NEWSLETTER APRIL 2019

A NEW INNOWOOD STUDY TRIP TO STYRIA

Wood industry enterprises, researchers and students took part in a study trip on 17 and 18 April 2019 organized by PANFA Accredited Innovation Cluster in the framework of the InnoWood ATHU059  project.

Participants could take a glance at the most innovative, most interesting wood industry business enterprises of the Styria region, their projects and research activities.

First they visited the HIZ / ECW – Wood Innovation Centre. They could gather first-hand information and experiences about research and development in connection with wood industry robotics during presentations.

Participants had the chance to accompany the journey of wood from raw material input to the storeroom of prepared products in the local plants of the wood industry giant Stora Enso. This was an excellent prologue to the following programmes of the study trip.

After lunch the group visited the almost brand new manufacturing hall and showrooms of MESSNER Ges.m.b.H.. The modern painting complex was in the centre of everybody’s interest.  The company is on innovative paths when it uses the latest technologies while working on the interiors of yachts and cruise ships.

On the next day

the window and door producing company, Gaulhofer, with 100 years of history and global market relations welcomed the group.  Besides wooden windows, the company produces wood-aluminium and plastic doors and windows by combining various technologies. While wooden products are mainly handmade, in the case of other products the whole process is fully automated.

The second stop of the day was a unique and innovative business enterprise. ThreeSixty Media Solution is a startup using modern VR technologies to develop assisting solutions. (Among others for wood industry companies.)

After lunch, participants looked at the practical demonstration of wood architectural research activities at Holzbauforschung GmbH. The opportunities offered by CLT technologies were especially emphasized. This is particularly important in Graz and its surroundings because the city started building a district of multi-storey wooden houses using exclusively CLT technologies a couple of years ago, providing accommodation for 10 000 people.

This rich programme was closed by getting to know the Q7 construction site and project area (with its CLT and passive blocks of flats) as well as the ecological ideas to be implemented in the next decade of city development.

The more than 30 members of the group gathered a great deal of new and exciting information and experiences during these two short days and they all rated the study trip “successful and progressive”.