News

With the new pressing system, Olsberg is making a qualitative leap in the automated processing of production orders and is at the cutting edge of technology to provide the straight components required for the glulam standard business.

The high-frequency plant presses glulam elements with maximum dimensions of 29 cm x 130 cm x 24.20 m and replaces two hydraulic presses that were in need of repair. The space-saving implementation made it possible to additionally integrate a constructive press bed for glulam up to 25 m in length into the production process.

As a system provider, ABF was commissioned to integrate the new press in terms of control technology. The focus was on the communication of the high-frequency press with the ERP system, the glue application and the conveyor lines as well as the control of the fully automatic labeling of the pressed glulam bars and the automatic collection of production data to increase productivity.

The investment project is part of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group's optimization, automation and digitalization strategy.

The course is aimed at managers and specialists in the construction sector who want to further their education and position themselves in the field of timber construction. The course is aimed in particular at

• Architects
• Civil engineers
• Planning master builders
• Master carpenters
   

The course consists of 3 modules:

• Module: Wood as a building material (wood as a resource, properties, materials, types of wood, design differences to other materials)
• Module: Timber construction methods and load-bearing systems (historical and modern timber construction methods and load-bearing systems, structural design, modelling and tectonics)
• Module: Construction with wood (resilient constructions and superstructures, polyfunctionality, prefabrication and joinery, system and modular construction, based on multi-storey structures of common building typologies)
   

Application deadline is September 20, 2024.
More information: Grundlagen Holzbau - TU Graz

At Mayr-Melnhof Holz, we are proud to manufacture and offer products that are not only of high quality, but also make a positive contribution to protecting our environment and climate. We are convinced that sustainability, environmental and climate protection are key values for the future of our planet. In order to offer our customers and partners maximum transparency, we regularly subject our timber construction products to a thorough environmental assessment by an independent external testing body. A manufacturer-specific environmental product declaration (EPD) has now even been created for MM crosslam cross laminated timber. This EPD provides detailed information on the environmental impact over the entire life cycle of the product.

Facts
ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION according to ISO 14025 and EN 15804+A2 for
cross laminated timber MM crosslam.
Declaration holder: Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG
Publisher: Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU)
Program owner: Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU)
Declaration number: EPD-MAY-20240070-IBA1-DE

https://www.mm-holz.com/en/service/technical-documents

Do you have any questions about the EPD or our products?
Our team will be happy to answer your questions and help you choose the right products.

https://www.mm-holz.com/en/contact

Richard Stralz, CEO Mayr-Melnhof Holz, anlässlich der Präsentation der Broschüre am 19. März im Rathaus Leoben: 
Wir haben in den vergangenen 10 bis 20 Jahren eine steigende Nachfrage im Zuge der Klima- und Ressourcenwende und damit eine echte Renaissance des Werkstoffs erlebt. Heute arbeitet man im Gebäudebau, bei Sanierungen und Aufstockungen mit Massivholz in Form von Brettschichtholz und Brettsperrholz, Holz findet aber auch als Bauholz und Furnierholz Einsatz. Es ist nicht nur ein leicht zu bearbeitender Werkstoff, er ist auch nachwachsend und regional verfügbar. Alle 4 Sekunden wächst in der Steiermark das Holz für ein Einfamilienhaus nach. Wir tun hierzulande mit Herz und Verstand sogar mehr, als das Prinzip der Nachhaltigkeit fordert, welches seit mehr als 300 Jahren unsere Waldwirtschaft prägt: Es wächst mehr nach, als geerntet wird. Holz haben wir genug, das ist die schöne Nachricht.

Die Nutzung von Holz ist zudem ein wichtiger Teil der Lösung bei der Bewältigung des Klimaproblems. Man darf nicht vergessen: Ein Kubikmeter Holz bindet eine Tonne CO₂ – als Baum wie als Holzmöbel, Holzfenster, als Holzgebäude oder auch Holzspielzeug.

Holznutzung schafft also einen zweiten Wald aus Holzprodukten, da der Kohlenstoff im verarbeiteten Material gespeichert bleibt. Gleichzeitig wächst durch die Aufforstung ein neuer Wald nach, in dem wiederum Kohlenstoff gespeichert und Sauerstoff an die Umgebung abgegeben wird. Dazu kommt der wichtige Substitutionseffekt: Holz ersetzt andere CO₂-intensive, nicht-nachwachsende Materialien und vermeidet dadurch deren CO₂-Emissionen bei der Herstellung. Hier liegt der größte Hebel für den Klimaschutz: Die in Österreich aus österreichischem Holz hergestellten Produkte ersparen pro Jahr rund acht Millionen Tonnen CO₂, das entspricht etwa einem Zehntel der gesamten Treibhausgasemissionen Österreichs in einem Jahr.

Holz ist als Werkstoff und Baumaterial unschlagbar in seiner CO₂-Bilanz. Und das gilt es auch zu nutzen, für unsere Zukunft und die unserer Kinder und Enkelkinder.

Wir sind in der glücklichen Lage, dass hier in der Region die Beteiligten entlang der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette Holz für den Holzbau sehr nahe beieinander liegen: nachhaltig bewirtschaftete Wälder, Forstwirte, Sägewerke, Holzverarbeitungsunternehmen, Holzbauunternehmen. Alle sind wichtige Arbeitsfelder und Arbeitgeber, im Zusammenwirken und durch mutige Investitionen entsteht der Erfolg. So haben wir uns auch entschlossen, hier am Standort im Anschluss an unser Traditionssägewerk um rund 175 Millionen Euro ein Hightech-Brettsperrholzwerk zu errichten, in dem wir zukünftig im Vollbetrieb bis zu 130.00 m³ Brettsperrholz dem Markt zu Verfügung stellen können. Die neue Fabrik haben wir der mayr-melnhof‘schen Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie folgend natürlich in Holzbauweise errichtet, sie ist ein Vorzeigeobjekt, weltweit der erste PEFC-zertifizierte Industriehallenkomplex dieser Größenordnung mit rund 33.000 m² Produktionsfläche.

Die Broschüre „Sanieren und Erweitern mit Holz“ beleuchtet den modernen Holzbau, die Vorteile wie Vorurteile der Holzbauweise und gibt den Leserinnen und Lesern einen Überblick über etablierte Einsatzbereiche sowie Konstruktionsweisen. Gelungene regionale Best-Practice-Beispiele untermauern die Argumente und sind eine Quelle für Inspiration.

Die Broschüre ist ab sofort auf der Gemeinde Leoben, im Büro der KLAR! Murraum Leoben, sowie unter https://www.murraum-leoben.at/downloads kostenlos erhältlich.

From forest cottage to town house

The smart little house made of the future building material cross laminated timber, which we call the "Waldhäusl", is a success story of regional, sustainable value creation and partnership-based cooperation.
In 2023, the idea of Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau Forstbetrieb and Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG was realised in cooperation with Nussmüller Architekten ZT GmbH and Strobl Bau - Holzbau GmbH. Its history is fit for the future:

• Planted many decades ago in the Styrian forests of the Mayr-Melnhof forest, the local spruce trees for the "Waldhäusl" were responsibly tended and finally harvested.
• Creative minds from the Nussmüller architecture studio contributed their wealth of experience and drew the "Waldhäusl" in three dimensions using modern CAD programmes. This allowed us to visualise it for the first time.
• Mayr-Melnhof Holz took over the digital data, transferred it to the ultra-modern CNC controls of the fully automated joinery systems and produced the cross laminated timber required for the "Waldhäusl" with millimetre precision.
• The excellently trained carpenters from Strobl Holzbau took their tools to heart, put the individual parts together professionally, assembled the building elements for this "Waldhäusl" with passion, gave it a weatherproof roof and walls made of natural shingles.
• Children fill the "Waldhäusl", which has now become a "Stadthäusl", with laughter, play and joy. Mayr-Melnhof Holz, Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau Forstbetrieb and Strobl Holzbau donated the little house to the Andersengasse kindergarten in Graz.
   

