Eastern Finland Wood Product Cluster (ITÄPUU)
The aim is to strengthen the cooperation and networking of wood industry operators to promote industrial wood construction in Eastern Finland.
New opportunities in the development of industrial wood construction
Diverse network of cooperation among wood product operators in eastern Finland as a key factor
In Finland, the construction industry lacks standardisation of wood components and joints. Therefore, modelling is slow and tendering is difficult. The project promotes cooperation between wood construction industry actors across the country by developing, modelling and illustrating wood construction solutions to improve their standardisation.
Promoting industrial wood construction and raising the degree of wood processing as a priority
The Xamk sub-project focuses on product development, testing and standardisation activation of jointing and structural solutions for wood-hybrid construction between RDI actors and SMEs.
Key actions of the project
WP 1. Eastern Finland wood product cluster network organising and cooperation
WP 2. Promoting industrial wood construction and raising the degree of wood processing
WP 3. Promoting export of industrial wood construction
WP 4. Communication, dissemination and exploitation
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News
ITÄPUU Project launched in the spirit of a company opening party
Xamk’s Industrial Wood Construction Laboratory’s company opening ceremony was held on Friday 24.5.2024 in Savonlinna, Finland. The event was attended by over a hundred experts and company representatives, and the weather was beautiful. The sun was shining from a clear sky all day, and at lunchtime the local vendace of Puruvesi with side dishes tasted great outside. The company presentations and demonstrations and the new research equipment in the laboratory generated a lot of enthusiasm and new discussions among the participants.
This festive atmosphere also helped to kick-start the Itäpuu project with a first meeting of project actors on site, which was attended by a large number of project actors. The main implementer of the project from Kuhmo and the co-implementers, the Measurement Unit of the University of Oulu in Kajaani, the Natural Resources Institute of Finland in Joensuu and Savonlinna and the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences in Savonlinna were present. Discussions and exchanges of ideas were actively taking place on the content and objectives of the project, while at the same time meeting companies and designers in the wood sector. As a result, the wood products cluster in Eastern Finland continues to move forward.
Trip to Kuhmo Woodpolis: business visits and a project workshop with ITÄPUU Project operators 27 – 28.8.2024
ITÄPUU Project operators gathered in Kuhmo Woodpolis on 27-28 August 2024. During these two days, the experts of the project visited companies in the wood products industry in the region, discussing aspects of operations, networking and further development, and organised the first project workshop, where they structured common objectives and measures through presentations of the work package contents prepared by the implementers.
On the first day, company visits were carried out to Luottopuu, Oy Crosslam Kuhmo Ltd, Kuhmo AA-Puu Oy, and Oy Timber Frame Ltd. The company visits were also accompanied by Japanese and Nordic export experts from Masame Mokuzai Finland Oy, who have been proactive towards the ITÄPUU Project. During the visits, the companies’ activities were familiarised and trends in industrial timber construction were openly discussed. With the export experts, ideas were raised on export conceptualisation in relation to the company’s sales lines, where the company specialises in structural timber joinery products and small, mobile, and stationary residential and accommodation buildings. Finally, at a summary event of the visits, we heard the views of the local Design and construction service JK Oy on CLT module construction for detached houses, which could also be a boost for the latter export line.
The visits were successful, and the discussions were fruitful, even though the schedule was tight. Overall, the companies in the region have a strong network of cooperation and development, aiming to promote wood processing and business growth based on industrial wood construction. A good example of this during the company visit was the ProLog® CLT log product, which is a non-compressible log product that has been the result of innovation and development by Crosslam and Timber Frame in recent years, and which we were able to view and feel on site. At the end of the day, we visited the Lentua Hall in Kuhmo House, where a total of 60 kilometres of Kainuu timber is on display in the surface structures of the concert hall. These experiences were a good conclusion to the day of the visit.
On the second day, an intensive and effective 1st Project Workshop was held among the ITÄPUU Project operators, where they delved into the driving of common objectives and action lines, drawing on the competence profiles of the implementing organisations. Jointly prepared follow-up measures were written down, which will serve as a basis for the further development of the ITÄPUU Project in line to achieve its practical objectives.
More information
Facts
Itäpuu – Eastern Finland wood product cluster
Info
Budget
Eastern Finland Wood Product Cluster project is co-funded by the European Union, granted by the Regional Council of Kainuu. Xamk’s part of the total budget is € 149 728 €, from which the amount of EU funding is € 119 782.
The City of Savonlinna is committed to long-term funding of development projects related to wood construction by Xamk and LUKE. However, the project funding decision is still pending. City of Savonlinna’s share of municipal funding: € 14 973
Keywords
Project partners
