Egger Wood Products, an Austrian-based manufacturer of wood-based materials, announced on Thursday (12-2-21) that it intends to invest $50 million in additional equipment for its Davidson County, North Carolina facility. Eggers has 20 plants worldwide, but the plant located in Linwood, NC is its first North American facility.
News in international markets
Södra Wood Announces Temporary Production Adjustment in December
Södra Wood will be making a temporary adjustment of production to achieve a balance between production and customer needs. In December, sawn timber production will be reduced by 60,000 m³. In a statement prepared to accompany the production adjustment, Peter Jhaveri, President of the Södra Wood said, “Production will be adjusted to achieve a balance between production and customer needs.”
Chinese City of Manzhouli Temporarily Halts Rail Imports After a Sudden Spike in COVID-19 Cases
Starting on Wednesday (12-1-21), authorities said its railway port will “suspend the import of non-containerized goods including timber, coal, mineral powder, chemical fertilizers, and other products that require manual loading and unloading.” The aim is to “strengthen prevention and control” of the outbreak at ports and “effectively block the spread of overseas epidemics through imported goods.”
Segezha Group Signs Contract with AS Hekotek to Supply Pellet Equipment for Lesosibirsk Sawmills and Woodworking Plant (LDK No.1)
Segezha Group’s Lesosibirsk Sawmills and Woodworking Plant (LDK No.1) has signed a contract with AS Hekotek to supply equipment for its pellet production facility. The investment is valued at approximately 10.1 million Euros, and the production capacity is projected at 100 thousand tons per year. The facility is scheduled to be online in Q2 of 2023.
Kronospan to Invest 180 Million Euros to Build New Factory in Spain
Kronospan, the Austrian multinational corporation dedicated to the manufacturing and distribution of wood panels, plans to invest 180 million euros to build a new factory in in the Catalunya Sud industrial estate in Tortosa (Tarragona), Spain. The announcement of the new factory is the largest foreign investment in Terres de l’Ebre.
Germany’s Producer Price Index Increases at the Fastest Rate Since November 1951
The German statistics office Destatis reported on Friday (11-19-21) that the Producer Price Index for industrial products in German rose 18.4% year-over-year in October 2021. According to Destatis, this is the highest on-year increase since November 1951. Compared with the previous month, the index rose by 3.8% in October.
Segezha Group Announces Plans to Build Second Glued Laminated Timber Plant in Karelia, Russia
The Segezha Group has announced it plans to build a glued laminated timber plant in Segeza, Republic of Karelia, Russia. The new plant will be located next to the Group’s primary asset in the Republic of Karelia, Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill JSC. The new facility will join the Sokol Woodworking Plant JSC, which is currently the only Segezha Group facility manufacturing glued laminated timber.
Hancock Natural Resources Group Renamed Manulife Investment Management Timberland and Agriculture Inc.
Manulife Investment Management, a diverse private markets business, which includes timberland and agriculture, has announced that Hancock Natural Resource Group Inc has changed its name to Manulife Investment Management Timberland and Agriculture Inc effective today (11-15-21). The change completes the transition of all Manulife Investment Management private markets’ capabilities.
Minster of Forestry Urges Builders to “Think Timber” in the Construction of Ireland’s Homes
The Republic of Ireland’s Senator Pippa Hackett, the Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, wants to see timber playing a ‘big part’ in the future of construction of Ireland’s homes. The senator made the comments as she launched a series of statements by the National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD).
Sweden’s Setra Announces Plans to Expand Drying Capacity at Heby and Hasselfors Sawmills
Setra, one of Sweden’s largest wood products companies, has announced that it intends to expand its drying capacity at their Heby and Hasselfors sawmills. The investment in both high-capacity drying kilns totals SEK 100 million. In total, Setra has invested more than SEK 1 billion in Bergslagen over the past four years.