Stora Enso’s investment in a new production unit for cross laminated timber (CLT) at Gruvön sawmill in Sweden was inaugurated today by Stora Enso’s CEO Karl-Henrik Sundström, Joakim Sveder, Mill Director, Gruvön sawmill and Leif Haraldsson, Municipal Commissioner of Grums.
The investment in Gruvön sawmill amounts to €45m. The project has proceeded according to plan from the investment decision made in July 2017 to the start of commercial deliveries in the first quarter of 2019. The investment has had a total employment impact of 60 new employees for the mill.
This is Stora Enso’s third production unit for cross laminated timber as the company already has two production units in Austria. The production capacity of the new unit at Gruvön sawmill will be 100,000m³ annually, equalling enough material for approximately 4,500 normal sized apartments. The CLT elements are made of spruce.
”I am delighted to be present and inaugurate one of the world’s largest and most modern production units for cross laminated timber. With this investment we substitute fossil-based materials with renewable materials for use in the construction industry. We see great potential in timber becoming the building material of the future,” says Karl-Henrik Sundström, CEO, Stora Enso.
Over one hundred customers, suppliers, employees and representatives from local trade and industry participated in the celebration of the new production unit for CLT.
Stora Enso decided to invest in Gruvön sawmill as there is a good local supply of raw materials and an industrial infrastructure for efficient logistics due to the presence of a harbour and railway in the mill area, not to mention the nearby European route E18 and highly qualified employees.
Stora Enso is Europe’s largest supplier of wood products and has delivered CLT to more than 14,000 projects around the world. The increased capacity of CLT, the investments in new technologies and the development of digital services and tools combined with building concepts for offices, residential buildings and schools make Stora Enso the leading provider of innovative wood-based solutions for construction.