Fashion show stage, presentation room, meeting house & venue

In 2023, the Waldhäuschen was used for the first time at the forest festival on Graz's main square, where it served as a stage for a fashion show. The next stop was the open day to mark the opening of Mayr-Melnhof Holz's high-tech cross-laminated timber plant in Leoben. As a space and object, it presented to the guests what is possible with wood as a building material and the feel-good atmosphere that is inherent in wooden houses. At the Stadt-Land-Fest festival on Leoben's main square, it delighted the public not only as a stage for the band. The children of the Andersengasse kindergarten will now use the Waldhäuschen town house as a place to meet, retreat and play.

Sustainability makes sense: wooden houses make a second forest

Sustainability is anchored in the Waldhäuschen-Stadthäuschen in many ways. Even the youngest children can easily understand what the more than 300-year-old term actually means and why sustainability is based on three pillars: ecological, economic and social:
Wood from a forest that has been sustainably managed for generations in the immediate vicinity is a valuable, renewable raw material: trees are harvested and new trees are planted that bind the harmful greenhouse gas CO₂ and release the oxygen that is essential for life. 1 m³ of wood stores around 1 tonne of CO₂ . Only as much is taken from the forest as grows back: the principle of sustainability! In Styria, for example, the wood for a detached house grows back every 4 minutes. Short transport routes lead to the nearby sawmill, which produces the sawn timber that is later needed for the production of cross-laminated timber, among other things.  The cross laminated timber production adjacent to the sawmill: here the sawn timber lamellas are carefully sorted and glued together crosswise to form dimensionally stable cross laminated timber panels. Delivered to the timber construction company ready for assembly on site or project-specifically bound, the cross laminated timber panels are used as walls and ceilings in both modern and traditional timber construction. The carbon stored by the trees remains stored in the building components throughout their entire service life. In this way, timber houses become a second forest and make an indispensable contribution to the fight against climate change, for us and for the future of our children and grandchildren.

Great joy among the children

The children at Andersengasse kindergarten in Graz are delighted. Now they have their own little wooden house and a piece of a second forest in their playground!

City Councillor for Education Kurt Hohensinner, City of Graz: "The future of our country is growing up in our kindergartens, just as the sustainable material of the future, wood, is growing up in the forests. It is therefore a perfect fit that the forest house in the Andersengasse kindergarten has found a good and suitable location for the future. A big thank you to those responsible at Mayr-Melnhof Holz und Forst for putting this fantastic showcase project together."

Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG: "This project is a wonderful example of sustainability: the subsequent use after the "exhibition trip" was already taken into account during the planning phase, thus ensuring that this little house will remain as a second forest that binds carbon for decades to come."

Willibald Ehrenhöfer, Forest Director Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau Forstbetrieb: "Sustainable action starts small ... - Children are the future of our society, and small trees are the future of our forest. It takes love, prudent education, care, space and time for children to become stable adults. It is the same with our forests; only through careful management and use can our forests fulfil their many functions in the future. Just as there cannot only be great people, there cannot only be great old trees in a healthy forest fit for the future. The forest cottage is therefore also a symbol of intergenerational sustainable thinking and action."

Markus Kroisleitner, Head of Timber Construction at Strobl Holzbau: "Wood is probably the oldest and most versatile building material in the world and the building material of the 21st century: climate-friendly, renewable, regionally processed, with a high degree of prefabrication, which enables fast construction times, light in weight with high strength. It is ideal for a forest cottage as well as for multi-storey buildings, whether residential or commercial, as well as for renovations and redensification. After decades of use, wooden houses can simply be dismantled and the waste wood reused for furniture, for example. That is sustainable."

Co-operation partner in the Waldhäusl project:
Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau forestry operation (mm-forst.at)
STROBL Bau - Holzbau GmbH | Construction company with quality
NUSSMÜLLER ARCHITEKTEN - Architecture Studio in Graz (nussmueller.at)

Is our future really at stake?

Richard Stralz: Our climate has already changed and continues to change. The capricious weather conditions of recent months and years are a stark reminder of the seriousness of the situation: we need to act before it's too late. Wood is a natural partner in this endeavour - if we use it sensibly in a cascading manner and manage our forests sustainably.

Forest management plays a key role?

Of course, because only a managed forest is a climate-fit forest and can make the absolutely necessary contribution in the fight against climate change. After just a few decades in which a forest has been left to its own devices, the CO₂ store of a forest becomes a net CO₂ emitter caused by decay processes. Proper forest management with thinning and timely timber harvesting as well as the reforestation of harvested forest areas with the right distribution of tree species, on the other hand, secure the forest as a carbon store and oxygen producer. Young forests between 40 and 60 years of age absorb the most CO₂ . This sustainable management also preserves the forest as a species-rich ecosystem.

Does sustainability in the use of wood mean a long-term approach?

That's right, and it means gradual utilisation. It is our duty to ourselves and our children and grandchildren to use our resources sensibly, sustainably and ecologically, but this applies to all natural resources. Sensible refers to the way in which a material is used and is determined by the properties of the raw material. For example, building a cellar out of wood is not sensible. In contrast, the use of cross laminated timber 
as a load-bearing wall or ceiling, a support or glued laminated timber - spans of over 50 metres are possible here - makes sense. Sustainable and ecological refer to the cascading utilisation of the raw material over the longest possible service life. This means that we must always start with the highest-value use, with thermal utilisation at the very end of the cascade after decades of material use of the material in various products.

So houses made of wood are part of the solution to the climate problem?

We must bear this in mind: One cubic metre of wood binds around one tonne of CO₂. Utilising wood therefore creates a second forest, as the carbon remains stored in the processed material. At the same time, new trees grow back through reforestation, which in turn store carbon and release oxygen into the environment. This is the cycle for our future. Climate-friendly construction starts with the avoidance of CO₂, because the use of wood in construction has an important substitution effect: wood has excellent building physics properties and can often replace other materials that are CO₂ -intensive to produce and are not renewable. I have already mentioned walls, ceilings, beams and supports. In relation to its strength, wood is very light in weight, making it ideal for urban redensification, the conversion of attics and for adding storeys, as significantly lower weights have to be absorbed by the existing building structure. The substitution of other building materials is the greatest lever for climate protection. Products manufactured in Austria from Austrian wood save around eight million tonnes of CO₂ per year, which corresponds to around ten percent of Austria's total greenhouse gas emissions in one year.

Do we have enough wood available for the construction?

In Austria alone, enough wood grows every 30 seconds to build a detached house. Our forest cover has increased by 23 per cent in the last 25 years, and even more in the rest of Europe. We know that cement and steel production account for around a third of CO₂ production worldwide. If we want to do something for the climate, we need to use more wood in long-lasting wood products, in the private sector but above all in the public sector, such as in kindergartens, schools, care facilities, etc., so a big appeal to politicians: better and sustainable framework conditions for the use of wood must be created now. We have enough wood, and it is available regionally.

Article published in: https://www.businessmonat.at/jaenner-2024/der-kreislauf-fuer-die-zukunft

But how much US is actually in sUStainability?

Forest owners, forest workers and employees in PEFC-certified companies as well as consumers who buy products with the seal, they all symbolize the "US”. As PEFC-certified companies, Mayr-Melnhof Holz and Franz-Mayr-Melnhof Forstbetriebe are part of the campaign and provide insights into the harvesting of wood from sustainable forestry, soil-conserving transportation from the forest and resource-conserving further processing.
Mayr-Melnhof Holz is not only a pioneer in wood processing, but also in sustainable forest management.  100% of the valuable raw material wood is used. The sawdust produced during cutting is processed into an ecological, sustainable heating material.  

