Higher wages hamper growth
The National Minimum Wage for farm workers (including forestry workers) that took effect on 01 March 2021, will reverberate throughout the timber sector, including the entire supply chain and the construction industry. The new minimum [...]
PG Bison receives approval for new MFB press
South African based manufacturer of wood-based panel products, PG Bison, announced that it has received approval for the purchase of a new Melamine Faced Board (MFB) press and an additional hot coating line from its [...]
Commonwealth bolsters action on sustainable land use management
Commonwealth secretary-general, Patricia Scotland, has urged member countries to integrate sustainable land use management into their national climate action plans, with a focus on nature-based solutions, on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference [...]
SA in a catch 22
South Africa has some way to go before the timber industry shows any semblance of what is happening in countries like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe. Scandinavian countries have embraced [...]
Malaysia’s Covid-19 number could affect timber exports
Malaysia is a major exporter of timber to South Africa. The total Malaysian export of timber products to South Africa from January to October 2020 was USD27.9-million, down by 40.3% compared to the same period [...]
Stability amidst uncertainty
The one certainty for 2021 is that the uncertainty will continue throughout the year, and stability will probably only return by the end of the year, or mid-2022. […]