Whakatāne welcomed visitors from around the world this week as WML Paperboard hosted international customers for a four-day “Tree to Board” experience showcasing the region’s forestry, manufacturing and export industries.

From March 17–20, converters and packaging industry partners from global markets travelled to the Eastern Bay of Plenty to see firsthand how sustainably grown New Zealand fibre becomes high-quality packaging materials exported worldwide.

The event chaperoned guests from Asia, India, the United States and Australia through the full journey of WML’s paperboard production – from forest to port – beginning with a visit to Kaingaroa’s forestry and nursery operations before returning to Whakatāne to tour the company’s paperboard mill, and ending with a firsthand experience of the C3 logistics operation that prepares the product for international export.

Highlights of the visit included travelling through key regional infrastructure such as the Matahina Hydroelectric Dam, Oji Fibre Solutions’ pulp mill in Kawerau, and the geothermal energy operations that support the region’s industrial sector. The journey concluded at the Port of Tauranga, where guests saw how finished WML paperboard is prepared for export to global markets.

Along the way, visitors gained insight into the interconnected forestry, energy and logistics systems that enable the sustainable production and export of WML’s paperboard products.

WML Paperboard chief executive Ron Hooper said the visit highlighted both the strength of the local forestry sector and the important role the Whakatāne mill played in the global packaging supply chain.

“Many of our customers operate internationally and supply packaging to some of the world’s most recognisable brands. Bringing them here allows them to see the full story behind our product – from sustainably managed forests to manufacturing and export.”

The event also marks two important milestones for WML – five years under new ownership and 40 years of the Formakote paperboard brand.

Alongside business sessions and mill tours, guests will also experience local hospitality with visits to Whakatāne, Ōhope, Awakeri, Rotorua and Mount Maunganui.

“We’re proud to host our customers here in Whakatāne. It’s an opportunity not only to showcase our mill and our industry, but also the people, landscapes and communities that make this region such a special place.”

The visit highlights the global reach of the Whakatāne mill, which exports folding boxboard used in packaging for food, beverages, personal care products and other consumer goods.

By bringing international customers to the Eastern Bay of Plenty, WML Paperboard hopes to strengthen long-term partnerships while also supporting the local tourism and hospitality sector.