Media release – Ta Ann Tasmania, 11 November 2020
Closure of Huon Veneer Mill
Ta Ann Tasmania (TAT) today announces the closure of Huon Veneer mill and the consolidation of its Tasmanian operations at Smithton.
TAT’s General Manager Robert Yong said today that since 2006 the company had invested heavily in the Huon mill and had worked tirelessly with its staff to re-open the plant following the devastating bush fires in January 2019.
“Unfortunately, due to a combination of circumstances largely outside of our control, Ta Ann Tasmania’s (TAT’s) parent company has had to accept the hard commercial reality that consolidation of all veneer and plywood operations at Smithton is required,” Mr Yong said.
Those factors include the extensive bushfire damage to the mill in January 2019, reduced log volumes and the severe impacts of the COVID crisis throughout the whole supply chain, both here in Australia and overseas, which have deeply affected suppliers to our business and all of our markets.
“We acknowledge closure of our Huon mill will disappoint many in the region. TAT is working with Sustainable Timber Tasmania to support options for ongoing wood manufacturing on the Huon site,” Mr Yong said.
More details regarding availability of the Huon site infrastructure and sustainable log supplies for businesses wishing to continue wood manufacturing on the Southwood site will be provided in the near future.
TAT will relocate some equipment essential for production of veneer from the Huon mill to support the plywood plant at Smithton. Remaining Huon employees will be offered relocation to Smithton.
“TAT remains committed to investing in the Smithton plant if an adequate volume and affordable longer-term wood supply can be finalized,” Mr. Yong said.
Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 11 November 2020
Ta Ann dumps Huon and issues Tasmania a Tarkine ransom note.
“Pay taxpayers of Tasmania back $44 million establishment money”: BBF.
Bob Brown Foundation has called for protection of all Tasmania’s native forests after Ta Ann announced the closure of their Huon mill.
“Without Ta Ann driving the logging of native forests, including critical swift parrot habitat, it’s time to move the industry out of native forests,” Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“Instead, Ta Ann is saying ‘give us the Tarkine forests on a plate or we will leave!’ It’s a disgusting ransom. That’s after Ta Ann received $44 million of taxpayers’ money to set up here.”
“We expect this means an end to their wood supply agreement,” Jenny Weber said.
“This is a monumental opportunity to start protecting the native forests and all critical habitat for the swift parrot in the southern forests and east coast of Tasmania,” she said.
“Turn this moment into permanent end to native forest logging.”
“Since 2006, I have worked to move Ta Ann, a notorious Borneo logging giant, out of Tasmania. Their practices are deplorable in Sarawak and they have greenwashed their destructive logging in Sarawak and here in Tasmania.”
“They remain in Tasmania’s northwest, threatening forests in takayna / Tarkine, and old growth forests and endangered species habitat elsewhere, like Wentworth Hills. We will continue to campaign against their logging of native forests and notorious operations as a global palm oil giant,” Jenny Weber said.
“This multinational logger should leave and give the Tasmanian people back the $44 million that Lennon Labor gave it to set up here,” Bob Brown said.
