We are in the midst of a market development that is almost unprecedented in the history of sawmills. Demand is soaring in a situation where a wood building boom, record low lumber prices in Central Europe, the pandemic, and past concerns about trade barriers have created sunny weather on the global market. After sun comes rain, or at least some clouds in the form of an expected shortage of several types of wood products after the summer.

HASSLACHER Group, one of the world’s leading producers of glulam and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), invests in TC continuous kilns from Valutec. The deal means the well-known timber industry group becomes the first in Austria to own the groundbreaking lumber kiln. This is also a new prestigious order for Valutec, which strengthens its position as a global leader within the field of continuous kilns.

The last six months' sales to Germany and Austria amount to an order value of just over EUR 24,7 million for Valutec, which supplies kilns to the sawmill industry. The company has sold a total of ten continuous lumber kilns to the markets during the period, which is a fourfold increase compared to the annual average over the last five years.

Many of us will soon be taking a short break for the Christmas and new year holidays before a new business year begins. Even though 2020 hardly turned out the way we all expected, Valutec can think of three reasons why we should look forward to 2021. We're talking smarter processes, the sustainability benefits of wood, and faith in the future.