Forest Products Industry

Hyne Timber’s Tuan Mill, the largest timber mill in Queensland, Australia, has once again chosen to invest in MiCROTEC’s technology, with the multi-sensor real-shape and quality scanner, Logeye.

With nearly two decades of experience using MiCROTEC’s solutions, Hyne’s latest investment marks its third Logeye system, with the existing systems integrated into their sawline.

This project represents a significant milestone, as MiCROTEC’s first Logeye installation in Australia to incorporate X-ray technology for log density measurement.

The installation sets a new standard for quality log scanning applications in Australia and demonstrates the growing importance of quality-based log sorting worldwide.

 MiCROTEC notes it is thrilled to continue this partnership and looks forward to completing the project in late 2026.

Logeye

Multi-sensor real shape and quality scanner for logs

Logeye is MiCROTEC’s cutting-edge linear scanner designed for the wood industry, offering unmatched precision, reliability, and versatility.

With modular laser, color camera, X-ray sensors, and stereoscopy, it provides highly accurate log measurements-both overbark and underbark-capturing diameter, length, volume, curvature, and taper.

Advanced X-ray scanning, powered by MiCROTEC Ai, ensures superior internal quality assessment, surpassing other approaches.

MiCROTEC Ai, the AI platform of MiCROTEC, is trained using ground truth data from real CT scans in production, enabling Logeye to deliver unprecedented accuracy and insights.

Customer Benefits

• Ultra-precise real 360° shape of the log
• High-resolution color imaging for superior visual defect detection powered by MiCROTEC Ai
• Enhanced X-ray detection, driven by MiCROTEC Ai training with ground truth data from real CT scans
• Outstanding over-and-under bark measurement accuracy, even in icy or snowy conditions
• Movement compensation for more precise measurement, supported by stereoscopy

To read previous Hyne Timber related posts click here

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Stora Enso will start change negotiations with union representatives at its Gruvön sawmill in Sweden regarding a plan to focus on sawn goods operations and close the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) production unit. If implemented, the plan would result in a permanent closure of the Gruvön CLT pro-duction by the end of the year 2026. Source: Timberbiz The negotiations cover approximately 220 employees at Gruvön mill, including the Nordic CLT sales organisation. The plan would affect a maximum of 80 positions. No decisions regarding the planned closure or employee impact will be made until the local change negotiations have been concluded. The Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) operations in Gruvön have been challenged by slower than expected growth in the market in the past years. Increasing wood costs have further pressured profitability in addition to relatively high fixed costs of CLT production. “Due to subdued market conditions, the prospects for sustainable profitability in CLT production in Gruvön have been too limited despite the excellent efforts made by our employees. “The planned change will enable us to continue to focus and further develop our high-quality sawn and planed goods production at Gruvön sawmill in line with our strategy. We will support our personnel throughout the process and aim to work on restructuring the organisation at Gruvön accordingly,” said Jonas Lindqvist, Head of Business Unit Skoghall, Stora Enso. Stora Enso will remain committed to providing high-quality CLT products to its Nordic customers from its three other CLT units in Ždírec in the Czech Republic, and Ybbs and Bad St. Leonhard in Austria, even if the planned change would materialise. Sawn goods deliveries to customers from Gruvön continue as usual. If implemented, the planned closure would not have any impact on Business Unit Skoghall’s wood consumption. Stora Enso Gruvön mill employs approximately 220 people in Sweden and produces sawn timber, processed timber, pellets and made to order products for construction.  

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In response to the urgent need to address more frequent and extreme wildfires, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released new guidance to help countries strengthen the rules and processes they have in place for managing wildfires. Source: Timberbiz Launched ahead of the 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry and 10th World Forest Week, the voluntary Guide to integrated fire management governance assessment provides a strategic roadmap for countries to assess and strengthen governance as part of a global transition from traditional, suppression-focused firefighting to a more holistic approach known as integrated fire management. This approach balances prevention, preparedness, suppression, ecological restoration and the sustainable use of fire across landscapes to reduce harmful fires, while recognising the important ecological and cultural role fire can play in many ecosystems. Some 127 million hectares of forests are affected by fire annually, according to the 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment. “Wildfires are a result of the interactions between land, vegetation and people,” said Zhimin Wu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Forestry Division. “FAO is supporting governments to develop stronger systems for preventing, preparing for, reacting to and recovering from wildfires using a ‘whole of society’ approach.” Each country has its own history and challenges for managing fire within a given national context that requires a tailor-made combination of policies and interventions, according to the publication. The guide acknowledges the challenge of building awareness and including all of society – from government ministers to local farmers, private landholders and communities – in making changes and adopting new strategies for fire management. Navigating the overlapping jurisdictions of forestry, agriculture, and environmental sectors is often the greatest challenge for national government, according to the new guide, which offers a neutral, evidence-based pathway for countries to assess their unique contexts. While technology and equipment are vital, the guide highlights the need to assess a wide range of key areas that are essential for building consensus for integrated fire management approaches across stakeholders. These include identifying any existing laws or informal traditions that may not be in line with integrated fire management approaches, identifying who can drive change and how to prompt behaviour change and developing a realistic plan for policy and investment. Between November and December 2025, FAO held pilot workshops in Ghana, Ecuador and Cambodia, bringing together national experts to test the guide’s adaptability to different national landscapes. In Ecuador, for instance, participants successfully developed a tailored methodology for governance analysis that is now being shared as a model for others. The guide is intended to function as a living document that will evolve as more countries share their experiences. The publication was produced in the context of the Global Fire Management Hub, a joint initiative by FAO, the UN Environment Programme and many other partners, which was established to accelerate international cooperation and share expertise on best practice on wildfire management.

