A new group to promote German timber has been launched with support from forestry organisations and sawmillers.
Zukunft Holz Gmbh – Future Wood Ltd – will continue the work of the now defunct German Timber Promotion Fund, albeit on a totally voluntary funding basis, concentrating on specific projects rather than general promotional work.
Associations and companies from across the German timber and forest industries have been locked in talks about forming a new promotional group since the German Timber Promotion Fund was forced to stop operations last summer following a court ruling over its funding. Mandatory contributions from sawmills and forest owners to the work of the Fund had been ruled as unconstitutional, violating entrepreneurial freedom.
The German Forestry Council and the German Economic Association Wood have a 50% shareholding in Future Wood, which officially is formed on April 1.
Three projects have already been earmarked – timber construction consultancy, timber information and market reports.
The top 100 companies in the timber and forestry sector have been invited to a meeting in Berlin in early May to discuss the projects.
