{"id":23602,"date":"2025-02-06T13:07:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T03:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=23602"},"modified":"2025-02-06T17:55:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T07:55:38","slug":"true-blue-to-take-fight-to-non-compliant-lvl-imports-in-aussie-supply-chains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/true-blue-to-take-fight-to-non-compliant-lvl-imports-in-aussie-supply-chains\/","title":{"rendered":"True Blue Takes Fight to Non-Compliant LVL in Aussie Supply Chains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One of New Zealand&#8217;s largest sawmilling facilities is months away from a full-scale reopening after the Millari Group &#8211; better known as the distributor of True Blue Timber &#8211; acquired the JUKEN Gisborne mill&#8230;a move that will see the rebranded Millari NZ directly ship much-needed supplies of laminated-veneer-lumber (LVL), plywood and Radiata pine to businesses on Australia&#8217;s east coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The move,<a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/juken-nz-shuts-gisborne-mill-as-japan-demand-for-pine-crashes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> eleven months after the Japanese-owned mill closed its doors<\/a>, is being billed as a lifesaver for Australian businesses heavily dependent on the Chinese supply of LVL &#8211; with the group committing to a three-year investment programme to increase capacities to establish direction production of LVL (E14, E13, E10, LVL Formwork), plywood panels (structural, non-structural and MGP) as well Radiata pine products (G-graded, H2, H3 and H4-treated pine).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"33LosR044JU\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"True Blue Timber - About Us (short version)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/33LosR044JU?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In 2024, Millari Group Australia was established to help grow the rapid growth of True Blue Timber &#8211; one of Australia&#8217;s largest importers of wholesale timber products. Footage courtesy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1MR1pgNX3TQ\">@TrueBlueTimber.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Our Millari NZ facility in Gisborne will be on track to increase the output capacity of LVL, Plywood and timber production over the next few years as we invest in new machinery and technology for the 35,000 square metre factory,&#8221; said Ryan Yari, CEO, with the Millari group established last year to support the exponential growth of True Blue Timber&#8217;s products &#8211; <strong>with a 148% growth in engineered wood products last year alone.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;With these exciting facilities alongside our True Blue Timber operations, we will continue to offer the Australian industry a reputable and reliable ongoing source of high-quality EWP (engineered wood products) and timber products and deliver them directly with quick turnarounds.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The acquisition, its first outside Australia, adds to True Blue Timber&#8217;s sites in Sydney and Melbourne and comes months after it grew its Smithfield, Sydney footprint from 4,000 square metres to 20,000 square metres &#8211; where it manufactures a range of products, including structural framing, LVL, I-Joist, glue-laminated timber (GLT) and plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"649\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1024x649.jpeg\" alt=\"The Juken mill in Gisborne, New Zealand, faces an uncertain future amid declining demand for high-value timber products in the soft Japanese market. (Photo Credit: Juken New Zealand)\" class=\"wp-image-12254\" style=\"width:629px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1024x649.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-300x190.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-768x486.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1536x973.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-2048x1297.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-696x441.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1068x676.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1920x1216.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-663x420.jpeg 663w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-1320x836.jpeg 1320w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/F61CCF1A-8DBB-405E-8765-5AF6027C0205-600x380.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Millari Group Australia (True Blue Timber, True Blue LVL, True Blue Plywood) has entered a sales and purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the JUKEN Gisborne facilities (100% owned by Japanese) and will be rebranded as &#8220;MILLARI NZ&#8221;. (Photo Credit: Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Wood Central understands that the new investment will see Millari NZ increase the mill capacity from 130,000 cubic metres per year (including 60,000 cubic metres for timber, 55,000 cubic metres for LVL and 15,000 cubic metres of plywood) to more than 200,000 cubic metres &#8211; with extensive upgrades to LVL and plywood lines over the next two years leading to a maximum capacity of 100,000 cubic metres for timber, 80,000 cubic metres of LVL and 20,000 cubic metres for plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As it stands, New Zealand is one of Australia&#8217;s top markets for sawn wood timber, with more than 21% of imports coming across the Tasman, behind China (55%) but ahead of Germany (14%), Lithuania (12%) and the United States (10%). And of the $6.87 billion worth of imported forest and wood products (in 2022-23), plywood and engineered wood products have been growing steadily, with the FAO expecting demand for veneer and plywood to double over the next 25 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"785\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1.webp\" alt=\"HXEB5K 1 fotor 20240501131024 1024x785.jpg 1\" class=\"wp-image-23603\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1.webp 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-300x230.webp 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-768x589.webp 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-696x534.webp 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-548x420.webp 548w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-80x60.webp 80w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HXEB5K-1-fotor-20240501131024-1024x785.jpg-1-600x460.webp 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Last year, Wood Central reported that Russian LVL continues to arrive in Australia <em>often via<\/em> China.<em> (Photo Credit: Vladimir Grigorev \/ Alamy Stock Photo)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In November 2023, Wood Central revealed that the JUKEN mill struggled to compete against a flood of Chinese LVL plants entering the New Zealand (and Australian) markets. &#8220;Mountains of Chinese LVL are coming into New Zealand almost every week, seemingly out of nowhere,&#8221; an industry observer told Wood Central. &#8220;To establish a new LVL plant in New Zealand, or Australia for that matter, would need at least a five-year lead time that includes two years of planning and two years to get council approval and process another year to complete construction.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Chinese are building one LVL plant every three months,&#8221; they said, with the mix of timber &#8220;likely to include logs from Russia, which are processed into LVL using a &#8216;back-door diplomacy&#8217; arrangement between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/china-gets-63-of-lumber-from-russia-can-eu-producers-keep-up\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here <\/a>to learn more about the trade of Russian timber in China and the risk of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/from-russia-with-love-lvl-surge-risks-aussie-building-products\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Russian LVL infiltrating Australia&#8217;s building supply chains.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of New Zealand&#8217;s largest sawmilling facilities is months away from a full-scale reopening after the Millari Group &#8211; better known as the distributor of True Blue Timber &#8211; acquired the JUKEN Gisborne mill&#8230;a move that will see the rebranded Millari NZ directly ship much-needed supplies of laminated-veneer-lumber (LVL), plywood and Radiata pine to businesses [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[50,113,37,47,41,42,48,85,114,54,49,68,43,59,56,40],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-23602","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-australia","8":"category-australian-capital-territory","9":"category-building-and-construction","10":"category-commercial","11":"category-exterior-wood-products","12":"category-interior-wood-products","13":"category-mid-rise-construction","14":"category-new-south-wales","15":"category-new-zealand","16":"category-queensland","17":"category-residential","18":"category-sector","19":"category-structural-wood-products","20":"category-tasmania","21":"category-victoria","22":"category-wood-products"},"authors":[{"term_id":70,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jason","display_name":"Jason Ross","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23602"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23602\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32046,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23602\/revisions\/32046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23602"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=23602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}