The event, organised by the European Panel Federation (EPF) and the Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz Institute for Wood Research, offered participants 32 technical presentations on topics ranging from new products to ecological challenges.
EPF president Ladislaus Döry, who opend the symposium, outlined challenges and opportunties facing the European wood-based panel industry, including cost increases mainly caused by the popularity of burning wood to produce green energy.
“It is really shocking to see how one new political opinion in favour of renewable energy has led to a waterfall of regulations and financial support schemes to promote the burning of wood,” said Mr Döry. “The big problem is that the authorities have no understanding at all of the wood supply chains from the forest to the users.”
He said subsidies were allowing bioenergy producers to buy wood at above market price, thereby distorting competition.
Mr Döry said the industry was close to achieving a joint position with trade unions at a European level on the issue, which will be presented at a press conference on October 24 in Brussels.
