1948

Progress Valley harvesting Rimu for Niagara Sawmill, 1948.

1967

Kennington Sawmill, 1967 (Mill constructed in 1966). This original headrig is still in use today.

1975

Niagara International log loader, Pebbly Hills Forest.

1950

Native beam being delivered to Mokoreta Sawmill by Southern Transport.

1945

International truck carting native timber.

1930

New Zealand native log, Southland.

1997

Kiln fire, replaced with Windsor batch kilns.

2010

Niagara Kennington site.
Niagara Sawmill Logo
Timeline

Our History

For 90 years, Niagara Sawmilling has been instrumental in shaping the New Zealand timber industry through bold innovations.

Beginnings
Niagara Sawmilling Company Ltd is established in the small Southland settlement of Niagara.
Progress Valley harvesting Rimu for Niagara Sawmill. Rail tractor.
1935
1954
Ownership
Richardson family purchase whole ownership of Niagara and begins to consolidate three sawmills to one site.
New Foundations
Niagara builds a new sawmill on its present site at Kennington, seven kilometres east of Invercargill.
Kennington Sawmill, 1967 (Mill constructed in 1966).
This original headrig is still in use today.
1966
1980
Development
Plant and production continue to grow with sales extending into international markets.
Expansion
Mill expansion which increased cutting capacity from 33m³/day to 33m³/hour.
2002
2005
Expansion
Niagara purchases Pacific Timber, a remanufacturing plant located in Ashburton to operate as a central South Island site.
Aerial view of the Niagara Kennington site, 2010.
2010
2011
Product Diversity
Niagara releases the new Envira Weatherboard System offering three styles of weatherboards and a fully specified component system.
New McDonough twin horizontal saw installed allowing significant lift in ability to cut 25mm efficiently.
2015
2018
Remanufacturing Expansion
Niagara commence stage 1 of a remanufacturing upgrade, installing 3 cutlines and 2 finger jointers.
Nationwide
Niagara purchases Jointwood Products in Cambridge as their North Island production and distribution base.
Remanufacturing Expansion
3 moulders, 2 paint lines and 1 packaging line set up at the Kennington site.
2019
2020
Expansion
Niagara purchases Craigpine Timber in Winton as a secondary sawmilling site.

Stage 2 of the remanufacturing upgrade is completed with third finger jointer and fourth cutline installed.
Craigpine sawmill at Winton, Southland.
Installation of a new USNR scanning system at the Kennington sawmill.
2021
2023
Expansion
Niagara builds a new wood pellet plant.
Upgrade
Kiln complex upgraded, and a second boiler installed.
Niagara kiln complex at the Kennington Site.
Aerial view of the Niagara Kennington site, 2024.
2024
2025
Remanufacturing Expansion
A new shed is being constructed to support the ongoing expansion of remanufacturing operations at the Kennington site.