Australia’s production of pulp – all made from local timber – was stable over the last financial year. Meantime, pulp imports rose 4.8%. Source: IndustryEdge for Timberbiz
With pulp production rising, the uses are more varied than many would expect as the latest industry Strategic Review demonstrates.
The main users of imported pulp are Australia’s tissue manufacturers. The big three – ABC Tissue in Sydney and Brisbane, Asaleo Care in Melbourne and Kimberly-Clark Australia in the Green Triangle region – are using close to 240,000 tonnes of imported pulp each year.
Some imported pulp is used to manufacture ‘white top’ packaging. IndustryEdge estimates in 2017-18 that was around 20,000 tonnes, with expectations of that increasing in coming years.
The remaining volume is Unbleached Softwood Kraft pulp from New Zealand. These shipments are primarily used as cement sheet stabilizer, a sustainable replacement for deadly asbestos.
Australia’s pulp imports have declined since they peaked in 2007-08 at 389.6 kt, but after hitting its decadal low of 230.3 kt in 2010-11, have subsequently grown more or less constantly.
In 2017-18, pulp imports totalled 311.4 kt. Over the decade, imports of pulp have declined an average 2.2% per annum, but have been trending up since 2011.
Imports are delivered from a range of countries. New Zealand dominates, but Brazil is the second most significant, with its supplies almost entirely Bleached Hardwood Kraft (BEK) pulp.
Shipments of BEK from Brazil rose an average 1.0% per annum over the decade. It is the shipments from New Zealand – which declined an average 3.3% per annum over the decade – that constitutes the genuine base under Australia’s pulp imports.
IndustryEdge’s 27th annual Pulp & Paper Strategic Review is available from www.industryedge.com.au
