Forest Products Industry

Following successful field trials, RagnarTech, Inc. has chosen to fit the innovative Smart Shear Pin system designed and developed by UK-based Anstee Indication Systems (ais).

Launched in 2022, the Smart Shear Pin system provides instant shear pin crack and failure alerts to maximize processing efficiency while reducing the risk of costly machine damage.

US and Sweden-based RagnarTech, Inc. is providing the Smart Shear Pin system for its 9400, which is designed to be a HZ shredder, a grinder and a chipper.

RagnarTech Founder and president, Anders Ragnarsson, says: “To maximize machine uptime we use the innovative Smart Shear Pins from Anstee Indication Systems as our primary shear pins. If and when the machine takes a severe enough hit to crack a pin, an alarm signal is sent to the operator, allowing them to quickly and simply replace the pin before it completely breaks. This is important for our customers; it keeps the machine running, making money.”

Managing Director of Anstee Indication Systems, Craig Anstee, says: “We are delighted to continue to grow the global reach of our Smart Shear Pin system with RagnarTech. This is in addition to the Smart Shear Pin system having now been retrospectively fitted to every CBI grinder in the UK with great success and client feedback.

“In April this year we named Molson Group as our UK distributor and as our presence in North America and Europe expands, we are actively seeking new distributors for the Smart Shear Pin system.”

Contact Ceri Anstee, Commercial Director, ceri@ansteeindicationsystems.co.uk.

Instant fixing failure alerts | Anstee Indication Systems

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In September, SCA hosted a field excursion for the Collaborative Group for Continuous-Cover Forestry in Southern Norrland, Sweden. The group visited four sites where SCA has applied different continuous-cover methods. Source: Timberbiz “It is important that we meet and discuss these issues so that, together, we can identify which methods may work,” said Anna Cabrajic, Forest Ecologist at SCA. The Collaborative Group for Continuous-Cover Forestry in Southern Norrland was formed in autumn 2023. The aim is to promote learning and exchange experience around continuous-cover forestry and other management approaches that increase forest diversity and support the production of high-quality timber for building conservation. The field excursion attracted nearly 20 participants, with representatives from the Swedish Forest Agency, Sveaskog, the County Administrative Board of Västernorrland, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation were among those present. Several other forestry companies that are also part of the collaborative group had been invited but were unable to attend. “We had selected examples of different shelterwood stands as well as selection system harvesting and single-tree selection, to discuss how these methods and measures can be used to consider, preserve and restore different values,” said Askia Sandberg, SCA’s Conservation Specialist in Ångermanland. The first stop was a deciduous shelterwood stand where SCA harvested mainly spruce in 2018 to create a birch-dominated habitat that will in time be used for timber production. “The site itself does not have particularly high nature values, but SCA is working to increase the proportion of deciduous forests as part of FSC certification, and this was a good location for that. Here, the birches can continue to age, and in time we can thin the shelterwood stand,” said Sandberg. Many birds benefit from deciduous-rich forests with old birch trees, so the measure also supports birdlife in the area. The group discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the measure and considered what the next step might be in about 10 years. It was also noted that establishing new forest may be challenging without any form of site preparation or planting. Continuous-cover forestry is usually based on natural regeneration, but site preparation and planting can also be carried out in gaps and beneath shelterwoods. If the birches had not been retained, the ground would have become much wetter. Without birches that use a lot of water, it would have been difficult to establish regeneration. The group then travelled to Viksmon, where SCA has used the postponed pine shelterwood method in three areas. There are pines that are 160 years old, as well as sandy pine forest. There were several examples of pine shelterwoods. Some were left unmanaged and preserved for social reasons because they are an important recreation area for local residents. In the second area, SCA harvested some timber in two rounds, in 1995 and 2008, and the stand now consists of 138 stems per hectare. The shelterwood of older pine is fairly dense, with a relatively tall and dense young stand of pine and broadleaf trees underneath, the group observed. However, there were clear bare patches around some retained pines, where the older trees outcompete the regenerating seedlings, so they do not receive enough nutrients or light. Pines require a lot of light, and that can make regeneration difficult in the long term. The older pine shelterwood may need to be thinned further for the young stand to establish itself. The developing young forest will also need to be thinned through cleaning and later thinning. “But if you thin too much, it will not become a multi-layered forest”, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation pointed out. This led the group into a discussion about the challenge of balancing the forest’s different values and how environmental values can best be weighed against social and economic values. The conclusion was that measures that are positive for some values may be perceived as negative for others. Lars-Olov Sarenmark from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency stressed the importance of adapting the management method to the site conditions. This means that some methods are better suited to certain conditions. For example, retaining a shelterwood in a wetter forest is sensible in order to preserve a “water pump” that helps keep water in check so that new seedlings can establish. Another example is that soil scarification and planting are not needed in areas that regenerate easily, in some sandy pine forests. But this requires very strong local forest knowledge, and today few people have that knowledge. In the third area, which the group did not have time to visit, timber was harvested in 2008 and the shelterwood was then thinned a few years ago to 25 stems per hectare, fully in line with the Swedish Forest Agency’s guidelines for postponed shelterwood in continuous-cover forestry. The group also visited an area of sparse, low-volume spruce forest with some older trees, where SCA had carried out selection system harvesting. “The selection system harvesting was carried out in 2024. The stand itself does not have high nature values, but it lies within a consideration area that contains a number of protected species. That is why we chose a continuous-cover method, where our first action was to harvest only in extraction trails, with a timber removal of around 20 per cent. In 15–20 years, we can reuse the trails and remove a certain proportion of larger trees beside them,” said Sandberg. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation questioned why the forest needed to be harvested at all. “According to SCA’s criteria, this is not forest with such high values that it justifies voluntary set-aside. But by using an alternative method, we can preserve the habitat for species while carrying out a cautious timber harvest. In this way, we avoid creating a clearcut yet still achieve a certain timber yield. At the same time, birds and plants that depend on forest, such as the Siberian jay or creeping lady’s-tresses, can remain,” said Sandberg. “Selection system is a gentle method, said one participant. This becomes a win-win situation, […]

