Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) in New Zealand is a reality and the organisation will be known as ATFA NZ with a committee now in place setting the agenda for the remainder of the year. Sources: Timberbiz, Architecture & Design The ATFA NZ board is also adapting ATFA

Plantation investment and wood product consumption might be weak but Australia’s forestry sector showed signs of improvement in 2013–14, according to a report released by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Source: The Land ABARES

The interim head of the Timber Trades Federation was invited to attend the Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON)’s annual general meeting to present to its members the new Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI). Source: Timberbiz At the event, held in Manchester in May,

Stora Enso plans to permanently shut down the Group’s corrugated packaging converting unit in Chennai, India, due to unprofitability and a major decrease in local market demand. Source: Timberbiz The mill closure will involve negotiations with the local employees’ union. The mill empl

New Forests, a forestry investment management business operating in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States, this week appointed Geoffrey Seeto as managing director for the company’s Asian business, which is based in Singapore. Source: Timberbiz New Forests Asia was established

Forest and Bird, and the Northland Environmental Protection Society have complained that the Ministry for Primary Industries is allowing timber exports that are illegal under the Forests Act. Source: Radio New Zealand Four weeks ago the conservation groups asked for an investigation i

The global demand for skincare products has prompted an Indian sandalwood oil producer in Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region to purchase two American pharmaceutical companies. Source: ABC Rural Sandalwood oil is typically used as an ingredient in perfume, but it is incr

The European Space Agency launched its latest satellite, Sentinel-2, which will collect data on the world’s crops to help predict food shortages. Source: ABC Rural At the Paris Air Show, Australia’s lead scientific body, the CSIRO, signed an agreement with the European Spa