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	Midway is a leading company in the Australian forestry sector, primarily involved in the production and export of high quality wood fibre to producers of pulp, paper and associated products in China and Japan. The woodchips are largely produced from Plantation hardwood (Eucalyptus sp.) which represents approximately 90% of Midway’s export sales, with the balance comprising chips produced from plantation softwood logs, softwood sawmill residues, and hardwood timber residues generated from the harvest of sawlogs from hardwood native forests. Founded in 1980, Midway wholly owns strategic processing and export facilities in Geelong and is the majority shareholder and manager of strategic processing and export facilities in Portland and Brisbane. Midway’s three processing facilities have a combined processing capacity of approximately 4.0 million GMT per annum. In 2015 Midway produced 2.9 million GMT of woodchips, being more than any other Australian operator, which accounted for an estimated 7% of the 2015 volume of Asian hardwood woodchip imports. In addition to management of plantation assets owned by investment schemes, Midway owns 16,000ha of freehold plantation land of which 10,000ha contains plantation assets owned by a third party and managed by Midway. These plantation assets contribute to the secured substantial future supply of approximately 13 million tonnes through to 2026.
	Softwood Plantation Exporters (SPE) is a dynamic joint venture operation between AKD Softwoods (AKD) sawmilling company and Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) a plantation owner and manager. Established in 1996 to export softwood (pine) woodchips, from sawmill and forest residues to the Japanese pulp and paper market. SPE produces high quality woodchips on a sustainable basis, maximising the return for the joint venture partners. The company is continuing to experience strong growth exporting its entire production capacity having implemented a diversification strategy which ensures longevity and avoids reliance on a single market and single industry. SPE operates from a mill located adjacent to storage and loading facilities at the Port of Geelong which delivers efficient, low cost, high quality product on a consistent basis throughout the year. A strong customer focus means SPE adapts the finished goods to meet customer’s requirements, employing quality physical and human resources, SPE is able to meet the many challenges of the export environment. SPE continues to investigate new and emerging markets to stay ahead of ever changing export opportunities. Maintaining direct communications with existing and potential customers keeps SPE in forefront of user’s minds when they are seeking reliable and efficient suppliers of woodchips.
	AKD Softwoods is a 100% Australian owned and operated vertically integrated forestry and timber processing company based in the South Western Districts of Victoria. AKD is the largest sawmilling company in Victoria, and the second largest Australian owned sawmilling company in the country. AKD is distinctive amongst its key competitors for its reputation as a high quality producer, its exceptional customer service and its vertically integrated operations which comprise: -Two sawmills processing approximately 700,000m3 of sawlog per annum -Three post and pole facilities producing in excess of 60,000m3 of product -Approximately 8,000 hectares of radiata pine plantations located in Victoria and South Australia. -A softwood chip export operation -Two log export locations -A remanufacturing business -Truck Fleet, delivering direct to market. Building an excellent reputation on its quality, service and flexibility, AKD has a wide range of products, and an end to end planning process that enables products to be made to order and dispatched on its own truck fleet, to customers across Australia. The company’s primary manufacturing site is in Colac. As a regional employer, AKD plays an active part in supporting a variety of local community activities and sees its 420+ employees as the vital ingredient in its past and future success. AKD has invested and sustained its business, by building a stable foundation. This solid foundation includes stable ownership, long term customer relationships, long term log contracts, its own plantations and multiple state of the art processing facilities. These foundations are constantly being enhanced by continual reinvestment in the business, plant expansions, plantation growth, employee development and the latest processing, automation, scanning and optimisation technology to ensure AKD is internationally competitive & continuously improving. AKD is proud of its 60 year history in the Colac-Otway region, having retained its headquarters at the site on which it was founded in 1955.
	The Geelong Harbor Trust was formed in December 1905. In 1981, the trust was reconsitituted as the Port of Geelong Authority. Privatised in 1996, GeelongPort is owned by SAS Trustee Corporation (STC) and Brookfield’s LINX Cargo Care Group with 50% ownership by each party at a unit trust and operator level. Located in Corio Bay, Victoria, GeelongPort is located 75 kilometres by road southwest of Melbourne and comprises 15 berths across two primary precincts, Corio Quay and Lascelles. As the second largest port in Victoria, GeelongPort handles more than 10.5 million tonnes of product annually across a broad range of industry segments, including crude oil, wood-chip, fertiliser and break bulk cargo. GeelongPort is a major driver of Victoria’s economy, managing in excess of $7 billion of trade and generating more than 1,800 jobs across the state via 600 vessel visits each year. Major port customers include Midway Limited, Viva Energy Australia, Incitec Pivot Limited, Boral Limited and Terminals Pty Ltd.