An ongoing multi-million dollar expenditure program ensures AUSPINE manufacturing plants utilise the latest available technology – technology which will take AUSPINE into the 21st century. AUSPINE’s specialist manufacturing plants are located near resource bases to maximise efficiencies and benefit AUSPINE clients.

TARPEENA South Australia

Almost $20 million dollars has been invested installing the very latest softwood sawmilling technology at the AUSPINE Tarpeena manufacturing plant. Today it is the largest and most technologically advanced sawmill in Australia, able to process up 100 lineal meters per minute (or 500,000 cubic meters per year) with extreme accuracy. All areas of operations, including debarking, log sorting, green sawmilling, kiln drying and dry machining comply with national and international standards. Superior sawing accuracy and computerised control of cutting patterns allows machinery to virtually saw around corners, reducing waste and maximising recovery. This combines with the lowest cost of production in the country and international quality performance accreditation (ISO 9002) to make AUSPINE Tarpeena truly internationally competitive. The plant’s manufacturing capabilities have also expanded to ensure AUSPINE customers’ future requirements for quality products at an internationally competitive price can be met.

SCOTTSDALE Tasmania

AUSPINE Scottsdale sawmilling and preservative treatment plant has also achieved international accreditation (ISO 9002) , the sole Tasmanian sawmill to do so. AUSPINE Scottsdale’s woodchipping operations have also gained ISO 9002 accreditation. The AUSPINE Scottsdale manufacturing facility continues to be a strong contributor to the on-going success of Company operations as well as a major employer in Tasmania, where AUSPINE tree farms harvests plantation Radiata pine under access agreements, and value-adds through manufacturing and preservative treatment. AUSPINE is then marketed and distributed throughout Tasmania and to the mainland. Multi-million dollar expenditure on state of the art technology for large and small diameter log has upgraded log-sorting, and increased sawing accuracy, optimised sawlog utilisation, further improved quality control, kiln systems, and preservation treatment, while reducing production costs – all of which contributes to an increasingly internationally competitive operation.

KALANGADOO South Australia

A multi-million dollar investment in leading edge technology involving kiln drying, steaming, CCA and Creosote treatment operations has made AUSPINE Kalangadoo the leading timber preservation plant in Australia, and given the facility greater scope for product development and diversification. Significant works have also been undertaken to ensure that on-site environmental protection levels are among the best in Australia. State of the art posts, poles and sawn timbers to produce the AUSPINE premium Treated Products Range. Today AUSPINE Kalangadoo is a high volume, high quality producer of a broad range of preservative treated products, including posts, poles (where output has increased substantially to meet demand from Australia’s expanding vineyards) and sawn timber products (eg. Palings). AUSPINE Kalangadoo is fully accredited to International Quality Accreditation Standard ISO 9002.

PORTLAND Victoria

The AUSPINE Portland Re-manufacturing site is being developed to further value-add to Radiata pine products sourced from the Company’s sawmills. Already some $5 million dollars has been invested in installing the latest technology to enable the plant to produce high value, finger-jointed, clear mouldings, componentry, and premium quality laminated beams. Lamination and finger-jointed moulding production significantly value-adds to materials sourced from the Company’s other mills, optimising resource utilisation and increasing returns. Commissioned in July 1994, with output flowing onto the market the following month, the plant has been designed for staged development through to 2000AD, producing for both the domestic and export markets. The facility is currently implementing systems to ensure that, in common with other Company plants, it will conform to the ISO 9002 standard. The AUSPINE Portland remanufacturing site is also at the forefront of Company research into additions to its value added range of engineered timber products.