The short video with Willibald Ehrenhöfer, Forestry Director at Franz-Mayr-Melnhof Forstbetriebe and Franz Schwarzauger, Managing Director of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Leoben, shows how the valuable heating material is produced and how many steps and people are involved in the process. 

All short films can be found at https://www.pefc.at/pefc-austria/

Consciously choosing products with the PEFC seal when shopping supports forest owners and subsequently, employees in the 550 local companies that work with sustainably sourced timber products. Anyone who chooses products with the PEFC seal is not only looking after the forest, but also at local jobs along the value chain of the sustainably produced future building material wood.    

For Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding GmbH, first place at the Tops of Styria in the prestigious "Production" category is a great honour for the commitment and performance of all employees of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group. At the same time, it is motivation and a mandate to continue to deliver top performance in the future and, in keeping with the shape of the trophy - it is a piece of rock from the Dachstein, the highest mountain in Styria - to keep striving for and reaching new peaks.

Mayr-Melnhof Holz is a large company with an impressive history and performance in the all-important timber industry. What drives you personally?

Richard Stralz: The employees, their hands-on mentality and, above all, their love of wood. They deserve the prize, they have delivered the performance. I am grateful to accept it on behalf of all my colleagues.

Where are you heading?

Richard Stralz: We work with the fantastic material wood and have just opened a new cross laminated timber plant in Leoben. Cross laminated timber used in construction acts like a second forest.

A "second forest" - how can we imagine that?

Richard Stralz: We all know: Wood binds CO₂ for a lifetime and is therefore an important part of the solution in the fight against climate change: we know that wood is a wonderful building material for creating living space. Mayr-Melnhof Holz produces the timber construction elements for this, construction elements not only for our personal future, but also for that of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - and beyond.

About the award: The annual magazine has been published since 1994 with a turnover ranking of the 100 companies with the highest turnover in Styria. In an anonymous voting process, a 300-strong jury of experts from business, industry, science and the media selects the "Tops of Styria", the best of the best in the Styrian corporate landscape.

The awards were presented this year in the Europasaal of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce by Andreas Herz, Vice President of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce; Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Provincial Councillor for Economy, Tourism, Regions, Science and Research; and Martin Novak, Editor-in-Chief of the business magazine Top of Styria.

Mr. DI Arnulf Penker MBA will take over this important task in one of Europe's leading sawmill and wood processing groups as of September 1, 2023.

Reinhard Zellner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board: "With Mr. Penker, we have succeeded in bringing on board an expert with extensive experience in the wood processing industry. With three members - DI Richard Stralz as CEO, DI Michael Wolfram in the function of CFO and DI Penker as CTO - the Management Board team of MM Holz is extremely powerful and excellently positioned for our future strategy."

Mr. Penker is a graduate of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), majoring in wood and natural fiber technology, and holds an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, USA.

11,500 m³ PEFC-certified timber construction products from the company's own production were used. With an investment sum of 175 million euros, the BSP factory with upstream re-sorting and planning plant and a fully automated high-bay warehouse for sawn timber is the largest single investment in the history of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group.

Facts:

• More than 33,000 m² of hall space was built.
• Almost 12,000 m³ PEFC-certified timber in the form of cross-laminated timber boards, glulam beams, three-layer boards and also construction timber – all from the company's own productions – were used.
• The new high-bay warehouse has 27,000 m³ of storage capacity, with room for around 7,000 sawn timber packages.
• Up to 70 trucks per day can be loaded with sawn timber from the high-bay warehouse.
• Around 140,000 m³ cross laminated timber can be produced per year in full operation, which is more than 2,500 single-family houses per year, storing around 128,000 tonnes of CO₂
• Around 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ are bound in the new BSP plant itself.
• 50 new green jobs were created in the region.
• On the roof is a 3.8 megawatt peak photovoltaic system for the ecological supply of electricity and heat to the plant.
• The sawn timber supply for the cross laminated timber production is handled by the adjacent sawmill without additional transport routes.

Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG: "I am proud of this joint achievement of our employees, who have realised this impressive factory in cooperation with our suppliers."

After the completion of the construction and the ramp-up phase of production, Richard Stralz (CEO) and Michael Wolfram (CFO) handed over the responsibility for prosperous growth during the opening ceremony. In the traditional ceremony of handing over the keys, they handed over the responsibility for prosperous growth to the production managers Markus Thier (Plant Manager) and Martin Klingenbrunner (Production Manager), as well as to the sales managers Bernhard Waldner (Division Manager Sales Processed Timber Products) and Florian de Monte (Sales Manager Cross-laminated Timber).

The sawmill's Plant Manager, Dietmar Sagmeister, received the "key" for the re-sorting and planning mill as well as the lamella center, which are located directly adjacent to the traditional sawmill and are part of the Saw Division at Mayr-Melnhof Holz. 

The Strobl timber construction company, which was responsible for the timber construction of the building complex, presented Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau with a hand-carved Klementi, the patron saint of forestry, timber and sawmill workers, on behalf of all "Mayrischen". The work of art will be given a place of honour in the BSP factory for all to see.

At the end of the opening ceremony, the Leoben city priest Markus Plöbst blessed the carved patron saint, all the guests present, the people who work in the cross laminated timber plant, and all those who now and in the future have to do with the timber construction product cross laminated timber or live or work in buildings constructed with this future material at the cross laminated timber plant in Leoben. 

Guests of Honour:

• Landesrat ÖR Johann Seitinger, representing the Governor of Styria, Christopher Drexler
• Landesrätin Mag.^a Ursula Lackner, representing the Deputy Governor Anton Lang
• State Minister for Economic Affairs, MMag.^a Barbara Eibinger-Miedl
• District Governor of Leoben, Mag. Markus Kraxner
• Mayor of the Municipality of Leoben, Kurt Wallner
• Parish priest of Leoben, Mag. Dr. Markus Plöbst
• President of IV Austria, Ing. Georg Knill
• President LK Steiermark, ÖR Franz Titschenbacher
• Chairwoman of the Wood Industry Section of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce, Monika Zechner
• Chairman Agriculture and Forestry, Carl Prince of Croy
• Chairman of the Austrian Forest Association, Rudolf Rosenstatter
• Chairman of the Austrian Sawmill Industry, DI Markus Schmölzer
• Federal Chairman of the Forestry Contractors in the Professional Association of Commercial Service Providers in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Peter Konrad
• Chairman of proHolz Steiermark and Chairman of the Styrian Forest Association, LKR Paul Lang
• Chairman of PEFC-International, Eduardo Rojas Briales
• Chairman of PEFC-Austria, FD DI Dr. Kurt Ramskogler
• Rector of TU Graz, Univ. Prof. DI Dr. Dr. Harald Kainz
• Deputy Managing Director of IV Steiermark, Mag.^a Nina Zechner
• Managing Director of SFG, Mag. Christoph Ludwig

Three major events took place during the opening:

• Official opening ceremony on June 23, 2023 with more than 550 guests,
• Summer party for employees at the Gaishorn and Leoben locations,
• Open day with more than 1000 guests on June 24, 2023.
   

Link to photo impressions of the events

Mister Stralz, let us talk about wood. It is one of mankind’s oldest and time-tested construction materials. For millennia, it was indispensable both as construction material and fuel. What is it used for today?

Well, basically for the same purposes and actually to an even greater extent. Over the past 10 to 20 years, we have seen a rising demand driven by efforts to use more climate-friendly, sustainable resources, which has lead to a true renaissance of this type of material. In today’s building construction we use solid timber in the form of glued-laminated timber and cross-laminated timber, but it is also used as construction timber and for veneering. Not only is it easy to process, it is also renewable and regionally available. It is an essential component of solving our climate issues. Let’s not forget: One cubic metre of wood is able to bind one ton of CO₂ – in the form of trees, wooden furniture, wooden windows, timber construction buildings or even wooden toys.

