Neville Smith Forest Products to increase Southwood production and create new jobs

Neville Smith Forest Products CEO, Andrew Walker, said today it was planned to commence a full second shift at its Southwood operation as the business stepped-up its domestic value adding capacity.

“We will begin the recruitment process for additional employees almost immediately, as the new team members will require around two months training in customised production operations as well as the critical area of workplace safety.”

“We are hopeful that a majority of new employees will be recruited from within the Huon Valley, including school leavers”, Mr Walker said.

NSFP are an equal opportunity employer, and are committed to training, career development and a safety-first workplace culture.

To this end, work experience, multiple traineeships and ongoing employment will be offered to students and school leavers in the Huon region.

The growth initiative will assist public and private forest growers in mitigating the current geopolitical risks associated with exports of Tasmanian forest product to China.

Neville Smith Forest Products, has been operating in Tasmania since 1924, already employs some 120 people in the state, and has recently formed a long-term strategic partnership with Oak Possibility, providing training and employment outcomes to the disability sector.

Mr Walker said the decision to increase production at Southwood was a sign of the confidence the company had in Tasmania’s renewable forest industry and in the growing demand within Australia for high quality native timber and plantation products. This demand is and will continue to drive the company’s commitment to value-added downstream processing for Tasmanian and Australian consumers.

The additional resource required to underpin the second shift at the Southwood will be procured from a mix of sustainable, fully certified public & private plantation and native timber growers.