SCA Forest Products is to invest £7.4m in a new window component manufacturing facility at its sawmill in Munksund, Sweden.
The plant is to have a production capacity of 30,000m3 and is due to come on line in October 2008.
Finger-jointed, glulam window components will be the staple at the facility and, according to sawmill manager Anders Nordmark, will allow SCA to add value-added processing to its ouput.
“Currently, part of the value-added processing is carried out by the customer and to some extent value-added processing into components is undertaken by subcontractors outside Sweden,” said Mr Nordmark.
“By investing in our own production line, we will now ensure a high level of efficiency, top quality and low costs.”
Mr Nordmark said that the demand for “high-quality wood windows is increasing” and the new facility would “strengthen our position as a leading supplier to this important market”.
Stephen King, sales director at SCA Timber Supply, added that the investment is part of a European-wide timber strategy.
“This move is part of SCA’s European developed timber strategy to increase production of customer-specific components for industry. In the UK, around 70% of the timber SCA sells to the wood-using industries is now adapted to customer specifications,” he said.
As part of the investment, SCA is to work with Piteå Port to develop a safe transport storage procedure for the window components.
