Monday January 19 2004 10 PM

Jim Anderton
Minister for Industry & Regional Development,
Progressive Party Leader

The New Zealand Government's Minister for Industry and Regional Development, Jim Anderton, today congratulated Danish furniture manufacturer Zenia House on its use of New Zealand radiata pine in its just-launched Northland range.

"The New Zealand government's trade development agency, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, has worked with the New Zealand wood processing industry to promote New Zealand radiata pine to European users," Mr Anderton said today.

The Northland range being launched today is a result of this initiative which has included meetings both in New Zealand and Denmark between Danish furniture makers, the Minister, representatives of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and New Zealand's wood industry.

Mr Anderton said Zenia House was quick to realise the qualities of New Zealand radiata pine.

"In New Zealand we have long known that radiata pine grown in New Zealand was as adaptable, as hard, had a better feel, and had better machinability than the majority of other softwoods.

"While near-perfect growing conditions have contributed to these qualities, much of the credit must also go to the forest owners for the way they have cared for the resource.

"Our forests are intensively managed and decades of knowledge, research and development have been poured into making New Zealand-grown pinus radiata a world-leading softwood product. It's also grown on a sustainable basis."

Mr Anderton said there should be no shortage of this resource ? over the first two decades of this century the New Zealand wood supply is forecast to increase from 20 million cubic metres to 34 million.

http://www.zeniahouse.com/pressroom/01-2004-nothland.pdf

(info on the new Northland range using NZ pine)

http://www.zeniahouse.com/pressroom/01-2003-Ten-years.pdf

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