So you could say that using wood creates sort of a second “forest” made of wood products, since the carbon remains stored in the processed material. At the same time, reafforestation creates new wood that also binds carbon and supplies oxygen to the environment. In addition, we have an important substitution effect: wood replaces other CO₂ -intensive, non-renewable materials and thus prevents the CO₂ –emissions their production would cause. Here we have the greatest leverage for climate protection. Products made in Austria and made of Austrian wood save about eight million tons of CO₂. This is about one tenth of all greenhouse gas emissions in Austria over the period of one year.

Evidently, wood is unrivalled as construction material and raw material when we speak about its CO₂ -balance. This is an enormous potential that we can use for our future.

Theoretically speaking, could wood replace all other construction materials?

Not in every single case, but certainly for a whole host of applications. You would not use timber to construct a basement, for example. Every construction material has its pros and cons and should be used where it best meets the requirements. Wood has many compelling arguments on its side, one of which is its low net weight and yet very high level of rigidity. If you want to add additional floors to an existing building, for example, wood is an excellent alternative. You don’t need to use more valuable land that is always scarce in urban areas by putting up a new building. In nearly all cases you can add one or two floors by using wood. Structurally, this is no problem at all.

Do we use enough wood in construction?

When it comes to using wood in construction, I call on the competent political decision-makers and public entities to join forces. We know that about one third of the world’s CO₂ output is caused by cement and steel production. This is where we can really make a difference. If we want to do something for the climate, we must ensure that more wood is used. It should be promoted in public buildings such as kindergartens, schools, nursing homes etc. One thing is fore sure - there is no shortage of available wood to achieve this. In Austria alone, enough new wood grows every 30 seconds to build an entire single-family home. Over the last 25 years, forest resources here have grown by 23 percent. This value is even higher in the rest of Europe. Sometimes Scandinavia is criticised for its forestry, but even there wood is growing, not dwindling. Sweden, for example, only harvests 90 percent of its annual, renewable growth.

Do you see any novel areas of application of wood in the future?

Certainly, yes, because wood has not only become exactly calculable in terms of fire protection requirements but also in terms of its mechanical properties. The project Wood.C.A.R. by the Styrian Wood Cluster has been an essential contribution. Today we are able to precisely predict the behaviour of wooden components in the automotive area by using simulation models, so much so that we are able to minimise the use of expensive and complicated crash tests. This computability will enable many more applications for wood and wooden construction materials.

Does wood have a future as fuel? After all, it is climate-neutral if it is used this way.

Wood is proven to be CO₂ –neutral. The use of its thermal energy has a long-standing, successful tradition. However, we have a duty to maximise the use of our raw materials as long as possible along the value-added chain to achieve true sustainability and use them efficiently and ecologically, no matter what type of raw material we choose to employ. This means that we must start with the most high-value product possible, and then recycle this valuable material prudently until we reach the end of the line and use its thermal energy potential. This process would normally take several decades and involve many different products.

Our domestic timber industry is often criticised for importing too much wood, especially from Eastern Europe...

Well, the Austrian timber industry procures logs from neighbouring countries, but our domestic forests are our raw material sources number one with an approximate 65 percent share in all processed round wood. You also have to keep in mind that about 80 percent of the Austrian sawmill capacity is located near our national borders. So, including purchases on both sides of the border comes natural, because sawmills routinely have a procurement radius of about 100 to 150 km. In turn, the same holds true for foreign sawmills near our borders, of course. Due to the current EU sanctions, no wood or wooden products are imported by the EU from Russia. Before the Ukraine crisis, about 10 percent of the European demand for all types of wood products was covered by imports from Russia and Belarus.

Recently, the EU has taken a critical stance towards wood. Is that a reasonable approach?

The EU wood and biodiversity strategy is not well thought out. On the one hand, the use of wood is promoted, and on the other hand timber harvesting is being restricted drastically. Yet, the responsible actors know very well how important it is to cultivate our forests.

Why?

Only cultivated forests are climate-resilient forests and will be able to deliver their much needed contributions to the solution of our climate change-related problems. Leave a forest unattended for merely 50 years and you will have turned a once CO₂ –saving depot into an active source of net CO₂ –emission, because of natural rotting processes. Timely timber harvesting and usage for long-term wood products as well as reafforestation of harvested areas keep our forests safe as carbon stores and oxygen producers. Young forests between 40 and 60 years absorb the most CO₂. Sustainable forestry and wood processing combined get the best results for climate protection, because you get both maximum CO₂absorption by the forests and extended carbon retention in the wooden products. In addition we support the biodiversity of our forests, a resource our woods need in order to be able to adapt to climate change.

So climate change also changes the timber industry?

Current climate models clearly indicate that global warming and a re-distribution of precipitation already put a high level of stress on many of our forests. The enormous challenge for our forestry is to make our woods fit for the future and fit for the climate, by using suitable harvesting and reafforestation strategies. We cooperate with universities and forest research institutions to find the best distribution of tree species, based on the soil conditions, volume and distribution of rainfall as well as climate prediction models to make forestry possible in the years and decades to come. In Austria the economic basis of about 300,000 people and in Styria of roughly 55,000 people either directly or indirectly depends on our forestry and timber industry.

The interview was conducted by Sonja Hiebler-Liebminger and Anton Kolb, first published on 12 April 2023 on the website of SFG 

To the report

The new MM crosslam brochure is available in German, English, French, Spanish and Italian on this website in the service area.

👉  To the brochure: MM crosslam

Mayr-Melnhof Holz has ambitious goals for the use of wood as a sustainable building material and is doing pioneering work at its Leoben site: The new cross-laminated timber plant, currently under construction, including a high-performance re-sorting and planning plant as well as a fully automated high-bay warehouse for the storage of sawn timber, has become the world's first industrial building complex of this size to receive a PEFC project certificate.

PEFC - Confirmed sustainability

All Mayr-Melnhof Holz sites and wood construction products are already PEFC-multisite certified (CoC - Chain of custody, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes). Wood and timber products with the PEFC seal of approval originate from clearly documented, sustainable origins: controlled sources of supply, stable and long-standing partnerships with our suppliers, short transport routes, and the complete utilization of every tree trunk are the top priorities.

The principle of sustainability, which has been followed by the timber industry for 300 years, is a matter at Mayr-Melnhof Holz, of course. Therefore, what could be more obvious than to also apply for the corresponding certification for the new production halls at the Leoben site?

World premiere with exemplary function

Mayr-Melnhof Holz received the world's first PEFC project certificate with the number HFA-PEFC-COC-0776 for an industrial building of this size. The new cross-laminated timber plant in Leoben with an upstream high-performance re-sorting and planing mill as well as a fully automated high-bay warehouse for the storage of sawn timber acts as an absolute showpiece for sustainable, ecological industrial hall construction worldwide. With its scope, the construction project sets a new international quality standard for future timber buildings of all sizes.

Joint effort for climate protection

The project scope for the certification of the new plant includes the load-bearing timber construction (wall, roof and ceiling construction), the facade construction (excluding windows and doors), as well as the flat roof construction (including attic construction). In total, more than 11,500 m³ of PEFC-certified timber elements are installed, produced at the locations of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group. In order to be able to ensure the certification of a construction project of this scope, the energetic cooperation of the construction companies as well as the company's own wood processing sites was necessary. Compliance with the strict PEFC guidelines is critically reviewed on a regular basis by Holzforschung Austria.

