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QSL at a glance

Key facts about QSL:

  • A not-for-profit organisation serving the interests of growers and millers for the long-term prosperity of the Queensland sugar industry
  • Owned by its members, with net sale proceeds returned to those who choose to use its services

Company structure and activities:

  • A public company limited by guarantee, incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001
  • Employs around 160 people, approximately 120 based in regional Queensland
  • Governed by an independent Board of Directors
  • Has 29 members which represent the sugar industry – eight sugar mill owners and 21 grower representative members (including two industry association representatives)
  • 3 divisions: QSL Marketing, QSL Operations & QSL Corporate Services
QSL Marketing
  • Maximising marketing returns for participating Queensland cane growers and sugar millers by optimising sugar sales timing and customer premiums 
  • Provision of a wide range of pricing services underpinned by QSL's extensive knowledge, expertise and experience in managing futures markets
  • Provision of low-cost financing through a number of advance payment options 
QSL Operations
  • Managing six Bulk Sugar Terminals at Cairns, Mourilyan, Townsville, Lucinda, Mackay and Bundaberg under a Strategic Operating Agreement with STL
  • Processing around 45,000 truck and 2,300 rail deliveries of raw sugar each year
  • Loading approximately 100 ships per annum.
QSL Corporate Services
  • A stand-alone function providing corporate support services to QSL's Marketing and Operations divisions
  • Provides support with finance and accounting, legal and governance, people and culture, environment, health and safety, IT, and external communications.

Company history:

1923: Sugar Board established

1991: Queensland Sugar Corporation (QSC) established as a statutory authority

2000: QSL established to replace QSC as the exclusive marketer of Queensland raw sugar and ownership of export terminals moved to Sugar Terminals Ltd (STL)

2006: Statutory restrictions on sugar marketing removed and QSL operates based on voluntary contracts with millers

2009: Independent Board of Directors starts at QSL

2014: Wilmar, MSF Sugar and Tully Sugar announce they will withdraw from the QSL marketing system

2015: The Queensland Government introduces the Sugar Industry (Real Choice in Marketing) Amendment Act, giving Queensland growers choice in marketing

2016: New Bulk Sugar Terminal Operating model agreed with Sugar Terminals Limited (STL), where terminal users (including QSL) will contract directly with STL, and a new QSL Operations division will manage the terminals

2016: First On-Supply Agreement signed with Queensland sugar miller (MSF Sugar); 

2017: QSL divides its operations into 3 divisions - QSL Marketing, QSL Operations and QSL Corporate Services - and signs an Operating Agreement with STL to manage its six bulk sugar terminals

2017: The Federal Sugar Code of Conduct is introduced and Marketing Choice is implemented. QSL beings a new era of dealing directly with the growers it represents, signing its first Grower Pricing Agreements with growers and making its first payments directly to contracted growers.