New Zealand’s first forestry expo event, the Fast & Forward Forestry Expo, was held in Rotorua November 18-19 with an estimated 5000 visitors.
Brought together by the Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA), CEO Prue Younger says
“International visitors came over specially to attend the event and all the feedback received from sponsors, exhibitors and guests indicates it has been a great success.”
The Fast and Forward Forestry Expo showcased the existing forestry industry and where it’s heading in the future.
Forestry contributes an annual gross income of around $6.7 billion which makes up about 1.6% of New Zealand’s GDP, according to MPI. It employs around 40,000 people in wood production, processing, and the commercial sector and wood products are New Zealand’s third-largest export earner, behind dairy and meat.
“We’re proud of where forestry has got to today with mechanisation and technology, so it’s been great to showcase that, while also looking at future development opportunities and getting the industry together for a catch up.”
“With the feedback to date, the event will definitely be scheduled again in the future in the next 2-3 years (yet to be decided). The event would be even bigger, with those realising they had missed out on the inaugural event in 2022.”
This article appeared in the New Zealand Shipping Gazette
