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South Australian mass timber CLT and GLT manufacturing plant set to rejuvenate Tarpeena.
Construction has started on Timberlink’s cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (GLT) manufacturing plant in South Australia’s small regional town of Tarpeena.
Announced in December 2021, when complete, the CLT and GLT manufacturing plant will provide an Australian-made renewable and carbon-positive timber building solution for commercial, residential, and public projects.
It’s backed by a $63 million capital investment, the NeXTimber range will be manufactured on Australia’s first combined world-scale softwoods CLT and GLT engineered wood manufacturing line.
Timberlink general manager of sales, marketing and corporate affairs David Oliver said the “enthusiastic and growing” uptake of the products by the construction industry was a “firm nod to moving into a sustainable future”, with timber “the ultimate sustainable resource”.
The CLT and GLT manufacturing facility will use local timber from Green Triangle pine plantations, processed at Timberlink’s adjoining mill.
“It’s the only combined radiata pine facility to produce CLT and GLT in Australia,” Mr Oliver said.
He said the project – which attracted a $2-million co-investment from the South Australian government – used local contractors “wherever possible” and was set to be operational in September this year.
“We’ve got half of our 15,000-square-metre roof on, and the equipment is arriving and being installed as we speak,” Mr Oliver said.
“During the construction phase there were approximately 50 to 100 local jobs created. “We are going to see a lot of growth in employment at the site, which will have flow on effects for the township.
“We’re employing around 200 people at this stage of the project and that will grow with an extra 27 jobs coming online when we reach start-up later this year. We expect that will grow as we grow production to around an extra fifty jobs being created.”
Mr Oliver said the Timberlink investment “provides a big opportunity for the town” as it plans to grow once more.
See: www.nextimber.com.au
