In the last ten years, Rothoblaas has grown massively. With subsidiaries and strategic warehouses in 13 countries and field representatives in 75 countries, the South Tyrolean company offers its customers not only a wide range of products but also a complete service worldwide. “No matter whether in Austria, Canada or South America – our products are distributed by technical consultants instead of salespersons. This allows us to meet our high quality requirements in all areas”, tells us associate and administrative board member Peter Lang.
Equal partners
Rothoblaas’ growth curve is tightly linked to that of the cross-laminated timber industry. “This doesn’t mean, however, that we are solely dependent on the timber industry”, underlines Lang. He rather sees connector and CLT manufacturers as having “a partnership which is indispensable for both sides, since only high quality and carefully thought out connectors can guarantee a fast and safe construction of CLT structures”. Daniel Roat, sales manager for Central Europe, names the project Alpenresort Schwarz as an example. In this particular project, construction time was reduced by several weeks thanks to the use of a thousand X-Rad connectors.
Product development as driving force
In order to be prepared for future requirements and challenges of timber construction, research, development and training play a central role at Rothoblaas. “In the last few years, we never took out the profits we made but reinvested them – mainly in research”, tells us Lang. Currently, Rothoblaas is participating in more than 50 projects which are taking place in 20 research facilities.
However, not all of the developments and findings resulting from those projects can be put into practice. According to Lang, this is not a problem: “We know that sometimes we make one too many steps forward. As long as we are heading in the right direction, though, even findings which cannot be put into practice are valuable.” Apart from external projects, an in-house development department deals with topics and aspects which may be relevant in the future.
For Rothoblaas, training represents another important aspect. At regular intervals, the company hosts specific training events as well as seminars and lectures with renowned researchers, timber construction experts, architects and forward thinkers as speakers. According to Lang, the considerable demand for those events can be easily explained: “Our seminars are not promotional events but valuable sources of information, and participants appreciate that.” Apart from specific questions and aspects regarding CLT, other topics which are important for the sector, such as LVL and BIM, are treated thoroughly as well.
Many good solutions
Below, a few Rothoblaas solutions are presented in more detail. Noteworthy products are the Spider Connector for point-supported CLT flat slabs with big spans (more than 5 metres) and the angle bracket TT V240 for a higher resistance to the tensile and shear forces acting on multi-storey residential buildings.
It will be interesting to see whether these two products are going to be “tried and tested classics for cross-laminated timber constructions” in a few years – as it was the case with the X-Rad connector.
At Rothoblaas, there is enough space for development and distribution, but also for training events and seminars © Rothoblaas
Point-supported flat slabs over 5 metres
The Rothoblaas Spider Connector © Rothoblaas
Thanks to Rothoblaas’ Spider Connector, point-supported CLT flat slabs with spans of more than 5 metres can be built without joists. The system has two functions: It serves as reinforcement in the area of the support and suspension of the CLT flat slab by using radial arms and fully threaded screws. Furthermore, the Spider Connector transfers vertical loads of the support from the roof to the ground floor without stressing the CLT elements perpendicularly to the fibres.
The system consists of a top plate which receives the vertical load from the upper support, a centerpiece with a cantilever for the suspension and reinforcement of the CLT flat slab, an element which transfers loads of the above supports and the adjoining floor loads, and a base plate for the transfer of loads to the next support.
The Spider Connector system can be easily mounted from the top and can be subjected to loads immediately. Thanks to its low construction height, this connector can be integrated in the floor structure, thereby protecting it from a possible exposure to fire from the upper storey. By using this connector, the CLT soffit can remain visible. Also, all steel parts are encapsulated in the wooden support and the CLT flat slab and are therefore protected in case of fire on the lower floor.
After the system’s load-bearing characteristics had been proven, Dr. Roland Maderebner and his team at the University of Innsbruck now study the oscillation behaviour of the construction. For this purpose, a six month field experiment is being done in which CLT ceiling elements are placed on 16 single concrete foundations.
For tensile and shear forces
© Rothoblaas
For connections in multi-storey residential buildings, which need to be resistant to tensile and shear forces, Rothoblaas developed the angle bracket TT V240. The secret lies in the possibility to diagonally insert additional fully threaded screws. Similarly to a linear CLT connection, tensile and shear forces can be controlled through the number of screws used. Every angle bracket can resist to shear forces of up to 60 kN and to a maximum tensile force of 100 kN.
Contrary to other common elements of this kind, the angle bracket can be integrated in the floor structure thanks to its very low construction height of 120 mm. For Rothoblaas, this “two-in-one-solution” has potential primarily in multi-storey residential buildings. The TT V240 has already been successfully used in two big CLT-projects, i.e. the CASA Spa in Florence, Italy, and the Q7 urban development project in Graz, Austria. Now, the new angle bracket is officially part of Rothoblaas’ product range.
Strong connection
High precision, shorter construction times, more safety on the construction site and an excellent static performance – these are the main characteristics of the X-Rad system according to Rothoblaas.
The universal connector X-One is the main component and can be used, as part of the complete system X-Rad, for all structures where a transfer of considerable loads and forces is required.
The team
sales manager for Central Europe Daniel Roat, CEO Robert Blaas, head of division Europe Loris Agostini, and associate and administrative board member Peter Lang (from left) © Günther Jauk
Rothoblaas attributes great importance to research and development as well as to a professional customer service.
Daniel Roat, sales manager for Central Europe, is responsible for the customer service for CLT manufacturers in Austria. Also in the picture: CEO Robert Blaas, head of division Europe Loris Agostini, and associate and administrative board member Peter Lang (from left).
Silent development
© Rothoblaas
For soundproofing in wood buildings, Rothoblaas developed a series of products, such as the high-performance soundproofing profile Xylofon or the Titan Silent, an angle bracket for shear stresses with resilient profile.
With these developments in the field of acoustics, Rothoblaas was a central partner in the creation of the norm EN 12354.
