Plant secures future

DEPUTY mayor Tony Perrett stepped in for Mayor Ron Dyne on Tuesday to officially open the $8 million upgrade of Carter Holt Harvey's new Monkland plant.

DEPUTY mayor Tony Perrett stepped in for Mayor Ron Dyne on Tuesday to officially open the $8million upgrade of Carter Holt Harvey's Monkland particle board plant.

Cr Dyne was in Canberra talking to the Federal Government about the state of the Bruce Highway.

Carter Holt Harvey facility manager Laurie Armstrong and CEO Jim Snelson thanked Cr Perrett for stepping in and said the upgrade of the factory, which included a new wood chip dryer and production line, would help secure the jobs of the factory's 100 employees.

The factory now manufactures Structaflor for the Queensland market on top of its normal particle board products. Structaflor is a flooring product that was once transported to Queensland from Oberon in New South Wales.

The upgrade of the Gympie plant allows Carter Holt Harvey to cut down on transport costs and have a close supply chain to the ever-growing south east Queensland market.

“We're going flat out at the moment making as much board as we can,” Mr Armstrong said.

The factory is geared up to produce 24,000 cubic metres of flooring this calendar year.

Originally published as Plant secures future