Rotorua-based Tachikawa Forest Products (NZ) Ltd is a joint venture between Japanese companies Tachikawa Forest Products Ltd, a major sawmill specializing in Douglas Fir and Radiata Pine processing, and Sojitz Corporation, one of Japan's big diversified trading companies. Both joint venture partners have a long history of trading links with New Zealand and set up their operation here in 1989.

Total investment so far of NZ$40 million has seen the construction of two sawmills and kiln-drying facilities. A staff of 245 (including 8 Japanese) are employed by the venture and annual output of green and kiln-dried lumber products, is 220,000 cubic meters.

Tachikawa focuses on the Pacific Rim for log supply, and its assessment of the pressure being placed on traditional purchasing sources, including indigenous forests, prompted its decision to establish a processing operation close to New Zealand's sustainably managed Radiata Pine resource.

The joint venture sources raw material logs from a number of forest owners in the central North Island region, and sells its products either in a form of green or dried lumber to Japan (36%), NZ domestic market (20%) and the balance to other countries such as Taiwan, Philippines, USA, Hongkong, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Middle East.