Update 2023/2024
For manufacturers of solid structural timber, 2023 was a year of satisfactory volumes and weak prices. In Germany and Austria, a total of 3.11 million m³ of solid structural timber were produced last year, which is more or less the same output as in 2022. For 2024, manufacturers are expecting a similar production output, which seems extremely optimistic given the latest building permit figures and economic forecasts.
Ante-Holz remains the biggest manufacturer of solid structural timber. In 2023, the company produced 420,000 m³ at three production sites. Ladenburger Holzwerke is in second place with an output of 260,000 m³, and is followed by Rettenmeier Holzindustrie with 180,000 m³.
Read more: Production of solid structural timber at 2022 levels
Instructions: The size of the circle symbolises the output of the single production sites (according to data gathered by Timber-Online). To compare companies, press and hold the shift key and click on the desired production sites. 1 m3 = the company did not provide details
Update 2022/2023
In the latest survey on the production of solid structural timber, Timber-Online identified a 4% increase in output in 2022, which brings the total to 3.12 million m³. 2.5 million m³ of the overall volume were produced in Germany, while 615,000 m³ were manufactured in Austria.
The biggest manufacturer, Ante-Holz, produced 425,000 m³ in 2022 and is followed by Ladenburger Holzwerke (260,000 m³) and Rettenmeier Holzindustrie (195,000 m³).
Ante-Holz (+50,000 m³), Cordes Holz (+10,000 m³) and Rettenmeier (+20,000 m³) as well as market newcomers Schrage Holz (+17,000 m³) and Bruno Ruhdorfer (+6,500 m³) recorded 2022 the biggest increases in KVH production. Already in 2021, the ante group put a cross-laminated timber plant into operation in Berga, which has an annual production capacity of 100,000 m³ and can also produce up to 50,000 m³ of solid structural timber a year.
Read more: Over 3 million m³ of solid structural timber
Update 2021/2022
KVH output did grow in 2021. However, with an increase of 2.3% compared to 2020, the upward trend was significantly weaker than in previous years when production grew by around 5% each year. In its 2021 production survey, Timber-Online identified a total output of 3.02 million m³, of which 575,000 m³ were produced in Austria and 2.44 million m³ in Germany.
Production is likely to see much stronger growth this year. For 2022, manufacturers expect a total production volume of 3.29 million m³. That would be an increase of 9% compared to 2021.
Read more: Solid structural timber market keeps growing
Update 2020/2021
In 2020, solid structural timber production in Austria and Germany passed the 3 million m³-mark for the first time.
Compared to 2019, output rose by 5.7% to 3.1 million m³. As for this year, producers expect another marked increase of 6.2%, which would bring the total to 3.3 million m³. In Austria, KVH production grew by 3.4% year on year and reached 561,000 m³ in 2020. The two biggest producers, i.e. the Hasslacher Group and Eschelmüller Holz, also reported the biggest increases. Hasslacher Group raised production by 15,000 m³ to 135,000 m³ at its site in Preding. Eschelmüller produced 95,000 m³ in Rothfarn (+20,000 m³) and became Austria’s second-biggest KVH producer, overtaking Abies Austria with a constant output of 85,000 m³.
In 2021, Eschelmüller wants to raise its output by another 43,000 m³ (to a total of 138,000 m³) and become the country’s biggest solid structural timber producer. “However, we can only reach this target, if there is sufficient raw material,” comments Ernst Eschelmüller.
In Germany, production rose by 6.2% to 2.5 million m³ in 2020. With an output of 330,000 m³ (+15,000 m³), Ante-Holz is by far the biggest producer in Germany, followed by Ladenburger Holzwerke with 255,000 m³ (+5000 m³) and Lignopan Holzwerke Pfarrkirchen with 163,000 m³. With an additional 33,000 m³, the former Stora Enso production site in Pfarrkirchen recorded the biggest increase in Germany.
As for 2021, Rettenmeier Holzindustrie plans the strongest growth: At its Hirschberg site, the company wants to raise production by 35,000 m³ to 175,000 m³.
