6 As we enter the recovery phase after the devastating fire which started end September 2023, there are arguably more questions than answers currently. NCT is nevertheless intent on sharing whatever information becomes available in the cooperative spirit that is so engendered into the NCT collective psyche. This article takes on a question-and-answer format with the intent of regular repeats into the future as the rebuild progresses. What are NCT’s priority focus points immediately after the fire? • Completion of the insurance claim which could take up to six weeks. • Engagement with project engineers to start prioritising how and what we start building and repairing first. • Commence work on trying to get a lowvolume temporary chipping operation going in Richards Bay hopefully within six months. • Attend to and close out the unintended environmental consequences of the fire caused ostensibly by the fire water run-off. • Meet with local and export customers to plot a way forward to mitigate the interruptions in supply. • Determine how to squeeze a few more vessels into NCT Durban Wood Chips. • Carefully assess and determine how to best mitigate the impact on the livelihoods of our members and suppliers reliant on timber trade with NCT. • Assess the capacity of domestic markets to take up some of the volume not flowing into NCT Richards Bay. • Determine how NCT Tree Farming contributes to the solutions and how to manage contractors as well. • Apply prudence in all spending knowing that our cash flow situation is going to be challenging. What are we expecting to have to contend with going forward? • A detailed assessment of what is salvageable / repairable at the complex. As far as we can ascertain at this stage, a good deal of the existing key infrastructure can be repaired and incorporated into the rebuild. • A period during which alternative special and pulp markets, north to south migration of member pulpwood, and somewhat restricted allocations will become the new norm. • Collaboration with key industry players to protect and preserve the wattle-bark industry which underpins a significant portion of annual wattle timber supply. This is paramount towards protecting the inherent value and ongoing global market demand for wattle and which contributes the lion’s share of NCT – Rob Thompson – Member Services Manager –
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