Update 2023/2024
The Holzkurier production survey revealed that 2022 was a record year for German hardwood sawmills, with a cutting volume of 1.63 million m³. In 2023, however, only 1.5 million m³ of hardwood logs were processed, representing an 8% decrease.
Pollmeier Massivholz accounts for 56% of Germany’s total hardwood cutting volume. Operating at its three production sites in Aschaffenburg, Creuzburg, and Malchow, the company processes 840,000 m³ of hardwood logs annually. This firmly establishes Pollmeier as Germany’s largest hardwood processor in 2023. Austria's largest hardwood lumber producer, Abalon Hardwood in Heiligenkreuz, processed 50,000 m³ of hardwood in 2023.
Find out more about the companies’ production plans for 2024 here: Curtailed hardwood cutting
The table below shows the production figures for the top 10 sites in Austria and Germany. In the Datacube, you can trace the production figures for all recorded sites back to 2007.
Instructions: The size of the circle symbolises the output of the single production sites (according to data gathered by Timber-Online). By clicking on a circle, the production trend and address of the selected company appear under the interactive map. 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 Germany, a total of 1.63 million m³ of hardwood logs were cut in 2022. Pollmeier Massivholz remains by far the largest hardwood processing company in Germany with an annual cutting volume of 840,000 m³. With its three production sites Aschaffenburg, Creuzburg and Malchow, the company accounts for more than half of the total German cutting volume. The second biggest manufacturer of hardwood lumber in Germany is Holzwerk Obermeier in Schwindegg, with a cutting volume of 100,000 m³ a year.
In Austria, 283,000 m³ of hardwood logs were cut in 2022. The biggest Austrian manufacturer is Abalon Hardwood in Heiligenkreuz with an annual cutting volume of 55,000 m³.
Read more here: Hardwood sawmills to curtail cutting this year
Update 2021/2022
In 2021, cutting in those German hardwood sawmills, which reported their production volumes, totaled around 1.62 million m³. Compared to 2020, when the companies had reported a cumulated volume of 1.58 million m³, cutting increased by 2.3%. By far the biggest hardwood sawmill in Austria and Germany is Pollmeier Massivholz. The company reports a total cutting volume of 840,000 m³ at its three production sites in Aschaffenburg, Creuzburg and Malchow. Pollmeier Massivholz thus accounts for half of the overall cutting reported in Germany. The second biggest hardwood sawmill in Germany is Franz Obermeier in Schwindegg (2021: 100,000 m³), followed by Abalon in Schwalmstadt (2021: 80,000 m³).
Among the companies, which reported their figures (incl. estimates by the Holzkurier), there are 17 companies in Germany with a cutting volume of 20,000 m³ or more. In 2021, they cut a total of 1.38 million m³ of log wood.
In 2022, cutting in Germany is expected to remain constant at last year’s level. The companies reported a cumulated target cutting volume of nearly 1.62 million m³.
In Austria, hardwood cutting amounted to 295,500 m³ in 2021, as reported figures show. Compared to 2020 (282,300 m³), cutting thus increased by 4.7%. Abalon Hardwood is Austria’s biggest hardwood sawmill with a volume of 70,000 m³, followed by EHP of Frauental with 40,000 m³. Wibeba of Wieselburg and Meister-Laubholz of Riegersburg are both in third place with 20,000 m³ each. Last year, these four companies accounted for a cutting volume of 150,000 m³ and thus for 50% of the total volume reported in Austria. In 2022, cutting in Austrian hardwood sawmills is expected to remain constant at 296,000 m³.
