Stora Enso to Invest 9 Million Euros in Automated Cross-Laminated Timber Coating Line at Ybbs, Austria Sawmill

Stora Enso announced on Friday (2-11-22) that it will be investing 9 million euros in an automated cross-laminated timber (CLT) coating line at their Ybbs sawmill in Austria. In the news release, the company said the investment will further strengthen its position as a leading global provider of engineered wood products for low carbon, sustainable buildings.

The construction industry is experiencing a labor shortage and pressure to shorten on-site construction time. The investment enables industrially pre-applied CLT coatings on the CLT walls and floors produced at Stora Enso’s Ybbs site. The automated coating solution results in shorter construction times and higher wood protection.

In commenting on the investment Lars Völkel, EVP Wood Products division said, “With this new automation line, we can apply high-quality water-based coating to approximately 500,000m² of CLT walls and floors per year—making us the world leader in this segment. Our customers will benefit from improved protection of CLT against moisture, sunlight, insects and fire, as well as nicely colored visual surfaces.”

The automated CLT coating line is expected to be complete and operational in the third quarter of 2023.