Joint effort for climate protection

The project scope for the certification of the new plant includes the load-bearing timber construction (wall, roof and ceiling construction), the facade construction (excluding windows and doors), as well as the flat roof construction (including attic construction). In total, more than 11,500 m³ of PEFC-certified timber elements are installed, produced at the locations of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group. In order to be able to ensure the certification of a construction project of this scope, the energetic cooperation of the construction companies as well as the company's own wood processing sites was necessary. Compliance with the strict PEFC guidelines is critically reviewed on a regular basis by Holzforschung Austria.

Timber construction: sustainable paths to the future

As a pioneering achievement, the PEFC certification of this construction project broadens the view of climate-friendly industrial hall construction of the future. Around 11,500 tons of CO₂ are bound in the PEFC-certified timber used - approx. one ton per cubic meter of wood. This does not include wood products used for other areas, such as interior offices, visitor walkway, windows and doors, etc. Also not included are the avoided CO₂ emissions due to the use of wooden construction elements instead of conventional building materials, which are much more CO₂-intensive in production and transport to the construction site.

CEO Richard Stralz: "We regard sustainable management as our corporate responsibility at all levels. By carrying out the building project as a timber construction, we are making an important contribution to climate protection – and hope for numerous imitations."

Michael Wolfram, CFO, added: "We are one of Europe's largest and leading companies, and our success in this competition also underlines that."

This year, for the 24th time, Austria's best companies will be determined in the country's most important business competition. The award winners - Austria's Leading Companies - are characterized by sustainable growth and at the same time have a solid financial basis.
 

• The ALC Award is special because it is not awarded by a jury, but is based on balance sheet figures and performance over a period of three years.
• The prestigious business award is presented by the Austrian newspaper "Die Presse" and its partners KSV1870 and PwC Österreich.
• The business award is available in two categories: Internationally active companies (export) and nationally active companies (Austria).
• Mayr-Melnhof Holz won in the category "Internationally active companies", and this for the second time, the first time was in 2020.
• - As the winning company, the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group will also participate in the all-Austrian ranking of leading companies in January 2023.
   

With immediate effect, a dynamic team with long-term experience is now jointly responsible for all sawmills of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group in Europe.

The new management has set itself ambitious goals and intends to continue the impressive growth of the Sawn Timber Division. The management team consists of
 

• Franz Schwarzauger for Log Procurement & Energy Products, 
• Reinhard Zörnpfenning for Operations and 
• Per-Ragnar Bergkvist for Sales & Marketing
   

Mayr-Melnhof Holz keeps up with the times

The new order picking systems serve an ongoing trend in sales towards smaller orders and finished order picking for end customers. In order to make the plant as fit as possible for future requirements, both an increase in total production volume and flexibility in the portfolio are necessary.

This will be achieved by eliminating existing bottlenecks. For example, shipments were previously prepared manually throughout, at great expense due to the small-scale nature of the work steps required for this. A similar bottleneck was the manually complex wood cosmetics, which was carried out at just one station. After commissioning of the new automated line, this and other bottlenecks have now been eliminated and customers can be served much faster.

Numerous measures to optimize production

This required numerous individual measures or process steps, which were successfully implemented between August 2021 and June 2022. With the completion of the project, the following innovations have now been implemented:
 

• Additional level and a second station for wood cosmetics.
• Automated conveyor system
• Picking crosscut saw
• Portal picking system
• Automated solution for labeling
• Packaging equipment for single bars and packages (wrapping, foiling)
• Fully automated cantilever rack warehouse
• Automatic crane systems for parcel transport
• Superior control system for intelligent production control
   

The adaptation of services to market requirements optimizes production and opens up new sales markets and access to new customers. Additionally, fascinating new green-jobs are brought off. A multi-million investment in the modernization and sustainable safeguarding of the Wismar site.

With this award, the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection honors both successfully implemented climate protection measures of Austrian industrial and commercial enterprises and the ambitious "Maßnahmenpläne 2030" of the existing klimaaktiv project partners to phase out fossil fuels. Mayr-Melnhof Holz Reuthe implemented the following measures and was thus able to achieve CO₂ savings of 15,700 tons!
 

• New air compressor including heat recovery, saving of electricity consumption: 408,380 kWh/year
• Installation of a new heat generation system with a warm water and a hot water boiler for the cogeneration plant for heat supply, operated with sawmill by-products, savings: 19,775,210 kWh/year
• Replacement of five existing drying kilns with six energy-efficient drying kilns with heat recovery, savings: 10,837,720 kWh/year
   

For us at Mayr-Melnhof Holz, the future has already begun: We think of the coming generations, decision-making and acting on the principle of sustainability are a matter of fact for us. The result of this responsible approach to the raw material that is wood are efficiently produced natural wood products, economically healthy locations, long-standing business partnerships and secure jobs.

Our new factsheet provides a complete overview of Mayr-Melnhof Holz in an attractive and modern way. The new version contains the 2021 figures including an updated product portfolio, information on processed materials, personnel and more. Ideal as a first insight and suitable for sharing at any time.
 

• New factsheet - direct download
• Extensive materials on Mayr-Melnhof Holz - media corner

The 170-million-euro investment will be built directly subsequently to the sawmill. All elements for the load-bearing timber construction, the roof structure, walls and ceiling elements made of wood are manufactured from PEFC-certified wood in Mayr-Melnhof Holz' own timber processing plants.

Only ten months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the shell of the building is now complete. The occasion to celebrate the traditional topping-out ceremony. Representatives and employees of all the companies involved in the construction were there:

• Warnecke Engineering GmbH
• Arinco planungs + consulting gmbH
• TGA Engineering GmbH
• pde Integrale Planung GmbH
• SYNALP GmbH
• Ingenieurbüro Rudlof GmbH
• sblumer ZT GmbH
• HT & Generalunternehmer & Industriebau GmbH
• Strobl Holzbau GmbH
• Bacon Gebäudetechnik GMBH
• Elin GmbH
• Bmstr. DI (FH) Andreas Walter Mitteregger
   

Board member Richard Stralz and owner Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau thanked the project team and employees of Mayr-Melnhof Holz, the planners, architects, all companies involved in the construction and their employees for their efforts. The youngest apprentice of the timber construction company Strobl solemnly gave the topping-out speech (“Gleichenspruch”) and threw a glass onto the floor. This tradition is supposed to bring good luck for the further course of construction. Very impressively burned onto a large cross-laminated timber board from the Gaishorn site, the “Gleichenspruch” will find a lasting place in the cross-laminated timber plant after its completion.

Construction is in full swing and commissioning is planned for December 2022.

The Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG group, located in Leoben, Austria, signed a contract in December last year to acquire the Swedish sawmilling group Bergkvist Siljan AB (publ.) from the investment fund ESSVP IV., advised by Orlando Nordics AB. Having gained the approval of the competition authorities, the acquisition is completed as of 01 February 2022.

The new sites in Insjön, Mora, and Blyberg (all in central Sweden) complement the existing sawmills in Leoben (Austria), Paskov (Czech Republic), and Efimovskij (Russia) perfectly and move Mayr-Melnhof Holz, with around 5 million cubic metres of log processing capacity, up to number 3 of Europe’s largest sawmillers. For the first time in its 170-year long history, the group expects turnover to exceed one billion Euros in the 2022 financial year.

„We are very much looking forward to working with our new Swedish colleagues. Together we will realise and build on the synergy and growth potential in sales and operations, and strengthen our position in the market“, said Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG. The Bergkvist Siljan brand and the existing management team will remain in place.