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There were 300 international industry decision-makers, economists, association representatives and experts from the Central European forestry and timber industry gathered on International Wood Day. Sources: Timberbiz and Ikonline The core message: While the long-term role of wood as a key component of climate protection remains undisputed, the combination of a deepening industrial recession, a depressed construction sector, and regulatory hurdles such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) demands extreme flexibility and resilience from companies. The Central European forestry, sawmill, and wood processing industry is looking back on several years of immense macroeconomic turbulence. Following the historic booms and record profits of 2021 and 2022, driven by unprecedented global construction demand and disrupted supply chains, the subsequent monetary tightening by central banks has plunged the European construction sector into one of the most severe crises of the post-war era. Gunter Deuber, Chief Economist of Raiffeisenbank International AG, provided the assembled executives, association representatives, and industry decision-makers from the forestry and timber sectors with an unvarnished, scientifically sound, and empirically supported assessment of the overall economic situation. In his approximately one-hour keynote address, the Chief Economist presented a detailed analysis of the Central European economic situation. The analysis was structured around four key, closely intertwined themes: the deepening industrial recession in the core European market, the structural consumption paradox of private households, the medium-term interest rate and financing outlook, and the urgently needed economic policy adjustments to secure the future of the sector. Deuber began by stating that the European economic area is experiencing a drastic geographical and sectoral divide. While some economies in Southern and South-eastern Europe (such as Spain or parts of the Balkans) are experiencing moderate growth thanks to robust service sectors and EU recovery aid, the continent’s industrial core is mired in a deep and entrenched recession. Germany’s persistent structural weakness is of particular concern. As by far the most important trading partner of the Austrian timber industry, the German economy traditionally acts as an economic engine for the entire Alps-Adriatic and Central and Eastern Europe region. If this engine falters, Central European sawmills, panel manufacturers, and timber construction companies feel the effects immediately. Although the slump in private and commercial construction activity in Germany and Austria has bottomed out in purely mathematical terms, there is no sign of a noticeable recovery. The number of building permits remains at historic lows, and cancellations in residential construction are still commonplace. Deuber warned against a rapid V-shaped recovery – anyone hoping that sales volumes from 2021/2022 will return quickly in their business planning is overlooking the harsh macroeconomic realities. The return of overall economic output to the pre-crisis level of 2022 will be a protracted, multi-year process. The economists at Raiffeisen Research assume that this level can only be sustainably reached gradually over the years 2026 and 2027. For the timber industry, this means that sawmill capacity management and capacity discipline will remain the crucial survival factors for the foreseeable future. A central focus of Deuber’s presentation was a detailed examination of private households and their spending habits. Theoretically, the purchasing power situation of consumers in Austria and Germany is not considered to be so bad: After years of high inflation, recent collective bargaining agreements and wage settlements have led to noticeable increases in real wages. Households have nominally more disposable income than two years ago. Nevertheless, this increase in income is not reaching either the retail or construction sectors. Deuber described this situation as a pronounced “consumption paradox.” Instead of injecting the additional available money into the economic cycle, citizens are hoarding their capital in banks. Savings rates in Austria and Germany remain at historically extremely high levels, levels otherwise only seen during periods of acute geopolitical or economic crisis anxiety. This collective uncertainty is hitting the timber industry where it is most vulnerable: in private home construction. The single-family home – for decades the reliable main customer for sawn timber, roof trusses, glulam, and interior finishing products – has become a distant prospect for large segments of the population. In addition to increased construction costs and unclear political frameworks regarding building energy regulations, strict lending guidelines are also acting as a signifi-ant obstacle. Many families who possess the equity and theoretical creditworthiness are postponing their home-building projects indefinitely or abandoning them altogether. The lack of this broad private demand base cannot currently be compensated for by public or commercial construction. Although the ECB reversed course after the steep wave of interest rate hikes in 2022/2023 and initiated a cycle of key interest rate cuts to counteract weak industrial activity, Deuber dampened any euphoria regarding the scope of these measures. He clarified that interest rate cuts should not be equated with a return to a flood of cheap money. The ECB aims to settle its key interest rates in a so-called “neutral range”—a level that neither excessively stimulates nor significantly inhibits the economy. For project developers, construction companies, and private home builders, this means that the era of zero or negative interest rates, which artificially inflated the construction boom in the past decade, is definitively over. Loans for real estate and infrastructure projects will remain permanently more ex-pensive compared to the decade before 2022. Investors and banks are once again demanding higher equity ratios and a more conservative risk assessment. All business models in the timber industry that were based on extremely cheap debt financing for construction projects need to be fundamentally recalculated. The banker spoke out strongly against broadly distributed government subsidies, which often fizzle out without any lasting steering effect. Instead, he argued that the economy needs targeted, incentive-based instruments. He advocated for temporary investment premiums for ecological new buildings and comprehensive energy-efficient building renovations. Only if the government provides incentives that mobilize private capital can the bottleneck in the construction sector be resolved. Deuber issued a stark warning against a spiral of drastic wage increases without corresponding productivity gains. Since the Austrian and German timber industries are highly export-oriented, excessive wage and ancillary cost increases lead […]

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Australia’s sustainable and innovative forestry industry is well prepared for the upcoming bushfire season, and plays a critical role in preventing, managing and responding to bushfires. Source: Timberbiz With the 2026-27 bushfire season starting, AFPA joined forestry members near Bunbury, in Western Australia, to highlight the industry’s commitment to reducing bushfire risks in regional communities, as the warmer months approach. AFPA Senior Policy Manager and bushfire spokesperson Dominic Lane said the well-resourced industry has a long and effective tradition of helping keep forests, assets and communities safe. “Our sector is fully committed and ready to reduce and manage bushfire risks, and in-vests significant resources every year on preparedness and prevention,” Mr Lane said. “We work closely with local, state and national emergency management authorities and volunteers to protect forests, farms, reserves, wildlife and communities.” A recent AFPA survey found the sector invests more than $100 million each year in bush-fire prevention, mitigation and response across Australia. “This includes around $8 million on fire towers, detection cameras and other monitoring systems, almost $65 million on firebreaks, roads, prescribed burning and fuel management, and almost $30 million on more than 1,200 firefighting appliances and 1,500 personnel,” Mr Lane said. “Forestry companies also contribute around $15 million through insurance and other levies that support bushfire preparedness and response.” Mr Lane said the industry works hand-in-glove with local fire authorities and regularly undertakes hazard reduction burning and embraces new techniques to reduce fuel loads. “For example, Wespine in WA is using cattle in plantation forests to reduce fuel loads, as part of an innovative new trial.  Called pyrograzing, this biological method offers a highly customisable, low-emission approach to fire management. “Overall, we sincerely our thank and applaud the forestry sector for their strong contribution and work in this critical emergency management area.”

