Celebrating the completion of the AKD Caboolture Sawmill Expansion Project
We are thrilled to announce the completion of the Caboolture Sawmill Expansion Project, marking a significant milestone for AKD. The official opening were held on March 6th and included AKD Caboolture employees and local ministers, Hon Catherine King MP, Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm and Terry Young MP, in on the celebrations.
Completed in January 2024, the project has effectively doubled the production capacity of our Caboolture site. Currently, the site is processing 370,000m3 of locally grown sawlog. These upgrades have also enabled AKD to install the latest technology that improves the recovery of structural timber from the sawlog resource, thus enabling enabled more houses in Queensland to be built with Queensland grown timber. This initiative not only supports local jobs within the building supply chain but also aligns with a combined effort to reduce Queensland’s importing of timber and exporting of logs.
Included in the expansion project was the installation of an acoustic barrier which has improved the surrounding environment. This has meant that production was able to move to a two-shift operation with minimal impact on the local community.
The implementation of two shifts has created more than 100 new and permanent skilled manufacturing jobs at our Queensland site. The additional 100 new jobs in Caboolture will support a further 763 jobs in the regional economy according REMPLAN modelling. The Project was possible due to a grant from the Federal Government’s Community Development grant scheme which supported a substantial investment from the AKD shareholders.
AKD CEO, Mr. Shane Vicary, expressed his gratitude, stating “the project has secured the future of the Caboolture sawmill in Queensland. We are very thankful to Federal Government and grateful for the support of the local Moreton Bay Council and our log supply partners at HQP.”
“The Caboolture Team has done a fantastic job in delivering the desired outcomes of this project, providing security to existing and new employment, and opening the door for further growth opportunities for the site” explained Mr Vicary.
Acknowledging the efforts of the dedicated teams involved, Neil Cooper, General Manager Projects, highlighted the instrumental role played by various departments. From the operations team’s adept handling of interim measures during civil works to the flexibility demonstrated by boiler operators in transitioning between batch and continuous kilns, each contribution was vital to the project’s success. Additionally, the QA team’s meticulous efforts in scrutinizing timber packs ensured that quality standards were upheld throughout the commissioning phase.
As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to the continued success and growth of the Caboolture Sawmill, contributing to the prosperity of the local community and the Queensland economy.
