Forest Products Industry

Carl James Peterson passed on 11 September 2026, following a period of illness, he was the founder of Peterson Sawmills and the creator of the first commercial portable swingblade sawmill in 1988. Source: Timberbiz From that breakthrough came the Peterson Sawmill brand, now recognised around the world for practical, innovative portable sawmills built for people who want to turn their own logs into valuable timber. Mr Peterson was far more than an inventor and entrepreneur. He was a creator, an adventurer, a determined problem-solver, and a man who lived a remarkably colourful life. His experiences and escapades were many, and his stories were as memorable as the first machines he designed. His ideas, energy and independent spirit shaped a business, a product category and a worldwide community of sawmill owners. His legacy will live on in the thousands of Peterson Sawmills operating across the world, and in the customers, distributors, staff, friends and family who knew him or benefited from his vision. His invention shaped the portable sawmill world, as his original technology continues to be utilised in various other subsequent swingblade brands and models as well. For more on Mr Peterson there is a YouTube video.

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Scientists are trialling satellite-enabled smart sensors on trees across the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area to provide an unprecedented picture of how Australia’s forests are responding to changing environmental conditions. Source: Timberbiz Using low-Earth-orbit satellites, the project will extend continuous environmental monitoring into remote forests beyond the reach of mobile networks including parts of western NSW. It will collect real-time data on how individual trees and ecosystems respond to drought, bushfire and climate change. Better information about how forests respond to environmental change will help governments, land managers and researchers make more informed decisions about biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, climate adaptation and natural hazard management such as bushfires and drought. Project lead Professor Brendan Choat from the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University said Australia has relatively few intensively monitored forest plots capable of continuously measuring how trees and ecosystems respond to environmental change. “Australia’s forests are changing as our climate changes, but until now we’ve lacked the continuous monitoring needed to understand exactly how they respond,” Professor Choat said.“This project will give us an unprecedented picture of what happens before, during and after events such as drought and bushfire, helping us better protect these ecosystems into the future.” Led by researchers from Western Sydney University and UNSW Sydney, the Space-Enabled Smart Sensing for Forest Monitoring project is being funded through the NSW Smart Sensing Network’s (NSSN) Grand Challenge Fund. The project brings together Luxembourg-based satellite telecommunications company OQ Technology, Scenic World, the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute and the NSW Space Research Network to develop the next generation of environmental monitoring technologies. Unlike traditional monitoring, which relies on periodic field visits or sensors within mobile coverage, the project will provide continuous, real-time measurements from remote forests. The sensors will monitor how trees use water, grow and respond to environmental stress, while also measuring soil moisture, microclimate, wildlife activity and insect populations. Building on Western Sydney University’s Blue Mountains Hub for Ecology and Conservation, and long-term monitoring sites near Bourke established by UNSW ecologist Associate Professor Daniel Falster, the project will create a connected network spanning ecosystems from the World Heritage-listed rainforests of the Blue Mountains to semi-arid woodlands near Bourke. The project also builds on lessons from the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires and WSU’s Dead Tree Detective citizen science project, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring of Australia’s forests. Associate Professor Falster said the expanded monitoring network would provide unprecedented insights into Australia’s remote forests. “We are working at four locations east and west of Bourke, from Narran Lakes to Wanaring, in collaboration with Climate Friendly on properties where tree regeneration supports carbon projects,” A/Prof Falster said. “While the existing sites are within the outer limits of mobile coverage, many comparable forests across this vast region, including Sturt National Park, are not. Satellite-enabled sensing could allow us to extend continuous monitoring into these more remote areas and gain a much clearer picture of how Australia’s inland forests are changing.” Successful field validation could pave the way for wider adoption of the technology across forestry, biodiversity monitoring, carbon farming, agriculture, land rehabilitation and natural hazard management. OQ Technology Founder and CEO Omar Qaise said the project demonstrates the growing importance of satellite-enabled IoT infrastructure in supporting environmental monitoring in remote and climate-sensitive regions. “Australia is an ideal environment to showcase how satellite communications can support critical monitoring applications in remote and climate-sensitive regions,” Mr Qaise said. “The long-term opportunity is not only to monitor forests more effectively, but to build a model for resilient, standards-based connectivity that can support remote industries, public infrastructure and climate adaptation more broadly.” Scenic World Sustainability Coordinator Ben Allen said the project would establish a new rainforest monitoring site within Scenic World’s conservation estate. “At Scenic World, we feel deeply privileged to care for our historic site bordering the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park,” Mr Allen said. “This project will help us better understand and monitor the health of our rainforest over time, strengthening our efforts to protect and sustainably manage this remarkable environment for generations to come.” Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute CEO Joel Dalberger said the project would provide valuable real-time insights into ecosystem health while creating a model for environmental monitoring that could be applied well beyond the Blue Mountains. “The combination of satellite communications and continuous sensing will provide new opportunities to better understand and protect some of Australia’s most significant natural landscapes. “The NSW Space Research Network, a sister network to the NSSN, is also supporting the project. Business Development Manager – Industry Engagement Maurice Borer said it demonstrated how collaboration can accelerate the adoption of space-enabled technologies. “The project shows how research networks can build strategic partnerships, foster international collaboration and translate space-enabled technologies into practical outcomes aligned with Australia’s national science and civil space priorities,” Mr Borer said. Environment & Agriculture Theme Lead at the NSSN, Dr Tomonori Hu, said the project demonstrates how collaborative research can translate world-class science into practical solutions for climate resilience and environmental management. “By bringing together expertise in environmental science, satellite communications and smart sensing, this project has the potential to transform how Australia monitors forests and responds to future environmental challenges,” Dr Hu said.

