Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan

The Plan is one of eight being developed as the New Zealand Government commitment to an industry policy which seeks to grow and transform sectors of the economy with significant potential to contribute to a high productivity, high wage, low emissions economy.

The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan spans the whole forestry sector value chain from forest growing to wood processing in its widest sense with sawmilling at the core of the proposals.  Sawmilling and wood processing is the key to the goal of processing greater volumes of logs, including low grade logs, within New Zealand.  The output of sawmilling and wood processing activity is seen as solid wood such as timber and engineered wood products as well as residues such as chip, sawdust and shavings which can be used as biofuel, substituting for existing heat sources as well as being an input to production of materials such as plastic substitutes and other products still in development.  In order to attain its fullest potential, the industry requires substantial investment.

The New Zealand Timber Industry Federation is supportive of the goals and aspirations of the Plan and recognises the central role that sawmilling and wood processing will play in this.  To this extent NZTIF is hopeful that the Plan will encompass a range of tools that;

1                     stimulate investment in our industry via a number of pathways such as in the tax regime and in competitive access to funding opportunities that benefit existing businesses as well as greenfield projects

2                     create market opportunities for solid wood products and residues both within New Zealand and overseas that justify our heavy investment requirements through influences such as government procurement, streamlined consenting and compliance systems and standards specifications that foster innovation

3                     create a disciplined and transparent market for logs based on improved information systems available to sellers and buyers and a regime that is out of reach for opportunistic traders

4                     recognise and favour the New Zealand wood industry in terms of its sustainability and low emission credentials 

5                     can have a relatively immediate term effect as well as implementing policies that have a longer-term horizon

The New Zealand Timber Industry Federation looks forward to further engaging with the government over the period of its consultations on the Plan and beyond that.