PAST FORWARD: OUR HISTORY

In the late 1990s, the Forestry Department of Western Australia began to grow East Indian Sandalwood trees as part of a global conservation program. Over the years and with the support of our Research and Development Centre, we have developed methods to help Sandalwood adapt and thrive under Australian climate conditions.


Santalum album, the East Indian Sandalwood tree, showed promising potential, and the first commercial scale plantations were initiated in the 1990s. Santanol was founded in 2005 and started to develop 370 hectares of Santalum album in Kununurra in Western Australia. Santanol set up a full-scale oil distillation factory in Perth in 2016 and became a global leader in the production and supply of Santalum album oil and its derivative products.


In 2018 we successfully completed certification in the key areas Quality Assurance, Occupational Health Safety and Environmental Protection and were accredited ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001:2015.


That same year we became an approved member of the West Australian Sandalwood preferred buyers qualified by the Western Australian FPC (Forestry Product Commission) to purchase FPC-originated Santalum spicatum wood, which enables us to distill and sell the West Australian Sandalwood oil.


Since 2019 Santanol has been a part of the global forest products group Mercer International Inc. (NASDAQ: MERC).

1982

Australian government

Australian government starts testing the growth of different trees as part of a regional development program. Santalum album shows promising potential which results in the first commercial scale plantations being initiated in 1990’s.

1999

First plantations

First plantations of sandalwood Santalum album are established.

2005

Santanol is founded

Santanol is founded. Santanol starts to develop 370 hectares of Santalum album in Kununurra.

2013

Over 2,000 hectares

Santanol acquires additional Santalum album plantations, and consolidates its assets resulting in a major plantation spanning over 2,000 hectares.

2014

First harvest

Santanol conducts its first harvest, establishes a pilot oil distillation facility and starts production of oil.

2016

Oil distillation factory

Santanol sets up full-scale oil distillation factory in Perth and becomes a global leader in the production and supply of Santalum album oil and its derivative products while acquiring more land to extend the estate.

2018

Completes the certification

Santanol becomes an approved member of the panel of buyer qualified by the Western Australian FPC (Forestry Product Commission) to purchase FPC-originated sandalwood Spicatum wood and starts distillations of sandalwood Spicatum oil. Santanol successfully completes the certification in key areas Quality Assurance, Occupational Health Safety, and Environmental Protection and is accredited ISO 9001:2015, OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 14001:2015.

2019

Mercer International

Santanol is acquired by the global forest products group Mercer International (NASDAQ: MERC).

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