Gunns

Gunns Limited is a major forestry enterprise located in Tasmania, Australia. It has operations in forest management, woodchipping, sawmilling and veneer production. The company was placed in voluntary administration in September 2012.

History

Founded in 1875 by brothers John and Thomas Gunn, it is one of Australia's oldest companies. It has over 900 square kilometres of plantations, mainly eucalyptus trees. It is Tasmania’s largest private land-owner. The company employs over 1,200 people and has suffered a dramatic turnaround in revenue in recent years, going from a turnover in excess of A$600 million in 2006, to a loss of over $350 million in 2011. Gunns is the largest export woodchip operation in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of two chip export companies sourcing raw materials from Tasmanian forests, the other being Neville Smith Forest Products through their SmartFiber branch in Bell Bay.

Operations

The move to expand its base into mainland operation began with the acquisition of Auspine in 2007. In September 2010, Gunns announced that it will end logging of old growth forests and move to plantation timber. In November 2011, the Gunns Mitre 10 stores were re-branded as Beck's Home Timber and Hardware, owned by the Danks Brothers Hardware Group, subsidiary of Woolworths Limited.