NZ TIMBER
Our quarterly focus on the New Zealand milling and processing sector returns to the West Coast as the supply of native logs from the cyclone-hit conservation estate dries up, resulting in millers calling on the government to change its policy and allow selective logging.
ACOUPLE OF YEARS AGO THE OLD firm of Hardie & Thomson morphed into Health Based Buildings (HBB). And it is now busily adding to its 110-year-old premises in upper Colombo St, Christchurch to showcase its products, and educate the general public on the benefits of healthy buildings.
The company is eliminating the more toxic chemicals in timber treatment, such as arsenic and chrome, using more friendly solutions.
It is in the process of featuring NZ indigenous hardwoods, which do not require treatment for durability.
A variety of non-toxic treatments are being used among its other products, including Radiata and particle board.
This is also proving to be a lifeline for struggling Red Beech producers over on the West Coast.
A huge promotional push is being undertaken by HBB to get this attractive indigenous harvested product into the public arena.
So the current logo includes ‘Health Based Buildings – Forever Beech’. This was the former name of the original start-up operation by entrepreneurs Jon Dronfield and John Birchfield at the Blue Spur plant near Hokitika nearly 20 years ago.
This followed research by Timberlands West Coast scientists, led by KIt Richards, into sustainable management of native forests now covered by the Forestry Act.
Aided by a USA-based investor, the operation was shifted to the existing Reefton Sawmill nearly ten years ago.
Since the investor’s departure three years ago, the mill was downgraded to just producing lumber, while its kiln dryer and
processing machinery was temporarily out of action.
Dronfield has persevered with sustainable recovery of Red Beech under the Forestry Act from private land owners mostly in the Buller area, totalling some 6000ha.
More recently the Dronfield family took a punt and bought the Reefton plant. It was a question of virtually starting again, but this time with the expertise of HBB.
The Christchurch timber merchant’s Wigram-based plant is concentrating on Red Beech products, producing flooring, decking, panelling and weatherboards.
It out-sources the manufacture of Beech LVL beams and veneers. The Colombo St timber yard also supplies dressed wood for Joiners and cabinet makers.
Owner and Managing Director, Casey Thomson (whose grandfather founded Hardie & Thomson on the Coast), says the contractual purchase agreement the firm has with Seymour Forestry is based on volume of production, currently some 50 cubic metres a month. The firm had bought timber from the original Forever Beech plant at Blue Spur.
He realises there is much work still to be done, but predicts that once push gets to shove with increasing production, the future of the Reefton mill will look more rosy.
Both Casey and partner, Robin Curtis, are extremely confident that in the future this hardwood will increase in popularity.
Casey is sceptical whether some of the so called FSC certified wood being imported into this country is sustainably logged.
A timber consignment may only include about 20% of FSC certified wood, yet the whole consignment carries the logo, he explains.
What’s more, Beech hardwood equals the density and impact capability of Kwila imported from Indonesia. It is also costcompetitive with Kwila.
It appears there is considerable negativity among architects, building designers and builders towards native hardwoods that Thomson and Curtis are focusing on.
Also, government procurement policies should be of considerable help, they feel.
Casey says it pays to be straight-forward and honest with the harvest, manufacture and promotion of all HBB products, particularly in the education of the general public, and focusing on the attributes of native grown, sustainably harvested timbers.
NZL