Forestry and timber industry with a bright future

The forestry and timber industry has a long tradition in Germany and Europe. The renewable raw material wood has always been put to efficient and innovative use, woodworking skills have been honed over the centuries from a craft into a very productive and innovative industry.

Europe is one of the world's most important economic areas for the manufacture and export of modern timber semi-finished and finished products. The European timber industry is one of the global market and technology leaders, with the German forestry and timber cluster in the forefront with around 150,000 companies, over 1.2 mn. employees and an annual turnover of roughly 170 bn. euros. Germany has the biggest timber reserves in Europe and the domestic sawmill industry the biggest production in the European economic area with at present over 25 mn. m³ (24 mn. m³ softwood incl. planned timber).

The industry has recently expanded its exports to a current figure of 8.7 mn. m³ softwood (including planned timber).

The German and European timber industry is investing in the expansion of production capacities and product innovations so that it can continue to make an important contribution to satisfying the world's growing demand for modern timber products in future. The forestry and timber industry also has a bright future thanks to the valuable contribution the use of timber makes to climate protection and sustainability.