Established Magoebaskloof Sawmill Operation Presents Rare Acquisition Opportunity
Established Magoebaskloof Sawmill Operation Presents Rare Acquisition Opportunity A unique opportunity has become available to acquire an established and fully operational sawmilling and timber processing facility located in the heart of one of South Africa’s recognised timber-growing regions. This going concern offers an ideal opportunity for an existing sawmiller looking to expand capacity, an industry […]
Talking Timber webinar – Fire and Timber
Fire safety remains one of the most important considerations in the design and adoption of timber buildings. This webinar brings together two experts to explore the relationship between timber and fire from complementary perspectives. The first presentation examines how timber behaves in fire and the engineering principles that underpin safe structural design. The second presentation […]
Invitation to Annual General Meeting
INVITATION Sawmilling South Africa AGM | 10 June 2026 Sawmilling South Africa (SSA) invites you to attend its Annual General Meeting onWednesday, 10 June 2026 at Future Africa in Pretoria. The day will commence with a morning session hosted by the University of Pretoria inpartnership with the Embassy of Finland, titled “Doing Business with Finland”. […]
New Report: Global Softwood Timber Outlook – 1. North America
By Håkan Ekström, Global Wood Trends (Seattle, USA), and Glen O’Kelly, O’Kelly Acumen (Stockholm, Sweden) North America accounts for roughly one-third of the global softwood supply. On the surface, that scale suggests the region should play a central role in meeting future demand. But a closer look reveals a much more nuanced – and uneven […]
Steady Recovery, New Beginnings and a Look Ahead to the SSA AGM
I start this month’s newsletter on a very sad note. Our much-loved and respected colleague, Louis du Plessis, passed away on Saturday, 25th April. Louis had taken over the family business, NewSaw and grown it into a highly respected supplier of sawmilling solutions to our industry. Louis and the expertise that he brought to our industry […]
Now on YouTube | Talking Timber: Is Timber Truly Sustainable?
Missed the live session? You can now watch the Talking Timber webinar held on 12 March 2026 that explored the case for timber. Leading experts in the forestry sector, Dr David Everard and Prof Ben du Toit, present the facts about forestry and plantations in South Africa, and unpack why timber is a renewable and […]
The Logs Are Certified. Is Your Sawmill?
Why FSC Chain of Custody certification is the link that preserves value through processing. By Benjamin Rafemoyo | Market Development Officer, FSC Southern Africa If your sawmill is sourcing FSC-certified logs, you are already ahead of the game. But certified logs alone do not make a certified sawmill. South Africa already has a strong certification […]
Sawmilling In The Shadow Of The Dragon
The magnificent Drakensberg Mountain range straddles the eastern side of the southern African escarpment like a giant reclining dragon. The tail in the Eastern Cape, the body in KwaZulu-Natal also called Ukhahlamba or Barrier of Spears in Zulu, and the head 1000 kilometers away in the Limpopo Province, draws a wide divide across South Africa. […]
From Risk to Resilience: Strengthening the Timber Industry Together
It is mind-blowing that we have come to the end of March, with first quarter of 2026 behind, and for those of you with kids in school, the end of Term 1. I suppose we have had many distractions, both locally and globally, with the antics by certain presidents and the strikes on Iran. We […]
Timber Frame Wood App Workshop
Architects and building professionals are invited to attend a one-day CPD-accredited workshop on Timber Frame Design & Construction, taking place on 25 March 2026 at Stellenbosch University. Hosted by TheWoodApp in partnership with Stellenbosch University, this practical workshop will explore the principles, design considerations and construction practices involved in timber frame building systems. Participants will gain insights from leading practitioners […]
Sawmilling In The Sheltered Shades Of The Shire
Just like the peaceful and fertile vales of The Shire in JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the Shire Group calls the afro-montane forests of Amatola Mountain range home too, visitors swearing seeing hobbits! The Shire Group, headed by entrepreneur Rob Scott, is based outside Stutterheim in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Despite the […]
SASDEA Annual Conference 2026
SASDEA Annual Conference 2026 Don’t miss the South African Saw Doctors Education Association (SASDEA) conference! Traditionally, the conference has focused on specifying, maintaining, fault-finding, and repairing circular, horizontal, and framesaw blades, tooling, and knives used in sawmills and value-adding plants. Robert Welsh, SASDEA’s Chairperson, says that to ensure the content remains practical, relevant and aligned with […]
Sawmilling South Africa News Update
Sawmilling South Africa News Update With two months of 2026 having flown by, it certainly doesn’t feel like a new year with business and life back to normal. We have a busy March ahead so take note of the dates of various engagements. We are also encourage that our sawmills are reporting a positive start […]
Is Timber Truly Sustainable?
