Nursery, tree research businesses grafted

By PAM GRAHAM

Carter Holt Harvey and Rubicon are combining their nursery and tree research businesses into a joint venture called Horizon2.

The combined Trees & Technology and CHH Forest Genetics business will enjoy savings from synergies and have Carter Holt, the country's largest forest owner, as a customer

The venture will be run by Trees & Technology's Andrew Rodwell from a Te Teko head office. Rodwell said job losses were likely.

Trees & Technology, the former Fletcher Challenge tree technology business, employed about 50 people and the CHH business employed about 25.

The combined business aims to sell 19 million plants a year in a domestic market of 50 million plants. Rubicon, Carter Holt's parent International Paper and MeadWestvaco are partners in genetics business ArborGen and Trees & Technology provides services to ArborGen.

The businesses being combined identify trees with desirable properties and rapidly propagate identical copies.

Carter Holt has also sold its Woodmetrics business in a management buyout. The business helps private forest owners sell standing trees and it handled about 200,000 tonnes of wood last year.

Its three managers are Phillip Elworthy, Peter Harrington and Ian Bell.