Delta in New Zealand: Learning, Listening, and Looking Ahead
In December 2025, Delta Millworks’ CEO Robbie Davis and COO Price Taylor traveled to New Zealand to better understand how some of the world’s most respected wood producers approach craftsmanship, sustainability, and long-term thinking. The trip wasn’t about chasing trends or shortcuts. It was about listening, observing, and learning from people who have spent decades refining how wood is sourced, processed, and respected.
New Zealand’s wood industry is deeply connected to its landscape. Forests are not treated as commodities but as long-term resources that require care, planning, and responsibility. That mindset mirrors Delta’s own philosophy and made the trip especially meaningful.
A Culture of Care and Craft
One of the first visits was to HermPac, a leading cladding and decking manufacturer. What stood out immediately was the care taken at every step, from how material is handled to how finished products are presented. Their operation felt calm, deliberate, and precise. Wood wasn’t rushed through the process. It was given time and attention.
Beyond beautiful products, HermPac showed how thoughtful manufacturing can elevate both performance and design. Their use of high-quality cedar, refined profiles, and considered details demonstrated how small decisions add up to better outcomes. Just as important was how clearly they helped designers and builders imagine what was possible, using visual tools and examples that made wood feel approachable, flexible, and inspiring.
Respect for Material and People
At Tenon Clearwood, one of the world’s most established suppliers of Radiata Pine, the scale of the operation was impressive, but what lingered most was the balance between experience and innovation. Skilled craftspeople worked alongside advanced technology, each supporting the other. The result was a process that respected the material while maximizing its potential.
Tenon also exemplified a long-term approach to responsibility. Energy use, waste reduction, and workplace safety were not treated as add-ons but as core values embedded in daily operations. It was a reminder that great products come from environments where people and resources are cared for equally.
Forestry as Stewardship
To truly understand the wood, the trip moved beyond mills and into the forests themselves with New Zealand Forest Managers. Here, forestry was presented not as extraction but as stewardship. Trees are planted, pruned, harvested, and replanted with decades in mind, not quarters.
Seeing forests at different stages of growth underscored how intentional management supports healthy ecosystems, clean water, and biodiversity. Sustainability, in this context, was expansive. It included soil health, wildlife protection, and long-term planning that ensures forests remain productive and resilient for generations.
Bringing Perspective Back Home
Along the way, inspiration appeared in unexpected places: traditional Maori wood carvings, subtle architectural details, and thoughtful ways of showcasing finished projects within production spaces. These moments reinforced the idea that wood is not just a building material. It is cultural, expressive, and deeply human.
The trip to New Zealand reinforced something Delta has always believed. The best way to innovate is to stay curious. By learning from global leaders, respecting proven practices, and remaining open to new ideas, Delta continues to evolve with intention.
We returned with a fresh perspective and renewed commitment to doing things the right way. For our clients, this means partnering with a team that looks beyond what’s standard, invests in understanding the full lifecycle of wood, and continually seeks better ways to serve both design and performance. Innovation starts with listening. New Zealand reminded us why that matters.