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Construction of OneFortyOne’s $88 million Co-Generation Boiler project facility has reached another significant milestone, with the project’s boiler now in place at the Jubilee Sawmill. Source: Timberbiz With crews on site before sunrise on 16 September, months of planning culminated in the successful lift of the project’s 162-tonne boiler. The operation used a 480-tonne crawler crane and a 450-tonne mobile hydraulic crane, taking just 75 minutes from lift to final placement, with the boiler now the heart of the new facility. Project manager Mick Geraghty said the successful lift followed months of detailed preparation. “Planning started back in June 2025, with multiple site visits, engineering reviews and detailed lift plans developed alongside the crane contractors to make sure every aspect of the operation was meticulously assessed,” Mr Geraghty said. “On the day, everything went exactly as planned. The lift was completed safely, seamlessly, and ahead of schedule, which is a terrific outcome for everyone involved.” The boiler is a key component of the renewable energy system that will enable OneFortyOne to generate electricity using wood fibre residues from its own operations to power the entire sawmill. “This was one of the most visible and technically challenging stages of the project to date,” Mr Geraghty said. “Having the boiler in place opens up a number of new work fronts across the project. We can now progress with plant and equipment installation, earthworks and civil construction in the emissions area. “It’s a real credit to the project team, contractors, and everyone who has contributed to getting us to this point. To see something that has been years in the planning now standing on site is very rewarding.” Alongside the new office facilities taking shape nearby, the changing sawmill skyline reflects OneFortyOne’s investment in a more sustainable future for manufacturing in the Green Triangle. Once operational, the co-generation facility will convert wood fibre residues into renewable energy, moving Jubilee Sawmill off the grid and towards eliminating Scope 2 emissions across OneFortyOne’s Australian operations.

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New Zealand’s supply of sustainable wood fuel is ramping up with work underway to capture previously unused forestry material and investigate new wood energy manufacturing plants. Source: Timberbiz “When businesses are looking at energy options, woody biomass could provide an economic alternative to help keep manufacturer’s processes running and jobs in regions across New Zealand,” said Richard Briggs, EECA Group Manager, Delivery & Partnerships “We know from regional analysis by EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) that there’s a significant, untapped supply of wood fibre from the forest that could be fuelling our industries.” Woody biomass provides lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels when sustainably sourced and managed. “New Zealand has eight million tonnes of wood out of commercial forests per year that could sustainably be used as fuel,” said Mr Briggs. “While the opportunity is there, the upfront costs of establishing collection points has been a barrier. “This is the next step in helping open up opportunities for New Zealand to make better use of our resources and power industry.” EECA is investing in five new wood energy aggregation facilities to secure low-grade wood from commercial forestry alongside the private sector. Spread between Southland and Waikato. The sites will provide a central repository for nearby forestry operations to collect, store, and prepare wood that would otherwise go unused or left in the forest. “We know there’s plenty of wood available, it’s just not being collected or stored in a considered way,” said Mr Briggs. “By capturing this material there’s an opportunity for nearby businesses, and even mature bio-mass operations, to ramp up their use of it as a fuel. Plus, it’s a win for the forestry industry and adds a potential additional revenue source.” Once operational, the sites will have a combined capacity to process 200,000 tonnes per year of wood chip fuel – enough to supply around two petajoules (PJ) of energy annually or meet the annual fuel demand of around 10–20 industrial businesses like dairy and meat processors, food manufacturers, or laundries. In total EECA is contributing NZ$3.7M in funding, helping to unlock an estimated NZ$11.6 million in private investment across the five projects. Following a request for proposal, an additional four projects looking to establish wood energy manufacturing facilities have received repayable grants to develop their investment case for getting up and running. “Developing robust investment cases has been a critical barrier to building New Zealand’s wood energy supply. By supporting businesses to make this detailed step, we’re helping un-lock low carbon, future fuels and build out a much-needed supply chain,” said Mr Briggs. Wood energy manufacturing plants being explored around the country could significantly expand New Zealand’s energy supply, giving businesses using coal and gas greater choice in how they power their operations. If brought to market, the four projects could produce over half a million tonnes of wood fuel annually, spread across torrefied biomass and white wood pellets. That’s the energy equivalent of around 10PJs, or close to a quarter of industrial gas demand. “With gas prices rising, and challenges in securing long-term supply, more wood energy coming to market will offer businesses more choice and therefore improve energy security. Importantly, it will give certainty to large energy users that there’s fuel available if they convert their gas or coal fired systems to biomass.” If found to be feasible the four proposed projects collectively represent NZ$450 million in potential private capital investment in new biomass supply. The initiatives are part of the Government’s Wood Energy Strategy and Action Plan announced late last year which aims to accelerate wood energy as a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy resource for domestic and export markets. “We know demand already exceeds supply and is set to grow, so building the supply chain will deliver for Kiwi businesses and potentially export markets too,” said Mr Briggs.