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More and more summers with record heat and weeks of drought: forest and vegetation fires pose special challenges for fire brigades worldwide. Emergency vehicles must reach their scene reliably and safely, even in the event of large-scale fires in difficult terrain. Source: Timberbiz With the new MAN TGM 18.320 4×4, the company is offering a chassis for firefighting applications in the highest off-road category in accordance with DIN EN 1846-1 for the first time. The 18-tonne chassis with permanent all-wheel drive is specially designed for operations off paved roads. Special protective measures and equipment prepare the vehicle specifically for operations in forest and vegetation fires. With its high payload of up to 11.5 tonnes, tank firefighting vehicles with up to 6000 litres of extinguishing water and 500 litres of foam concentrate plus standard equipment can be built on the MAN TGM 4×4 chassis. The vehicle is powered by a 320 hp engine. Power is transmitted by the MAN PowerMatic automated transmission. The individual 14.00 R20 tyres on the front and rear axles support off-road capability. Depending on the body and cab variant as standard or double cab, different wheelbases and crew concepts can be implemented. “With the new MAN TGM 18.320 4×4, we are offering fire brigades and disaster control organisations around the world a vehicle that has been specially developed for demanding operations under the most difficult conditions. “Its high off-road mobility and wide range of configuration options make it the ideal basis for forest and vegetation firefighting. At the same time, the chassis is also suitable for numerous other tasks in civil protection and disaster control, wherever emergency services need to provide fast, safe and reliable support off paved roads,” said Martin Zaindl, Head of Sales Body Builder & Strategic Partners. For operations near sources of fire, the chassis has a special heat protection device. Air, electrical, AdBlue and fuel lines are designed in such a way that they can withstand a temperature of up to 130 degrees Celsius for a period of 10 minutes. In addition, there are mechanical protective measures for particularly exposed vehicle components. A hinged roof hatch between the driver’s and front passenger’s seats opens up additional application possibilities. A height-adjustable tread surface makes it easier to use the hatch and supports the crew when observing the surroundings or working from the cab. Even with the roof hatch, the cab meets the latest ECE R29-3 crash test standard in order to provide the occupants with the best possible protection, even in the event of serious accidents. The vehicle concept also enables extinguishing while driving according to the “pump and roll” principle. This allows the crew to fight fire areas along paths or during slow off-road driving. One of the key features is a tyre pressure control system that can be controlled from the driver’s workplace. This allows the driver to adapt the tyre pressure to different surfaces and operating conditions. The system is supplemented by a tyre pressure monitoring system and run-flat tyres. These make it possible to move the vehicle out of a hazardous area in a controlled manner, even if the tyre is damaged. With its water passage capacity of up to 950 millimetres, the vehicle can also be used on flooded roads and farm roads. The high level of off-road capability is supported by further technical adjustments. These include a mechanical protective cover for the transfer case, and an exhaust tailpipe raised behind the driver’s cab. At the same time, the optimised entrance situation makes it easier to access the crew compartment. The extensive modifications to the TGM 4×4 were implemented by MAN Individual in cooperation with ESTEPE, the specialist for cab modifications and chassis adjustments. First body variants for different application requirements Three MAN TGM 18.320 4×4 with different firefighting bodies show the range with which the new chassis can be adapted to different body, crew and deployment concepts. The TLF 4000-V from Schlingmann is based on a MAN TGM 18.320 4×4 BB CH with a TN cab and a wheelbase shortened to 3,300 millimetres. The cab is designed for a squad crew of three people and has a middle seat from MAN Individual. The equipment includes chassis adaptation for off-road category 3, heat protection, mechanical self-protection, swing roof hatch, tyre pressure control system, tyre pressure monitoring system and run-flat tyres. The TLF 4000-V from ITURRI has a DN cab and a wheelbase of 3,900 millimetres. It offers space for a squadron crew of six people. In addition to the protective and off-road functions, this variant has an exhaust tailpipe pulled up behind the cab. The vehicle from Schmitz Feuerwehrtechnik is also based on the MAN TGM 18.320 4×4 BB CH. It combines a TN cab with a wheelbase of 3,600 millimetres and a crew of three, including a centre seat, from MAN Individual. This variant also has adaptation to off-road category 3, heat protection, mechanical self-protection, a raised exhaust tailpipe and a revolving roof hatch. With the new MAN TGM 18.320 4×4, bodybuilders and fire brigades have a versatile basis for vehicles for forest and vegetation firefighting. The concept combines a high level of off-road capability with special protective measures and flexible options for cab, crew and body.

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JCB is accelerating investment in its future, with major commitments to British manufacturing and new production capacity in the United States. Source: Timberbiz The manufacturer is investing heavily in the transformation of its Staffordshire World HQ, while in the USA, JCB’s new factory in San Antonio, Texas – its largest in the world , opens next month, creating 1,500 jobs over the next five years. As JCB invests for its next chapter, George Bamford is to become Joint Chairman of the family company alongside his father, Lord Bamford. It is the first change at the top of JCB in more than 50 years, during which the business has grown from its Staffordshire roots into one of Britain’s largest privately owned manufacturers, with 23 factories and more than 20,000 employees worldwide. The announcement coincides with JCB reporting a resilient performance in 2025, despite mixed market conditions and geopolitical headwinds around the world. Sales turnover totalled £5.7 billion, profit before tax was £642 million and machine sales reached 113,498 units, while the business remained debt-free with no net borrowings. JCB also increased its global market share, despite flat demand in North America and a 12% market contraction in India. At the heart of JCB’s investment in Britain is the £100 million transformation of its Staffordshire headquarters – JCB’s home since 1950, when Joseph Cyril Bamford moved production into a former cheese factory in Rocester. A £60 million fully automated powder paint plant and a comprehensively modernised shop floor are part of the transformation, helping to secure the future of more than 8,000 UK jobs. In the USA, JCB’s new US$1 billion factory in San Antonio, Texas – at one million square feet, JCB’s largest factory in the world – opens next month. It will build Loadall telescopic handlers and access equipment for North America, the world’s biggest construction equipment market. Investment in factories is being matched by investment in innovation. Hydrogen-powered machines are now in production following JCB’s £100 million program to develop hydrogen combustion technology, making it the first construction equipment company in the world to bring a fully approved hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine to market. Meanwhile, the JCB Academy, a pioneering project championed by Anthony Bamford to address the UK’s engineering skills shortage, goes from strength to strength. This year 708 students applied for 314 places available this September, maintaining the Academy’s long-standing reputation for being heavily oversubscribed. Since opening in 2010, it has educated around 3,750 young people and boasts a 100% record of leavers progressing into employment or further education. This month a total of 116 new apprentices, undergraduates and graduates, selected from more than 6,300 applicants, also joined JCB.  

