The structure of the pulp and paper industry in New Zealand

Abstract

Everett Hagen, introducing his "Handbook for Industry Studies" wrote: "The term 'industry study' refers to a study of some aspect or aspects of the development, structure and operation of an industry. An industry, as the word is used here, is any major branch of human productive effort. "The basic reason for making industry studies is to gain increased understanding of how an economic system operates and, especially, how it is developing. We wish to understand, for example, the forces which cause a given industry to develop fast and efficiently, or slowly;...." Everett E. Hagen, Handbook for Industry Studies, (1958) p. 1. To make this kind of study it is necessary to gather together in one place and put into order the widely scattered facts, figures, references and other data about the particular industry concerned. This has not previously been done for pulp and paper in New Zealand, partly, perhaps, because the growth of production to its present scale has been quite recent. From 1939 until 1953 the industry was stagnant with four machines operating, but in 1953 it began to expand rapidly. Now, at the beginning of 1965, there are eleven machines operating and by the end of 1965 two more machines will have been commissioned. At that stage, production capacity will be about 380,000 tons; it was 23,000 tons in 1953. The value of the industry's output at mill door in 1964 approached £30 million. Information and figures provided by the companies. Value of output is in March years except in Tasman's case which is an October year.