CSIRO and Scion recommit to Ensis

For Immediate Release
17 September, 2007

CSIRO and Scion recommit to Ensis

New Zealand Crown Research Institute Scion and Australia's CSIRO have confirmed their commitment to continue their science collaboration, developed through their joint venture Ensis, in the forest and forest industries research domain. Ensis has been in operation since 2004.

Ensis Chief Executive, Tom Richardson, says the ongoing objective of the science collaboration is to provide leading science to transform and enhance the economic, environmental and social benefits from forest and forest industries.

"Based on our experiences over the past three years, we think it is important to continue to focus upon the forest industries, but also enhance our research in the changing role of forests, to ensure that the best people, skills, resources and capabilities are available collaboratively for the benefit of all our stakeholders in both countries," Dr Richardson says.

CSIRO and Scion's recommitment to Ensis will see a modification to the operating structure, changing it from a joint venture operation, to a new collaboration agreement. This new agreement will be effective from 1 January, 2008.

"The new model focuses on growing this science collaboration, while reducing some of the complexity of running the unincorporated joint venture," Dr Richardson says.

"Both CSIRO and Scion are fully committed to delivering the best forest and forest industries scientific research to our wide range of stakeholders and the new collaboration agreement allows us to focus on this.

"Substantial progress has been made in the past three years to develop the joint offerings and there are good examples of collaboration success.

"Both CSIRO and Scion have unique capabilities and to be able to put them together means we can present unique offerings to the forest and forest products sector, including our environmental and government stakeholders."

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