About Bergkvist Siljan

Bergkvist Siljan produces around 850,000 cbm of spruce and pine sawn timber annually. The group consists of three modern sawmills as well as one of the largest container terminals in Sweden, with a capacity of up to 50,000 TEU per year, and a direct rail link to Göteborg port. Michael Wolfran, CFO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, adds: „Bergkvist Siljan, with a turnover of almost 300 million Euros, employs 285 people. Both Mayr-Melnhof Holz and Bergkvist Siljan have a long tradition of family ownership over more than a hundred years, and together our sales make a perfect fit. Along with the Scandinavian market, the sawmill group serves the markets of the Far East, Western Europe, and North Africa. “

Mayr-Melnhof Holz, one of the leading companies in the European sawmilling and engineered wood products industry, will grow with this acquisition its lumber production capacity by approximately 50 % to more than 2.7 million cubic meters of sawn timber per year.

The new sites Insjön, Mora and Blyberg, right in the middle of Sweden, complement the existing sawmills in Leoben (Austria), Paskov (Czech Republic) and Efimovskij (Russia) perfectly and create a starting point for the market entry of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group into Scandinavia.

“The Mayr-Melnhof Holz Group and Bergkvist Siljan make a perfect fit. Both have comparable roots, both are family businesses with a long tradition exceeding 100 years and both are committed to sustainability. We are looking forward to a rewarding cooperation and the mutual exchange of experiences”, Richard Stralz, CEO of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, is pleased to comment about the just completed acquisition. CFO Michael Wolfram adds: “We are very optimistic that we can realize the synergy and growth potentials in sales and operations very quickly, not only securing our market position but expanding it at the same time.”

“Mayr-Melnhof Holz, with its family roots and impressive track record, is a great long-term majority owner for Bergkvist Siljan. We have come a long way since the merger between Siljan Group and Bergkvist-Insjön in 2019, becoming part of a successful international wood industry group is the natural next step for us. We thank ESSVP IV and Orlando Nordics for their support and cooperation since 2018 and look forward to working together with the team from Mayr-Melnhof Holz", says Ulf Bergkvist, Chairman of Bergkvist Siljan.

Using wood reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

One cubic meter of wood stores 250 kilograms of carbon from one ton of CO₂. And we all know that CO₂ is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.

This means that wood products serve to temporarily store carbon, and they continue to do so throughout their lifetime. When it comes to drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions for a more climate-friendly future, there is no getting around the valuable raw material that is wood. We encounter products made of wood everywhere in our everyday lives: whether in toys, as windows, as parquet flooring or furniture, or even as wooden homes.

Wood products therefore act like a second forest, the carbon remaining bound in them. And of course, the wood removed from the forest is replanted through reforestation or natural regeneration. These young trees extract CO₂ from their environment again by means of photosynthesis, store carbon and release vital oxygen into the air. Like in a perfect perpetual motion machine, the use of wood and reforestation permanently removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores carbon.

Wood has up to half the ecological footprint compared to other building materials.

Around 40 percent of the total resource consumption on earth – materials and energy – is currently accounted for by the construction sector. Increases in efficiency and thus reductions in energy demand and heating requirements for building use will not be enough to reduce consumption.

A major contribution to achieving the climate targets is made by the choice of building material. Wood is simply unbeatable in this respect. Today, wood building products and innovative wood structures can in many cases replace conventional, carbon intensive building materials such as brick, concrete and steel. These are much more carbon intensive because they require much more fossil energy, such as oil or coal, in their production and transport to the construction site. Thus, wood has two effects: On the one hand carbon remains bound in wooden products and on the other, using wood prevents the use of carbon intensive materials and thus the emission of additional harmful greenhouse gases.

Wood can be recycled which is an exceptionally important factor when looking at its entire life cycle. At the end of its lifetime, a wooden building is simply disassembled and its valuable wood turned into many environmentally friendly, carbon-neutral products such as furniture boards, pellets or briquettes.

The more carbon-releasing materials are replaced by wood products the more carbon emissions into the atmosphere can be avoided. Arno Frühwald from the University of Hamburg has crunched the numbers: "… every cubic metre of wood that replaces other building materials reduces the CO₂ emissions in the atmosphere by an average of 1.1 tons of CO₂ ...” (Source: Holzprodukte sind Kohlenstoffspeicher, proHolz, only available in German)

Wood even improves resource efficiency by several factors: It grows back and is available in the region. 60 % of the surface of Styria, for instance, are covered by forests. Its forests grow more wood than is harvested. Thus, we have more than enough of this valuable resource. 

Richard Stralz is the Chairman of the Board of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, Head of proHolz Austria and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Styrian Wood Cluster.

Sustainability & Raw material use
Wood as a building material
Wood as a raw material

The future-oriented intralogistics solution consists of a fully automatic, 3-aisle high-bay warehouse, an innovative conveyor system, a fully automatic strapping and squared timber stacking system, a stretching system, stacking and labelling machines, and a modern truck loading system. In addition, intelligent warehouse management, plant control and plant visualisation are integrated and communicate with the internal ERP systems.

The sawn timber packages are received from the grading and planing plant, weight and contour are controlled and transported to the high-bay warehouse. There, they are automatically placed in temporary storage. To avoid empty runs, a sequence- and route-specific retrieval order is executed immediately.  

The retrieved packages are automatically supported with squared lumber, strapped, and, if required by the customer, also wrapped and automatically labelled. At a robot station for truck loading, adjacent to the loading hall, up to four packages are stacked to a single stack; for packages without squared lumber, intermediate lumber can be inserted here for stacking by robot. The stacks are taken to one of five staging lanes by a distribution truck. There, a complete truck load is provided and loaded by means of a loading crane. 

In the downstream zone of the high-bay warehouse, retrieval tables are provided in each rack aisle for internal transport. Here, the sawn timber packages required in the cross-laminated timber plant are retrieved and automatically fed to production via a distribution car.

The high-bay warehouse has 7,623 storage locations, and the storage and retrieval capacity is 62/71 packages per hour. With the construction of the fully automated high-bay warehouse, Mayr-Melnhof Holz is taking a further step towards modernisation and positioning itself for the future. The company has commissioned HÖRMANN Logistik with the realisation of the project. The construction is running at full steam, the commissioning is planned for December 2022.

What's Mayr-Melnhof Holz’ pellet production capacity?

Mayr-Melnhof Holz produces certified and quality-controlled pellets at all of its three sawmill sites in Leoben (AT), Paskov (CZ) and Efimovskij (RU). Our intended production volume for 2021 is roughly 300,000 tons of pellets, exclusively at ENplus®A1 for use in private and commercial applications. 

What do pellets contribute to the fight against climate change?

When wood is processed, up to 40 percent of the input is in the form of sawdust or shavings and wood chips, just the right raw material for the production of pellets. Thus, none of this valuable raw material that is wood is wasted, but added value is created, making a significant contribution to supporting the European transition from fossil fuels, which are responsible for high CO₂ emissions, to exclusively renewable energy sources. Needless to say that Mayr-Melnhof Holz only processes wood from sustainably managed forests that are PEFC certified or meet similar standards recognised by the PEFC. This way, we promote socially and environmentally compatible forest management and guarantee natural, ecological wood products.

Why did Mayr-Melnhof Holz opt for ENplus® certification?

We have been a member of the Austrian Pellet Association from the get-go (proPellets Austria). Together with our colleagues from the Association we have campaigned for the introduction of a uniform certification standard to clearly define pellets quality. This gives our customers the peace of mind to only use pellets of exceptional quality.

What effects does the certification system have on the pellets market?

The ENplus®A1 certification system defines clear guidelines for producing companies, retailers and delivery services. All market participants meet the same requirements meaning that the end users can rest assured to receive a product of high quality. The uniform standard is also a clear advantage for the producers of boilers and pellets ovens. They can now adapt their heating systems to a clearly defined quality.

What are the biggest challenges a pellets producer faces that wants to supply end users with a premium ecologically friendly product?

The basic prerequisite for the production of high-quality pellets is the use of the right raw material. Since we use our own sawmill by-products - fresh sawdust or wood shavings – we know exactly the origin and quality of the raw material for pellet production. Highly automated production facilities with extensive quality controls, as well as specially designed storage silos are another essential point to ensure a high quality pellet. The reliable availability of pellets through our own raw material supply gives our trading partners the possibility to supply their customers well at any time.

