Eleven new production sites will start operating by the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. In January 2022 alone, two more CLT productions were announced which are to go into operation in 2024: Schilliger Holz II in Volgelsheim in the Alsace region and CLTECH in Kaiserslautern.
The increase in the production of cross-laminated timber has mainly two effects:
- In terms of sales, the increase of capacities serves to meet the timber construction sector’s growing demand for CLT.
- Big quantities of lumber are needed for the production of CLT.
CLT production will be expanded at 19 sites by the end of 2023. Six plants went into operation before 2020 and have since been in the normal ramp-up process, while 13 sites were restarted after 2020 or will gradually start producing CLT by 2024.
Only 3 out of 19 without sawmill
Softwood lumber production in Austria and Germany since 2000 © holzkurier.com
Schwarzwald Holzbausysteme in Friedenheim/DE and CLTECH in Kaiserslautern are the only companies who do not have their own lumber production to ensure supply.
Nordlam in Magdeburg is something of an exception in that Hasslacher Norica Timber’s sawmills are probably too far away to supply lumber to the CLT production. At 16 production sites or 85% of all newly built and expanded sites, on the other hand, the parent company ensures the supply.
In 2021, ante-holz, KLH, the Pfeifer Group and newcomer Schwarzwald Holzbausysteme brought about the biggest changes. This year, Mayr-Melnhof Holz and Best Wood Schneider could start producing CLT in Leoben and Meßkirch/DE, respectively. Stora Enso will be added to the list at the beginning of 2023 with its plant in Zdirec/CZ.
Lumber demand soon at 2 million m³
Assuming the usual speed at which new production facilities are started up, demand for lumber for the production of CLT probably totaled just under 1.5 million m³ last year. As for this year, it is safe to assume that 1.7 million m³ will be needed. In 2023, demand will likely exceed the 2 million m³ mark (assuming that 1.25 m³ of lumber are needed to produce 1 m³ of CLT).
In relation to overall softwood lumber production, demand for CLT has grown massively. In 2008, only 0.8% were used for this processed product. Last year, already 4% of the lumber output was used for CLT. If the softwood lumber production stays close to the high level recorded in 2021, an estimated 4.5% are going to be used for CLT this year and 5.3% in 2023.
| in cubic meters per year | |||
| Company | Production site | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEW CONSTRUCTIONS | |||
| Ziegler Group Global | Tirschenreuth/DE | 150,000 | two lines with 75,000 m³/year to be built; scheduled to be started up at the end of 2023 |
| Mayr-Melnhof Holz | Leoben/AT | 140,000 | planned start at the end of 2022; company produces 80,000 m³/year in Gaishorn |
| KLH | Wiesenau/AT | 140,000 | overall capacity around 250,000 m³ (Wiesenau and Katsch/Mur) |
| Stora Enso | Zdirec/CZ | 120,000 | market entry at the beginning of 2023; overall capacity to reach 400,000 m³/year |
| Best Wood Schneider | Meßkirch/DE | 100,000 | sawmill (capacity: 200,000 m³ of lumber) under construction at the site to supply CLT production |
| ante-holz/HBS Berga | Berga/DE | 100,000 | production started in 2021 |
| Theurl Austrian Premium Timber | Steinfeld/AT | 100,000 | narrow edge gluing, alternating middle layer |
| Pfeifer Group | Schlitz/DE | 100,000 | second phase of expansion started in 2021 |
| Holzwerke van Roje | Oberhonnefeld-Gierend/DE | 75,000 | first phase of expansion |
| Mosser Leimholz | Randegg/AT | 55,000 | start in 2023; capacities in the sawmill to be raised at the same time |
| Schilliger Holz I | Küssnacht/CH | 50,000 | reconstruction after fire |
| Schilliger Holz II | Volgelsheim/FR | 50,000 | start in Q3 2023; continuous edge gluing of panels |
| Nordlam | Magdeburg/DE | 50,000 | combined production line for glulam and CLT |
| LOC Holz | Arbing/AT | 45,000 | first CLT production in Upper Austria; joint project of three companies |
| Holzbauwerk Schwarzwald | Seewald-Besenfeld/DE | 35,000 | start in autumn 2022; joint project of three companies |
| ante-holz | Bromskirchen/DE | 35,000 | trial plant for the expansion in Berga |
| CLTECH | Kaiserslautern/DE | 25,000 | start in 2024, planned investment: €25 to €30 million |
| Schwarzwald Holzbausysteme (SBS) | Friesenheim/DE | 25,000 | at full capacity in a two-shift operation from 2022 |
| Total expansions/new constructions: | 1,395,000 | ||
