materials
3D printing makes on-demand and on-site manufacturing possible, shortening the production chain and lowering the amount of waste produced. It is a practical manufacturing method for small objects, additions, moulds, complicated or tailored complex geometries and light structures. The main advantage of the 3D-printing is the possibility for direct manufacturing from the CAD data. Currently the method is mostly being used for metals, plastics, ceramics and food. Novel applications include custom-made consumer goods, bioprinting or tissue engineering and medical devices. Cellulosic materials offer a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to the currently used 3D-printing materials, which under processing might generate harmful emissions and even allergenic compounds. Cellulose is non-allergic, tolerating high temperatures, and is an excellent electric insulator material, which can be processed with many 3D-printing methods. The wide modification potential of cellulose further spreads the application field of 3D-printed cellulosic materials. This webinar discusses the basic properties for successful 3D-printing of cellulosic materials and selected case studies will be covered. Since native cellulose is not thermoplastic, it cannot be processed similarly with 3D-printers as plastics. Cellulosic materials include wood powders, fibres, fibrils, and polymeric cellulose. These materials have varying properties, enabling a wide range of different type 3D-printed applications. In this presentation, we summarize basic concepts to process cellulosic materials through 3D-printing. If you want to learn about 3D printing of cellulosic materials and what kind of opportunities and challenges lie ahead – you can listen to the recorded webinar on this site  Australian Code of Practice for heavy vehicle operators
The NHVR has commenced public consultation on a draft Master Industry Code of Practice developed by representatives of Australia’s heavy vehicle industry. Once approved and registered, the master code will set industry standards to support supply chain parties in meeting their Chain of Responsibility obligations under the law. The master code will be freely available to all heavy vehicle operators and supply chain parties to assist them in improving their safety and compliance performance and can also be used in court to highlight known risks and control methods. In anticipation of new truck safety laws coming into effect on 1 October, the draft Registered Industry Code of Practice (Master Code) is now open for public consultation. Developed by the Australian Logistics Council and the Australian Trucking Association, the Master Code was created by the industry for the industry and will allow those with CoR obligations to put into place systems that will assist in the management of risks relating to speed, fatigue, mass, dimension and loading, and vehicle standards requirements under the HVNL. The public consultation period on the Master Code runs until 31 July. Once approved and registered by the NHVR, the Master Code will be freely available to all heavy vehicle operators and supply chain parties via the NHVR website. Have your say. AU$10 million commitment for Caboolture sawmillThe Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the AU$10 million pledge by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull towards an AU$50 million expansion of AKD Softwoods’ Caboolture sawmill, which will create 100 new jobs and more than double the mill’s capacity.AKD Softwoods is a privately-owned company with a proud history of 60 years in the forest industry, employing around 600 people nationally across six separate sites. AKD Softwoods’ Caboolture operations processes approximately 215,000 cubic metres of sawlog into a range of timber products for the Queensland and Northern NSW markets, which will double to around 450,000 cubic metres by 2022. Mr Hampton said with record global demand for timber, sawmill expansions such as this could be replicated around the country if Australia can urgently address the growing shortage of plantations, which is preventing our sawmills from expanding to global-scale operations. “Australia is currently importing more than 780,000 cubic metres a year of sawn softwood a year – the equivalent of 65,000 new house frames, which in turn increases construction costs and fails to capitalise on the record global demand for timber. “That is why AFPA is calling for national policy leadership to drive investment in new forest plantations of the right trees, in the right places and at the right scale. “AFPA will continue to push the case with both the Coalition Government and Federal Labor Opposition to make sure that our policy needs, like getting 400,000 hectares of new plantations in the ground, are committed to by both sides of politics as we head towards the Federal election,” Mr Hampton concluded. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announcing the expansion of AKD Sawmill and AU$20 million road upgrade for Bribie Island - click here. Source: AFPA New CEO for FIATCraig Jones has been appointed as the new chief executive of Forest Industries Association of Tasmania. Mr Jones comes to the role after ex-chief executive Terry Edwards left his post on Friday, after announcing his retirement in April. Mr Jones steps into the role after a career spent working with Indigenous people dealing with native title and land rights, in addition to his work in dispute resolution in Papua New Guinea.“I am keen to spend the next little while listening to industry, government and stakeholders to see where the sector is at and what opportunities and challenges we face,” he said. Mr Edwards resigned after 16 years with the association. “We recognise Terry’s enormous contribution to the timber industry and Tasmania while he has been at the helm of FIAT...his wit and passion will be missed,” chairman Glenn Britton said. Source: The News Mill, VAFI, Launceston Examiner Jobs
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... and one to end the week on ... washing your hair
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