News Articles for WA Plantation Resources

Western Australia's largest timber plantation owner, investment group New Forests, has expanded its holdings by purchasing 12,000 hectares of bluegums from Bunbury Fibre Plantations, a subsidiary of Japan's Mitsui & Co.

Local timber businesses have about $100 million of investments in planning as they hope to benefit from demand for environmentally friendly products.

Seven of WA's most prominent agribusinesses have grown their revenue by about 30 per cent, with increased demand from Asia the main driver.

Higher revenue from an improved woodchip market and a lower dollar has boosted profits at Albany Plantation Export Company, WA Plantation Resources and Bunbury Fibre Exports.

Conditions are ripe for the final piece of Bunbury's harbour relocation.

SPECIAL REPORT: Economic diversity is just one of the region's attractions.

Six years on from the collapse of the big managed investment scheme promoters, stable new ownership and a low currency are boosting the state's woodchip industry, despite the number of plantation hectares remaining almost unchanged.

The competition watchdog plans to grant a regulatory exemption to WA Chip & Pulp Co, which will allow the Japanese-owned woodchip exporter to continue its partnership with international grain trader Bunge at the Port of Bunbury.

Increasing demand for hardwood plantation products has boosted the outlook for the much-maligned industry in Western Australia, but whether companies can capitalise on new growth will depend on how much suitable land they can access.