Santanol Completes First Harvest of Sustainable Sandalwood
30 March 2015 - 3:58PM
Business Wire
Company to Supply Sustainable Sandalwood Oil
to Global Fragrance Market
Santanol, a leading producer of sustainable sandalwood, is
poised to enter the global fragrance market following the
completion of its first commercial harvest and distillation of
sustainable Santalum album (Indian sandalwood) oil.
Santanol, which has been a portfolio partner of leading global
investment firm KKR since 2013, has a mission to address the issue
of illegal deforestation of native sandalwood trees. The company
manages a 2,100-hectare plantation in Australia which uses
technology and advanced horticultural techniques to improve the
survival rates of its crop to create a sustainable forestry
environment.
Sandalwood is a sought-after commodity for items ranging from
fine fragrances to cosmetics and toiletries to high-end furniture.
Yet as Indian sandalwood trees are only indigenous primarily to
India, this high demand has led to deforestation in their native
environments and has fostered a large illegal market. With illegal
deforestation and inadequate replanting, the tree was recently
listed as vulnerable to extinction in the wild.
“Our first harvest is a major milestone in moving the market
from illegal deforestation in India to sustainable plantation in
Australia. By providing a sustainable source of Santalum album oil
to the global fragrance market we are able to take the pressure of
the illegal harvesting and help foster a legitimate market for
sandalwood products,” states Founding Director Tony Jack.
Sandalwood oil is a key perfume ingredient and regarded as
unique as it acts both as an active and a functional ingredient. It
is an active ingredient with its complex bouquet of long-lasting
milky and woody notes, while simultaneously having fixative
abilities improving the tenacity of other essential oils used in a
perfume. Sandalwood oil is increasingly used within aromatherapy
for its relaxation and anxiety-reduction properties.
“We are committed to providing a consistent supply of
sustainably and ethically produced Santalum album oil that will be
mutually beneficial to all parties in the long term,” said Mr Jack.
“Pure sandalwood oil is a high-quality ingredient that has been
missing from the market for some time now, but Santanol hopes to
bring back the essential oil that is fundamental to the fragrance
industry.”
“It takes at least 15 years for Santalum album tree to mature,
so our patience is starting to pay off as we see the first phase of
oil production take shape,” Mr Jack continued.
With the investment support of KKR, Santanol continues to focus
on scaling production of oil and timber products.
To learn more about Santanol and KKR’s partnership, visit KKR’s
video library.
About Santanol
The Santanol Group was officially founded in 2005 by some of the
veterans within the Australian forestry industry. The company is
headquartered in Perth with 2,100 hectares of sandalwood
plantations located primarily in the Kimberly region in northern
part of Australia. The oldest trees in the plantation are more than
25 years while first larger scale plantation started in 1999. The
company is focused 100% on growing, harvesting, and producing
Santalum album (Indian sandalwood) products.
SantanolSune Schmoelker, +61-2-8823-3411Chief Marketing
Officermedia@santanol.com