Tim King: Tasman District mayor on the impact of the proposed Eves Valley Sawmill closure

There's belief the job losses at the Eves Valley Sawmill will have a significant impact on the area. 

Manufacturing company Carter Holt Harvey is proposing to close the mill, which would result in 142 jobs lost.

It's wanting to consolidate its structural timber manufacturing to one site - in Bay of Plenty's Kawerau.

Tasman mayor Tim King, lives next door to the mill and says there's no chance to change the company's mind. 

"The most significant impact - and most immediate - is on those 142 people employed at Eves Valley, but there is a wide range of other businesses that support the Eves Valley sawmill, it's a big component of the forestry sector in this region."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yet another mill is likely to close. This time it's
car to Hold Harvey's Eves Valley sawmill near Nelson. One
hundred and forty two jobs could be lost if this
does happen. Tasman mayor Tim King lives next door to
the mill and he's.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
With us now, Hey Tim, Hey, how you go?

Speaker 1 (00:13):
I'm very well, Thank you Tim. It doesn't sound like
this time it is related to the price of energy.
It just sounds like the Cora mill is very efficient.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah. Absolutely, I mean this is just a pure business decision.
This is a very efficient saw mill. There's actually been
a lot invested in it in the last five years
to make it as efficient as possible. It's just that
Calrora was more efficient and they obviously want to source
all their sawn timber from a single location. So yep,
not due to energy prices or anything to do with

(00:41):
this mill itself. Just so happens there's one mill that's
more efficient than this one.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Which says to me then that it's probably a case
of you guys not being able to change their minds.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, from the conversations I've had over the course of today,
that's absolutely the perception I've got there's no chance of
this decision changing.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Okay, Well tell me you know for your area, how
devastating is the loss of one hundred and forty two jobs.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
It's very significant and it's so obviously the most significant
impact and most immediate is on those one hundred and
forty two people directly employed at Ease Valley, but there
is a wide range of other businesses that support these
Valley saw It's a big component of the forestry sector
in this region. So it's a very significant impact. So
if it does go.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Ahead, and it sounds like it's going to what happens
to the land next to you.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
From what? Again? My understanding is it's going to be
retained in the ownership of Carter Holt Harvey. The mill
will be mothboard, the recently installed equipment is likely to
be disassembled and shipped to Carrel or another location, and
this land will ultimately the fate of it will be
decided by Cardhold Harvey at some point in time.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
All right, Tim, thanks for talking to us. Appreciate at
Tim King Tasman.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
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