New Hub great for wider region, say Chambers

Wellington Chamber of Commerce | Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce

Media Statement
Tuesday 2nd August 2016
New Hub great for wider region, say Chambers

The new Waingawa log hub will provide tremendous opportunity for the wider Wellington region say the Wellington and Wairarapa Chambers of Commerce.

The 2.8-hectare hub, located between Masterton and Carterton, will provide the fast-growing forestry sector with a sustainable, reliable, and economic way of moving large volumes of logs to CentrePort for export.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive John Milford says the partnership between CentrePort, Forest Enterprises Limited, and Farman Turkington Forestry, with the support of KiwiRail, is to be commended.

“This partnership is a move in the right direction to create a reliable, sustainable, and efficient network to connect the Wairarapa and Wellington regions.

“With log volumes through CentrePort nearly doubling over the past five years, and with the Government planning to double the value of primary industry exports by 2025, forward-thinking solutions are vital.

“This investment in the log hub, and the development of partnerships to create a transport solutions, shows that CentrePort is thinking long-term.

“Putting these logs on to rail is not only a win for economy and efficiency, but motorists will reap the benefits of not having 16,000 truck trips over the Rimutaka Hill Road.

Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Stephanie Gundersen-Reid said the long-term commitments by the companies in the partnership shows great confidence in the Wairarapa.

“Both Forest Enterprises and Farman Turkington Forestry have taken long-term leases at the Waingawa Hub. It’s great to see this kind of commitment in the Wairarapa region.

“Forestry is a significant industry for the lower North Island as well as wider New Zealand, employing around 20,000 people and contributing an annual gross income of around $5 billion – some 3 per cent of New Zealand's GDP.

“The new hub will help these exporters remain internationally competitive, as well as open doors for other central New Zealand exporters.”

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