Three new CLT plants ready to go into operation

1. What are the main reasons for building your cross-laminated timber plant?
2. What sets your production and product apart from existing plants? Will there be other products besides standard CLT?
3. When do you plan to produce the first panel, and when is regular operation scheduled to begin?
4. What is the annual production capacity of your plant?
5. What is your target customer base and in what regions? What share of your production output do you expect to use for your own projects?

Urban Jung 

Managing director of Blumer Lehmann 

1 The new glulam and CLT production facility increases the added value at Blumer Lehmann, from log cutting to the finished building, and enables us to offer economically attractive solutions. Furthermore, by producing our own glued timber on the Erlenhof company premises, Blumer Lehmann can completely eliminate truck transport, which will significantly reduce carbon emissions. In addition, there will be closer collaboration between the timber industry and timber construction. Being a full-service provider, this offers us new opportunities in the market and results in greater flexibility.

2 Unlike many other plants, we cover the entire value chain and manufacture our glued timber products from Swiss wood. CLT-clever is a new, innovative product of ours that can be used primarily in wooden buildings, to be precise, in horizontal applications such as ceilings and floors. CLT-clever also saves around 30% wood. The product range also includes curved mass timber panels (CLT-curved) for complex freeform geometries with improved structural properties compared to straight CLT. Starting in mid-May 2026, CLT-solid made from Swiss wood will be added to our portfolio. These standard panels are produced in various grades for ceilings, floors, walls, and roofs. Our BSH-standard glulam made from Swiss wood is already available as Duo/Trio variants and with larger cross-sections for straight beams with up to 14 m in length. Furthermore, PLT-solid, parallel-laminated timber elements for larger structural dimensions, will be available from 2026/27. Thus, we are creating a wide range of products that extends beyond classic CLT standard panels and responds to diverse requirements in timber construction.

3 CLT-curved is already available but will not be produced in the new plant. CLT-clever and CLT-solid can be purchased starting in the summer of 2026. BSH-standard is already available, and PLT-solid will be from 2026/27.

4 Volumes are highly dependent on the sizes produced and may therefore fluctuate. The glulam line is linked to the CLT line and can operate in bypass mode, producing around 7,000 to 8,000 m³ per shift. The CLT line’s capacity is around 20,000 m³ per year and shift.

5 With our new range of glued timber products, we offer solutions for use in wooden buildings. Our target customer base therefore comprises timber construction companies, planning offices and engineering firms involved in timber construction projects. As mentioned above, we primarily manufacture products for wooden buildings. The share of our output that will be used for our own projects is highly dependent on each individual project. I estimate that the share is around 50%.

Josef Meissnitzer 

Managing director of Holz Meissnitzer

1 The strategic cooperation between Holz Meissnitzer and Hermann & Müller aims at establishing HM Timber as a key partner in timber construction. We want our company to position itself as a supplier of mass timber elements for customized solutions while strengthening its role as an expert in high-quality mass timber construction and timber engineering. A key aspect of this cooperation is the long-term security and further development of the production sites through increased creation of local added value. This includes the efficient use of existing sawmill capacities for modern timber construction and the transfer of experience gained in the manufacturing process – with both adhesive-free and glued mass timber products – into automated industrial production without sacrificing the necessary flexibility. A key priority is also the reliable supply of high-quality mass timber elements to the market. The cooperation supports in-house production for projects within the group and at the same time enables the provision of comprehensive planning and engineering services. By expanding production capacities, the Meissnitzer Group gains access to larger mass timber construction projects and can tap into new markets. The new CLT production site makes it possible for us to be a part of large international projects, while the existing site continues to offer flexible delivery options for the adhesive-free MHM solid wood wall system and glued cross-laminated timber.

2 Our production is characterized by high flexibility with short changeover times and fully automated manufacturing including batch size 1. We can produce CLT, glulam, and solid structural timber on a single line, which results in a wide range of products. The offering includes surfaces in non-visible, industrial visible and residential quality as well as additional special coatings. Furthermore, we plan to offer both standard and special joinery services. In production, we use spruce and larch wood, which allows us to fulfil various requirements for the material used and its finish.

3 Production of the first panel is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, with regular operation commencing in the second quarter of 2027.

4 35,000 m³ a year in two-shift operation

5 Our primary target group is regional timber construction and carpentry companies, as well as timber construction companies throughout the DACH region, and we’d also like to expand to other European markets in the future. The offering is also aimed at construction companies and general contractors looking to expand their timber construction portfolio, as well as real estate developers. Furthermore, a defined share of our production output will also be used for our own projects, although the general focus is definitely on external customers.

Lutz Schmelter 

Managing director of Schmelter Holzindustrie

1 We already offer the full range of beam-shaped products for structural applications. These products are primarily used in the currently sluggish residential construction sector. Since we do not expect residential construction to reach the record numbers of new buildings of previous years again, we also want to gain a foothold in commercial construction. Wood is increasingly being used in this sector, and in our opinion, CLT is a key product here. We therefore believe that complementing our portfolio with a panel-shaped product is also the right step towards reaching our customers, who will increasingly be constructing larger buildings (schools, kindergartens, etc.).

2 The combination of our beam-shaped products, our distribution channels, and our manageable capacity differentiate us from established manufacturers. Our production will focus on spruce and pine wood, and we plan to offer both visible and non-visible surface qualities. Naturally, we will be able to join the panels, but we do not plan to add insulation.

3 We plan to produce the first panel in late summer 2026. Regular operation will commence in 2027.

4 25,000 m³ a year in two-shift operation

5 We will not offer any of any in-house projects. As before, we will sell our products exclusively to our customers in the timber construction trade and prefabricated house industry. Geographically, Northern Germany will remain our sales area.