Ministers Littleproud and Hogan
On Friday 5 October Timberlink welcomed the Hon David Littleproud MP and Kevin Hogan MP to its Bell Bay mill to see first hand how further investments could help generate jobs and growth in Northern Tasmania. Source: Timberbiz
Timberlink recently announced a generational $100m investment program at its Australian mills in Bell Bay, Northern Tasmania and Tarpeena in South Australia that will see the total processing capacity of the sawmilling company increase by over 15%.
“The plantation timber industry is vital to regional Tasmania and it is great to see an Australian manufacturing business make an investment of this size,” Minister Littleproud said.
MP Kevin Hogan was also delighted, stating that he was “impressed by the outstanding commitment shown by Timberlink in Tasmanian sawmilling.”
The investment will also see the creation of 90 jobs in the construction phase and six new permanent full-time positions at our Bell Bay mill.
Timberlink’s EGM of Sales, Marketing & Corporate Affairs David Oliver was able to show the MPs the $15m of investments already made in the mill since the company’s takeover in 2013.
“The level of technology in this mill is absolutely outstanding, it’s a world class facility that is only going to get better,” said Minister Littleproud.
The minister was particularly interested in the ongoing investment in training and upskilling of Timberlink’s employees, as the level of skill required to operate the complex machinery increased as the technology advanced.
At Timberlink’s Bell Bay site in Tasmania, new planer mill equipment will be installed along with a state-of-the-art contraflow kiln.
Site infrastructure will be improved, including a new internal road system designed to improve safety outcomes and support the increase in site activity Engaging with the Bell Bay staff, the minister stated that “it’s fantastic to see the focus of safety and the level of investment to back up that rhetoric.”
He went on to state that the sizeable investment was “great news for regional Australia,” securing the 1350 direct and indirect jobs around the country, of which 650 are in Northern Tasmania. The $100 million investment program will take place in stages over the next three years.