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The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the release of BuildSkills Australia’s new report examining the workforce and skills implications of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), saying the findings confirm that innovation in home building can be supported through evolution of existing skills and training pathways rather than wholesale workforce disruption. Source: Timberbiz MMC encompasses a range of innovative approaches to designing, manufacturing and delivering buildings, including prefabrication, modular construction, advanced manufacturing techniques and other offsite production methods. While these approaches represent a shift in how homes are built, the report highlights that the industry’s existing workforce and training systems are well placed to accommodate growing adoption of these methods. “HIA has long argued that MMC is not about replacing workers, but about changing where and how work is undertaken across the building and construction supply chain,” said HIA Executive Director Future Workforce, Mike Hermon. “The report makes it clear that as the industry adopts new construction methods, the need for skilled workers does not disappear. Instead, tasks may shift between construction sites, manufacturing facilities, design functions and supply chain operations.” The report finds that existing vocational and professional training frameworks can largely support MMC adoption through targeted upskilling, skills deepening and adaptation of current qualifications, rather than the creation of entirely new occupational pathways. “This is an important finding because it recognises Australia’s building workforce al-ready possesses many of the foundational skills required to support MMC,” Mr Hermon said. “The challenge is less about creating a whole new workforce and more about ensuring workers, supervisors, designers and manufacturers can build on their existing skills and apply them in new ways.” HIA welcomed the report’s four priority reform areas, which focus on practical workforce development measures that can be implemented alongside industry adoption. These priorities include: Upskilling professional and paraprofessional occupations involved in design, engineering, project management and construction delivery. Supporting structured learning and training arrangements for proprietary MMC systems and products. Improving labour market signalling to help industry and training providers re-spond to emerging demand, rather than creating entirely new training pathways prema-turely. Monitoring MMC adoption rates and workforce impacts before considering broader reforms to qualifications and training structures.   “The report adopts a sensible and evidence-based approach,” Mr Hermon said. “It recognises that MMC adoption remains at varying stages across different construction sectors and regions. Future workforce reforms should be informed by actual uptake and demonstrated skills needs rather than assumptions about how quickly these methods may be adopted.” HIA said the report also reinforces the importance of maintaining flexible training arrangements allowing industry to respond to innovation without creating unnecessary complexity within the vocational education and training system. “As Australia seeks to lift productivity and increase housing supply, MMC will play an important role alongside traditional construction methods,” Mr Hermon said. “The key message from this report is that innovation and workforce development can progress together. The industry’s workforce remains central to delivering the homes Australia needs, regardless of whether construction occurs entirely onsite, offsite, or through a combination of both.”

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One Nation has pledged to end former Premier Daniel Andrews’s ban on native logging if it wins the November state election. Source: The Weekly Times In a timber policy set to be announced this week, the party will also pledge to invest more money in forest management and national parks, force the state government to preference locally sourced wood for procurement, and label timber products with their country of origin. It comes after Mr Andrews banned native logging in 2024, six years earlier than originally planned. The decision was slammed at the time by unions and industry leaders, with an Auditor-General’s report finding more than 1000 jobs and 200 local businesses were impacted, despite a $200 million industry support package designed to cushion the impacts of the ban. But the same report found 87% of affected workers successfully transitioned into new employment. One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering said native forestry will return under a new model with strong environmental safeguards, like in Tasmania. “We’ll provide the access that’s needed, implementing detailed forest practice plans based on sustainable selective harvesting models successfully used interstate and overseas, with detailed monitoring and oversight,” he said. “Environmentally sensitive old-growth forest and native habitats will be strictly protect-ed, and the model will be self-sustaining by funding management operations through harvest revenue.” Mr Pickering added that the ban had failed because Victorians were just importing unethically sourced timber from other economies instead. “Australia now has a $2 billion trade deficit in wood products … our homegrown industry is struggling against cheap imports from countries with lower environmental stewardship standards.” Labor slammed the policy on Tuesday afternoon, with Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle telling the Herald Sun there are valid reasons behind Victoria’s native logging ban. “One Nation needs to explain how the litigation, timber shortages and bushfire risks that forced the transition have suddenly vanished – because they haven’t,” she said. “Labor is backing forestry workers into new jobs, growing local plantation timber and keeping forestry skills and experience in our forests to reduce bushfire risk and support better forest management.” But the policies were welcomed by industry leaders on Tuesday. Victorian Forestry Products Association CEO Andrew White said the state’s timber mills were struggling to stay afloat amid a “flood of cheap imports”. Mr White said country of origin labelling and a commitment to “local wood first” was long overdue. “We also desperately need a new government-backed Timber Strategy that sets out a vision and action plan for the entire industry for the next 10 years and beyond. “We are keen to work with One Nation on a new strategy for the industry.”