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Keith Manufacturing has showcased its RX2 Drive Unit for the Australia and New Zealand wood-products market at Residues-2-Revenues 2026 in Brisbane. The RX2 is a two-cylinder Walking floor drive engineered to rapidly unload chips, sawdust, biomass and similar materials. Source: Timberbiz The RX2 uses a re-engineered hydraulic sequence to unload a 14.6-metre trailer in about four minutes. In mill operations where truck turnaround affects production flow, this faster discharge capability can support more loads per day and help reduce congestion at receiving areas. Designed with a two-cylinder configuration, the RX2 reduces drive weight while delivering the performance and durability required for wood-products applications. For wood-products fleets operating close to legal limits, the lighter system can create additional payload potential over thousands of loads. RX2 also features an 80% moving and 20% stationary slat configuration, designed to maximize push force while minimizing drag. The layout reduces hydraulic strain, improves energy efficiency and contributes to long-er floor life. Part of Keith’s RX Technology platform, its first major redesign in more than a decade, RX2 is built to address recurring performance and maintenance challenges, including corrosion, difficult component replacement, hydraulic heat and contaminated oil. Its adjustment-free design removes threaded rods and adjustable switching valves, helping promote consistent operation and reduce long-term maintenance demands. For easier serviceability, RX Technology uses cartridge-style check valves that can be ac-cessed and replaced quickly with a single wrench. This design helps simplify routine maintenance and minimize downtime. The platform also incorporates integrated heat sensors and automatic over-temperature switches. When oil temperature rises beyond a safe level, the system intervenes by shut-ting down until temperatures return to a safe operating range, helping protect critical components from heat-related wear, seal damage and efficiency loss. A high-flow filtration system helps keep hydraulic oil cleaner and reduce contamination in dusty lumber-mill environments. With fewer parts and potential leak points, the simplified hydraulic pathway can further reduce maintenance requirements and the time spent diagnosing issues. RX2 supports intuitive operation through an electric control interface. Single-action commands simplify training and help reduce operator error, giving drivers more predictable control during unloading. For chips, fines and sawdust, Keith recommends pairing RX2 with its CleenSweep tarp system. The CleenSweep system automatically draws a tarp across the trailer floor during un-loading, helping reduce leftover material, improve safety and reduce the time operators spend inside trailers.

