A rising star in the CLT sky

With its previous production output of cross-laminated timber (CLT), Stora Enso provided proof of the product's success on the market. This investment decision to increase capacity was made in July 2017 and is well in line with this trend: The management decided to expand the factory in Gruvön. There were several reasons, as Maja Bergström, project manager of the new CLT factory, explains in the interview with Timber-Online.

On the one hand, the region of Värmland provides good supply of the required roundwood. On the other hand, the location of the site close to Karlstadt/SE plays an important role. Next to product transportation by truck via the adjacent motorway, Gruvön has a direct train connection. However, it is removal that the company is especially well-equipped for. With its own lading port at the biggest lake within the European Union, the Vänern, Stora Enso can ship to core markets –  in particular this entails Scandinavian countries and Finland as well as Western EU countries.

Thinking in cycles all the way

When entering the newly built production building, the visitor is first and foremost struck by the brightness of the building which was achieved by using CLT and laminated veneer lumber. Roughly 3500 m³ were used. As Lars Sjöberg, production manager CLT, informs, the material comes from the company's factory in Ybbs/AT.

After the construction start in October 2017, the first shift was already employed in the March of 2018 for training purposes. The training itself also took place in Ybbs. "One could say that our employees had the chance to produce their own production hall," Sjöberg sums up. As the world's oldest stock corporation, the business field during the early period of the group was characterized by mining. Copper was mined the most. Swedes like to use copper-bearing paint for coating their houses. This also holds true for Gruvön. The new production hall is therefore blazing in the famous color combination of "Swedish red" and white. "A tribute to old times, so to say," Bergström adds.

13,000 m² for €48 m.

In June 2018, the installation of machinery commenced. Stora Enso gained a total area of 13,000 m² with the new construction. The first full-featured CLT factory in the North is also a premiere for Stora Enso: While so far, only CLT elements with dimensions of up to 16 by 3.2 m were possible, the new line in Gruvön can handle dimensions of up to 16 m of length, 3.5 m of width and 40 cm of thickness.

In terms of factory equipment, the group relies upon tried-and-tested technology: Next to a Kallfass mechanization, a FinScan scanner is ensuring the proper product quality. Finger-jointing as well as board pressing are taken care of by machines from Weinig. A vacuum lifter from Voith is transporting the semi-finished goods for cross-pressing to the Minda system. The CLT elements are given form by the joining systems from Hundegger.

In October last year. the first element was discharged from the new system. Currently, mass production is commencing. With the commissioning at the Gruvön site, the number of employees grows from 110 to 170. At the same time, the existing product range of softwood lumber, planed goods and pellets is joined by the new product CLT.