![[BioMatNet Database - FAIR Program]](../images/Fair.gif) |
FAIR-CT95-0091
Round Small Diameter Timber for Construction Market in Finland |
|
Type of Project | Shared Cost |
| Contract No | FAIR-CT95-0091 | |
| Total Cost | 1 686 334 ECU | |
| EC Contribution | 990 000 ECU | |
| Start Date | 01/01/1996 | |
| Duration | 36 months |
Introduction
This deals with the potential markets for
roundwood in Finland. The objective of this subproject were:
This country report has contributed to a final report of FAIR project FAIR-CT95-0091, that concludes that the potential markets for large volumes of small round wood is in construction of small buildings, but it is also important to develop other areas and attract new ideas and users.
Summary
At present small roundwood (diameter. 8 - 15 cm) is
used in Finland for paper industry pulp, firewood or, on a limited scale,
as sawn goods primarily in the countryside and yards. The purpose of this
subproject was to seek potential markets for the product in Finnish
construction. Similar reports on the United Kingdom, France, Holland and
Austria will be prepared for each of the participating countries. The
activities have consisted of brainstorming sessions, collection of
statistical data, expert interviews, searches of the literature and data
banks, as well as reflecting the construction market-related expertise of
VTT Building Technology in Tampere.
This report includes estimates of developments in construction in Europe to year 2000. The volume and type of construction impact on potential demand for the product. New construction in Finland has declined since the boom at turn of the 1990s, but the trend is now improving. The 1993 level of construction was selected as the basis of this study since the largest amount and most detailed information was available for that year. Rougher estimates have also been made of the 1995 and 2000 levels of use or potential demand.
The annual growth of small roundwood, suited to roundwood constructions, is about 1,8 million cu m in Finland. Hence, small diameter construction timber is a nearly endless resource in Finland. It is estimated that 250,000 cu m were used in construction in 1993 level. New building construction could use 110,000 cu m in structures, 60,000 cu m could be used on building sites, 40,000 cu m in yard equipment and 30,000 cu m in renovation. Civil engineering could consume 10,000 cu m. The potential level could have been 10-fold greater. Construction uses about 0.4 cu m/inhabitant of sawn goods while the potential for small roundwood would be 0.05 cu m inhabitant. In the year 2000 the potential might be 270,000 cu m. In most areas many kinds of innovative structures could be developed, but clients must want to use them.
In building construction buildings less than 200 m cu in area were selected as the key target groups. These include summer-houses, traffic-related and storage buildings. Opportunities also exist for greater use in farm buildings, private home-building and use on building sites as well as in landscaping.
At present the use in large building represent a very small market area for small roundwood in Finland. In civil engineering, with about 10% market shares, the most important target groups are bridge construction and park equipment. There might also be potential use in scaffolds supports during work. Nature tourism could use more shelter and landscaping in forest areas but to encourage this needs intensive marketing.
The interviews indicated that hardly any small roundwood is used in construction today. Some was used in rural areas and in fences. Architects and structural designers would be willing to use the products also in small warehouse frames (storage), farm buildings, yards, renovation, parks, etc. Logs have long been used for building frames. These are generally heavier than small roundwood.
Architects and structural designers would appreciate a product that is of uniform quality, readily available, standardised, slightly processed, used locally, long-lasting and, for indoor use, of neat appearance. In landscaping treatment is important. Small roundwood is most often seen as a competitor of sawn goods, but stone-based products compete in yard construction. The product must be priced competitively and easy to install. Good showcase projects and instructions are requires to promote the use of the product since end-users and designers have to be convinced of a product's advantages. A long list of potential products was generated in the brainstorming sessions, but the markets for them are often very small.
Conclusions
Finland has a long tradition of timber
construction. Sawn goods and further processed products form the bulk of
the material used. In construction, roundwood is used mainly for log
structures in leisure buildings, small storage facilities and utility
poles. These products are generally constructed of roundwood that is
heavier than that studied in this project.
The large number of potential target groups for small roundwood in building construction and civil engineering presented a problem. Also, it is not easy for a product to capture market share from ordinary sawn goods or other materials unless customers accept it. While novel constructions such as knockdown constructions for fairs and high towers exist, use in such constructions are so small that it was decided to examine potential levels based on current major areas of use. The potential for small roundwood was estimated to be 0.05 cu m per inhabitant.
Rural construction close to forests is a target group where it would be natural to use small roundwood. The frame structures of buildings under-200 sq m were chosen as the focus of calculations as concerns total new construction. Less would be used in visible structures. The next largest use groups examined were yard construction, site use and different civil engineering projects. Designers would be willing to use more small roundwood in small buildings, halls, private home-building, garages, various yard applications, bridge construction sites, marinas, parks and trench supports. Wood is considered an ecological material, but small roundwood is not suitable for everything.
A large amount of small roundwood can be used in recreational construction, but future projects will be random. Yard construction, in connection with housing construction, is expected to revive as a result of the influences from abroad and as the renovation of residential neighbourhoods proceeds.
Products of various target groups are subject to different requirements concerning degree of processing. It has already been found in cost surveys that labour costs related to small roundwood easily exceed those related to regular sawn goods. Other materials could also be used for structures if that would reduce costs. In the case of thermally insulated structures, excessive thermal loss through the frame is unacceptable. Products must also be readily available.
Finland has few wooden bridges, but there is an ongoing campaign to increase the use of small ones in the countryside and on pedestrian and bicycle paths. Use in bridges requires very high quality small round wood. Use for temporary site structures in building types and bridges would be a important market area.
In future, the project should focus on the development of rural construction as well as frame systems of small buildings, low-cost hall structures, agricultural buildings, various yard equipment (gardening, fencing,...) and temporary site use during construction. Nature tourism could need more shelters and other wooden equipment in the future. But this requires intensive marketing.
The round wood products compete for markets mainly with sawn wood, but close analysis of the entire production chain can identify the most competitive production chains from forest to finished products, that may favour roundwood.
Acknowledgements
This report was prepared by VTT Building
Technology's Construction sector markets and development group in Tampere,
with Anna-Leena Perala as project manager. The work was co-ordinated by
Alpo Ranta-Maunus, with overall supervision by the project's steering
committee. The Agricultural Research Centre Vakola has prepared a separate
report on agricultural constructions, the main results of which have been
incorporated into this report.
Contacts
Coordinator
EC Scientific Officer
Participant
© Copyright 2006 Policy Statements
Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
- biomatnet@biomatnet.org
 |
 |
 |
News |
 |
Events |
|
|