Linking iIndependent Timber Growers To Markets
NCT Forestry (NCT) is a timber co-operative catering to the marketing needs of private and independent timber growers. It is recognised as an international supplier of quality round wood timber, hardwood pulpwood chips and is the largest forestry marketing organisation in southern Africa.
As a co-operative (contrary to corporate type principles), its members share in profits and own NCT. Membership of 1 800 shareholding members (made up of large commercial operations and smallscale timber growers), represent a total area of over 20% of afforested land in South Africa.
Area of operation
NCT’s core area of management and operation covers the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Demand for NCT’s service, however, has resulted in its sphere of influence extending to the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Swaziland.
Services offered to members
Tree farming
Manage plantations on behalf of landowners and NCTowned farms.
Marketing
Develop and source new pulpwood and round wood timber markets (domestic and international) for members.
Logistics
Negotiate the best road and rail contracts on behalf of members and stockpile round wood timber at strategically located depots.
Harvesting
Advise on best harvesting methods and the appointment of harvesting contractors.
Silviculture
Advise on best operating practices and the best species to plant dictated by site and market requirements.
Markets
Pulpwood
Hardwood timber destined for pulpwood is NCT’s predominant product, sold into various wood chipping plants. In some instances, NCT also markets timber to local corporate pulp and paper markets.
Wood chips
NCT supplies timber into its three wood chipping facilities that export their product to south-east Asia and India. Two mills are located in Richards Bay and one in Durban. The mills are wholly-owned by NCT and place a significant portion of South African timber resources in an excellent position to access overseas markets. This, in turn, contributes to better pricing and financial returns for the private South African timber grower.
Biofuel
NCT has limited access to international biofuel markets.
Non-pulpwood
NCT offers its members the opportunity to trade their non-pulp round log timber into a host of financially secure non-pulp market options - saw timber, treated poles, mining timber, charcoal markets. Its network of registered non-pulp round log markets covers the three main timber-growing areas in South Africa: Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Certification
Forest certification
NCT has been FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certified as a group manager since 1999. 37% of timber marketed by NCT is sourced from FSC-certified plantations. The remaining 63% is obtained from sources that comply with the FSC controlled wood requirements. The complexity and costs of managing plantations under the FSC system precludes many smaller operations from achieving certification. To address this issue, NCT has been active in developing an alternate certification system, SA Forestry Assurance Scheme (SAFAS). This scheme has been internationally endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and will be available to members soon.
Quality management certification
NCT obtained ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certification in 2001 & holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management systems at its head office.