Forests

Our People

The success of our business relies on the professionalism and expertise of our workforce. 

Our people do diverse jobs that span across our broad business base. There are over 450 Pan Pac staff, contractors and their employees. Our 150 strong forestry team establish and tend the growing crop. We also protect it from fire, pests and diseases. Our 25 dedicated road construction and engineering team members provides the infrastructure to access the forests. Our capable and efficient harvesting crews, which account for 180 people, fell and extract the tree crop. The 125 skilled drivers of our cartage fleet transport logs to Pan Pac and our customers. 

 

"We are committed to working with other forestry businesses to jointly improve performance."

It is everyone’s business that our people get home safely each day. 

Collectively Pan Pac staff, contractors and their employees need a strong commitment to health and safety. We recognise the importance to drive change and constantly improve our health and safety record. Please click here to view our Forestry Safety Vision Video.

Pan Pac pulls its weight in Forest Industry organisations and committees and has done for decades. Our staff attend the NZ Forest Owners Safety and Health committee, the Resource and Environment Committee, and the Rural Fire Committee. We are strongly linked to regional networks like the Hawke's Bay Forestry Group and Rural Fire.

Our Forests

We are the largest forestry grower in Hawke’s Bay

 
Across the Bay we have a total forest area of about 34,000 hectares. The majority of the forests are up against the ranges so often border with Department of Conservation. These are the ex-state forests. From north to south are Mohaka, Esk, Kaweka and Gwavas. Tangoio, the other substantial forest, is coastal and located around the Pan Pac mill and Waipatiki.
 
A programme is underway to hand back Iwi land. About 90% of the land on which our trees are planted is owned by local iwi. The remainder is freehold land.
 
We have almost logged one rotation of trees, about 30 years of harvesting. This means the majority of the main access roads and tracks have already been constructed. The forestry cycle typically consists of about 1,000ha being logged and the corresponding area that was harvested the previous year being planted.
 
The forests are almost exclusively radiata pine. They are grown because they can provide the quantity and quality of raw material our sawmill and pulp mill require. This not only guarantees a large proportion of our supply but also helps ensure the final products are matched to the resource to create premium products. Since the Pan Pac sawmill produces appearance grade products our forests have a high percentage of pruned trees. Eliminating branches in the lower 6.5 metres provides a clearwood sheath of knot free wood.

Read our forest flyer

 

Safe, efficient log cartage  
 

The Pan Pac log cartage fleet contracts 79 trucks with 135 drivers operating 24 hours, 5 days a week, year round.  We also do Saturday cartage on demand. 
 
Pan Pac trucks operate daily from Hicks Bay north of Gisborne through to Wellington in the south and into the Central North Island.  As well as servicing Pan Pac harvesting crews, the fleet is uplifting logs from a wide cross-section of private and corporate Forest Owners throughout the region.  Complimentary to this work, Pan Pac is contracted to cart logs for P F Olsen Ltd (Rotorua, Gisborne and Napier), Forest Management New Zealand Ltd (Napier & Masterton) and Matariki / Rayonier New Zealand (Napier). 
 
If you have logs that need transporting – consider the safe, efficient, cost effective option provided by the Pan Pac log cartage team.

Contact us for a quote.

 

 

Our Community

We have always been a strong supporter of the local community.

 
Many of us are rural people and we are on the local committees and school boards of trustees. We have staff living at many of our forests, so there are people you can readily contact.
 

We recognise that our forests aren't just for wood products, but they are a hub in the community for a variety of recreational activities.

The forests are used by a broad range of recreationalists – hunting, mountain biking, orienteering, dog sledding, horse riding and cultural activities are some examples. We make our forests accessible, so long as public safety, security or forest operations are not impacted. A permit is required and these can be obtained from the local forest coordinator or from our main office.
 
What better way to find out what our community needs from us, than to ask them. Pan Pac frequently meets with organisations across the Bay to consult on our operations. We may visit with Tangata Whenua, neighbours, district and regional councils, Department of Conservation and NZ Transport Authority.