| 67 TIMBER Inglewood Timber Processors T T Russell Fredric Ensuring value through innovation The business operates as a timber processing factory rather than a traditional sawmill, sourcing kiln-dried timber from across New Zealand and converting it into scaffold planks and solid door cores. DURRANT & SCHIMANSKI LTD SCAFFOLD & RIGGING SERVICES Proudly Supporting Inglewood Timber Processors Inglewood 4330 021 024 95569 durrant-schimanski@outlook.com itpltd@xtra.co.nz (06) 756 8803 www.itpltd.net.nz Inglewood Timber Processors Ltd TIMBER • SCAFFOLD • PLANKS “Our Australian clients are okay, but they’re basically following New Zealand as far as the downturn and starting to feel it as well.” Inglewood Timber Processors is navigating one of the toughest building downturns in recent years but can draw on a specialised model, and resilience built through a major setback. Director Mark Jackson says the business operates as a timber processing factory rather than a traditional sawmill, sourcing kiln-dried timber from across New Zealand and converting it into scaffold planks and solid door cores. A byproduct is wood shavings for which there is strong demand. Scaffold planks are supplied nationwide, with the standard length being 3.0 metres, but they can be cut to suit from half a metre to 3.6 metres. The planks are untreated and kiln dried but can be treated if required. These are complemented by manufacturing and supplying kick boards — safety barriers installed along the edge of scaffolding platforms to prevent tools, materials, and debris from falling off, along with sole plates. The door core product has been exported into Brisbane for more than 25 years through relationships established by the founder of the business, Mark’s father, Kelvin, and Kelvin’s brother, Brian. Inglewood Timber Processors was tested following a major fire in late 2019, which destroyed a significant portion of the site and forced the business into a rebuild phase. “Out of a tragedy we’ve managed to acquire new equipment and re-establish the factory, and we’ve been able to improve things along the way,” Mark says. The rebuild included new planers, sanders, a door press and cutting equipment, and bringing the business back together under one roof also allowed a rethink of the workflow. “Because of the fire we were able to put everything back under one roof and redesign the flow of the factory, which has made it a lot easier to work in and more efficient.” Those gains have been subsequently tested by a prolonged slowdown in the New Zealand building sector, with reduced activity impacting demand across the timber supply chain. “The build industry in New Zealand is completely dead at the moment and has been for two years, and there’s just no forward workload to give anyone confidence.” While export channels into Australia have provided some balance, that market has also been struggling. “Our Australian clients are okay, but they’re basically following New Zealand as far as the downturn and starting to feel it as well.” The response has been to tighten the business and focus on staying operational, with staffing reduced and output aligned to demand. The shift reflects a more efficient way of working. “It’s a combination of being more efficient and doing things better than we did 15 or 20 years ago, so it’s less hands but more strategic planning.” A key part of that approach is ensuring value is captured from every piece of timber. “If we couldn’t get rid of our downgrade into solid door core then that’s money down the drain, so that’s a vital part of the company.” The timber shavings are pressed into wool fadges and sold into agricultural and horticultural markets, creating an additional revenue stream from material that would otherwise be discarded. With a team of eight, the business remains a small but consistent contributor to the local economy, supporting families and maintaining capability despite its reduced scale. “We’re always looking for opportunities and talking with our contacts about what else we can do to help grow the business and make it work long term.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=