The NCT Story

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NCT uses the “NCT Package of Quality services” when negotiating potential supply agreements. This includes the supply of quality raw material, a quality reconciliation system, a written supplies plan which is actively managed, access to NCT’s favourable road and rail tariffs and the supply of FSC certified material where required. FSC Certification Working closely with sawlog markets, it became evident that NCT would need to examine the issue of FSC certification. Certain consumers of solid timber products, mainly in Europe, demand assurances from their suppliers that the timber which they are buying comes from well-managed forests, approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Timber which carries the FSC trademark is acceptable to a wider range of markets. When it emerged that the costs of the certification process were prohibitive to most of NCT’s members, the Co-operative decided to go the group-certification route. This allows members access to the technical skills needed to implement a forest management system acceptable to FSC, whilst sharing the costs of the expensive external auditors. In August 1999 the first farms of NCT members were approved for certification. This was a great achievement for NCT as this was the first Group Certification scheme of its kind to be established successfully in Southern Africa. It will be of great benefit to members in the future as the demand for certified solid timber increases and possibly even spreads to pulp markets. Certification provides a door to those markets which might otherwise be closed, and through its proactive approach, NCT has managed to open that door for its members.

Access to the latest technology NCT has a well-developed technology transfer programme available to its members. A Technical Forester was appointed in 1997 and his main function is to gather the latest relevant research findings from various organisations, including universities, and to pass these on to the NCT members. This includes the task of ensuring that the various research organisations to which NCT contributes, are carrying out research relevant to the members. He also manages the NCT Eucalypt clonal programme.

NCT’s Technical Forester holds regular field days to discuss the latest research findings with members to help them improve their timber farming methods.

The NCT Story

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