Processors and suppliers

Timber processors and suppliers are an essential part of the alternative species supply chain. Milling, drying and processing eucalypts at any scale requires specialist skills: small-scale fixed and mobile sawmillers with commercial operations processing alternative species are becoming scarce and are a very valuable resource. 

Small-scale sawmillers milling eucalypts

The following sawmillers are known to have capability to mill eucalypts. They may also be able to assist anyone wishing to purchase rough-sawn eucalypt timber, resawn/processed timber and timber products:

• Ruapehu Sawmills, Raetihi, central North Island: contact Vaughan Kearns,  tel: 027 445 7138    Email: ruapehusawmils@xtra.co.nz
• Specialty Timber Solutions, Sefton, North Canterbury: Web: specialtytimbers.co.nz   Contact John Fairweather, tel:  021 2110705 Email: jrf@xtra.co.nz
• MacBlack Timber, Whanganui: Web: macblack.co.nz  tel: 0204 622 255  Timber sales - Email: sales@macblack.co.nz  Mobile sawmilling: Hamish Randle  Email: hamish@macblack.co.nz
• Logs2Lumber, Wakefield, Nelson. Mobile sawmlling (Woodmizer) - contact: Justin Wells - Web: logs2lumber.co.nz
• Short Back'n'Sides,  Waihi, Bay of Plenty. Mobile sawmilling. Contact Brett Soutar - Web: shortbacknsides.co.nz

A list of other regional small-scale sawmillers is available here - as far as is known, these millers continue to operate commercially, but this cannot be guaranteed.

For more information about mobile sawmilling in general, have a look at: Portable sawmilling of locally grown alternative timber species: A report on the potential for a sustainable small-scale industry in Hawke's Bay Region

NZ Farm Forestry Association Farm Forestry Timbers

The NZFFA's Farm Forestry Timbers website provides information about all New Zealand's specialty timber species and an on-line marketplace for products and services associated with specialty timbers.

Major importers of timber into New Zealand

The following major timber importers are identified in the 'Import Substitution Project' technical report (ITP-TR014):

These companies may supply timber at both wholesale and retail levels.

People wishing to buy specialty species timber are advised to look for local sawmillers/timber stockists.