Wood chips from Namibian encroacher bush
Omuriro Biomass Investments is a bush biomass supplier in Namibia. We harvest encroacher bush on farms mainly around Tsumeb, chip it in the field and deliver the wood chips by truck.
- Founded
- 2012
- Capacity (approx.)
- 50,000 tof wood chips per year
- Chip size
- P100or to your specification
- Long-term fuel supplier
- NamPowerOtjikoto Biomass Power Station
Wood chips, chipped to your specification
We produce wood chips to the requirements of each customer. The particle size class we produce most often is P100.
Our capacity is about 50,000 tonnes of wood chips per year. Production takes place in the Tsumeb area, and that is where we deliver most of our chips. Delivery to other sites in Namibia is possible.
There is no minimum order quantity. Wood chips are a bulk product with a low value per tonne, so we deliver by the truckload. Deliveries run on our own trucks and on trucks of our affiliate Transworld Cargo, with swap-container trailers and walking-floor trailers.
- Chip size
- P100 or to your specification
- Capacity
- About 50,000 t per year
- Minimum order
- None, delivered by the truckload
- Trucks
- Own trucks and Transworld Cargo
- Trailers
- Swap-container and walking-floor
- Production area
- Tsumeb area
- Delivery
- Mainly Tsumeb area, other sites in Namibia possible
Long-term fuel supplier to NamPower's Otjikoto Biomass Power Station
OBI is a long-term fuel supplier to NamPower's Otjikoto Biomass Power Station near Tsumeb. The power station is designed to generate electricity from encroacher bush.
Our supply is organised together with Transworld Cargo (Pty) Ltd, an affiliate company in the Transworld Group of Companies.
- OBI
- Harvests the bush and chips it in the field.
- Transworld Cargo
- Transports the wood chips from the harvesting site to the power station.
How we harvest encroacher bush
We have been harvesting bush since 2012. We are the company with the longest experience in Namibia harvesting bush on a large scale.
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Assess the land
We look at the bushland first and decide whether it is suitable for harvesting.
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Flatten the bush
The bush is flattened and pushed together into rows.
-
Chip in the field
A fast-running drum chipper turns the bush into wood chips on site.
-
Remove the harvested bush
All harvested bush is removed from the farm. This gives the grassland a chance to recover.
We thin the bush selectively. Large trees and protected species are not touched.
Our harvesting follows national regulations, and our operations are in line with NamPower's policies on safety, health, environment and wellbeing.
Why encroacher bush needs harvesting
Across large parts of Namibia, dense bush, much of it thorny, has spread over land that was once open savannah. The main species include Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, black thorn), Dichrostachys cinerea (sickle bush) and Terminalia sericea (silver cluster-leaf).
Dense bush crowds out grass, uses scarce water and lowers the number of animals a farm can carry. Harvesting it opens the land again and turns the bush into fuel.
Industry figures published by the Namibia Biomass Industry Group (N-BiG). They are not OBI figures. OBI is a founding member of N-BiG.
- of Namibia affected by bush encroachment
- 45 million+ ha
- jobs in bush harvesting and processing
- 11,300+
- of bush controlled
- 300,000+ ha
Encroacher bush on your farm?
We harvest on third-party farms, mainly in the Tsumeb area. If you own bushland and are interested in having it harvested, contact us. We will assess whether the land is suitable. All harvested bush is taken off the farm.
Offer your bushland
Who you will talk to
Matthias Fechter
Head Office, Windhoek
Hanjo Starck
Operations, Tsumeb
Questions buyers ask
What size are your wood chips?
We chip to your specification. The particle size class we produce most often is P100.
What volumes can you supply?
Our capacity is about 50,000 tonnes per year.
Is there a minimum order?
No. Because wood chips are a bulk product, we deliver by the truckload.
Where do you deliver?
Our production is in the Tsumeb area, and most deliveries go to sites in that region. We can also deliver to other sites in Namibia.
How are the wood chips delivered?
By truck, on our own trucks or those of our affiliate Transworld Cargo, with swap-container or walking-floor trailers.
Do you export wood chips?
No. Transport over long distances does not make sense for a bulk product like wood chips.
Who are your customers?
We are a long-term fuel supplier to NamPower's Otjikoto Biomass Power Station. We do not name other customers.
Do you remove all the bush?
No. We thin the bush selectively. Large trees and protected species stay.
Can you harvest the bush on my farm?
Contact us with the location of your farm. We will assess whether the bushland is suitable for harvesting.
Request wood chips
Tell us what you need, or offer your bushland for harvesting.