WoodINchem
A territorial strategy on the wood bioeconomy
Wood processing sector in bio-based materials chemistry
Forest Bioeconomy Grand Est Region
Territorial Assets
The economic dimension of the forest is therefore extremely important and permeates the rural fabric, even if we must also take into account the very particular sensitivity of populations to the Environment.
Wood Sector Grand-Est Region
The Grand Est region is the 2nd region in terms of the economic weight of the timber industry; in particular, all areas of primary processing are represented: 1st region for the harvesting of hardwood lumber, energy wood, 2nd for pulpwood, 3rd for poplar, 4th for softwood lumber (note that the largest softwood sawmill is located in the region). (Sources CNPF; CESR Grand-Est)
The forestry sector accounts for 12% of France’s total forest area, 15% of standing volume, 19% of harvesting and 17% of sawn timber production. It generates 53,000 jobs.
The region has been identified as the most important in terms of potential increase in harvesting, with most of this increase coming from private forests: the ‘National Forest and Wood Programme’ indicates a possible additional availability for the Grand Est region of 2.7 Mm3 (or 2.1 Mm3 excluding small logs).
The Grand Est region is home to several of France’s largest industrial units in the timber sector, such as SIAT Braun for sawmilling, EGGER for particleboard and UNILIN or PAVATEX for fibre, as well as leading furniture and fittings manufacturers such as Schmidt Groupe and ALPAGROUP.
European leader in Bioeconomy
With the excellence of the Industry of the Future and the know-how of agricultural, forestry and wine producers, the Grand Est has everything it takes to become the benchmark region for biomass production and processing.
5 priorities for a forward-looking economy:
- Local energy strategies
- Local biorefineries
- Sustainable agriculture to produce more and better
- Biomaterials to build and renovate buildings
- Food with biobased ingredients, sustainable packaging and greater traceability
Sustainable use of wood and related products
Cascading and circular recovery that does not compete with existing recovery processes, including energy recovery:
- Volume of related products: 930,000 tonnes (Source FIBOIS Grand Est – 2023)
Types of current valuations :
- 60% Energy (including pellet manufacture)
- 27% Crushing (paper, board)
- 9% Traders
- 1% Carbonisation
- 3% Other
All the bark was recycled (source: FIBOIS Grand Est).
Sawmills in the Grand Est region generate large volumes of related products: Groupe Siat Alsace, Schilliger Bois, Scierie Feidt, Scierie Germain-Mougenot and the Huberlant sawmill.
An industrial resource
The Grand Est region has more than 300 primary wood processing companies, which produce more than 1.25 million m³ of sawn timber every year (Source EAB), making the region France’s third-largest producer.
Fibois Grand Est federates these players and supports their development.
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