It’s what’s under the veneer that counts

Tasmanian rotary veneer company Ta Ann was crowned as the Australian Emerging Exporter of the Year at the national export awards in Melbourne at the weekend.
Minister for Economic Development Minister Michael Aird said the award recognised the company’s exports from its Huon mill which was commissioned last year but it has since opened another new plant at Smithton.
“The future looks most encouraging for Ta Ann’s future exporting endeavours,” Aird said.
“The two rotary peeled veneer mills represent a $70 million investment by Ta Ann in Tasmania and they have been a significant employment boost for the two regions around Geeveston and Smithton.
“Already 138 Tasmanians have been employed in the two mills which will produce 145,000 cubic metres of dried veneer, worth about $35 million, annually.”
Aird said that the two Ta Ann mills used wood that would otherwise be exported as woodchips.
“This is truly a value-adding and exporting success story where regrowth and plantation timber is peeled and exported to Malaysia as veneer, and then converted into high-value products including decorative flooring for the Japanese market.
“The Ta Ann management and staff are to be congratulated on winning this prestigious award within their first two years of operating in Tasmania.”
Both the Huon and Smithton mills are located to allow the future expansion of the buildings and further value adding of the product if the current business proves successful, Ta Ann Holding executive chairman Hamed Sepawi said.