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Tasmania’s forest industry today publicly launched its New Forest Industry Plan - a blueprint for future growth, innovation and wealth creation.

The Chairman of the Forests and Forest Industry Council of Tasmania (FFIC) Mr Rob Woolley, said today the Plan outlined the way forward for the industry and that it would ensure it maintained its leading role as an iconic Tasmanian success story into the 21st century.

“The Plan identifies new investment opportunities requiring $2.5 billion in private capital, with the potential to create 2,000 highly-skilled career opportunities. Combined with existing businesses, these investments would broaden the economic contribution by the industry to the State to $4 billion annually-double its current contribution.”

In summary the Plan identifies the following opportunities:

New Investments in Wood Manufacturing and Waste Minimisation

More than $2.1 billion of private investments in new processing opportunities is identified in the Plan. These investments would benefit Tasmania by directly creating up to an additional 850 long term, highly-technical jobs and generating an extra $1.26 billion annually in wealth for the state.

Increased Income and Employment through New Processing Investments

Investments over ten years in new harvesting and transport machinery of $365 million will support over 650 careers and generate revenues of $240 million annually.

Reconstituted Wood Products

An internationally competitive engineered strand lumber (ESL) mill would require investments of $225 million and utilising pulpwood, generate 240,000 cubic metres of product, provide 150 direct career opportunities and $290 million in direct income annually.

Energy from Biomass

Opportunities include the use of biomass residues to produce bio-energy, wood pellets and briquettes. Biomass energy production creates wealth from waste products. A single wood pellet plant would require an investment of $25 million to establish, use 200,000 cubic metres of waste wood annually and , employ 15 people and generate 44 million in annual income.

1,000 New Jobs

Applying standard forestry employment and income multipliers, additional support and service investments would generate at least an additional 1,000 jobs and around $1billion in income for the state.

Mr Woolley said the Plan and the benefits it identifies were based on research undertaken for the FFIC by independent international consulting firm URS Forestry and on extensive consultation with the Tasmanian forest industry.

“The Plan is designed to provide a catalyst for positive government and industry initiatives. Ultimately the forest industry’s future will be determined by investment decisions which are driven by innovation and supported by equitable government policies and regulations.”

“The Plan enables the industry to continue to create opportunities for employment while protecting our cultural heritage and environmental values.”

Mr Woolley said that through the Plan, the industry would cement its place as one of the ‘big four’ contributors to the State’s economy alongside agriculture, mining and tourism.

“Sustainable, internationally-accredited forestry that creates wealth and employment opportunities for all Tasmanians, is here to stay. By maximising the opportunities contained within the plan, we will continue to prosper.”

ENDS

For more information:

Mr Rob Woolley
Chairman Forests & Forest industry Council
Tel: 0414 508 130

www.ffic.com.au