Schneider invests €30 m in a woodfiber insulationboard plant
Dieffenbacher supplies the complete production line
The wood processing plant of Holzwerk Gebr. Schneider GmbH based in Eberhardzell, Germany, will be starting construction of a new plant at the company's headquarters in mid-February 2010. The system has been designed to allow both flexible and pressure-resistant wood fiber panels to be produced without any modification or conversion work.
The plant is configured to operate with a total annual output of both products of about 250,000 m³.
According to the company, the investment will amount to about €30 m, from which approximately €5 m will be spend for the building and other civil cost. Installation of the systems is due to start in May, and the plant is expected to start production in December 2010. Production is to be ramped up in line with demand, with 3-shift working being used.
Back in December 2009, Schneider and Dieffenbacher GmbH &CO KG signed a supply contract for the main plant components .
The system will be capable of producing single-layer panels with a thickness range of 20 – 240 mm and densities between 35 and 200 kg/m³. This will be Dieffenbacher’s second insulation board plant following the commissioning of Homatherm GmbH in Berga at the start of April 2009.
Given an optimum production sequence, the fiber throughput will be about 7000 kg/h (od). A large amount of the raw material is going to be provided by the wood chips from the company's own saw mill and finishing plant.
Furthermore, some roundwood will be used.
Heat and energy for the insulation board plant amounting to about 12.5 MW thermal capacity will come from the nearby Bio-Power SKW GmbH, operating on its own premises since 2004.
Schneider is initially intending to market a large proportion of the insulation board production directly through its existing sales network. However, the company is also planning to expand its sales activities.
A small share of the production will be value added inhouse on a production line for sandwich elements being installed in parallel to the insulation board plant. This line will glue the wood fiber insulation boards to panel elements at the factory, and these will then be marketed as semifinished products.
Until now, Schneider has predominantly produced structural wood members for modern house building. Its product range includes not only classic structural wood but also KVH (construction solid wood), laminated beams and wooden planking, and even glued ceiling elements. In spite of difficult economic conditions, it was possible to increase sales in 2009 to about €50 m. A total of 160,000 m³ of wood products were produced and sold. The addition of the insulation board production is expected to boost the annual turnover by about €30 m to about €85 m by 2012. The workforce is set to increase from the current 200 to about 250.
Schneider is also investing in expanding its solid wood activities. Additional continuous dryers are being installed and the KVH production is currently being expanded with a second production line as well as another sorting line. The investment volume for this is about €3 m.
To receive further information please contact:
Holzwerk Gebr. Schneider GmbH
Martin Ströbele
Kappel 28
88436 Eberhardzell
Germany
Phone: +49 7355 9320-266
Fax:+ 49 7355 9320-300
Email: m.stroebele(at)schneider-holz.com
Web: www.schneider-holz.com
or
Dieffenbacher GmbH + CO. KG
Gustav Aumüller
Marketing & Communication
Heilbronner Straße 20
75031 Eppingen
Germany
Phone: +49 7262 65-224
Fax: +49 7262 65-420
Email: gustav.aumueller(at)zim-marketing.de
Web: www.dieffenbacher.de