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Sumitomo Forestry Australia has been revealed as Australia’s largest home building group in the 2025/26 HIA Housing 100. The HIA Housing 100 ranks Australia’s largest 100 residential builders based on the number of homes commenced each year. Source: Timberbiz Sumitomo Forestry Australia (Henley, Wisdom, Scott Park Group, Metricon) recorded 8,038 new home starts in 2025/26 across these four Australian home building businesses. The result follows Sumitomo Forestry’s acquisition of Metricon and brings together some of Australia’s largest and most established home building businesses within one group. “Metricon had held the number one position on the Housing 100 for the previous decade, making this a new name at the top of the list as the Housing 100 enters a new decade,” HIA Chief Economist Tim Reardon said. “ABN Group was Australia’s second largest home builder with 3,764 starts, while NEX Building Group moved from fourth to third with 3,585 starts.” The consolidation of Metricon and Henley, two of the top ten builders last year, within Sumitomo Forestry Australia also saw Summit Homes enter the top ten for the first time, continuing its rise from 15th in 2023/24. There were also some significant movers further down the Housing 100. Homecorp Constructions moved from 31st to 13th, while Hutchies moved from 14th to eighth. Parkview Constructions was Australia’s largest multi-unit builder, commencing 2,735 homes. Meriton Apartments was second with 2,324 starts, followed by Hutchies with 1,907. “The largest apartment builders have moved down the overall rankings this year as detached housing led the increase in new home construction,” Mr Reardon said. In total, the Housing 100 commenced 70,553 homes in 2025/26, an increase of 9.4% from 64,481 in the previous year and the first time since 2021/22 that the total has exceeded 70,000 homes. Detached home starts increased by 11% to 52,058, semi-detached starts in-creased by 14% to 7,397, while multi-unit starts increased by just 1% to 11,098. The Housing 100 accounted for 35% of all new homes commenced in Australia in 2025/26. “These results show that Australia’s home builders responded to improving market conditions and increased the supply of new homes in 2025/26,” Mr Reardon said. “The concern is that the conditions which produced this increase have changed significantly during 2026. “New home sales strengthened through the second half of 2025 and into early 2026, providing builders with a pipeline of work that continued to translate into commencements throughout 2025/26. “Since then, the reversal of the 2025 interest rate cuts, weaker consumer confidence and changes to property investment taxation settings have seen new home sales fall,” he said. “There is always a lag between a new home sale and commencement of construction. This means the strong result recorded in this year’s Housing 100 reflects market condi-tions from earlier in the cycle, while the deterioration in sales during 2026 will increas-ingly weigh on commencements in 2027.” Mr Reardon said that underlying demand for housing remained exceptionally strong. Australia continued to have a shortage of homes, population growth remained strong and unemployment remained low. “The Housing 100 demonstrates that the industry has the capacity to increase the sup-ply of new homes when market conditions allow,” Mr Reardon said. “Australia cannot resolve the housing shortage unless governments lower the cost of delivering new homes and provide the stable investment and financing environment re-quired to sustain this increase in supply.” Key findings from the 2025/26 HIA Housing 100 include: The Housing 100 commenced 70,553 homes, up 9.4 % from 64,481 in 2024/25. Detached starts increased 11% to 52,058, semi-detached starts increased 14% to 7,397, and multi-unit starts increased 1% to 11,098. The Housing 100 accounted for 35% of Australia’s new home market. Sumitomo Forestry Australia ranked first with 8,038 starts, followed by ABN Group with 3,764 and NEX Building Group with 3,585. Parkview Constructions was the largest multi-unit builder with 2,735 starts. Homecorp Constructions recorded the largest move up the rankings, from 31st to 13th, while Hutchies moved from 14th to eighth.   To order copies of the full report please go to www.hia.com.au

