Established in 1969, WA Plantation Resources owns, manages and processes bluegum plantations in the South West region of WA. It has been wholly-owned by Japanese trading house Marubeni Corporation since April 2013. WAPRES owns and operates two permanent chipping facilities at Bunbury and Diamond Mill, south of Manjimup.
In 2014, it exported about 900,000 tonnes of woodchips on 22 boats from the Port of Bunbury and diversified its business by contracting with grain trader Bunge to use its port infrastructure for grain exports.
The company had its origins in 1969 when the Bunnings Group established WA Chip & Pulp Co. Bunnings was later acquired by Wesfarmers, which announced in August 2000 that it was selling its forestry interests to Marubeni for $58 million.
Nippon Paper Industries became a joint venture partner in WAPRES in 2002 but sold its interest back to Marubeni in April 2013.
