Schilliger rescues Klenk sawmill

26 October 2009

Swiss timber processor Schilliger Holz has bought Klenk’s Volgelsheim sawmill, paying €15m to rescue the mill from the receivers.

The mill, on the France/Germany border, has a cutting capacity (logs) of 600,000m³, producing spruce and silver fir sawn and planed timber, as well as finger-jointed dimension timbers and beams.

Ernest Schilliger, chairman of Schilliger, said the production site would add capacity to the company’s existing mills in Switzerland.

“The French mill is perfectly suited to supply our international markets,” he said. “Its modern machinery is all up-to-date and fits our production ideas very well.”

Schilliger was said to be in a four-way bidding battle for the former Klenk mill, although finally won the decision from the Commercial Court of France.

“We will start by operating one shift and will then increase production according to market demands,” added Mr Schilliger.