Commercial Mill proves worth

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 27

Commercial Mill proves worth

A timber mill that was earmarked for closing this year by its •’former owners, New Zealand Railways, has just negotiated a $250,000 sale of radiata pine to Japan — the mill’s first to that country. .. Less than six months after taking over the former State-run Maaku mill — it was purchased on February 1 — the Manukau Timber Company has already more than doubled production. The order was placed by the Mitsubishi corporation, and is for Japanese squares — logs cut square to exacting size and quality specifications and used mainly for cable drums and packaging. Deliveries will be spread over 12 months.

Mr Alan Blakey, general manager of Manukau Timber said in Auckland that because the Mamaku mill was established to process indigenous logs, it was geared to handle the oversize pine logs ideal for use in Japanese squares. It aiso present ed the mill with promising export opportunities in the Middle East and Europe. The Manukau Timber Company acquired the mill principally to provide a ready source of timber for local furniture manufacturers and for decorative use in plywood, mouldings and panelling. But the prospect of big new markets for radiata in Japan and other countries had encouraged the company to shift production more to radiata, and this now

accounts for a lot of its output. The trend to pine is expected to continue, especially if the New Zealand Government is successful in having barriers against its use in building removed by the Japanese Government. Mamaku is expected to produce more than 10,500 cu m of timber this year, compared with 5200 cu m last year. With Manukau’s other divisions contributing to the overseas sales drive, exports are likely to top $500,000 this year, easily a record for the group, and a consid erable achievement considering it began exporting only 2J years ago with small shipments of furniture components to,Australia and the Pacific Islands.