Forestry investors will be aware of New Zealand’s world wide reputation for the extra-ordinary growth rates of its forests.

The New Zealand forestry and wood products industries have built on this base and developed a sophisticated infrastructure for timber products within New Zealand and for export.

Our Experience and Approach

Simpson Grierson has been involved in the forestry sector for more than two decades. We have acted for a variety of clients from US based Timber Investment Management Organisations ("TIMOs") to large locally owned enterprises and Maori Organisations spanning the whole spectrum of planting, harvesting, processing and exporting.

Andrew Caddie, one of Simpson's Grierson's forestry experts, is Chairman of the Auckland Section Institute of Forestry (ASIF).  Andrew also regularly writes for the New Zealand Journal of Forestry.  Some of his articles include:

• "Liability for forestry consultants - some suggested responses" - click here to view
  
  
• "The Treaty of Waitangi - a Forestry Overview" - click here to view

TIMOs & Overseas Investors

We have advised Soper-Wheeler, Blakely Pacific, UBS Timber Investors and Weyerheuser on aspects ranging from acquisitions of forestry assets to ongoing operational advice to tax effective structuring.

We have also been involved in significant transactions, including:

• Advised UBS Timber Investors on the purchase of a major share in the Rayonier Forests in the Central and Southern North Island, approx value NZD200 million.
  
  
• Advised UBS Timber Investors on their purchase from Fletcher Challenge Forests of 9029 hectares via cutting rights for USD65 million (this represented 8.2 per cent of FCF's planted forest estate at the time).
  
  
• Advised UBS Timber Investors on its acquisition of Shell's 50 per cent interest in the Mangakahia forest joint venture in Northland.
  
  
• Assisted Blakely Pacific in their purchase of Ngai Tahu's South Island forests, approx value NZD40 million.
  
  
• Acted for Weyerhauser in their bid for the Crown Forest Licences, making up the Central North Island forest estate.
  
  
• Advised Soper Wheeler on setting up business in New Zealand and on the acquisition of certain South Island forests.

New Zealand

Simpson Grierson acted for The Campbell Group in its bid to secure all of the forest assets of Fletcher Challenge Forests ("FCF").

Simpson Grierson was also involved in significant transactions representing FCF, including:

• We were involved in negotiating the form of Crown forestry licences in the late 1980s and acted for Tasman Forestry (now Fletcher Challenge Forests) in the purchase of the Nelson forests from the Crown in 1989.
  
  
• Advised FCF on its internal restructuring with a view to the proposed buy-in by SEAWI and general stock exchange compliance.
  
  
• Advised FCF on the long-term sales contracts with the Central North Island Forests Partnership. We were principally involved in negotiating and drafting the Implementation Agreement, which put into effect the settlement of the long-running (10 years) dispute between Fletcher Challenge, the Forestry Corporation and the Crown over the Kaingaroa Forest, the largest man-made forest in the Southern Hemisphere.
  
  
• We were responsible for helping to co-ordinate the Fletcher Challenge position on sawlog and pulpwood pricing prior to the 1993 arbitration with the Forestry Corporation.

We acted on the sale of forestry/biotechnology assets to Rubicon.