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For four years, OneFortyOne New Zealand has supported Cawthron Institute’s research on advancing seed-based restoration techniques using seagrass meadows in the Nelson region as a case study. Source: Timberbiz During that time, researchers have developed and refined techniques for collecting, storing and germinating seagrass seed, improved restoration success rates, and produced a blueprint to guide future restoration projects around New Zealand. Seagrass meadows filter water, stabilise sediment, provide habitat for fish and shellfish, and help store carbon. In the Top of the South, many seagrass meadows have greatly declined with some lost altogether, mirroring losses seen elsewhere in New Zealand and around the world. Until relatively recently, very little was known about seagrass flowering in New Zealand. Once researchers confirmed that our native seagrass produces flowers and seeds, attention turned to a new question: could those seeds be used to help restore lost meadows? Over the past four years, Cawthron’s Restore the Meadows program has helped answer that question. One of the program’s major achievements has been improving the efficiency of seed collection and propagation. Flower collection increased from around 600 flowers in the program’s early stages to approximately 24,100 flowers in 2025. Over time, researchers improved their understanding of flowering timing and learnt to target the most suitable flowers for collection. Germination success improved from 4% to 25% through research into environmental triggers such as freshwater pulse, temperature and oxygen levels. The first seagrass seedling was grown from seed in aquaria in 2023, with nearly 400 seedlings grown overall since then. The team investigated the best way to grow seedlings under different conditions relating to light, microbiome and sediment type. The team’s research has been captured in a seed-based restoration blueprint designed for community groups, iwi, councils and environmental organisations wanting to undertake restoration work in their own regions. A companion app is helping build a national database of seagrass flowering observations following a simple and standardised monitoring approach. The program has supported students and emerging researchers, strengthened links with Australian seagrass research experts, and contributed to international knowledge-sharing on seagrass restoration. Researchers have also seen a shift in public awareness. The team carried out over 590 outreach hours to increase knowledge of seagrass and coastal restoration and health. They reached 2,450 people including community, iwi, schools, environmental managers, scientists, universities and industry. As marine ecologist Dan Crossett notes, seagrass was once something many people simply overlooked. Today, community members are reporting sightings, asking questions about local meadows and taking an interest in its protection and restoration. The program has brought together researchers, volunteers, students and community groups around a shared goal, helping build both scientific understanding and local stewardship of coastal environments. OneFortyOne’s multi-year funding commitment provided certainty for the programme as it evolved. According to Cawthron’s Dana Clark, that long-term support helped the team take on a PhD student, continue seasonal flower collection and invest in community engagement and outreach alongside the scientific research. The partnership also extended beyond funding, with OneFortyOne employees joining field days and volunteering alongside the research team during flower collection. The blueprint developed through Restore the Meadows is intended to be a living document, continuing to evolve as new techniques are tested and shared. The long-term goal is for community groups, iwi, councils and government agencies to use these methods to restore seagrass meadows in their own regions. Four years of research have helped advance seed-based seagrass restoration from an emerging idea towards a practical tool. OneFortyOne is proud to have supported that work and the knowledge, partnerships and community capability it has created.

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WorkSafe New Zealand says businesses must regularly review machine safety systems and guarding arrangements after the sentencing of Pukepine Sawmills (1998) over an incident that left a worker with life-changing injuries. Source: Timberbiz The company was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court after a worker’s hand came into contact with a rotating edger drum while undertaking maintenance work in September 2022. The worker suffered serious injuries, losing his middle finger and part of his ring finger, and narrowly avoided losing his thumb and index finger. WorkSafe’s investigation found the machine’s guarding and safety controls did not adequately prevent access to hazardous moving parts while the equipment was slowing down. The edger drum could continue to rotate for approximately 15 minutes after power was switched off, creating a serious risk for workers carrying out maintenance activities. “The key lesson from this case is that isolation of power alone is not always enough,” says WorkSafe regional manager Nigel Formosa. “Businesses must identify all sources of hazardous energy, including momentum and run-down time in machinery, and ensure workers cannot access danger zones until equipment has come to a complete stop.” The investigation highlighted the importance of reviewing machinery against current industry standards and best practice guidance, particularly where older equipment remains in operation. “Effective machine guarding is one of the most reliable ways to prevent serious harm. Where workers need regular access for maintenance or servicing, businesses should consider engineering controls such as interlocked guards, guard-locking systems, or other measures that physically prevent access until machinery is safe.” The Court convicted and sentenced Pukepine Sawmills, ordering it to pay: NZ$34,300 in emotional harm reparation NZ$5,712.95 in consequential loss reparation A fine of NZ$210,000, payable to the Crown over three years NZ$5,000 in costs.   The Court adopted a fine starting point of NZ$300,000 before applying discounts totalling 30% for the company’s guilty plea, reparation and remorse, cooperation with WorkSafe, and remedial steps taken after the incident.

