Science Platforms for the Future
Solutions delivered through world leading science
Ensis is committed to making a significant difference to the forest industries. By working with industry, government and communities both in Australia and New Zealand, Ensis will harness these partnerships to deliver superior science and technology, surpassing industry needs.
Ensis has identified eight emerging science outcome areas key to benefiting industry:
Value scenarios
Developing a value-chain model for the forest industry to guide Ensis work to areas that have maximum impact on industry competitiveness.
Ensis works across a $40 billion p.a. turnover value chain and has identified $3 billion p.a. in potential benefits from research across the value chain, including environmental benefits and risk management.
Forest Benefits
Developing the means to value, capture and enhance the benefits of existing and new forests.
The carbon dioxide value of forests alone may potentially be worth >$300 million p.a. to forest growers. Ensis will determine the future impacts of climate change on the forest industry and deliver tools and products to allow stakeholders to capture both the quantifiable and non-quantifiable benefits of forests.
Precision Forestry
Improving current forest management, harvesting and logistics.
Forests are complex natural systems for producing industrial materials and there is a >$300 million p.a. potential benefit from improving trees and tree growing and getting the right trees to the right place at the right time.
Risk Management
Developing an integrated risk management approach to forest industries, particularly targeting new forest owners.
It is estimated $600 million worth of damage to forests from abiotic and biotic risks could be prevented every year, in addition lives are saved by Ensis bushfire work. Integrating Ensis risk work will provide products for forest owners, growers and processors to protect against future impacts and improve asset values.
Process and Product Innovation
Developing new and improved higher value products and processes for the forest industry.
New products, supply chain efficiencies and process improvement could net the industry an estimated $1.6 billion per annum. These returns can be realised by linking germplasm development and silviculture practice to end product quality, moving forest industries into advanced manufacturing techniques and exploiting nano- and biotechnology approaches to new products.
Future bioproducts from forest resources
Positioning the forest industry as a leader in the carbohydrate economy through biofibres, biorefinery and advanced material approaches.
The future of the forest industry is in producing renewable bioproducts and biomaterials for the emerging carbohydrate economy that will replace the hydrocarbon economy based on non-renewable petrochemicals. This transformational opportunity will rely on applications of advanced material science (nanotechnology, green chemistry) as well as advanced biosciences (biotechnology, germplasm design).
Sensors and Sensing Technology
Building on Ensis’ position as a developer and producer of high technology and high margin sensors for the forest and forest industry value chain.
Ensis will integrate and build on the current sensor development program to develop a high-margin, product-focused business applied at points along, and integrated across, the value chain.
Worker Wellbeing
This is a priority for the industry - Increasing the technological skills, productivity and health of the forest and forest industry workforce and improving their place in the wider community.
Backing and providing sustenance for these science outcomes is Ensis’ core capabilities.
Ensis’ ability to combine its unique skills and expertise across the entire value chain provides it with a competitive advantage, truly benefiting the forest and forest product industries.