[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_NE Chamber of Commerce Sawmilling Forum_K Booth MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

GREENS BACK GLOBAL LAUNCH OF TIMBER TECHNOLOGY IN NORTH EAST

NE Chamber of Commerce Hosting Innovative Sawmilling Forum in Scottsdale
Tomorrow

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Forests Spokesperson and Member for Bass

Thursday, 6 November 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today teamed up with a Victorian innovator in
timber milling technology Mr Andy Knorr, to announce a world-first
launch of innovative timber processing technology that could hugely
increase both the volume and value of timber milled in the north east of
Tasmania and start filling the vacuum of jobs and opportunities left by
the closure of the Gunns/Auspine Tonganah mill site in Scottsdale.

Greens Shadow Forests spokesperson and Member for Bass Kim Booth MP, who
flew to Victoria last month to inspect Mr Knorr's groundbreaking radial
milling system in action, said that the radial system provided enormous
opportunity for the processing of a very wide variety of timber, in
particular making extremely efficient use of some of the lower grade
softwood resource, and that jobs and opportunities for the North East
would certainly flow if this type of technology was taken up.

"Tomorrow Andy Knorr will be joining myself and economist Dr Tony McCall
at a forum in Scottsdale hosted by the North East Tasmania Chamber of
Commerce Inc., and Mr Knorr will be using this opportunity to launch his
latest globally patented technology which is already attracting interest
from companies in China and elsewhere in the world," Mr Booth said.

"I visited Andy Knorr's milling in Victoria to inspect his radial
technology in action and as a former sawmill operator I could see
straight away that this deceptively simple technology was innovative,
efficient and highly productive - this is exactly the kind of
appropriate technology that could produce jobs and opportunities for
timber workers and others in the North East."

"Since the closure of the Tonganah mill the Greens have been calling for
a study into the viability of a community-based diversified wood
processing and training centre for Scottsdale, and this forum is a giant
step along that path."

"Scottsdale has the culture and industry skills to ensure the success of
such a venture, and the inclusion of pyrolysis, bio-char and downstream
processing including laminated beams and kit furniture etc will provide
better career paths and transportable qualifications, which could seed
skills throughout the industry." 

"A community based mill ensures local loyalty and commitment which
history shows is what is needed when the going gets tough and the bean
counters from distant corporations want to shut the doors," said Mr
Booth  




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