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Cyclone Gabrielle hit Pan Pac Forest Products in New Zealand hard, its mill was buried beneath two metres of floodwater and mud, causing NZ$280 million in damage and lost production. Parent company Oji Holdings stood behind the rebuild and, in doing so, stood behind Hawke’s Bay. Source: Timberbiz HBRC Chair Sophie Siers joined Japanese Ambassador Makoto Osawa, Oji President and CEO Hiroyuki Isono, mana whenua, MPs Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd, local mayors Richard McGrath and Wendy Schollum, and the Pan Pac whānau to mark the opening of the company’s new Central Support Hub at Whirinaki. Pan Pac’s presence in Hawke’s Bay is huge. It employs more than 850 people and contractors, generates 6% of regional GDP and is linked to around 40% of trade through Napier Port. Meanwhile, just down the road, there’s more good news for Whirinaki. The NZ$23.5 million flood resilience project is nearing completion – part of HBRC’s work to better protect this vital industrial area from future flooding. Speaking at the hub’s opening ceremony, Ms Siers drew on two ideas from opposite sides of the Pacific. First, the Japanese principle of moral management – the belief that commercial success should be grounded in social integrity and ethical responsibility. Then the Māori concept of kaitiakitanga – the responsibility for care for what has been entrusted to us, including generations not yet born.

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Gisborne District Council in New Zealand says forestry is an important part of the region’s future, while also needing to manage environmental risk and protect communities. Source: Timberbiz Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann says recent public discussion has highlighted concerns about how Council’s forestry consenting and compliance system is working and the ability of forestry to continue harvesting. “We are listening to those concerns, says Ms Thatcher Swann. “More than 2,800 hectares of red zone land has been consented under the new conditions over the past 15 months. “We want forestry to succeed in Tairāwhiti, we need harvesting to continue, and we need land that is no longer suitable for plantation forestry to transition safely over time. “We also have communities, waterways and infrastructure downstream of some of the most erosion-prone land in the country. “We need a way forward that deals with both the economic and environmental realities of our region.” An independent assurance review, chaired by Hon Christopher Finlayson KC, is testing Council’s forestry consenting and compliance system, including the effectiveness and application of the new consent conditions. “There are genuine questions about whether the current system is proportionate, practical and efficient,” says Ms Thatcher Swann. “The purpose of the review is to independently test whether our requirements are as efficient as they reasonably can be. “If there are requirements or processes that can be simplified without significantly compromising environmental and community outcomes, we will make them. “Equally, where requirements are justified by the risks we face, that needs to be understood too.” Council has progressively strengthened its forestry consenting, monitoring and enforcement capability since 2018, following the Queen’s Birthday floods and successive severe weather events including cyclones Hale and Gabrielle. It has also implemented recommendations arising from the 2023 Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use. That work has included dedicated forestry expertise, increased aerial and ground monitoring, stronger enforcement where serious non-compliance has occurred, new standard consent conditions. “Our region has some of the most highly erodible land in the country, combined with steep terrain and exposure to severe weather. When land or woody debris moves, there are communities and critical infrastructure directly in its path,” says Ms Thatcher Swann. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t test whether our requirements are proportionate and workable. But it does mean the consequences of getting the settings wrong can be significant. “There is a trade-off here that we need to be upfront about. If we loosen requirements, we potentially accept more risk for our communities and environment. “We have heard loud and clear from our communities that they are not prepared to go back to the level of risk they have experienced in the past. “Equally, forestry supports jobs, families and our regional economy. The Government has been clear that it sees a future for forestry and wood processing in Tairāwhiti, and we agree. We need people in employment, and we need a viable industry. “The challenge is finding the settings that allow that industry to operate while managing the level of risk our communities are prepared to accept.” Council is also continuing to work with Government facilitator Doug Leeder, iwi, landowners, industry and other stakeholders on the wider challenges facing the region. Further practical work is underway, including development of a nationally consistent framework with the New Zealand Institute of Forestry for recognising suitably qualified forestry professionals, and work with Government and industry on a pilot pathway for forestry-related discharges. “These are practical issues where we should be able to work together and find solutions.” Ms Thatcher Swann says the challenges facing forestry in Tairāwhiti extend well beyond the consenting system. “This is bigger than consenting. It is about safely harvesting existing forests, managing legacy risks, transitioning our most vulnerable land and retaining a viable forestry and wood-processing sector through that change. “No one party can solve that alone. Council, Government, iwi, landowners and industry all have a role. “Our focus is on getting the evidence on the table, working through the issues and finding a practical and sustainable way forward for Tairāwhiti.”

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Sustainable Timber Tasmania recently hosted a tour to Geeveston for AFPA, which provided invaluable insights into the company’s operations, products and innovations. Source: Timberbiz There are very few places where you can literally touch Tasmania’s rich timber and forestry heritage, and Island Specialty Timbers (IST) is one of them. During a recent visit to IST’s Geeveston site, in southern Tasmania, AFPA members were able to touch the beautiful Huon Pine, Blackwood, Celery Top Pine and majestic marbled Sassafras to gain a first-hand understanding of how some of the most prized speciality timbers are sourced, milled and prepared. Part of Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT), IST combines traditional and time-honoured craftsmanship and modern forestry, connecting customers with unique timbers and supporting local, craftspeople, industry and Tasmania’s cultural heritage. Long-serving Manager Chris Emmett said the team was fully committed to preserving the long legacy of Tasmania’s forests while providing premium materials for local craftspeople and builders. “At Island Speciality Timbers, we’re fully committed to preserving the rich history of Tasmania’s forests while providing premium materials for craftspeople today and tomorrow,” Mr Emmett said. “Everything we do ensures our finest quality specialty timbers are sourced, milled and retailed with the highest standards and excellence.” The speciality timber and logs are sustainably harvested or carefully salvaged from Tasmania’s Permanent Timber Production Zone (PTPZ) land. These public production forests are responsibly managed by IST for future generations, with the timber reflecting the wonderful character and beauty of Tasmania’s landscape. IST also strongly supports local craftsmanship by providing end-to-end access to rare and speciality timbers for small and medium-sized customers, including furniture and craft makers, woodturners, landscapers and wooden boat builders. “We sell high-quality, lightweight King Billy pine and Huon Pine to local boat builders, who craft exquisite boats and dinghies, and some are regularly featured in the popular Australian Wooden Boat Festival each year,” Mr Emmett said. “Wooden boat building has a long history dating back generations in this region.” The state government-owned business also complements local commercial sawmills while helping preserve Tasmania’s cultural heritage and tourism values. With quality, craftsmanship and respect for the forest at its heart, IST ensures every piece of timber has a unique and special story to tell and share with visitors and the community. There are four main IST sites across the state, with the largest at Geeveston providing custom mill logs to meet requirements using a modern bandsaw sawmill. The Strahan site provides Huon pine craft logs, limb wood, stumps and craftwood. The Derwent Park office has a small range of seasoned, dressed specialty timbers processed at Geeveston.