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The Senate has made a political decision to allow the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) Method, which credits carbon for reducing or ending timber harvesting in native forests, to stand. The vote reflects the environmental ideologies that drive Australian politics. The decision does not settle the question of the Method’s integrity, nor does it verify that the maths adds up. For more than a year, Forestry Australia has raised detailed technical concerns through multiple channels about how the INFM Method calculates carbon abatement. We have the analysis that supports those concerns and have offered to work constructively with government and stakeholders to resolve the problems. Our members include some of Australia’s foremost forest carbon experts. Their independent analysis identified material accounting concerns. None were addressed in the Senate debate, and none have yet been fixed. The maths and integrity of the INFM Method should have formed the basis of the decision, but the long-standing and highly emotive debate about native forest harvesting ultimately prevailed. The problem is that a politically convenient outcome, such as ending native forest timber harvesting, does not automatically create a genuine carbon credit. Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) are the currency of climate policy. Businesses buy them to meet obligations or offset emissions. Governments rely on them to help meet Australia’s emissions targets. Landholders and investors make long-term decisions based on their value. If an ACCU says one tonne of carbon abatement has occurred, the system must be able to demonstrate that one tonne really has occurred. The Greens announced their support for INFM under the headline “Real pollution cuts, not accounting tricks,” while simultaneously announcing opposition to a Bill intended to strengthen the governance, transparency and integrity of the ACCU scheme and announcing an intention to disallow a private land method that has been transparently developed through many years of co-design involving scientists, agricultural organisations, carbon practitioners, conservation organisations, governments and land managers. At the same time, they have supported an INFM Method that has lacked transparent pro-cess, was not developed with forestry experts and has material technical issues that re-main unanswered. The irony is difficult to miss. Poor-quality credits have consequences. If an ACCU overstates the carbon benefit achieved in a forest, a real tonne of emissions elsewhere in the economy may be offset by something less than a real tonne of abatement. Further, large volumes of inexpensive, over-credited ACCUs can also suppress the car-bon price and make it harder for genuinely additional projects, including new plantations, environmental plantings, farm forestry and landscape restoration, to attract in-vestment. These are investments Australia desperately needs. We should be designing carbon markets that help put more forests and trees into the landscape, improve the condition and resilience of existing forests and support land-holders willing to undertake genuine additional action. For that to happen, investors need confidence that an ACCU means what it says. The Senate vote is over, but the Government still has an opportunity to fix the INFM method before significant volumes of credits enter the market. Ultimately this debate should not be about whether someone supports timber harvesting, national parks, farmers, fossil fuel companies or any particular political party. It should come down to the very simple principle that one ACCU represents one genuine tonne of carbon abatement, that carbon methods are designed transparently and with independent expert verification, and that they meet this expectation before projects start. On INFM, Australia has not yet demonstrated that it does. Dr Michelle Freeman, President, Forestry Australia

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Comact, a global leader in high-performance OEM wood processing technologies, has announced the launch of Comact Cutting Solutions, bringing together Smith Sawmill Service, Oleson Saw Technology, Checkmate Precision Cutting Tools, and the proprietary BLADE brand under a common organizational identity. Customers will continue to work with these established brands as they do today, with each maintaining its unique identity, expertise, products, and customer relationships.

Comact Cutting Solutions was created to reflect the collaboration that already exists across these businesses. While each brand will continue to operate under its own name, customers will benefit from access to a broader range of products, expertise, and resources backed by Comact’s OEM knowledge of the complete sawmill.

“Bringing these businesses together within Comact Cutting Solutions reflects how we work with our customers: as one team focused on the performance of their entire cutting operation,” said Dustin Norris, Vice President of Comact Cutting Solutions. “Our expertise goes beyond the cutting tools themselves. We work alongside customers to address operational challenges and improve cutting performance, backed by Comact’s deep understanding of mill operations.”

The Comact Cutting Solutions portfolio includes circular saws, bandsaws, knives, guides, filing room equipment, consumables, and related products. The organization also partners with ISELI, a global leader in precision machinery and technology for professional filing room operations, and serves as the exclusive ISELI dealer in the United States.

Customers will continue to work with the same brands, companies, and teams they know today, with Comact Cutting Solutions bringing together complementary expertise, products, and resources – all backed by Comact’s OEM expertise. For more information about Comact Cutting Solutions, visit ComactCuttingSolutions.com.

Dustin Norris, Vice President of Comact Cutting Solutions

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