November saw total deliveries of Australian woodchips fall to an estimated 372,506 bdmt, with all deliveries headed into China and Japan. Deliveries to China accounted for 71.7% of the total in November, with Japan receiving the remaining 28.3%. Our provisional view is that deliveries in December will return to trend,… Read More
Redoubtable and remarkable: Aida Greenbury talks with IndustryEdge
Many of us know of Aida Greenbury from her thirteen years as Managing Director of sustainability at Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP). That included the period that was undoubtedly the most tumultuous in the forestry and paper giant’s history, as it faced global criticisms over its sustainability. Through all… Read More
Why Record Log Exports from South Asia are Under Pressure
Combined exports of softwood logs from New Zealand and Australia totalled 26.4 million cubic meters (m3) in the 2018-19 financial year. Total exports from the two countries lifted 9.5% compared to the prior year, in line with the 10.5% per annum increases recorded over the decade since 2009. When diving… Read More
BREAKING: Woodchip export volumes up 4.9% ~ Prices up 17.0%
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: Analysis of data released today shows Australia’s woodchip exports totalled 6.705 million bone dried metric tonnes (bdmt) in 2018-19, rising 4.9% on the prior year. Prices over the year averaged AUD $213.49/bdmt on an FOB basis, or USD $152.61/bdmt. In Australian dollar terms, prices were up 17.0% compared to… Read More
Imports sweep up final millet broom manufacturer
Australia’s last millet broom factory – a two-person outfit in Tumut – is being swept up by imports, and the changing habits of Australian sweepers. Our interest was piqued when news reports announced that Australia’s last factory using stiff grass millet fibres was refusing to give in to what some… Read More
Brisbane’s Paper & Board Imports Up 16.8%
Valued at $412.2 million, imports of paper, paperboard and related fibre products were up 16.8% over the year-ended April 2019. As the infographic shows, shipments from Asia are dominant and lifted 15.9% to $279.0 million. Our view is that the most interesting element of this data – beyond the rise… Read More
Little logs get big prices
Smaller sized softwood log exports from Australia hit record average prices in March 2019. Averaging AUDFob162.45/m3, prices for softwood logs less than 15 cm diameter hit a new peak, sustaining their recent price advantage over the larger dimension logs. For export, softwood logs are recorded as larger or smaller than 15cm… Read More
Nation of readers! Books live on as directories, guides and fashion publications collapse
Imports of printed books declined 1.7% in 2018, falling to AUD470.1 million Directories and timetables fell 35.6% Paperback books valued at AUD194.2 million, down 2.1% Hardback books valued at AUD169.1 million, down 0.1% Australians remain voracious readers. Latest data showing Australia’s imports of printed material that the national love affair… Read More
China to the rescue! Has real growth returned? ~ Economics Briefing
Always a little suspect, China’s economic growth was reported at 6.4%, year-on-year in the March quarter of 2019. Growth was above expectations and was driven by a solid increase in industrial output, as well as domestic consumption, feeding into renewed hope that the driver of global economic growth has turned… Read More
Stink Bug Pain Spreads to 32 Countries for 2019-20: Update
Stink Bug infestation has spread rapidly 32 countries now on Australia’s target list for 2019-20 season 280,000+ tonnes of pulp, paper, paperboard and printed material impacted Treatment costs between AUD12/t and AUD48/t Rapid expansion of the infestation of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in Europe and North America has… Read More