FROM bclocalnews.com: COAST TSIMSHIAN Resources (CTR) says it wants to export lumber to China, building off of a log export market it has developed with businesses in that country.

“CTR is now looking at opportunities to develop a custom cut sawmilling operation that will satisfy the Chinese markets and our company plans for integration of further value-added initiatives in the northwest,” said company chief executive officer Wayne Drury in a release last week.

Drury said the company has always planned to expand its activities in China and other countries beyond the export of northwest logs.

“We have very few customers available to us in B.C. and need to export to continue to grow and provide the social and economic benefits to the northwest region,” Drury said.

He said a location for a custom-cut mill has yet to be established and that it could either be owned by Coast Tsimshian or be owned by a partnership involving Coast Tsimshian.

Coast Tsimshian is owned by the Lax Kw’alaams band from Port Simpson on the northcoast.

It began as a coastal company but expanded into the interior when it bought Tree Farm Licence 1 from the bankrupt remains of Skeena Cellulose.

In Terrace, the company marshals logs at the Poirier log yard on the far western end of Greig Ave. prior to them being shipped to salt water for transport overseas. The company has been using Alcan Forest Products to help market its logs into China.

In the meantime, CTR has just noted the first anniversary of having its own marketing office in the Chinese capital of Beijing.

Chinese national Wang Yitian, hired by Coast Tsimshian in late 2008, met recently in Beijing with Adam Tang, who has been living in Terrace developing business contacts, and Vancouver businessman Donald Hartford who represents Chinese lumber and log business interests.

“I am very happy to be able to work with CTR and we are all working very hard to build our presence in the log and lumber markets in China for the owners, the Lax Kw’alaams Band and everyone in the northwest region,” said Wang Yitian.

Coast Tsimshian employs approximately 100 people directly and indirectly in the Terrace area and uses Brinkman Associates to manage its forestry operations.