Has ArborGen finally crossed the Rubicon?

Former Rubicon prime mover Luke Moriarty in 2004. (Image: NZME)

Tue, 02 Jul 2024

Planting trees requires patience, and ArborGen has certainly tested how much its shareholders are willing to accept over the years. Emerging from the breakup of Fletcher Challenge more than 20 years ago, its architect, Luke Moriarty, had grand aspirations for the company – then known as Rubicon – to become a high-value forestry player. It picked up a clutch of energy assets that Fletcher couldn’t sell to Shell and stakes in what became the wood mouldings maker Tenon and the seedling biotech startup ArborGen.Unfortuna...

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