Forests to take axe to support services

By DITA DE BONI

Fletcher Forests says it will make an unspecified number of its support services staff redundant in the next few months.

Some staff from the human resources, financial and IT divisions have already received redundancy notices that will take effect from the end of February, but Forests would not specify the final number as the process is not yet complete.

It is understood that 200 people are employed in the services under review, mostly in Auckland.

Forests' mills and processing divisions will not be affected.

Spokeswoman Jacqui Millar said yesterday that the redundancies were part of a savings programme the company had undertaken to skim $15 million off operations in the next 18 months.

"The review process is part of the company's move to change direction, not just to [make Forests] a stand-alone company but starting up the Rubicon bio-technology [operation] as well.

"We need to look at all the areas that support the business."

Ms Millar could not say if any of the redundant staff would be re-employed at Rubicon.