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New home sales fell by 17.5% in the September quarter 2026, reversing the recovery that commenced in 2025 according to HIA Chief Economist, Tim Reardon. Source: Timberbiz The HIA New Home Sales report is a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states and is a leading indicator of future detached home construction.
 
“Despite a small 3.4% increase in September, new home sales remain at their lowest quarterly level in 18 months,” Mr Reardon said. “The recovery in new home sales that followed the interest rate reductions in 2025 has now reversed, with sales in the September quarter now 16.4% lower than a year earlier. “This deterioration has occurred amid higher interest rates, increased taxes and broader economic uncertainty. “It is also likely that the increase in the cash rate in the month of September 2026 will further weigh on new home sales. “The modest increase in sales in September should not be mistaken for a turning point in the market. Industry feedback indicates that display village visits, enquiries, leads and conversions remain very weak. “The cancellation rate has increased from below 10% early this year to 13.6% in September. A rise in cancellations is typical when interest rates are rising as home buyers that had conditional finance to build a new home, have that finance removed. “There are significant lags between the sale of a new home, building approval and the commencement of construction. The increase in new home sales during late 2025 and early 2026 created a pipeline of work that is only now appearing in the ABS building approvals and commencements data. “The recent improvement in commencements is welcome, but it should not be mistaken for evidence that the industry has entered a sustained recovery. “The deterioration in new home sales suggests that the improvement in home building activity will be short-lived unless market conditions improve. “This is particularly concerning when Australia commenced construction of just 204,500 homes in 2025/26, well below the 240,000 homes required annually to meet the Housing Accord target. “The underlying shortage of housing has not been resolved. Falling established home prices and rising costs of delivering new homes are making new construction increasingly difficult to justify. “Putting the industry through another boom-bust cycle will only make it harder and more expensive to increase housing supply when market conditions recover. “Higher interest rates will not build more homes. Nor will increasing the tax and regulatory burden on new housing. “Without reforms that reduce the cost of delivering new homes, Australia will continue to move further away from achieving its Housing Accord target,” concluded Mr Reardon. All states recorded a decline in new home sales in the September quarter 2026. The largest decline was in Queensland (-26.3%), followed by Victoria (-23.3%), New South Wales (-17.4%), South Australia (-7.6%) and Western Australia (-1.7%).

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The Australian Workers’ Union has welcomed the Victorian Auditor-General’s report into the management of Victoria’s firefighting fleet, saying it confirms what frontline firefighters and the union have been telling the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action for years. Source: Timberbiz The AWU raised concerns with DEECA when the G-Wagen fleet was first purchased and has repeatedly sought meaningful consultation on the fleet and the risks it poses to the workers who drive it into fires. When systematic chassis cracking was identified across the fleet late last year, the AWU pressed for urgent action from a department that was initially unwilling to confront the problem. It took AWU Health and Safety Representatives tagging vehicles out of service and issuing Provisional Improvement Notices before remediation began. “Our members told the Department this fleet was a problem from day one, and they were ignored. It should not take the Auditor-General, tagged vehicles and formal safety notices for DEECA to listen to the people who drive these trucks into a fire,” AWU Victorian Branch Secretary Ronnie Hayden said. “The report vindicates our firefighters and our Health and Safety Representatives. Now the Department must act on it.” The report identifies significant weaknesses in fleet management, maintenance, and long-term planning. It records that 54.4% of DEECA’s firefighting fleet was taken out of service leading into the 2025-26 fire season and returned only after remediation, with ongoing monitoring and repairs still required. “We welcome the Auditor-General’s findings. This report highlights the real concerns our members have been raising about the fleet for a very long time,” AWU Victorian Branch President Ross Kenna said. The Auditor-General also estimates that Victoria’s fire agencies need around $1.5 billion for critical fleet replacement and upgrades between 2024-25 and 2033-34. The combined State Budget, capital and grant funding identified in the report covers just 26.7% of that need. “We acknowledge the Government has put extra funding into the Department to fix problems created by DEECA leadership, but funding alone will not solve this,” Mr Kenna said. “We call on the Government to accept the Auditor-General’s recommendations in full, and we expect the Department to work with the AWU and our members so the workers who protect Victoria are as safe as they can be at work.” Funding must be matched by transparent accountability, effective maintenance systems, sound engineering and quality assurance, and a properly funded long-term replacement strategy. The AWU is calling on the Victorian Government to accept and implement every recommendation in the report, and on DEECA to consult the AWU, frontline firefighters, fleet maintenance staff and Health and Safety Representatives on all matters affecting vehicle safety, maintenance, and remediation. Workers who protect Victorian communities should never have to resort to formal health and safety action to get serious equipment risks fixed. The AWU will continue to fight for safe, reliable firefighting vehicles and genuine worker consultation. The Australian Workers’ Union Victorian Branch represents thousands of workers across Victoria, including the forest firefighters, field crews and fleet maintenance staff who protect the state’s public land every fire season.

