46 | Pankhurst Sawmills T T Ange Davidson Employees recognised at awards Worthy winners: Pankhurst Sawmills’ saftey officer, AJ Wilson, centre, and, right, operations manager, Adrian Mennell. FORESTRY Macrocarpa is one of New Zealand’s endearing trees, found on farms and shelter belts around the country, and its timber a popular choice for interiors and landscaping. Commercial milling of macrocarpa was pioneered by the Pankhurst family at their sawmilling plant in Riverton in the 1980s and the mill is now the country’s largest processer of the versatile timber. The Riverton mill was purchased by Rodney and Amanda Lonneker in 2015 who have expanded the operation with the addition of Timber Direct, a portable sawmill in Dunedin. Combined, the mills are processing up to a thousand tonne of macrocarpa logs a month from either forested plantations or farm shelterbelts. Recent wins at the 2023 Southern Wood Council Forestry Awards saw Pankhurst Sawmills Operation Manager, Adrian Mennell, recognised with the Wood Processing Excellence Award and Health and Safety officer, AJ Wilson awarded for her contribution to workplace safety. Adrian, AJ and one other staff member were awarded their level 4 certificates for Health and Safety. “It’s really great to have our employees’ hard work recognised at these awards. We have developed an amazing work culture at the mills. When we took over the business, we asked everyone individually how to make their job safer and more efficient so there was good buy in. We operate like a big family. As an employer, I want to know that our staff will get home to their families at night,” says Rodney. “We’re big on listening and communicating which are two of the greatest life skills and we’re hopeful that people will take these skills beyond the workplace and into their home lives.” Processing macrocarpa is quite a different operation than working with pine as the shelter-belt tree comes in all shapes and sizes requiring heavy duty machinery. One log on the truck can weigh up to eight tonnes. As the slow-growing macrocarpa is seldom grown as a plantation species, there is a finite supply in New Zealand. “We’re having to compete with companies exporting unprocessed macrocarpa logs to China where it is used to make coffins. There’s only a limited supply of macrocarpa as it takes up to 40 years to fully grow, and these exports are taking out years of supply,” believes Rodney. “The export of unprocessed logs takes away New Zealand jobs and industry. We need to educate farmers that they can do a lot better selling shelter-belt logs to New Zealand processors. We’ve talked to our Member of Parliament and to the government about stopping the export of unprocessed logs but nothing has changed as macrocarpa is treated like a minor and introduced species.” Demand for macrocarpa ramped up during Covid as people were at doing more home improvements and landscaping. The low-to medium-density softwood is borer resistant, looks and works like kauri and is used for interior joinery, ceiling sarking, exposed beams and flooring. Using macrocarpa for garden beds is popular as the wood doesn’t require treating. Post and Rail fencing is another macrocarpa product in demand. “We’ve invested in Post and Rail machines at both sawmills as the rustic fencing is really popular with developers, and on farms and with smaller landscaping projects. It looks really good,” enthuses Rodney. “Pankhurst Sawmills has a really good name around the country and we’re putting out a really good product. We provide what customers want and everyone’s happy.” www.kingslogtransport.co.nz For all your insurance needs Working with our clients to provide the right covers at the right price Insurance solutions for all sizes and types of business and personal insurance For Specialist Local Knowledge & Advice contact us at: Level 1, 33 Gala Street Invercargill 03 211 3018 admin@ibal.co.nz www.ibal.co.nz
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