78 | TIMBER INDUSTRY Wood Marketing Services Ltd T T Kim Newth Mitigating risk for foresty investors Over the past decade, WMS has tripled the total forest area under their management. “We work for local councils and for iwi entities with forest land through to private consortiums or investors with a large forest block in their investment portfolio.” In the Central North Island and Bay of Plenty, Wood Marketing Services is a leading independent provider of forest management services. Employing an experienced team, WMS provides professional harvest and marketing solutions for forests, both large and small. From forestry establishment, silviculture operations and environmental management, through to health and safety compliance and harvest and marketing management, WMS’ deep industry experience and proven track record makes them an attractive choice for forestry investors. “As well as having that extensive operational capability and experience, we live and breathe what we do, day in and day out,” says Duncan Mills, who co-owns and manages WMS with Carl Hanna. Both have forestry degrees, share long careers in the industry and lead an experienced team of eight staff in administration and operations. “We are a hardworking down to earth team and love seeing the results of our work on a daily basis.” Since the launch of WMS in 2005, Carl and Duncan have built a strong following through their ground-up approach and unwavering dedication to sound forestry management. “Carl and I are fully engaged with the business on a day to day basis, making decisions and dealing directly with customers and clients. Being in touch with the business in this way is important to us and it’s what has enabled us to build an edge in our industry.” Duncan manages WMS operations in the Waikato, King Country and Coromandel area while Carl manages the company’s Bay of Plenty operations, as well as leading forestry establishment and forestry management. Duncan manages the commercial side of the business, such as selling of logs, woodflow logistics, and overseeing health and safety and environmental services. Over the past decade, WMS has tripled the total forest area under their management, driven both by an upsurge of interest in new planting and the strong reputation of WMS in the forestry sector. “We have the knowledge and experience to do a professional job and manage all the risk, including health and safety and environmental risks. We are a full project management business. Leaving aside the big corporates in forestry, we would be one of the largest private forest management companies in the Central North Island region and Bay of Plenty in terms of harvestable volume on an annual basis. “We have a very diverse clientele: our biggest client has 8500 hectares of forest estate that we manage for them and, at the other end of the scale, we’re managing small five-hectare woodlots for farmers. “We work for local councils and for iwi entities with forest land through to private consortiums or investors with a large forest block in their investment portfolio.” In decades past, foresters and farmers did not always stop to consider whether they were planting trees in the right place. Today, WMS meticulously plans how to best establish or re-establish forest areas, taking into account both environmental considerations and harvest access down the line. Looking ahead, Duncan says the nationwide outlook on forestry fundamentals is still very good. That’s because New Zealand’s main commercial forestry species - Pinus radiata - is versatile, fast growing and represents a clean, green, renewable option in the global market. “New Zealand also has some fantastic domestic processing plants. “Huge advances in technology mean that much better product is now being made out of what is cut locally and that’s really positive for the industry.” New Zealand’s heavy reliance on China as a key log export market remains a key challenge. “That market has fundamentally changed over the last three years with much lower demand from China.” However, Duncan says emerging demand in the renewable energy sector – for example, for wood pellets – is laying the foundation for an alternate market for pine in future. Heart and Soul of Log Transport Ph: 027 968 3275 | E: digby@loadco.co.nz Digby Cameron Opera�ons Manager Robyn McCullough Admin/H&S Manager admin@loadco.co.nz Ph: 027 277 6016 | E:
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