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Both Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, and Troy Jackson, her Democratic challenger, grew up in Aroostook County, a vast, isolated northern wilderness. Those roots have helped define them.

Zuzana Buřivalová was named the 10th winner of the Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award by the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Source: Timberbiz She earned the US$100,000 prize for her work recording and analysing the soundscapes of understudied ecosystems and translating this data into actionable evidence for use by conservationists, officials and communities. “I work to give voice to tropical forest biodiversity so that it can be considered in decisions that shape its future,” Ms Buřivalová said. “This is urgent: deforestation is slowing, but tropical biodiversity loss through forest degradation, climate change and overhunting is not. Even some natural climate solutions implemented in forests result in biodiversity loss, through their sole focus on carbon.” An associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the principal investigator of the Sound Forest Lab, Ms Buřivalová has conducted fieldwork around the world, including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Peru and Ecuador, where she’s pioneered the application of bioacoustics in remote tropical forests. These areas are typically avoided, since they’re hard to access and little baseline data exists, but that never stopped Ms Buřivalová, who hiked for days off trail in Madagascar to check on biodiversity in rainforest sites that were protected on paper but showed signs of degradation on satellite images. “I returned with trench foot but a strong sense of determination, because after witnessing this extreme effort, village elders finally shared what truly was the conservation problem,” she said. “I spent hundreds of hours building a sound type library for a single day of Borneo soundscape to represent every vocalizing organism. “Most bioacoustics conservation work focuses on a single taxonomic group, typically birds. I record and analyse the whole soundscape, including frogs, insects, mammals and birds together, because biodiversity cannot be reduced to the most studied species.” Ms Buřivalová also leads the Soundscape Baselines Project, an initiative to create acoustic time capsules of the world’s most intact forests as soon as possible, as well as the Conservation Effectiveness Initiative, an open platform used by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund to better understand which conservation strategies are working and which aren’t — and why. After thanking the award organizers, supporters, community and her fellow finalists and nominees, Ms Buřivalová closed her acceptance speech with a heartfelt reminder. Celebrating its 10th installment, the Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award is the first major U.S. prize dedicated to spotlighting next-generation environmental leaders who are under 40. The 2026 cycle drew 15 nominees from around the world, each submitted by a network of distinguished experts, including environmental scientists, conservationists, journalists, researchers, academics and other leaders.

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Sumitomo Forestry and industrial drone manufacturer Mazex will accelerate the spread of transport drones for forestry and promote smart forestry. Source: Timberbiz Sumitomo Forestry will introduce the new “Karusuke” series of transport drones sold by Mazex to forestry businesses through its own network, and Mazex will provide product explanations and support for introduction and operation. In the future, Sumitomo Forestry will share the knowledge it has cultivated in its own forest management and user feedback with Mazex and propose necessary functions and operational improvements. Mazex will reflect these needs in its development and enhance the practicality of the drones in forestry fields. The new “Keisuke” transport drone developed by Mazex utilizes the technology and field know-how cultivated through the “Morito” series, Japan’s first transport drone for forestry, which was jointly developed with Sumitomo Forestry. In forestry sites, it can be used not only to transport seedlings but also materials such as animal damage prevention nets and tree shelters, as well as food and drinking water. Sumitomo Forestry and Mazex have jointly developed “Morihi,” the first transport drone for forestry in Japan. Sumitomo Forestry conducted repeated demonstrations transporting a total of 40,000 seedlings on steep slopes in its company-owned forests in Shikoku, and based on these results, Mazex developed a drone that can reliably transport materials even in mountainous areas with harsh climate and terrain conditions. The “Keisuke” series is designed to be even more affordable and easier to use on-site than the “Morihi” series. The “Keisuke 25” maintains the same payload capacity as the current “Morihi 25” while reducing the price. The aircraft area has been reduced by approximately 64% compared with the “Morihi 25,” making it easier to handle on-site. It is designed to use and charge two pairs of batteries (four batteries) alternately, allowing for continuous flight with fewer batteries. Since one pair of batteries (two batteries) can be charged while the drone is flying, drone transport can be done with-out disrupting the work rhythm. Much of Japan’s post-war planted forests are reaching maturity and ready for harvesting, but the industry faces challenges such as a shortage of workers, an aging workforce, and the burden of working on steep slopes. In reforestation and forest management operations, manually transporting seedlings and materials to the forest site is burden-some. In particular, the need to repeatedly travel to dangerous locations such as those far from forest roads or on steep slopes inaccessible to vehicles poses physical and safety challenges for workers. Replacing these transport tasks with drones offers the following benefits: It can reduce the labor involved in transporting seedlings and mate-rials, thereby lessening the burden of manual labor. Reduces the risk of falls and slips during transport to steep slopes or sites with poor footing. By improving the efficiency of transportation, personnel can be concentrated on planting and maintenance work. By reducing working time, reforestation can be carried out more smoothly.

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John Deere Forestry has opened negotiations over possible temporary layoffs at its Finnish factory. Source: Forestry Journal The manufacturer is in talks with around 367 employees as it considers reducing output at its Joensuu site. According to Finland’s YLE, any layoffs would last a maximum of 90 days, with negotiations expected to take around two weeks. The company said the negotiations have been prompted by continued uncertainty and a deterioration in market conditions, which have reduced demand for forest machines and shrunk its order backlog. Plant manager Pasi Volotinen told YLE: “We are temporarily reducing production capacity. We do not intend to stop it completely.” Jock Mckie, John Deere Forestry UK managing director, said: “This year has represented one of the toughest in memory for UK contractors and this theme is also evident throughout most of Europe. “Reduced timber movements have come at a time when contractors are also burdened by excessive fuel and running costs. “The confidence and ability to renew equipment has been somewhat damaged as a result and we see this trend continuing into 2027.” John Deere’s announcement reflects wider pressures facing the forestry sector across Europe. Contractors have spent much of the past two years grappling with high fuel, finance and operating costs, while weaker demand from construction and timber markets has reduced harvesting activity in some regions. The challenging conditions have also weighed on investment in new machinery, with many businesses delaying fleet replacement plans.

