Finding the right customers: Sawmilling is a tough business - both domestically and globally.

Radiata pine exporter Ngahere Sawmilling, company has a simple blueprint for coping with the vagaries of global economic fluctuations - fostering strong relationships with its customers.

Managing director Stephen Coyle, son of company founder David Coyle, says the United States' economic fortunes will have a major bearing on Ngahere's fortunes and those of other New Zealand exporters in the months and years ahead.

The Mataura, Southland-based sawmiller mainly services China and Vietnam and hence a lot of the timber being exported to Asia is re-exported to th