Allied Natural Wood Exports has lodged an application for a $14.5 million hi-tech timber optimisation hub with Bega Valley Shire Council. The Border Fire, which razed homes and community infrastructure on the state’s Far South Coast, also destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure and stock at the Twofold Bay facility. Source: Timberbiz
The mill’s general manager, Kel Henry, said the business had since resumed interim operations. All of the facility’s employees at Eden have been kept on and involved during the clean-up, Mr Henry said.
“Slowly, but surely we are getting our operations back on track,” he told The South Coast News.
“Our supply is returning to good health.”
The development application includes the construction of steel framed, Colorbond sheds to house a sawmill, pallet plant and briquette plant at its wood chip terminal on Edrom Road.
A noise report from RAPT Consulting, lodged with the council, state the proposal would increase processing capabilities at the site, but volume intake is “forecast to remain at current levels”.
“The log sorter will recover short logs from the existing pulpwood supply. This volume will then be processed through a sawmill, along with 20,000m3 of small sawlog supplied by Forestry Corporation NSW from the Eden area,” RAPT director Greg Collins outlines in the report.
“The sawmill will process 75,000m3 of logs and produce a range of low- and high- grade sawn timber products.
“A pallet mill is proposed to be constructed to process a proportion of low grade green sawn timber boards into finished pallets. High grade green sawn material will be available for secondary processing off site.
“Additionally, a briquette plant is proposed that will use the sawdust and residues from the sawmill and existing wood chipping operations to produce briquettes, value adding to the waste, resulting from the processing operations.”
Mr Henry said receiving approval was the first step, but the company would be ready to start construction immediately if it’s given the green light.
