Through our forest service companies, Mercer Holz in Europe, Mercer Forestry Services in BC, and Peace River Logging in Alberta, we offer the experience, technology, and expertise to help our partners manage their forest harvesting activities. We can assist forest owners in the planning and executing of harvests. With our experience and drive towards full forest utilization, we support development activities that optimize value and sustainability.
Our Operations
In central Europe, Mercer Holz is one of the largest buyers of wood. We operate our own harvesting crews and a truck fleet to provide exceptional service for our partners. We have also invested extensively in rail infrastructure and today we own over 300 custom-built log transport railcars. In addition to dedicated railcars, we have exclusive rights to railway sidings throughout Europe, as well as Baltic Sea ports to help secure long-term supply to not only our production facilities but also to other users of wood in our region as well.
In British Columbia, we operate harvesting and trucking equipment to partner with our sawmilling neighbours to provide an efficient, sustainable raw material supply.
In Alberta, we are proud of the Peace River Logging Limited Partnership, a joint venture with a local First Nation currently harvesting 30% of the Peace River Pulp mill’s fibre supply. Our forest management team in Alberta manages an area of approximately 2.7 million hectares utilizing modern ecosystem-based management emulating natural disturbances (EMEND).
We are professional forest managers with a deep understanding and respect for modern forest management techniques and are comfortable working with some of the most restrictive environmental protection laws in the world.
All of our wood procurement teams employ chain of custody certification to ensure our wood sources come from sustainably managed forests.
Wood and Fibre Procurement Policy
We transport our NBSK and NBHK pulp and NBSK lumber by road, rail, and ocean through third-party carriers. We own and operate a fleet of trucks in Germany that we utilize for many of our deliveries. Our German pulp mills are currently the only market kraft pulp producers in Germany, the largest import market for kraft pulp in Europe. Our western Canadian locations, with excellent access to multiple rail lines to the Port of Vancouver, leave our mills well-positioned to service global customers. In addition to overseas deliveries, we service U.S. customers by rail, leveraging a series of third-party warehouses in the United States to provide just-in-time service.
We also have efficient logistics channels for our lumber products from our Friesau sawmill, Mercer Timber Products. We utilize our own fleet of trucks, in addition to third-party services to service our European customers. In addition, we ship to North America and Asia by break-bulk or container ocean carriers from a dedicated port on the north coast of Germany; a port we access by rail, using our own trains.
Logistic Services
In 2004, the Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) joined Mercer Peace River (then known as DMI) to provide safe, efficient, low maintenance harvesting and chipping operations through a joint-venture partnership named Peace River Logging Limited Partnership. This successful partnership includes harvesting, loading, road maintenance & construction, and pulp mill landfill & yard maintenance operations throughout NW Alberta, employing approximately 60 local people.