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Students are invited to explore the region’s plantation forests and capture their favourite moments as OneFortyOne’s forest photo competition returns, with two weeks left until entries close. Source: Timberbiz This year’s annual competition features a simplified entry process, exciting local prizes, and a new opportunity for schools to get involved. OneFortyOne Corporate Affairs Manager Charlene Riley said the competition has been refreshed to support easier entry and encourage participation. “The competition has always been designed to encourage young people to discover and enjoy our region’s beautiful forests,” Ms Riley said. “This year, based on feedback from local schools, we’ve moved the competition dates to align with the school holiday period, giving everyone more time to get out into the forest and capture their favourite moments. “We’ve also made the entry process much easier. All people need to do is upload their photos, provide some contact information and tell us what they love about the forest.” Students can enter up to five photographs by simply uploading their entry through the competition’s online entry platform. This year’s major prizes will be awarded in both primary and secondary school categories, with winners receiving four $250 vouchers from their choice of participating local businesses, including: Area 51 BeArtiful Birdie Blue Blue Lake Golf Club Collins Booksellers Intersport Mount Gambier Kaboom Family Entertainment Millicent SportsPower Millicent Toy Kingdom Oatmill Cinema Spot On Fishing and Tackle   Ms Riley said the prize structure supports local businesses and encourages shared experiences. “We wanted to keep the prizes local and varied. The range of businesses involved means winning students can choose experiences and products that they can enjoy with people they care about, while also supporting our community.” A new school participation prize has also been introduced this year. Schools with at least five student entries will be eligible to win a $500 grant towards a school project. “I’d encourage students to enter landscape-oriented photos this year, as we’re hoping to create a calendar featuring some of the images from the competition,” Ms Riley said. “We’re also planning to display a selection of photographs at Mount Gambier Airport gallery over summer, so more people can enjoy the photos and stories on show and visitors can experience the beauty of our local forests as soon as they arrive in the region.” The competition attracted 120 entries last year, and OneFortyOne is hoping to surpass that number in 2026. More than 25 entries have already been received. Entries close on 26 October. For more information and to enter, visit: https://onefortyone.com/community/photo-competition To enter, visit: https://pollunit.com/polls/forestphotocomp

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New Zealand’s Tasman District Council’s Howard Forest and the neighbouring Porika Block have been sold, returning a combined NZ$6.085 million and supporting the Council’s long-term investment strategy. Source: Timberbiz The 955-hectare Howard Forest and smaller Porika Block, located between Kawatiri Junction and St Arnaud, were placed on the market earlier this year. The sale process was managed by specialist forestry real estate company Arotahi Agribusiness and attracted strong interest from buyers. Several offers were received, including bids for the combined blocks and separate bids for the Porika Block. The successful purchaser of Howard Forest was Ingka Investments Forest Assets NZ Limited, part of the Ingka Group, which owns home furnishing retailer IKEA and has extensive forestry holdings across New Zealand. The Porika Block was purchased by a family with strong historical connections to the land. Tasman District Council resolved in March 2025 to sell the Howard Forest and invest in the Di-versified Resilience Fund. The goal being to diversify risk away from forestry. Tasman District Council Chief Executive Leonie Rae says the sale is part of Council’s ongoing approach to managing its portfolio of income-producing assets. “By reducing our exposure to forestry, we are creating a more balanced investment portfolio while continuing to deliver value for ratepayers.” She says the Council’s Enterprise Team manages a range of assets held within a closed account. Income generated from these investments helps offset rates and contributes to the management of community reserves, including Rabbit Island. Leonie Rae said funds from the sale will be reinvested within the account, strengthening Council’s ability to respond to future challenges. “Having a diverse investment portfolio provides greater financial flexibility and ensures resources are available if a major event, such as a large-scale natural disaster, affects the region and local markets.” “This approach helps safeguard community assets and supports the district’s long-term financial resilience,” she said. Ingka Investments Forestland Acquisition Manager Simon Honour says Tasman District Council has managed Howard Forest well, and we intend to build on this work. “As an intergenerational investor, our core focus is production forestry – growing quality timber for domestic and international markets, including the IKEA supply chain. We’re committed to set-ting high standards in forest management, supporting healthy ecosystems, being part of the local community and creating lasting value for the many people.”

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Forest owners in Carterton District could face even steeper rate increases after the District Council admitted errors in the modelling behind its controversial rating proposal. Source: Timberbiz The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) says the correction shifts an even greater share of roading costs onto forestry, despite the original proposal already showing rates increases of up to 1200%. NZFOA chief operating officer Joseph Brolly says forest owners are being asked to shoulder an extraordinary financial burden, with the latest changes raising concerns about the consultation process. “Forest owners were already facing rates increases of tens of thousands of dollars a year more in some cases,” Mr Brolly says. “For a medium-sized 300-hectare forest, the proposed increase would take annual rates from NZ$8,700 to NZ$107,700 – more than 12 times the current Bill. Now the Council has acknowledged a modelling error that could make that situation even worse. “Increases of this magnitude threaten the viability of all forestry businesses and put at risk the jobs, local spending and economic activity they support in rural communities. “ Juken New Zealand chief forest officer Sean McBride says the proposed rates fail to adequately reflect the long-term nature of forestry and existing contributions to road funding from the sector. “Forestry, like any major road user, has a responsibility to contribute to maintaining local roading infrastructure, particularly during harvest. Log trucks already pay road user charges (RUC) to contribute to the wider funding of the roading network,” he said. “But forests can go decades without generating logging traffic, while owners face rates bills every year. Increases of this magnitude will make it harder to justify investing in forestry in the district.” Roger Dickie NZ Director Jeff Dickie says the implications could extend well beyond Carterton if other councils adopt similar approaches. “Forestry investors make decisions based on costs and returns over decades,” he said. “You can’t impose rates increases of this scale halfway through an investment and expect it won’t affect the outcome. “If councils across New Zealand follow Carterton’s lead, it’s going to make investors think twice about whether they invest in the fourth-largest food and fibre export earner – one that employs over 40,000 Kiwis.” Mr Brolly says errors in the Council’s modelling have led to further changes to the proposal, raising concerns about the fairness of the consultation process, with affected forest owners now having less than two weeks to respond before the 26 October deadline. “Given the scale of the proposed increases and the implications for forestry businesses, forest owners should have a fair opportunity to understand and respond to the re-vised modelling. NZFOA is calling on the Council to extend consultation before making a final decision.”

