Smart New NZ Pulp Product a Win in Beijing

10 December 2004

Smart New NZ Pulp Product a Win in Beijing

BEIJING, 10 Dec 2004: A new high quality, low energy pulp product developed by Winstone Pulp International (WPI) was hailed as meeting a growing Asian market need by leading industry representatives at a launch function in Beijing attended by New Zealand’s Ambassador to China, Tony Browne last night.

Speaking from the launch, at the Diao Yu Tai State Guest Houses, WPI Managing Director David Anderson said he was delighted with the response and that initial discussions on the new product had already resulted in orders well exceeding sales targets.

“Building success in this industry and maintaining our competitiveness requires us to be always trying to think smarter,” he said. “So I was delighted with the very warm reception given by this important industry group to our new grade. Our technical team worked hard to develop this and while it is immensely valuable in cutting power use it also opens up important new markets for us.”

The new grade was developed over six years by WPI’s technical team at its mill at Karioi near Ohakune and importantly addressed some key disadvantages with traditional Radiata Pine products, Mr Anderson said.

The new grade overcomes a major disadvantage of Radiata pulp product which is normally seen as having a negative effect on paper formation because it is too coarse while at the same time retaining Radiata’s major advantage in providing sufficient bulk for use in a range of products including modern luxury goods packaging.

The Executive Director of Eurocell International, WPI’s China agent, David Harris said the new product was a superb example of a producer taking a lead in developing a new product to meet emerging customer needs.

“Aimed at producers of paperboard products for high quality packaging such as perfume boxes, this new grade unlocks a new customer base for WPI allowing it to move away from high production cost pulp,” Mr Harris said.

“It’s an initiative that underscores the talent of the people and the expertise at WPI and the capacity of the firm to take a lead in a tough market,” he said.

Mr Anderson said that to create the new product, WPI completed a major upgrade to its process plant, involving the installation of a new pulp screen room, a new pulp refiner and a state-of-the-art control system.

“We have taken advantage of some of the best technologies available from countries around the world, including Scandinavia and the US. The machines which make the paperboard products are extremely sophisticated and our product quality needs to be stringently maintained,” he said.

The new specialist grade pulp also uses 20 - 40% less electricity to produce than newsprint pulp giving power savings equivalent to the consumption of a medium-sized New Zealand town.

“This type of energy saving is very significant and considerably lowers our manufacturing cost and helps us retain our competitive edge,” he said.

Representing New Zealand at the launch of the new product in China, the country’s new ambassador to Beijing, Tony Browne said it was good to see New Zealand companies showing they could develop approaches that would help them adapt to changing markets and develop new opportunities.

“The reception accorded WPI last night was very warm. It’s clear the company was seen as successfully delivering on an important need and it was good to see a New Zealand company more than competing with the best in this environment,” he said.

About Winstone Pulp International Ltd

Based near Ohakune, WPI has operated for 26 years in forestry, milling and manufacturing pulp and sawlogs for local and overseas markets. As one of New Zealand’s leading integrated forestry companies it plays a key role in the sector’s viability by processing by-products for export as pulp. The company employs 300 staff and has built a strong export-focused business maximising regional resources.

ENDS

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