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Precinct Australia’s housing construction market is changing with the shift toward engineered wood products creating new opportunities to deliver more value locally, in our regional communities. The strongest housing growth is no longer concentrated in detached homes. In 2025, townhouse approvals increased by 20.5%, while approvals for four-to-eight-storey buildings increased by 70.5%. By comparison, house approvals increased by just 1.9%. These figures point to a construction market that is becoming more reliant on multi-residential, mid-rise and higher-density formats. That matters because these buildings require construction systems that can deliver greater consistency, precision and productivity. They create an opportunity for products that can be engineered, standardised and manufactured off site before being assembled efficiently on site. Engineered wood products are increasingly part of that opportunity. But the market data shows that Australia is currently meeting much of its growing EWP demand through imports. The latest analysis by IndustryEdge shows, in 2025–26, Australia imported $1.941 billion of major wood products, an increase of 10.8%, or $189 million, on the previous year. Engineered wood products accounted for $676.9 million of that total, up 6.2%. This occurred despite a relatively modest increase in housing approvals and otherwise unremarkable demand conditions. In other words, the increase cannot be explained simply by a construction boom. It points to a deeper shift in the products being specified, purchased and used in Australian construction. The clearest example is the growing consumption of Laminated Veneer Lumber – LVL. Formally reported imports reached 254,065 cubic metres in 2025–26, growing from 167,229 cubic metres in 2024–25 compared with 95,919 cubic metres in 2022–23 – a three-year increase of more than 160%. It’s estimated total LVL imports will exceed 300,000 cubic metres annually in the near term. The value of those imports reached $159.9 million in 2025–26. Yet the average import price fell to $629 per cubic metre, down from $821 the previous year and $1,294 in 2022–23. That combination: rapidly increasing volumes and falling prices, is significant. It suggests that overseas manufacturers are not simply supplying a temporary shortfall, they are establishing a stronger position in the Australian market. LVL is not the only engineered or manufactured wood product experiencing this pressure. Plywood imports increased to 656,014 cubic metres in 2025–26, up from 525,599 cubic metres the previous year. MDF imports reached 183,547 cubic metres, compared with 122,921 cubic metres in 2024–25. In both cases, import volumes rose sharply while average import prices fell. Taken together, the figures show an important change in Australia’s timber market. The rise of engineered wood products is not a distant prospect: they are already being consumed at significant and growing volumes. The market is rapidly forming now, but the majority of the manufacturing capacity supplying the demand is being delivered offshore. That is the central issue Australia needs to confront. At a time when housing delivery is under pressure from system and labour shortages, construction costs, productivity constraints and limited capacity, more must be done with less. Engineered timber, pre-fabrication, standardised components, advanced manufacturing and latest technologies all have a role to play in making construction more predictable, cost effective and efficient. The growth in prefabricated building imports provides further evidence of this transition. Imports of prefabricated building products increased by 52.6% in 2025. Prefabricated buildings and modular building products were worth $333 million in imports during the year, while imports in the first four months of 2026 had already reached al-most $226 million. If that pace were maintained, it would equate to an annual value of around $678 million. Not all these products are made from timber, but the trend is clear – Australia is increasingly importing complete or partially completed dwellings. The significance of this shift extends beyond the import bill. Every engineered timber product manufactured overseas represents value that has been created outside Australia. The engineering, capital investment, manufacturing expertise, production jobs and associated supply-chain activity are captured in another country before the product arrives on Australian-shores. Australia already possesses one of the foundations required to participate in this market more effectively – the raw material, and it comes at scale. The country has a substantial plantation estate, an established industry and decades of expertise in growing, harvesting, transporting and processing timber. The Green Triangle, spanning south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia, is one of the strongest examples of this capability. The region has world recognised plantations, the forestry businesses and expertise, the transport infrastructure, the ports and the international supply chains. It does not need to create a resource base from scratch. It has the opportunity to connect that existing capacity and existing wood processing facilities, to the next stage of market development for manufacturing underpinned by engineered wood products. This is the opportunity behind The Precinct. It is not simply a proposal to manufacture another timber product. The central proposition is to establish a more complete region-al value chain, one that connects plantation-grown fibre with engineered wood products, building component manufacturing and, ultimately, the construction systems increasingly demanded by the Australian market. This approach does not replace Australia’s export role. Exports will remain an important part of the forest industry’s contribution. The Green Triangle will continue to participate in international commodity markets. The opportunity is to complement those exports by developing higher-value, domestic manufacturing capability delivering solutions for Australia’s dwellings. That distinction and the diversified value chain matters for regional economies. Manufacturing engineered wood products locally helps retain more value within the domestic economy, creates more skilled jobs and supports businesses in engineering, technology, maintenance, transport, logistics and construction – additional service industries. New, higher-value markets for plantation-grown fibre, providing Australian builders and developers greater access to genuinely sustainable and locally manufactured products is driving decision making for The Precinct. Importantly, this is positioning the Green Triangle to respond to a market that is already changing. The growth in townhouse and mid-rise dwelling demand shows Australia’s housing mix is moving beyond the detached house. The rapid increase in LVL imports shows that engineered wood products are becoming a more important […]

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A recent commentator suggested the current China market was like a stagnant pond lacking life and vibrancy.  The commentator may have a short memory, given two years ago the pond was more like the scene of a raging unpredictable storm resulting in severe waves of highs and lows.  I much prefer stagnant! Export log prices are just off the preferred pace making NZ forests greater than 100km to a port more challenging to yield good returns.   But prices are stable.  This remains an important feature of consistency and continuity which in turns creates efficiency and reduces costs. As reported last month, China continues to print good manufacturing numbers.  The PMI has continued to lift, as at early September sitting at 50.4, similar to June but up on July and August.  Despite the illustrious DT’s best tariffs impositions, China exports are up.  This is also despite massive storms and high temperatures internally. A weaker RMB against the Green Back is also helping exporters. Some eye watering numbers out of China include industrial profits up close to 18% year on year with RMB4.58 trillion in earnings for the first 7 months this year to date.  How is that working for you now Donald? A recent visit to Queensland found box stores and building sites full of China made high-quality LVL framing lumber, blowing Australia Sawmill owners out of the water with lumber prices well below what they can produce for.  Recent protestations to the Australia Government by the sawmill fraternity have apparently fallen on deaf ears.  One worries NZ’s turn could be just around the corner. September settlements in China have been around the US$130 per m3 mark, largely unchanged despite a couple of exporters pushing as high as US$134.  A lack of customer interest in those numbers quickly brought them to heel.  Domestic prices in China have been increasing but the trading margin remains at a US$4 -5/m3 gap which is very close to about right. Month to date usage numbers have been hovering around 55,000 to 60,000 m3 per day, again largely unchanged from August.  Inventory is sitting at 2.4million m3, down 90,000 m3 from July.  This is a low number compared to two years ago, but the market appears to remain comfortable at these levels. With the annual Golden 2-week holiday in China coming up 1st to 7th October, inventory is expected to build but not alarmingly so.  By the way, just in case the observant reader wanted to argue about seven days being two weeks, the reason is many factory workers take a few extra days off to enjoy the many festive autumn events throughout the nation. India remains in the BAU department, albeit manufacturing and trading conditions are heading toward the negative.  Selling prices are stable in Kandla and demand is just ok.  The biggest challenge right now for this market is shipping.  Unlike the two-way fixtures which dominate our China Trade, vessels for India have to ballast to NZ with a one-way cart only available.  Hire rates are much higher as a consequence, currently running US$25/m3 above China comparatives. The number of ships prepared to open for NZ/India cargo is limited.  Getting them to turn up on time in NZ is another challenge as they typically have to divert to take on bunker on their way to NZ. The current selling price in India is US$26 – 27/m3 above China meaning a better bottom-line NZ if you can find a vessel at the right money and right timing.  With the FTA just now around the corner and trade levels likely to increase, shipping should be less of an issue going forward. Canterbury Sawmills are continuing to experience strong sales levels and a nearly full forward order book.  The loss of the Nelson and Northland CHH sawmills is certainly helping the local demand profile.  Lumber prices remain stubbornly unmoving, but some are suggesting that desperately needs to change as the extra costs of doing anything continue to challenge the whole supply chain. And just in case there are readers out there who blame timber prices for the extra cost of building a house, I pointed out to one of our very important sawmill customers recently, log prices have not moved since 2018!  Perhaps this also needs to change. As always, please remember the thoroughly important message: ‘It remains fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees!” Allan Laurie, Managing Director, Laurie Forestry