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New Forests, a global investment manager of nature-based investments and natural capital strategies, has announced its Australia New Zealand Landscapes and Forestry Fund (ANZLAFF), together with an institutional co-investment partner, has agreed to acquire the plantation forestry assets of AKD, Australia’s largest softwood sawmilling business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Source: Timberbiz The AKD estate consists of 57 radiata pine plantations, across more than 13,000 hectares located across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. The acquisition represents a significant investment in Australia’s plantation forestry sector. “AKD is a high-quality business operating at significant scale within a strategically important part of Australia’s forestry and wood products supply chain,” David Shelton, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand at New Forests, said. “The acquisition of AKD’s plantation estate provides our investors with exposure to high quality, sustainably managed plantations across key forestry regions in Australia. We see strong long-term fundamentals for sustainably produced timber, supported by Australia’s growing demand for housing and renewable building materials. “We look forward to working with AKD’s management to build on the strong foundations of the plantation business and support its next phase of growth.” AKD employs more than 900 people across regional Australia. The business produces more than one million cubic metres of timber products each year, representing approximately 20–25% of Australian production. The sawmilling business will continue to be owned and operated by AKD. “This investment marks an exciting new chapter for AKD’s plantation estate. We look forward to working with New Forests to maintain a long-term connection with the estate through agreements for the supply of sawlogs and pulp log. In the meantime, we continue to invest in our people, operations and regional communities and supply high-quality Australian-grown timber to our customers,” Shane Vicary, Chief Executive Officer of AKD, said. In January 2025, New Forests announced the final close of ANZLAFF raising almost $600 million from institutional investors across Asia Pacific and Europe. Resolute Advisory acted as financial advisor to AKD. Financial terms are confidential.

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Timberlink Australia has joined The Precinct Portland as an industry partner, strengthening plans for a major advanced timber manufacturing hub in the Green Triangle. Source: Timberbiz Announced at The Precinct’s Melbourne Investor Symposium this week, the partnership brings Timberlink alongside existing partners Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP), OneFortyOne, Raute, and WTIBeam. Project founder Tim Woods will lead the next stage as CEO. The event featured an internationally recognised line-up of speakers, including New Forests founder and plantation investment leader Dr David Brand, Raute engineered wood products specialist Roumiana Vassileva, and Professor Dan Hill, Director of the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne, who explored global investment trends, emerging manufacturing technologies and growing demand for engineered wood products and prefabricated construction solutions. The Precinct Chair Russ Hughes said the announcements marked a significant milestone in advancing the vision for a nationally significant manufacturing hub. “We are bringing together Australia’s leading forestry and manufacturing businesses to unlock new opportunities for investment, innovation and value-added timber production,” Mr Hughes said. “Tim’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping and driving this vision over the past six years linking the key parties to realise this industry transformation. He will continue to drive the development. “Timberlink’s involvement adds significant manufacturing expertise to the partners and reinforces industry confidence in the opportunity. We are committed to developing The Precinct as a major sovereign manufacturing facility, delivering building products Australia can rely on.” Victoria’s Minister for Agriculture Michaela Settle welcomed the event. “The Precinct is an exciting opportunity to create more value from Victorian-grown timber, attract new investment into our regions and support innovative building solutions that can help meet Victoria’s future housing needs,” Mr Settle said. “Initiatives like this have the potential to create skilled regional jobs, strengthen local supply chains and support the development of advanced timber products for the future.” Mr Hughes said the staged development, planned for Portland, will initially focus on hardwood processing and Glue-Laminated Timber (GLT) manufacturing, with future opportunities for Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) production and advanced component fabrication. “This is about moving beyond traditional timber processing to establish a globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem, connecting our plantation resources with Australia’s growing demand for sustainable building products and housing,” Mr Hughes said. “With a strong resource base, established infrastructure and committed industry partners, the Green Triangle is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.” Timberlink Australia CEO Paul O’Keefe praised the industry collaboration and commitment to optimising the use of the plantation resource to explore new manufacturing opportunities. “The Precinct represents an exciting opportunity to build on the Green Triangle’s existing manufacturing strengths and explore new pathways for high-value timber products and construction solutions, responding to Australia’s growing demand for mass timber construction and prefabricated building solutions,” Mr O’Keefe said. The Precinct’s initial manufacturing phase, incorporating a GLT production line, sawmill and log yard, represents a proposed investment exceeding $200 million, with the potential to create around 70 permanent operational jobs and significant additional construction employment. Mr Woods said the focus was now on completing feasibilities, progressing commercial partnerships, investment opportunities and detailed development planning. “The Precinct presents a compelling opportunity to strengthen Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability, create skilled regional jobs in south-west Victoria and establish new markets for our plantation resources, whilst meeting Australia’s growing construction needs,” Mr Woods said. “We look forward to working closely with our industry partners, the local community, First Nations leaders and unions as we progress this significant development.” To learn more from the Investor Symposium visit www.theprecinctportland.com.au/development

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