Carter Holt Harvey wood plant closure plan puts 119 Tokoroa jobs at risk

Tokoroa is bracing for another round of heavy job losses. Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) has entered a consultation process that could see its plywood plant shut down, putting up to 119 full-time roles on the line. The company is considering shifting to imported plywood, arguing it can source the product overseas for around 60 percent of the cost of local manufacturing.

For the workers, many of whom have built their livelihoods around the plant for decades, the announcement has landed like a hammer blow. Union spokesperson Red Middlemiss, who has represented the plywood workforce for more than 20 years, fears the decision has already been made. “It feels like a box-ticking exercise,” he said, pointing to the rising costs of power and raw materials, but also CHH’s failure to diversify operations that might have secured Tokoroa’s industrial future.

This is not the first such setback for the region. Just months ago, OJI Fibre Solutions shut down its Kinleith paper-making machine, cutting 130 jobs and stripping away another layer of Tokoroa’s economic backbone. The plywood plant, like the timber industry more broadly, has been more than just an employer; it has shaped the community’s identity for generations.

Mayor Gary Petley says the news hit hard. For many in the South Waikato region, the plywood plant has meant more than a job—it’s been part of identity, security, community. “This doesn’t help us one little bit,” he said.

The consultation is set to run for two weeks, with redundancies likely from November if closure is confirmed.