Millions of dollars are being invested in wood processing capacity in Northland, New Zealand.
At least four companies have either recently completed expansion projects or have them under way.
Another new sawmill is earmarked for Ruakaka, along with a dry storage facility at Marsden Point, while Carter Holt Harvey is considering opening another mill.
Northsawn Lumber spent NZ$550,000 on finger-jointing facilities, a treatment plant and a paint line to pre-prime timber at its relocated mill in Ruakaka. It is also building a second shed.
TDC Sawmills has secured permission to build an additional mill at its Port Hills site, which will boost green sawn timber output from 100,000m3 to 400,000m3 and lead to more exports.
Northport is soon to complete a NZ$2m dry storage facility at Marsden Point, designed to help processors access new markets and shipping operators.
Northland is viewed as ideal for investment in wood processing because of available wood resources, a deepwater port and infrastructure already in place.
