54 | FORESTRY Waipapa Pine T T Nicki Woodlock Sustainability at heart of operation Re-purposed wood shavings are used to make fuel pellets. “Sawmills are quite capitalintensive. You need a longterm plan for your plant equipment over the next 5–10 years, and you need to keep reinvesting in it.” Waipapa Pine is leading the way in sustainable timber production at its Northland mill. Waipapa Pine was acquired by corporate giant Fletcher Building in June 2023 where it operates under the Light Building Products division. The head of strategy and development, Ian Cooper, says there has been excellent growth at Waipapa since the acquisition. “We operate an integrated sawmill and treatment facility across our two sites in Waipapa and Whangārei,” Ian says. “We mill Radiata Pine sourced from Northland forests, which boasts superior density and stiffness, producing high-quality sawn timber products for New Zealand and export markets. “All products are sustainably sourced, with all logs either FSC-certified or classified as controlled wood, and grown in a sustainable way.” At the Waipapa Pine mill, logs from Northland radiata pine forests - owned by investment companies and Iwi -are milled, dried, and planed. The site produces structural timber for construction, non-structural timber for landscaping, packaging and marine farming, as well as residue products including wood fuel pellets, sawdust, and wood chips. “Each log is 3D scanned, cut, photographed, and computer-graded to maximise value. Automation reduces manual work, improving quality and lowering costs.” Fletcher Building is committed to driving a climate-resilient, sustainable economy. At Waipapa Pine, repurposed wood shavings are used to make fuel pellets, woodchip is a valuable raw material for customers, and sawdust is used as fuel onsite supporting a zero-waste approach. Waipapa Pine holds FSC certification, meeting the Forest Stewardship Council’s standards for responsible forestry. Fletcher Building also supports the Ministry for the Environment’s Climate Change Work Programme, which promotes greater use of wood products in construction. “We utilise structural-grade logs that are larger and denser than those typically found elsewhere,” Ian says. Around one-third of each log becomes woodchip - with all waste wood exported for pulp production. Sawdust fuels the onsite dryer, which is used to dry the timber. The timber is rough sawn, then planed, and the dry shavings are compressed into energy-efficient wood fuel pellets—used by industrial customers as a coal alternative and also for kitty litter.” At the Whangārei site, wood is treated for durability, before most Waipapa Pine products are shipped to customers across Northland, Auckland, and the Waikato, or exported. Since acquiring Waipapa Pine, Fletcher Building has reduced river water consumption, built new yards and storage facilities, upgraded equipment, removed bottlenecks, invested in staff training, and is currently enhancing fire protection across the sites. Ian has seen excellent company growth since the acquisition. “We’ve increased output by 30% and have plans to expand the business by another 50%,” he says. “My role is to drive significant operational improvements and to understand market drivers and growth opportunities.” Fletcher Building focuses on future-proofing the business. “Sawmills are quite capital-intensive. You need a long-term plan for your plant equipment over the next 5–10 years, and you need to keep reinvesting in it.” Outside of Waipapa Pine there’s a new cutting-edge wood panels plant for Fletcher Buildings Laminex being built in Taupō which will be offering superior wood product solutions with diverse applications in furniture, joinery, and the broader construction industry, which will be completed in 2026. Future plans include expansion of the business. Objectives include increasing output and customers across the North Island. “We want to make more resources for the local economy”. 50YEAR GUARANTEE TRUST Trust GENUINETANALISED® Products Get superior, long-lasting protection for all your projects by selecting Genuine Tanalised® Timber. The Tanalised® 50 Year Guarantee is your assurance that you are using timber that will stand the test of time with unmatched durability and quality. www.arxada.co.nz 022 590 8800 or 021 0220 2728 bruce@smw.co.nz www.smw.co.nz Proudly supporting Waipapa Pine Ltd • Project Designs & Install • Fabrication & Welding • Plant Maintenance • Gantry servicing • Boiler Servicing • Shutdowns
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