We believe that the XyloGene brand will add value if also used to market and certify durable hardwood products produced in the future. This will require traceability along the value chain for growing, processing and sales of durable hardwood (in a similar way to that used by Zespri in the production and sales of kiwifruit).
Brands and trademarks are already a key part of New Zealand’s international export success, so investigating traceability and certification will be an important objective for the NZDFI in the near future.
Tracing products from the nursery to the final consumer is possible: all records of production and deployment of XyloGene nursery stocks can be securely kept, along with records of where new forests are planted. This will enable future traceability and certification of the durable hardwood grown in these forests. Logs could be tracked from the forest to the timber processor who can then use the XyloGene brand as a certifying trademark to identify and add value to all products: posts, poles, sawn timber and engineered wood products such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL).
