Australia’s largest hardwood sawmill and manufacturer—now exporting timber products to Europe, Asia, and the Americas—will produce more glue-laminated timber from spotted gum after the council greenlit Parkside Building Supplies plans to build a high-impact timber manufacturing facility on the site of its Wondai mill.
Wood Central understands that the South Burnett Regional Council approved the decision at its most recent council meeting – with the facility’s focus on producing wooden and laminated products.
As per plans provided by Range Environmental Consultants, the new facility will include a glue line building for finger-joining spotted gum from its existing dry mill. This process will turn Queensland hardwoods into glue-laminated timber and deck blanks.
At its peak, the new facility could produce 5,000 to 10,000 tonnes of reconstituted timber products every year, and it is expected to process more than 6,000 tonnes of timber within five years of commencing operation.
In addition to Wondai, the century-old Parkside Building Supplies has sawmills in Builyan, Theodore, Wandoan, and Eisvold (in Queensland) and Orbost and Bairnsdale in Victoria. Moreover, in 2013, it established South Pacific Homes Ltd, a housing firm based in Port Moresby, PNG.
Wood Central understands that the new plant’s operating hours will be from 7 a.m. until 5.30 p.m., Monday through Friday – manufacturing will be limited to 7 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. only, with public holdings excluded.
The facility will employ ten full-time workers and is expected to contribute to the local timber industry and economy. A start date for construction has yet to be announced.
- For more information about Parkside Building Supplies, click on Wood Central’s exclusive from last year. To find out why more timber companies are investing in higher-value timber products, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.