BizWOOD Småland

The project shall inspire Småland's small and medium - sized wood companies to innovation and business development for increased exports of wood products of softwood and hardwood with increasing added value. Companies must be able to utilize the potential that increased investments in sustainable construction offer and create new business relationships in existing and new value chains. The project will contribute to starting a functioning value chain and thereby increased use of hardwood, which provides incentives to produce and manage deciduous forest. The project contributes to the goals in the forest and wood strategies of Småland and the innovation work that takes place based on Smart Housing Småland.

Småland is the center of the wood industry in Sweden and its continued development is important for employment and profitable forestry. The wood industry in Småland consists mainly of small and medium-sized companies. Many of them have limited opportunities to develop new markets and new products / customer solutions. The softwood and hardwood industries have different structures and business models. The softwood industry has a strong and complete value chain and works mainly with standard assortments in large volumes and low margins. The industry is highly export-dependent and new emerging markets in Asia require special investments to enter. The hardwood industry is developing poorly. Despite 18% deciduous forest and high demand both at home and globally, most hardwood goes to pulp production and firewood in Sweden. Almost all hardwood products for the Swedish furniture and interior design industry are imported. The hardwood industry lacks a functioning value chain.

The project aims to support the wood industry's companies in their development towards:

1. Establish contacts with customers in China, Vietnam and Japan for export development.
2. Develop an example product for facade panel of aspen. Prepare a basis for total cost based on manufacturing assembly, environmental requirements and maintenance.
3. Develop methods for visual grading of Swedish birch in different strength classes and produce data to show that with mechanical grading it is possible to grade birch into high strength classes for the manufacture of glulam beams in birch or in combinations with spruce and birch.

Workpackage 1 is carried out by the Kalmar region, workpackage 2 by Träcentrum Nässjö and workpackage 3 is carried out by RISE.