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As autumn officially arrives, Forestry England is asking people across England to become “autumn spotters” and help track how the season unfolds across the nation’s forests. Source: Timberbiz The new autumn leaf watch citizen science project invites people to record the changing colours they see using Forestry England’s new autumn colour tracker. By collecting observations over the coming weeks and in future years, Forestry England hopes to build a valuable long-term picture of when and how autumn colour develops across different regions, habitats and tree species. People taking part can record the overall colour they’re seeing or get more involved by looking out for five easily recognisable tree species: beech, horse chestnut, oak, rowan and silver birch. The project will allow people to follow the progress of autumn across England, while contributing observations that could help Forestry England better under-stand how the timing and development of autumn colour varies from year to year. Early observations submitted to Forestry England’s autumn colour tracker suggest autumn is still in its early stages across the nation’s forests, with the vast majority of reports showing woodland canopies remain green. However, early submissions to the tracker are already recording the first signs of seasonal change, with yellow and orange leaves being recorded at sites including Forestry England’s Wyre Forest and Haughmond Hill in West England, and Delamere Forest in Central England. Silver birch and beech are among the species showing some of the earliest colour change, while oak remains predominantly green across much of the country. With autumn now officially beginning, visitors to the nation’s forests may already be starting to see the first signs of seasonal change. The timing of autumn colour varies depending on factors including daylight, temperature, rainfall, soil moisture and the health of individual trees. This year’s unusually hot and dry summer has already caused some trees to shed their leaves earlier than usual. While it is too early to predict exactly what autumn will look like, conditions in the coming weeks will influence how the season develops. “Autumn is one of the most spectacular changes we see in our forests, but it is also a fasci-nating time to observe how trees respond to the conditions around them,” Chris Sorenson, Forest Management Advisor at Forestry England, said. “By asking people to record what they see, we’re hoping to build a much better picture of how autumn colour develops across England, both this year and in the years to come. “The more observations we collect over time, the more we can learn about the timing and progression of autumn across different parts of the country and different tree species. “This year’s hot and dry summer makes it particularly interesting to see how the season unfolds. Some trees have already shed leaves early, but there’s still plenty of autumn to come, and we want people to get outside, look closely at the trees around them and help us track it.” Autumn colour develops as trees prepare for winter. As daylight hours shorten and temperatures change, trees gradually stop producing chlorophyll, revealing yellow and orange pigments already present in their leaves. Some species also produce red pigments during autumn. The timing and intensity of the change can vary considerably between species and locations, making observations from across the country particularly valuable.

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Södra’s Research Foundation is inviting applications for research projects that can contribute new knowledge on diverse forestry. The focus is on how different forest management practices affect forest development, biodiversity and other values, and how forest management can be adapted to a changing climate. Source: Timberbiz Diverse forestry creates forests with a variety of structures, characteristics and values, which is important for family forestry and forest industry operations in southern Sweden. Increased variation can contribute to biodiversity, recreational and aesthetic values, and strengthen forests’ resilience to a changing climate. At the same time, it can contribute to a stable and diversified raw material base for the forest industry of the future. “We need more knowledge about how different ways of managing forests affect both forest development and the values forests create. With this call, we want to contribute to research that provides a better basis for the continued development of diverse forestry,” said Henric Brage, Head of Innovation at Södra. The call highlights research on biodiversity, nature conservation, aesthetic and recreational values, and climate adaptation, among other areas. Methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity and other effects of diverse forestry are of particular interest. In the coming year, Södra’s Research Foundation will also open a call for proposals on the theme The value-creating forest industry of the future.

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Forest and landscape restoration is a cost-effective response to food security, biodiversity, climate, and other development challenges, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which warns that scaling up action will require greater investment, inclusive governance and sustained political commitment. Source: Timberbiz The flagship State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2026 report was published as part of FAO’s 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 28) and its 10th World Forest Week. The 2026 edition examines how forest and landscape restoration can be expanded to deliver lasting benefits for people and the environment. Drawing on evidence and experiences from around the world, it identifies four pathways for accelerating progress: empowering people and strengthening rights; implementing restoration at the landscape scale; mobilizing finance and business models that support restoration; and creating coherent policies, institutions and laws. “The State of the World’s Forests 2026 makes clear that forest and landscape restoration is more than an environmental priority – it is a strategic investment in resilient agrifood systems and rural development,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu wrote in the report’s Foreword. “The window for action is narrowing and delayed, or poorly designed restoration will increase long-term costs, exacerbate inequalities and risk locking landscapes into unsustainable trajectories,” he added. Forests cover 4.14 billion hectares (about 32% of the Earth’s land surface), store 714 gigatonnes of carbon and host up to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. They also underpin resilient agrifood systems, with nearly one-third of the global population depending on forests and trees for food security and livelihoods. However, an estimated 489 million hectares of forest were lost between 1990 and 2025 through deforestation, while more than 460 million hectares are degraded worldwide. In total, 1.56 billion hectares of land are degraded, driven by population growth, land-use change and rising demand for natural resources. At the same time, threats are intensifying. Every year, around 127 million hectares of forest are affected by fires, with further damage caused by insects, diseases and severe weather events. As demand for forest products rises and competing land uses increases pressure on natural resources, SOFO argues for the need to restore degraded forest and landscapes at scale, emphasizing that inaction carries a far greater economic burden than restoration. Worldwide, the annual impact of failing to restore degraded ecosystems is estimated at US$878 billion to $6.3 trillion, equivalent to 2% to 8.3% of annual GDP, depending on the scope of valuation. Restoring more than 1 billion hectares of degraded land, on the other hand, could generate $1.8 trillion per year in benefits, including enhanced biodiversity, improved water regulation and healthier soils. The report notes that investing US$2.6 trillion over 15 years in land degradation and drought mitigation could yield an eight-to-one social return. Under favourable conditions, restoration can generate returns of up to US$30 for every US$1 invested. Restoration also creates jobs, revitalizes production systems and supports resilient growth. Benefits extend beyond income to improved well-being, stronger social cohesion and the preservation of cultural identity and knowledge systems. Scaling up solutions Progress is underway, with large-scale restoration increasingly recognized as crucial for achieving global targets on land degradation neutrality, climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation and ending hunger. According to the report, governments across 91 countries and areas have pledged more than 190 million hectares for forest restoration. Examples of notable restoration projects among the 18 case studies analysed in the report include the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative, the Three North Programme of China, and the Trinational Atlantic Forest Pact across Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. However, progress remains insufficient, with only 206.5 million hectares of forests currently under restoration. The report points to four mutually reinforcing pathways to scale up high-quality restoration: People must be at the centre, ensuring that their rights, knowledge and priorities shape restoration outcomes; Restoration must be planned and implemented at the landscape scale, balancing conservation, production and livelihoods through context-specific approaches; Financing must be aligned with the realities of restoration; public and private resources need to be mobilized to support long-term, high-quality outcomes; Coherent policy, law and institutional frameworks are crucial for enabling restoration at scale and ensuring its sustainability over time. “The remaining years to 2030 must be defined by high-quality implementation – scaling up forest and landscape restoration that is people-centred, science-based and supported by coherent policies. I am confident that through collective action and shared commitment we can restore degraded lands at scale and build a better future for all,” the FAO Director-General wrote. You can download the report at https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/3758005c-1267-40be-a267-75d442633f62