Is Timber Truly Sustainable? Join two of South Africa’s foremost experts, Dr David Everard, Chairperson of the Sustainable African Forestry Assurance Scheme, and Professor Ben du Toit, Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, for an informative discussion on the sustainability and renewability of timber.Date: Date: 12 March 2026 Time: 13:00-14:30 This webinar will explore the topic […]
South African Chemical Industry To Tackle Process Safety At Upcoming Conference
South African Chemical Industry To Tackle Process Safety At Upcoming Conference The Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association (CAIA) will host its Process Safety Conference 2026 on 4–5 March at the Business Leadership South Africa Auditorium in Sandton, bringing together industry leaders, safety professionals and academic experts to strengthen process safety practices across the sector. Deidré […]
Short Survey For Architects And Structural Engineers
Short Survey For Architects And Structural Engineers Ferdinand Hassan, a PhD Candidate at the University of Pretoria and a member of the Talking Timber working group, is conducting a research survey exploring how professionals in South Africa perceive and adopt mass timber construction. The survey seeks input from architects and structural engineers involved in building design, specification, or management. […]
Bookings are OPEN for WoodEX for Africa 2026
Bookings are OPEN for WoodEX for Africa 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa – Visitor registration is now officially open for WoodEX for Africa 2026, taking place from 9–11 June 2026 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg. WoodEX for Africa is Southern Africa’s leading trade exhibition dedicated to the woodworking, timber processing, forestry, furniture manufacturing, machinery, tools and related industries. The event brings […]
Talking Timber Survey – Awareness and Perception of Timber in the Built Environment
The Talking Timber team would appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete this brief 8-question survey on Awareness and Perception of Timber in the Built Environment. This survey focuses on how you understand or perceive timber’s sustainability and renewability. Your feedback will help guide future education and communication efforts that support informed choices […]
Showcase Your Brand Alongside the Best in the Wood Sector
Book your stand at WoodEX for Africa 2026, taking place from 9 to 11 June at Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg. As the gateway into Southern Africa’s trade and leading exhibition for the wood and woodworking industry, this event brings together the full value chain from raw materials to advanced machinery and finished products, all under […]
What Are Wood-Mizer Sawmill Blades- Crafted For Precision And Performance –
Sawmill users in more than 100 countries depend on Wood-Mizer’s wide range of blades to cut their timber. For many species of logs, specialized blades are needed for the best cutting performance. Wood-Mizer’s blade testing teams work across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas to develop and improve our selection of blade brands and profiles […]
Sawmilling South Africa News
Here we are almost at the end of another year and as this is the last newsletter for 2025, it’s time to wish you all a blessed and restful Christmas and a prosperous, “full order book” new Year. This year started off on a tough note for the industry, but it seems that there are […]
Join the Best in the Wood Industry
Join the Best in the Wood Industry Taking place from 9 –11 June 2026 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. WoodEX for Africa has, since its launch in 2012, grown into the leading trade exhibition for machinery, tools, forestry, and timber supplies across Southern Africa. With a strong and growing African visitor base, the event has […]
Executive Director’s Report / September Newsletter 2025
We are now well over the hump of 2025, with the final quarter, and the final roll towards Christmas, is upon us. Reports coming from millers in the districts is encouraging in that many of them are reporting reasonably good sales in terms of volume. However, there is still dissatisfaction around pricing. One might say […]
Executive Director’s Report / August Newsletter 2025
Sawmilling South Africa News As we roll down the hill towards the end of the year, it’s that time of the month again when we reflect on the past month and share any interesting news with you.A very encouraging observation, particularly down here in the southern Cape is the increasing number of sawn board […]
FSC project certification for the built environment
Innovative southern African architects, interior designers and engineered wood products manufacturers with project lifecycle and sustainability concerns can consider applying for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Project Certification that confirms that the forest-based materials used in a project come from verifiable FSC-certified sources. The certification lets architects, builders, contractors, artists, and others use the FSC […]
Global brands partner with FSC to engage shoppers in forest protection
Read the full August newsletter HERE Forest Week is a timely opportunity for businesses, consumers, NGOs and other organizations to come together and drive action towards choosing responsibly sourced products. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – committed to protecting the world’s forests through sustainable forestry – is holding its second annual Forest Week from 23 to […]
Webinar – 28 Sep 2023: Calculating carbon sequestration and GHG emissions using value based platform
WEBINAR 28 September 2023 10:00 – 12:00 REGISTER (Please ensure you type your email address in the registration page correctly to ensure that you received your webinar confirmation) On behalf of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa, the Sustainable African Forest Assurance Scheme (SAFAS) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, we invite […]
Talking Timber Series Webinar – Sustainability of Timber in the Built Environment
There is a unique climate case for wood as it is deemed the only structural material that can naturally and significantly decarbonise our planet, both through the growing of trees (which sequester carbon dioxide and release oxygen) and by harvesting them at the right time, which locks up the carbon in sustainable quantities for many […]
Talking Timber Series Webinar – Timber & Fire
Register for the next webinar in the Talking Timber series on Thursday 27 October covering “Timber Buildings and Fire”. We will be joined by two experts on the interaction of timber and fire, and on designing timber structures for fire safety: – Professor Richard Walls from Stellenbosch University Fire Engineering Research Unit and – Dirk […]