Will people in Europe discover the benefits of quality pellets and change the way they heat? 

Many consumers already trust high-quality pellets, but some only after bad experiences with non-certified pellets. We still have some work to do in making people aware. However, it is undisputed that we must protect our environment for ourselves and the next generations and put a stop to climate change. Pellet heating systems, operated with certified pellets, make a significant contribution to this. 

Why are some still hesitant about switching to pellet heating? What would you say to these people?

Converting a heating system is sometimes quite expensive. In countries where the government provides subsidies for the switch, the energy transition advances more quickly. We hope that many more countries will discover the benefits of biomass use for our climate and environment and help people replace fossil fuel heating systems with heating systems powered by renewable energy.

Also, the argument that burning pellets pollutes the air is still widespread. This argument is definitely not justified, because modern pellet heating systems operate almost emission-free. We would like to recommend to critics to visit the website of their national pellets association or www.enplus-pellets.eu. There they will find reliable information on wood pellets for end users.

This interview was originally published on 20 May 2021 in ENplus®.  To the Report

MM royalpellets
RAW MATERIAL WOOD

Mayr-Melnhof Holz pursues a no-waste policy. In Reuthe, this means that residual wood and sawmill by-products from glued laminated timber and formwork panel and beam production that cannot be further utilised are now used for carbon-neutral heat generation. 

Two new biomass boilers replace the previously separated heat generation plants. Until recently, a cogeneration plant had been used in the “Western Zone” and two wood boilers in the “Eastern Zone”. The new biomass heating plant saves more than 12,200 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

Now, the two operating zones are connected by a pipeline in an underground collector corridor. In addition, a balancing tank was installed in the hot water circuit to balance the load between the biomass boilers and the consumers. The annual heat requirement for drying the sawn timber, operating the production facilities and heating the buildings is now covered entirely by the company's own energy. 

Mayr Melnhof Holz Reuthe invested some 3.5 million Euros into this environmentally and climate-friendly project, supported by “Domestic Environmental Support” fund provided by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology.

Ground was broken on 28 May. Despite strict Covid-19 event restrictions, but in glorious sunshine, many guests from politics, interest and industry groups, funding bodies, project partners from the construction industry, the planners and architects as well as the “HoLzBsp” project team followed up on the invitation sent out by owner Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau, Supervisory Board member DI Rainer Zellner (Chairman), Dr. Nikolaus Ankershofen, Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Romuald Bertl, Mag. Rupert Zieseritsch and Ing. Franz Rappold as well as the Board of Directors, DI Richard Stralz (CEO) and DI Michael Wolfram (CFO).

Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau welcomed the following honorary guests:

• DI Michael Esterl, General Secretary for Digitisation and Economic Location at the Federal Ministry
• State Secretary Ök.-Rat Johann Seitinger filled in for Hermann Schützenhöfer, the Governor of Styria
• Member of the Styrian State Government Helga Ahrer filled in for Anton Lang, the Deputy Governor
• State Economic Secretary MMag.a Barbara Eibinger-Miedl
• District Governor for Leoben Mag. Markus Kraxner
• Leoben’s Mayor Kurt Wallner
• The President of the Federation of the Austrian Industry, Ing. Georg Knill
• The President of the Federation of the Styrian Industry, Prof. DI Stefan Stolitzka
• The President of the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture, ÖKR Franz Titschenbacher
• The Chairman of the Forst Holz Papier Cooperation Platform, ÖKR Rudolf Rosenstatter
• The Chairman of PEFC Austria, DI Dr. Kurt Ramskogler
• The Chairman of the Austrian Agriculture and Forestry, Carl Prince of Croy
• The Federal Chairman of the Austrian Forest Managers within the Industry Association for Commercial Service Providers at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Peter Konrad

Committing to Styria as an economic location
This investment marks a clear commitment to Styria as an economic location. "The supply of raw materials from the Styrian forests, the existing infrastructure, a well-trained workforce, and the supply of sawn timber from the directly adjacent sawmill make Leoben the optimal location for this investment in the future, which, processing the carbon-neutral material wood, also makes an important contribution to sustainability and active climate protection," says Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, who is pleased with this investment boost, which will not only improve the competitiveness of the Mayr Melnhof Holz Group, but also secure existing jobs and create some 50 new jobs in the region.

Facts about the Mayr-Melnhof Holz cross-laminated timber plant in Leoben

About cross-laminated timber
cross-laminated timber, also known as CLT, is a solid wood building element made from several layers of sawn timber permanently cross-laminated to form panels. This crosswise structure guarantees dimensionally stable and stiff building components with excellent structural and physical properties. As a building material, wood is currently experiencing a renaissance. Made from the regionally available raw material wood, cross-laminated timber is a carbon-neutral, sustainable building material. It is easy to shape and, thanks to a high degree of prefabrication in the factory, has various applications such as walls, ceilings and roof constructions. It can be used to erect buildings up to six storeys tall and higher entirely from wood – family homes, leisure facilities, kindergartens, nursing homes, restaurants and much more – or to easily extend buildings upwards. MM crosslam is the brand name of cross-laminated timber products from Mayr-Melnhof Holz.

Cross-laminated timber protects the climate
Today, wood can – in many cases – replace conventional building materials such as concrete and steel that emit high amounts of CO₂, thus having two positive effects on the climate: Firstly, by storing carbon dioxide and secondly, by preventing additional carbon emissions during the production process of conventional building materials which are then replaced by wood. As a natural and regrowing building material, cross-laminated timber makes a significant contribution to active climate protection. Cross-laminated timber produced by Mayr-Melnhof Holz is PEFC-certified.

MM crosslam cross-laminated timber 
Wood as a building material
Timber construction projects

Since the start-up of the sawmill in Paskov in 2004, the production volume had increased to around 800,000 cubic meters of sawn timber and 90,000 tons of pellets per year. Since 2020, the site has also had a wet storage facility with 1.4 hectares for up to 70,000 solid cubic meters. The existing heat generation plants had been running at full speed for 17 years, and the wet storage facility means new demands on a biomass power plant in terms of the usability of wet bark and wood shavings while complying with strict exhaust gas limits. This and the continuous increase in production prompted Mayr-Melnhof Holz to invest a sum of 6.5 million Euros in a new state-of-the-art biomass boiler supplied by Carinthian power plant specialist Urbas as well as in the overhaul of the existing plants. 

High quality standards for technology and environmental protection were the guiding principles for the decision. During realisation the team incorporated the lessons learned at the Russian sawmill site Efimovskij: Its third biomass boiler had been installed in 2019.

Thanks to this expansion, the Paskov plant is now able to dry its entire production volume and fully utilise sawmill by-products at the site. 

Mayr-Melnhof Holz pursues a no-waste policy. This sustainability approach spans across the entire procurement and production process. 100 percent of the valuable resource that is wood are utilised. In Paskov, only bark as well as residual wood and sawmill by-products that cannot be utilised are used as fuel. 

Im Rahmen der umfassenden Erneuerung des Rundholzplatzes am Sägewerksstandort in Leoben wurde in einer ersten Phase im Sommer 2020 die älteste der drei Sortierlinien – seit den 1990-er Jahren in Betrieb –, durch eine neue Holtec-Anlage nach dem neuesten Stand der Technik ersetzt.

Die Sortieranlage bietet unter anderen Vorteile für die Lieferantinnen und Lieferanten in Bezug auf die Nachvollziehbarkeit der Rundholz-Klassifizierung. Ausgestattet mit einer modernen Fräse zum Kappen der Stirnseite ist ein Sauberkeitsschnitt möglich, mit dem verschmutztes Rundholz sehr viel genauer klassifiziert wird und die Möglichkeit geschaffen wurde, Nasslagerholz zu übernehmen.