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Darryl Heron’s journey into science started at the movies. As a teenager growing up in South Africa, he was captivated by the 1995 film Outbreak, which tells the tale of scientists racing to contain a deadly virus. Source: Timberbiz Picturing a future studying viruses such as HIV and Ebola, he started a microbiology degree at the University of Pretoria. But partway through his studies he discovered the hidden world of fungi that cause plant diseases, and his focus shifted. Now, as New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute’s team lead for pathogen diagnostics and collections, he spends his days looking at what’s going wrong inside plants and trees and how to stop small problems becoming big ones. His work sits at the frontline of forest and plant health, helping land managers and biosecurity teams respond quickly when something doesn’t look right. Mr Heron is particularly interested in diseases affecting trees such as pine and eucalyptus that can undermine entire industries and landscapes. “Plants get sick too,” he says. “When they do, the consequences can ripple through ecosystems, industries and communities. Protecting plant health is essential for food, fibre and the environment.” Based in the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s Rotorua campus, Mr Heron also researches issues linked to fungal pathogens and insects such as bark and ambrosia beetles, which can act as carriers for disease. Sometimes that means examining dying plants or fungal cultures under a microscope, while on other days it involves analysing DNA to identify what organisms are present or translating complex science into clear advice for people on the ground. “I enjoy talking to growers, landowners, managers and colleagues about their issues with plant diseases, and then working with my team in the Forest Health Reference Laboratory to identify or rule out pathogenic causes,” he said. Mr Heron completed his BSc with honours and went on to do a master’s and PhD in microbiology, also at the University of Pretoria. His postgraduate research focused on Fusarium – a group of fungi responsible for serious plant diseases worldwide – and the plant pathogenic species that affect forestry crops. This PhD, he said, is a career highlight. “My PhD journey began more than a decade ago, and I managed to complete it despite doing almost everything they advise against – studying part-time, moving to another country away from my advisors and taking on a job outside university. Mr Heron started with Scion, which has now merged into the Bioeconomy Science Institute – six years ago, working remotely from South Africa for his first year. He is now exploring the prospect of growing and consolidating the plant diagnostic services the Bioeconomy Science Organisation provides to the primary sector and those managing the native estate. “Some sectors have lost access to specialist diagnostic expertise, and there is significant potential within our organisation to bring together the right people, partners and infrastructure to build and maintain critical diagnostic capability for New Zealand.” he said. He’s also involved in projects using molecular tools to better understand microbial communities associated with nurseries, forests, orchards and the fungi carrying beetles found within these systems. “Upskilling in this area has been challenging, but it has also been rewarding and is an important step toward strengthening our diagnostic and research capacity. Every new method we learn strengthens our ability to respond to future threats,” Mr Heron said.

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  A new benchmark in hybrid civic and sporting infrastructure, the revitalised Australian Grand Prix Precinct will redefine how elite events and community needs can co-exist. Source: Timberbiz, photos Woods Bagot Woods Bagot has been appointed to lead the architectural vision for the redevelopment of the Albert Park Pit Building (APPB), with ASPECT Studios leading the landscape architecture. The project is being delivered in collaboration with Icon, AECOM, Development Victoria, the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. The transformation will secure Melbourne’s place on the global Formula One calendar through to 2037, while creating a lasting civic legacy for the Albert Park precinct and local community. Originally constructed in 1995, the existing pit building no longer meets contemporary standards for global motorsport. The new APPB will feature 14 state-of-the-art team garages, world-class race control, administration and media suites, premium hospitality and viewing areas for 5,000 Paddock Club guests, delivering the performance, precision and spectacle expected at the top tier of the sport. Designed for dual performance, the facility transforms beyond race mode into a community sporting hub with seven indoor courts and clubrooms for local clubs. The hybrid nature of the design makes the APPB a rare piece of infrastructure, supporting global events while actively serving local needs every day of the year. The bold use of mass timber throughout the structure isn’t just a sustainable design choice it’s a structural strategy. Timber enables faster delivery, smarter construction, and a civic-quality finish that elevates the building’s character and purpose. Its architectural language is informed by flexibility, lightness and longevity designed to adapt and evolve with the future of sport in Melbourne. Woods Bagot director and project design lead Bruno Mendes said the APPB demonstrates how civic thinking can transform elite event infrastructure. “What excites us most about this design is how it elevates both elite motorsport and grassroots community sport under one roof,” Mr Mendes said.  “We’ve engineered a facility that doesn’t just host one of the world’s premier racing events – it actively gives back to the local sporting community every day of the year.” Construction is planned to commence following the 2026 Formula One Australian Grand Prix, with completion scheduled ahead of the 2028 event. The redevelopment of the Albert Park Pit Building is part of the broader Albert Park Masterplan, which aims to enhance public amenity, ecological health, and long-term sustainability in one of Melbourne’s most iconic parks, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a global sporting capital.

