Another five million in cutting capacity to be installed

In this phase of accumulation of damaged wood, the Central European sawmill industry is reacting differently than the North American one during the “pine beetle” catastrophe. Sawmill capacities are raised, and new sawmills are to be built. Nine projects are confirmed, with Mercer Timber expressing its interest in building a new sawmill already in 2018 (see article “Mercer: We are ‘here to stay’”). As soon as these expansions or new constructions are completed, they will need around 9 million m³ a year (+5.2 million m³/year).

Of the three analyzed countries, the Czech Republic has the lowest sawmill capacity. In 2018, the country’s softwood sawn timber production amounted to about 4.4 million m³, compared to 10 million m³ in Austria or 23 million m³ in Germany. Labe Wood in Steti was the only new sawmill which went into operation this year. At full capacity, this sawmill is probably going to need one million m³ a year (see article “New big sawmill started up”). This is going to raise cutting capacity to around 12 million m³ a year.

After a decade of “investment jam”, several expansion and modernization projects are to be started in Austria in the coming years (see article “The future has begun”). Leoben, Preding and Kundl have to be mentioned in this context. In Summerau, Handlos is going to build a sawmill with an annual capacity of 120,000 m³ per shift. This is the first new construction in a long time.

The joint sawmill Gelo/Bullinger in Wunsiedel as well as Best Wood Schneider’s sawmill in Meßkirch are new constructions in Germany which are to go into operation in 2020/21. New Linck lines are started up in Oberrot (end of 2020) and Wilburgstetten (2021).

Mercer Timber’s new sawmill in the wider area of Stendal has been announced but is still in the project phase. It would not be surprising if at least one more big sawmill was to be added to the German sawmill landscape.

Gelo Timber is the first sawmill which has been adapted specifically to the cutting of log wood of smaller diameters. The accumulation of damaged wood has brought thinner log wood to processing companies. In the medium term, the changes in the composition of forests which are to be expected in light of the new climatic conditions (reduction in the rotation period, more space for tree crowns etc.) are also going to result in the increasing availability of thinner log wood.