News
13 March, 2024
Sawmill expansion finally completed
The Caboolture Sawmill Expansion Project has been completed, and will support an internationally competitive sawmilling business for the Sunshine Coast gateway region.
Catherine King (Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister) and Anthony Chisholm (Assistant Minister for Regional Development) officially opened the project last Thursday.
As a result of the project, the site has doubled its production capacity and is currently processing 370,000m3 of locally-grown sawlog.
The upgrades also enabled sawmill operator Associated Kiln Driers Pty Ltd (AKD) to install the latest technology to improve the recovery of structural timber from the sawlog resource – making operations more efficient.
The expansion project also installed an acoustic barrier, which has improved the surrounding environment.
This has meant production was able to move to a two-shift operation.
The ability to run the two shift s has created more than 100 new and permanent skilled manufacturing jobs at AKD’s Queensland site.
This additional 100 jobs in Caboolture will support a further 763 jobs in the regional economy, according to REMPLAN modelling.
The $41 million project included a $10 million contribution from the Australian Government, with AKD providing the remaining $31 million.
