Today, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas officially opened NeXTimber’s Australia’s first Radiata Pine Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glue-Laminated Timber (GLT) manufacturing facility in Tarpeena, South Australia.
“It is official – South Australia is home to the most sought-after building product, Mass Engineered Timber, with thanks to Timberlink who invested $70 million into expanding their manufacturing facility to produce mass timber products for residential and commercial construction”, said Mr Nathan Paine, Chief Executive Officer of the South Australian Forest Products Association.
“And, better yet, timber is the Ultimate Renewable and NeXTimber products like mass engineered timber will provide carbon negative building material to an industry that is reliant on fossil-fuelled materials such as steel and concrete, and will decarbonise the construction industry in Australia”, continued Mr Paine.
“Innovative technologies like engineered wood products are a clear example of how timber is influencing the future of the construction industry whilst contributing to a net-zero economy”, said Mr Paine.
“South Australia’s forest products industries are already building the nation through growing and processing 35 per cent of the nation’s locally produced house framing timbers, 25 per cent of the nation’s particle board and now this new facility will deliver CLT and GLT products that offer a greener, more sustainable alternative to steel and concrete in mid and high-rise construction projects,” Mr Paine said.
“Each year, the South Australian plantation estate sequesters 4.64 million tonnes of CO2e from the atmosphere, making timber the Ultimate Renewable. The CLT and GLT timber products that will be processed by NeXTimber will provide carbon negative mass timber products for use in mid and high-rise constrictions helping create a cleaner, greener future.
It is investments like this which generate economic, environmental and social opportunities for the South East, further empowering the forest and timber industries in South Australia”, concluded Mr Paine.