CHH and Rubicon form biotech joint venture

Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) and Rubicon have merged their forest biotechnology and propagation operations into a new venture -- Horizon2.

CHH chief operating officer Devon McLean said the partnership would develop superior radiata pine trees. Cloning and propagation technology will be used to improve growth rates and wood quality.

In its first year, Horizon2 projects sales of 19 million treestocks, mainly radiata pine. Of this 2.7 million trees, or nearly 16 per cent, will be clonal.

Horizon2 will be structured as a 50:50 partnership, headquartered at Te Teko in the Bay of Plenty.

The partnership will run nursery facilities in Kaikohe, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Te Teko (20km from Whakatane) and Nelson as well as a site in Colac, in Victoria, Australia.

Horizon2 has several thousand Radiata genotypes in trials across New Zealand, Australia and Chile that will constitute the future clonal product portfolio.

Horizon2 already has a research contract with US-based forestry biotechnology company ArborGen, which it is currently working with to help improve the pulping characteristics of Eucalypts destined for the Brazilian market.

- NZPA