Auch können nun problemlos stärkere Hölzer als bisher übernommen werden. Stämme bis zu einem Durchmesser von 38 Zentimeter werden über die bestehenden Sortierlinien gefahren, darüber hinaus gelangen sie auf die neue Anlage. Weitere Besonderheiten sind die Chainless-Technologie und die Vernetzung der Rundholzanlagen miteinander. Das heißt, wird auf den bestehenden Linien stärkeres Holz gemessen, gelangt es an die Holtec-Linie – und umgekehrt. Ein doppelt wirkender Stufenschieber sorgt für die Vereinzelung der Stämme. Das kettenlose System ist praktisch wartungsfrei, benötigt wenig Schmierung und ist sehr geräuscharm.

Mittels Gap-Control kann die Lücke zwischen den Stämmen individuell eingestellt werden, was für einen ruhigen und gleichmäßigen Ablauf sorgt. Hölzer mit starkem Wurzelanlauf werden über einen Bypass an einen Doppelwellen-Wurzelreduzierer ausgeschleust und danach wieder reibungslos in den Ablauf zur nachfolgenden Entrindung und Boxensortierung eingebracht.

Die Installation der neuen Anlage erfolgte parallel zum laufenden Betrieb. Die Anbindung an die bestehenden Sortierlinien erfolgte während der Revisionszeit im Sommer. Um Engpässe zu identifizieren, wurde eine komplette Anlagesimulation mit Hilfe originaler Umschlagsholzdaten durchgeführt und die Abläufe wurden dementsprechend optimiert.

Jörg Bacher, der von Seiten Mayr-Melnhof Holz als Projektmanager für die Realisierung dieser Investition zuständig war: „Die mit Holtec modernisierte Sortierlinie versetzt uns nicht nur in die Lage, stärkeres Rundholz zu verarbeiten, sondern wir können vor allem flexibel auf Kapazitätsnotwendigkeiten reagieren, die Sortierleistung anlassbezogen erhöhen sowie Zusatzmengen auch kurzfristig abnehmen und rasch verarbeiten. Damit sind wir für die nächste Zukunft gut aufgestellt und für unsere Rundholzlieferantinnen und -lieferanten ein verlässlicher Abnahmepartner.“

Rundholz-Einkauf

At the Russian Efimovskij site, some 700,000 cubic metres of round timber sourced from sustainably managed forests are processed annually while the output is approx. 380,000 cubic metres of sawn timber and 60,000 tons of pellets. All of the sawn timber is dried on site. 

The two existing biomass heating plants were no longer able to meet the increased demand in heat. That's why Mayr-Melnhof Holz decided to build a third heating plant, tasking power plant specialist Urbas from Carinthia with the project. The project took off in the spring of 2019 during ongoing operations and the new boiler has been in operation since autumn. The two existing heating plants were overhauled and technically brought up to date.

Mayr-Melnhof Holz pursues a no-waste policy. This sustainability approach spans across the entire procurement and production process. 100 percent of the valuable resource that is wood are utilised. In Efimovskij, only the bark taken off the processed logs as well as (during particularly harsh winters) firewood from its own forests, are used as fuel. 

Directly next to the existing sawmill in Leoben, not only a new state-of-the-art cross laminated timber plant is being built in a multi-stage process lasting three years, but also a high-performance re-grading and planing plant as well as a fully automated high-bay warehouse. In a further step, the company intends to comprehensively modernise the sawmill.

"The supply of raw materials from the Styrian forests, the existing infrastructure, a well-trained workforce, and the supply of sawn timber from the directly adjacent sawmill make Leoben the optimal location for this investment in the future, which, processing the carbon-neutral material wood, also makes an important contribution to sustainability and active climate protection", says Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, who is pleased with this investment boost, which will not only improve the competitiveness of the Mayr Melnhof Holz Group, but also secure existing jobs and create new ones.

About cross-laminated timber
Cross-laminated timber is a solid wood building element made from several layers of sawn timber permanently cross-laminated to form panels. This crosswise structure guarantees dimensionally stable and stiff building components with excellent structural and physical properties. A high degree of prefabrication in the factory makes cross-laminated timber an optimal, high-quality building material. Today, wood can – in many cases – replace conventional building materials, such as concrete and steel, that emit high amounts of CO₂, thus having two positive effects on the climate: Firstly, by storing carbon dioxide and secondly, by preventing additional carbon emissions during the production process of conventional building materials which are then replaced by wood. As a natural and regrowing building material, cross-laminated timber makes a significant contribution to active climate protection.

Mayr-Melnhof Holz was awarded by PEFC Austria on 20 November 2019. What led up to the award: The company meticulously checks the origins of its raw materials, guaranteeing seamless traceability all the way back to the forest. Mayr-Melnhof Holz further processes this valuable resource – that is certified in accordance with PEFC or other, similarly stringent standards recognised by the PEFC– to wood products whose production process is also precisely checked and monitored and that area also certified in accordance with the comprehensive PEFC standards. This includes sawn timber, pellets, glued laminated timber, duo & trio beams, cross laminated timber, wooden concrete formwork panels and beams as well as cross laminated timber for timber concrete composite elements. 

The PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) is the world's leading institution for the promotion, preservation and distribution of actively sustainable and climate-friendly forest management. The PEFC label on wood and wood products guarantees that they have been sourced from ecologically, economically and socially sustainable forest management. To boost consciousness for sustainable forest management, the PEFC Award was created in Austria in 2011. The Award goes to companies that make significant contributions to careful and responsible forest management / wood processing in Austria.

Richard Stralz, the CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, highlights the importance of sustainable forest management in the light of advancing climate change: “We need to take appropriate steps towards a liveable future with a healthy climate in due time. And that means NOW. Large-scale scientific and economical efforts are required in the short term to quickly identify and implement the appropriate measures towards sustainable and future-oriented forest management. PEFC certificates are going in the right direction. PEFC stands for sustainability and safety in controlled forest management – globally.”

SUSTAINABILITY & RAW MATERIAL USE
PEFC

Directly next to the existing sawmill in Leoben, not only a new state-of-the-art cross laminated timber plant is being built in a multi-stage process lasting three years, but also a high-performance re-grading and planing plant as well as a fully automated high-bay warehouse. In a further step, the company intends to comprehensively modernise the sawmill.

"The supply of raw materials from the Styrian forests, the existing infrastructure, a well-trained workforce, and the supply of sawn timber from the directly adjacent sawmill make Leoben the optimal location for this investment in the future, which, processing the carbon-neutral material wood, also makes an important contribution to sustainability and active climate protection," says Richard Stralz, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, who is pleased with this investment boost, which will not only improve the competitiveness of the Mayr Melnhof Holz Group, but also secure existing jobs and create new ones.

About cross-laminated timber
Cross-laminated timber is a solid wood building element made from several layers of sawn timber permanently cross-laminated to form panels. This crosswise structure guarantees dimensionally stable and stiff building components with excellent structural and physical properties. A high degree of prefabrication in the factory makes cross-laminated timber an optimal, high-quality building material. Today, wood can – in many cases – replace conventional building materials such as concrete and steel that emit high amounts of CO₂, thus having two positive effects on the climate: Firstly, by storing CO₂ in itself and secondly, by preventing additional carbon emissions during the production process of conventional building materials which are then replaced by wood. As a natural and regrowing building material, cross-laminated timber makes a significant contribution to active climate protection.

"The two company groups complement one another perfectly, both geographically and in terms of the offered product portfolio", says DI Richard Stralz, CEO of the Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG. For Mayr-Melnhof Holz, this step represents the next stage of expansion after extensive investment within the Group.