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An innovative feasibility study has highlighted an exciting opportunity to produce renewable bioenergy at Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill in Gippsland, marking a step toward more sustainable manufacturing. Source: Timberbiz Partnering with Delorean Corporation ASX:DEL, an Australian bioenergy company, the feasibility study con-firmed the possibility of constructing a large-scale anaerobic digestion facility, which would use other organic residues and potentially bi-products from paper manufacturing and convert it into renewable biogas. The biogas would replace natural gas used by the rotary lime kiln at the Mill and is aligned with Opal’s net zero strategy. The next phase of the project involves the front end engineering and design to complete the project proposal, regulatory approvals and source the necessary organic feedstock and residue off-take agreements. These activities will enable a final investment decision to be evaluated. Subject to the engineering and design, the project is estimated to require a $35 million investment for construction and design and could create approximately eight FTEs in addition to flow on jobs. Joseph Oliver, Managing Director of Delorean, said the outcome of the study was very promising. “Delorean is committed to a pipeline of new, renewable energy projects across Australia and New Zealand. Subject to the outcome of the front-end engineering and design for the proposed project, the same model could be used to roll out more projects for Opal at a number of its other sites,” Mr Oliver said. David Jettner, General Manager Environment and Sustainability at Opal said the biogas project had the potential to bring another new energy industry to the Latrobe Valley. “Exploring the feasibility of replacing natural gas with biogas is aligned to Opal’s drive towards a new energy future. The outcome of the study is exciting because it has the potential to be replicated across other Opal sites that have traditionally been high consumers of natural gas,” he said. “We’re optimistic about the potential of biogas as a renewable alternative to gas.”

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Forest & Wood Products Australia has appointed Marina Milić to the role of Forest Research Project Manager. Source: Timberbiz Ms Milić holds a Bachelor of Arts in Wood Processing Engineering from the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, and is certified by Engineers Australia. Since moving to Australia 10 years ago, Ms Milić has built extensive experience across the sector, including the past eight years at AKD in national technical roles spanning research, process improvement, quality, compliance and technology adaptation. This background has given Ms Milić a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the industry, particularly in plantation softwoods, as well as experience across technical, industry and advisory settings. Ms Milić joins FWPA with a strong value chain perspective. Through work in timber treatment, structural performance, quality control and research and development at the mill end, she has seen how closely raw resource characteristics shape final product outcomes. In this role, Ms Milić will bring that downstream perspective to upstream forestry research, helping ensure projects remain grounded in commercial processing realities and aligned with end-market needs.

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Southern Limestone Coast Council will seek community consultation to sell a portion of Marte Siding Road to a major timber industry firm. Source: The Border Watch AAM Timber has made a formal proposal to council to extend its operations which would include obtaining a portion of the road. Originally wanting about 266 metres of the road, AAM Timber first introduced the expansion to council in May 2024. Elected members discussed its options during this week’s meeting, coming to the conclusion to gain community consultation on selling the entire North-South part of the road. Concerns for the complete closure include forestry access for plantations made by Green Triangle Forest Products as well as Timberlands Pacific Plantations. It was noted in a council document presented to elected members the entrance was important under potential emergency situations including fires. It was also an important access point for maintaining efficient access for heavy machinery and minimising travel distances. Southern Limestone Coast Council chief executive officer Gary Button said AAM Timber approached council which elected members had now considered. “It could have been one of three things, either council could just say no to their request, agrees to that portion but where council has landed is considering the road would then in the future be only access to one business location, the consideration is that the entire road north-south between Casadio Road and the rail reserve be sold,” Mr Button said. “That will go out to community consultation.” He said council would “certainly take everything” into consideration with community consultation lasting 28 days. “We will make sure we do targeted consultation so those in the immediate area are very much aware of this proposal and the general public as well,” he said. “Once we receive that consultation council will consider what comes back from that and we will then have to put in a proposal to the minister to consider what that looks like.” Mr Button said council would then form a position based on what consultation would come back to them with the overall decision up to Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Joe Szakacs. “Any costs are all paid for by the business, so all costs would be incurred by that, and an independent valuation would be obtained should there be the consideration for the sale of that road,” Mr Button said. “I think from an elected member point of view we want to see vibrant businesses doing well and creating employment opportunities in our council area and the support of looking at AAM’s proposal is a really important part of doing that work with them. “We value the feedback we get and from a safety perspective we will also be seeking feedback to ensure there is still emergency access to the site and into the precinct.”

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Dozens of jobs are set to be lost at the Arbex Millicent Mill according to multiple sources associated with the plant. Source: SE Voice The SE Voice has been told that 37 blue collar and white-collar jobs across all departments are set to be cut along with an unspecified number of local staff positions and employees at the Sydney headquarters. This newspaper understands the rationalisation is set to be completed by the upcoming Easter which falls in March in 2027. Management addressed a gathering of 100 rank and file workers on-site on Thursday afternoon. After senior management left, a senior union official took to the podium. She is based at the Melbourne HQ of the Timber, Furnishing and Textile Union which has 270 members at the Millicent mill. It is understood Arbex will now invite applications for voluntary separation packages. Established in 1960, the mill has a current workforce of 400 company employees and contractors. Numbers have steadily fallen since a high of 1000 in the 1980s. Arbex was formed on July 1 by the international creation of a joint venture involving the Kimberly-Clark Corporation of the USA (holding 49%) and Brazilian company Suzano (51%). Arbex spokesperson Lini Zulkiply said her company was not yet ready to provide detailed comment on the Millicent Mill. “‘We can confirm that consultation with employees and their representatives has commenced on proposed organisational changes aimed at improving productivity, operational effectiveness and the mill’s long-term sustainability,” she said. “As consultation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further on potential impacts or outcomes at this stage, until that process has concluded.”  

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