Mobile Menu

Wood Chipping in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Kathrina Gonzales Kathrina Gonzales Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: December 2024 ANZSIC C1412NZ

Revenue

$114.7m

2024-25

$114.7m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xm

Employees

168

Businesses

9

Wages

$X.Xm

Wood Chipping in New Zealand industry analysis

The Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand heavily depends on exporting woodchips, with more than two-third of its revenue generated from international markets. Japanese paper manufacturers are an especially important market for woodchippers, as Japan is one of the world's largest paper producers. Factors like production, prices and demand influence the industry, resulting in high revenue volatility. The industry has faced challenges in recent years, with weaker overall demand causing a drop in woodchip production and export demand. Domestic paper manufacturing activity is low, and most local paper-producing companies use domestic woodchips and recycled materials in their paper and cardboard production processes. Industry revenue is expected to have contracted at an annualised 1.2% over the five years through 2024-25, to $114.7 million. This includes an anticipated 1.3% drop in 2024-25 as the industry struggles with rising timber prices and declining output.

Trends and Insights

  • The industry is predominantly export-driven, with Japan serving as its primary market and accounting for a substantial revenue share. However, rising domestic timber prices and declining output have posed challenges, resulting in decreased enterprise numbers and a dip in profitability.
  • The hardwood woodchips segment has grown because of rising export prices and demand from major markets, while softwood woodchips face a decline from maturing production challenges. Also, an increased focus on efficiency and sustainability has driven demand for consulting services.
  • Locating wood chipping operations near major ports in Canterbury, Northland and Waikato supports cost-efficient exports, while proximity to forest plantations provides a stable raw material supply. This strategic placement streamlines supply chain management, enhancing production efficiency and profitability.
  • Competition within the industry is limited and primarily focuses on product quality, as most manufacturers concentrate on exporting woodchips. Price-based competition is minimal, prompting manufacturers to optimise their cost structures while maintaining high-quality woodchips to meet market demand.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
  • PDF report or online database with Word, Excel and PowerPoint export options
  • 100% money back guarantee

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $114.7m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Japan's strong demand and ownership interests significantly enhance the industry's performance

  • Given New Zealand’s small domestic paper manufacturing operations, the industry relies heavily on exports, which are expected to account for 69.7% of industry revenue in 2024-25.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Wood Chipping in New Zealand
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Exports are projected to decline, prompting industry shifts amid digital advancements and tightening regulations

  • Although exports will remain high in the coming years, demand from major markets like Japan is projected to decline, contributing to forecast revenue drops.

Biggest companies in the Wood Chipping in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
SPFL
36.8
Pan Pac
32.8

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Wood Chipping in New Zealand
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Hardwood woodchips, Softwood woodchips and Consulting services. Hardwood woodchips is the largest segment of the Wood Chipping in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Strong pricing growth has boosted export prices for domestically produced hardwood woodchips

  • Demand for hardwood woodchips has increased, particularly from major paper manufacturing markets like Japan.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Manufacturers predominantly produce and export hardwood and softwood woodchips, primarily to Japanese paper manufacturers, while also supplying a smaller domestic market, mainly from logging and sawmilling residues.

What's included in this industry?

Hardwood woodchipsSoftwood woodchipsConsulting services

Companies

SPFLPan Pac

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

SOFTWOODHARDWOODMEDIUM-DENSITY FIBREBOARD (MDF)

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 1412 - Wood Chipping in New Zealand

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The industry is predominantly export-driven, with Japan serving as its primary market and accounting for a substantial revenue share. However, rising domestic timber prices a...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The hardwood woodchips segment has grown because of rising export prices and demand from major markets, while softwood woodchips face a decline from maturing production challe...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Locating wood chipping operations near major ports in Canterbury, Northland and Waikato supports cost-efficient exports, while proximity to forest plantations provides a stabl...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Competition within the industry is limited and primarily focuses on product quality, as most manufacturers concentrate on exporting woodchips. Price-based competition is mini...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Foreign ownership and management play a significant role in wood chipping manufacturers’ performance. Companies like Southland Plantation Forest Company and Southwood Export ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of SPFL's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Pan Pac's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for SPFL, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Pan Pac, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry is heavily regulated because of the amended Forests Act 1949, which shifted production to plantation forests and prohibited indigenous timber exports. The Resour...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Manufacturers display similar cost structures because wood chipping operations are largely homogenous. However, larger manufacturers tend to have greater economies of scale, ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand in 2024?

The market size of the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand is $114.7m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Wood Chipping in New Zealand industry in 2024?

There are 9 businesses in the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand, which has declined at a CAGR of 9.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Wood Chipping market in New Zealand?

The biggest companies operating in the Wood Chipping market in New Zealand are SPFL and Pan Pac

What does the Wood Chipping in New Zealand include?

Hardwood woodchips and Softwood woodchips are part of the Wood Chipping industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Wood Chipping in New Zealand?

The company holding the most market share in New Zealand is SPFL.

How competitive is the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Wood Chipping industry in New Zealand.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

View all industries in New Zealand

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in New Zealand include:

  • Statistics New Zealand
  • New Zealand Company Register
  • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.