We live here too

Our Process

Bunbury Fibre Exports (BFE) harvests Bluegum plantations and products in the form of debarked logs and unscreened infield chip (IFC) and these products are transported to the BFE Port chipping facility. At the BFE facility the logs and IFC are processed into chip for the international Pulp and Paper market. The woodchips are stockpiled and ultimately exported through the Bunbury Port.

BFE complies with a number of required formal procedures over the plantation rotation. These include compliance to relevant Codes of Practice, obtaining development approvals from shires, adherence to DFES fire protection requirements and obtaining necessary transport permits as part of harvesting operations.

Plantations are generally harvested after approximately 10 years.

Our Region

Whilst the BFE office is located at the Bunbury Port, personnel are regularly monitoring all harvesting operations across all regions. Additionally BFE maintains a number of regionally based individuals and contractor companies that provide services and equipment.

BFE ensures that its personnel and regional contractors are fully trained in fire-fighting and provide quality fire equipment.

In association with a range of management activities, BFE personnel maintain regular contact with a range of community stakeholders. Examples include landowners, land neighbours, Shires, Main Roads Department, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Department of Water, Western Power, schools, school-bus drivers, Bush Fire Brigades, special interest groups (e.g. road studies), Bunbury Port Users and Southern Ports Authority Port of Bunbury.

Our Environment

BFE is committed to manage all of its operations with sensitivity to environmental protection whilst sustaining its production activities. Operations will be designed, planned and managed through recognized standards and systems with an over-riding objective of minimising on and off-site environmental impacts.

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC ®) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification™  (PEFC™) Chain of Custody (COC) Principles and Criteria provides an objective basis of assessing quality based management applied across land and plantations, incorporating sound environmental practices, taking into account conservation, social, cultural and economic values.

BFE has developed a range of policies that cross all operational areas. These policies include:

  • Due Diligence system
  • Operational standards
  • Environmental intentions
  • Provision for safe work working conditions
  • Procedures for consultation
  • Community relationships and respecting indigenous and cultural sites
  • Operational planning.

Integral to the commitment to the FSC and PEFC Principles, BFE will maintain a strict application of product chain of custody for all products from all ownership sources. This is achieved from a thorough evaluation of the ownership and history of the timber, complimented by a secure delivery record system linking timber source and exported products.

The maintenance of this system permits BFE to apply,

  • FSC trademark label "Mix" certification to exported products, and
  • PEFC trademark label "100% PEFC Certified" certification to exported products.

This incorporates the following elements:

  • Maintaining key procedural documents
  • Implementing operational monitoring and auditing
  • Adoption of a continuous improvement philosophy
  • Use of risk and incident management
  • Procedures for responding to grievances and complaints

Our Industry

BFE is a committed player in the plantation sector of the forestry industry. BFE contributes to the industry through participation in a range of national and state memberships. These include the Forest Industries Federation, Bunbury Port Users Group, Bunbury Port Community Liaison Group, Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA).

Encompassing state, national and international objectives and principles BFE over-arching directions are clearly sign-posted through its Mission and Vision statements.

Processing

The BFE woodchip mill is located on 7ha of land at Berth 8 in the Port of Bunbury. The woodchip mill has two lines:

1. Log line - where debarked bluegum logs are chipped via an 84 inch Fulghum Chipper, screened and stockpiled.

2. Unscreened infield chip receival and processing line - where unscreened chip from forest based mobile chipper is processed through a screen and re-chipped and stockpiled.

Export Operations

The BFE stockpile is linked by conveyor to the Berth 8 shiploading system. The stockpile has a capacity to store up to 100,000 tonnes of woodchip.

Port of Bunbury

The Port of Bunbury is 14 days sailing time from Japan, China & India. This means that BFE enjoys a shipping distance advantage over other Australian Ports.