2020, Volume 23, Paper 7

ISSN: 2209-6612

An Analysis and Intervention Recommendations for the New Zealand Engineered Wood Value Chain

Stephen Cantwell – Postgraduate student, School of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne.

Abstract

The improvement of the New Zealand engineered wood value chain has the potential to increase economic output while achieving the government’s goals of shifting to a low-carbon emission economy. New Zealand is a significant forestry product exporter, but the majority of exports are unprocessed logs. Engineered wood products such as cross-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber can be used as an alternative to steel in construction and they have favorable environmental attributes. This paper presents an analysis of the New Zealand engineered wood value chain and includes recommendations about potential interventions, including Industry 4.0 technologies, policy changes, and industry partnerships, in order to improve the performance of the chain.

Key Words: Engineered wood, forestry, value chain, New Zealand, low-carbon economy

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