Stora Enso expands CLT business to Australia

3 July 2013


Stora Enso’s cross-laminated timber business is expanding following the delivery of its first CLT shipment to Australia for construction giant Lend Lease.

CLT elements from the Stora Enso factories in Ybbs and Bad St Leonhard in Austria are being used for the structure of the Docklands Library and Community Centre in Melbourne – the first public building in Australia to use CLT.

The lightness of CLT meant only a limited amount of additional piling and repairs to old timber posts were required, considerably reducing project costs.

The 500m3 three-storey CLT structure’s erection time is estimated at 6-8 weeks, with the project scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.

“This building will be a great start for CLT construction in Australia and a natural extension to our business in Australia, where Stora Enso has been operating for more than 10 years through four distribution centres around the country,” said Matti Mikkola, senior vice-president, Building Solutions, Stora Enso Building and Living.

“CLT is one of the most significant forms of innovation in construction technology that Australia has seen in many years,” said Andrew Nieland, business development manager for Lend Lease’s timber solutions business.

“It is transforming the building and construction industry by introducing a more efficient and environmentally friendly construction process and we look forward to working with Stora Enso into the future.”

Stora Enso CLT panels are being used in Australia's first public CLT project