NEWS
AKD Softwoods continues its domestic growth in Australia
A
ssociated Kiln Driers Pty Ltd (AKD Softwoods), based at Colac in South-Western Victoria, took ownership of two timber mills previously operated by Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts in March. The Caboolture sawmill ( which is located just 50 kilometres north of Brisbane) purchase was completed on 9 March and the Yarram sawmill (220 kilometres south-east of Melbourne) on 23 of March. “The Yarram and Caboolture sawmills will
be a perfect fit for AKD Softwoods,” CEO Shane Vicary said after the group finalised the purchase of the two mills from Carter Holt Harvey. The Yarram mill processes approximately 150,000 cubic metres of sawlogs and produces a range of outdoor products primarily for the Victorian market. The Caboolture mill processes approximately 215,000 cubic metres of sawlog and produces a range of structural timber for the Queensland and Northern NSW market.
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All existing employees of these mills have been offered ongoing employment. AKD Softwoods primary manufacturing site is in Colac, where it operates two sawmills that process over 700,000 cubic metres of sawlog annually drawing resource from more than 8000 hectares of radiata plantations in Victoria and South Australia. AKD Softwoods is a 100% Australian privately owned and operated company with a proud 60 year history in the forest industry. A
Ŷ Site Management team at Caboolture
vertically-integrated forest products business, it operates now on eight separate sites. The group has three post and pole facilities producing in excess of 60,000m3 of product annually, radiata pine plantations located in Victoria and South Australia, a softwood chip export operation and two log export locations. “AKD Softwoods is proud of its 60 year history in the Colac-Otway region, having retained its headquarters at the site on which it was founded in 1955 by an
AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER MAY 2018
association of local family companies. The four equal shareholder companies that own AKD Softwoods have been involved since day one. “We see the Caboolture and Yarram businesses as well-run operations that will be a perfect fit for the AKD group” Shane said. “The Caboolture and Yarram acquisitions provides us with a greater range of products to offer our existing customers, and also provides AKD Softwoods with access to new markets and new customers.
“Overall, they help us become internationally competitive,” he said. “For AKD Softwoods, it was important that there be no impact on the existing operations and employment. We believe that these assets, being the people and plant, will enhance our future and provide growth and stability.” Through the group’s long history, AKD had continued to grow through a combination of strategic acquisitions and on-going capital investment in core Continued on Page 16
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