Nelson engineered timber solutions company, Prolam, has given an 80-year-old sawmill on Little Sydney Road, Motueka a new lease on life.

The first logs in more than five years have been milled at the restored sawmill, Motueka marking a new chapter for the region’s timber industry.

Closed in 2017, Nelson family-owned business Prolam has been working to reinstate the 80-year-old mill to support the production of its structural timber solutions.  

Prolam is one of New Zealand’s leading manufacturers of glue laminated timber building products and the mill will play a pivotal role in the company’s ability to meet the building industry’s demand for more sustainable, locally-made building materials.

Prolam Managing Director, John Woodman, says the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the timber processing industry and the local economy was front and centre in his decision to purchase the site in 2017 and get the mill back up and running. 

“We have seen seven or eight mills close across New Zealand in the last 10 years, and when we started planning to reinstate the mill in 2021, structural grade timber was in short supply,” Mr Woodman says. 

“We source and use select quality New Zealand plantation grown radiata pine in our glue laminated timber beams, posts and portals and while supply is no longer an issue, our ability to mill a proportion of our own timber will have significant benefits for us and our customers.”

Mr Woodman says Prolam is known for supplying quality engineered timber solutions in fast lead times and at a competitive price. 

“The commencement of production at the mill represents a step change in our production capability and secures our control across key elements of the manufacturing process,” he adds.

“It also supports our commitment to the long-term sustainability of the New Zealand timber industry and optimising the use of timber as a renewable resource in the design and construction of residential and commercial buildings.”

Prolam employed experienced Sawmill Manager Damon Taggart to run the reinstatement programme and the mill once it was operational, and engaged New Zealand-based companies, Pacific Sawmill Engineering and Tui Technology, to assist in the planning, design and oversight of the mill’s refurbishment. 

“We have invested in new and proven milling technology to create a vertically integrated glue laminated production facility that will enable us to debark logs, mill, kiln dry and treat the timber ready for the lamination process,” says Mr Woodman.

The Prolam range of glue laminated timber products are available from timber merchants and wholesalers nationwide. The Prolam PLX20 Beam was a finalist in the 2023 New Zealand Timber Design Awards.