Tuesday 19 February 2008

Woodchip-pile-cam - 18th and 19th Feb 2008

Burnie woodchip pile, truck unloading, bulldozers behind on the pile - 18th February 2008Our forests continue to go overseas from Burnie, including whole logs. Now if Gunns manage to "replace" woodchip exports with pulp production in the Tamar Valley, how many of these woodchips will travel to Bell Bay rather than getting exported from here? Careful, it's a trick question.


Saul Eslake says in various places and forums:


Burnie woodchip pile and unprocessed logs on Burnie wharf - 19th February 2008"Tasmania's future cannot possibly lie predominantly in the volume production of essentially unprocessed commodities at lower prices than competitors with better access to; larger and cheaper resources of labour and capital, and to markets (by virtue of proximity of membership of trade blocs). But, instead depends on its capacity to produce and market highly differentiated goods and services, embodying a relatively high intellectual content, for which customers are willing to pay premium prices."


Read the Worrying Conjunction post to get some more background.

Burnie woodchip pile steaming (or smoking?) - 19th February 2008The operation at Burnie goes day and night. I noticed the woodchip pile either steaming or smoking. Must be hot in there. Maybe the two bulldozers were trying to uncover the hotspot? Wouldn't be a good look for it all to go up in smoke.

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