NZ sawmills to endure more pain as exporters contend with shrinking margins, cheaper rivals

NZ sawmills to endure more pain as exporters contend with shrinking margins, cheaper rivals
By Tina Morrison April 10 (BusinessDesk) – New Zealand timber companies, who have closed more than 40 sawmills in the past decade, are likely to face more pain as plants tied to the export trade face lower-cost Chinese mills, rising competition and a high kiwi dollar shrinking margins. Sawmills supplying timber to the New Zealand market, including Graeme Hart’s Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts (NZ) and the Verry family’s Red Stag Timber are benefiting from a revival in housing construction in Auckland and Christchurch but the outlook for expor...