BUSINESS CONCEPT #301 - CIRCULAR TIMBER AND HOUSING HUB
Executive Summary
The Circular Timber & Housing Hub is a vertically integrated "Economic Pā" that processes Northland-grown timber locally to manufacture high-performance, modular homes specifically designed for Māori freehold land. By repatriating regional capital to fund local production, we provide whānau with warm, sovereign housing while plugging the economic "leaky bucket" of raw log exports.
The Problem & Solution
The Problem: Northland currently exports 61% of its timber as raw logs, losing the "value-add" revenue to offshore processors while whānau face a chronic shortage of warm, dry homes. Furthermore, building on Māori freehold land is often blocked by traditional banks that refuse to lend against multiply-owned titles.
The Solution: We shift from extraction to Ekonomia. By processing timber using geothermal heat at Ngāwhā, we create cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels for prefabricated modular homes. These units are designed for easy assembly on whenua Māori and utilise a Circular Financial System that bypasses traditional banking hurdles through regional "Community-Saver" investment.
Target Market
Primary Profile: Māori land trusts, incorporations, and whānau with occupation orders who have the land but lack the capital or "consenting-ready" housing solutions.
Secondary Profile: Regional housing providers and iwi settlement entities (like Tupu Tonu) looking for scalable, sustainable, and culturally aligned social housing.
Where they hang out: Iwi and hapū AGMs, land court workshops, regional development forums, and marae-based housing clinics.
Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
We don't just sell houses; we sell sovereignty. Unlike standard prefab companies, our hub is an "Economic Pā" where the timber is ancestral (locally sourced), the energy is renewable (geothermal), and the finance is entangled (regional savings). This ensures 100% of the value stay in the North, from the soil to the roof.
Revenue Model
Direct Sales & Leasing: Selling modular homes to land trusts ($180k–$350k per unit) or providing "Lease-to-Buy" pathways for whānau.
Processing Services: Offering kiln-drying and CLT manufacturing services to other local forestry owners.
Cost Drivers: High initial CAPEX for timber processing machinery and geothermal integration; primary ongoing costs include local labour (youth "Universal Constructors") and sustainable log procurement.
Marketing & Channels
Kanohi ki te Kanohi (Face-to-Face): Direct partnerships with Māori Land Trusts and Iwi Investment Funds to pilot "Bio-Energy Papakāinga" clusters.
Digital Sovereignty: A "Digital Whenua" platform showcasing 3D modular designs with integrated Mauri Model impact reporting for investors.
Strategic Partnerships: Working with Northland Inc and the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust to co-locate housing with new high-value horticultural blocks.
30-60-90 Day Milestones
30 Days: Formalise partnership with a licensed KiwiSaver provider (e.g., Simplicity) to establish the Tai Tokerau Impact Portfolio criteria.
60 Days: Secure a prototype site at Ngāwhā Innovation Park and complete the first "Mauri Ora" assessment for a 2-bedroom modular unit.
90 Days: Launch the first Investment Hui for Northland land owners to showcase the pilot "Circular Timber Pā" and secure the first three whānau housing contracts.
The Mauri Assessment
Te Taiao (Environment) | Score: +2 – Eliminates the "slash" disaster by using waste wood for biomass heat and reduces transport emissions.
Te Ahurea (Culture) | Score: +1 – Operationalises Kaitiakitanga by treating timber as a taonga and protecting data via a "Digital Whenua" license.
Te Tangata (Social) | Score: +2 – Plugs the "Brain Drain" by creating high-value technical jobs for our youth ("Universal Constructors").
Te Pūtea (Economic) | Score: +2 – Keeps the 40% value-add revenue boost within the region, moving from "Babylonian" extraction to "Zion" abundance.
