Reference

Forestry and Timber Construction in Thuringia

Wood industry in Thuringia: short distances, high quality, long tradition! Wood grows abundantly here and is becoming increasingly important as an economic factor.

Central location in Europe

Successful Companies

Location by tradition

Skilled workers and training

Are you interested in settling in Thuringia? Then please feel free to contact us at Contact.

to investor consulting to funding consulting

Overview

Thuringia offers excellent conditions for the further development of the timber industry: the region impresses with an efficient infrastructure, short distances, and a strong network of research, education, and practice. Four universities with a focus on timber industry and timber construction promote knowledge transfer and strengthen the skilled labor base.

The industry is characterized by modern production processes and high-quality timber construction materials, which are used in a versatile manner in residential and commercial construction. Crafts and industry cover a broad spectrum - from classic building and working materials to innovative applications in furniture and interior finishing.

Particularly noteworthy is the service-oriented wood design and timber construction, which combines functionality with aesthetics and offers individual solutions for builders and architects. The range is complemented by industrial prefabrication, which enables efficient and sustainable construction.

Investors benefit from a dynamic industry with close integration between business and science – ideal conditions for innovation and growth.

400 Companies along the value chain

4 Universities related to timber industry and timber construction

Core Competencies in the wood industry sector

Production of modern, high-quality wood construction materials
Versatile wood processing in crafts and industry
Furniture manufacturing from craftsmanship quality to industrial scale

Service- and customer-oriented wood design and timber construction
Industrial prefabrication in the construction segment

Prof. Erik Findeisen Professor of Forestry Work Science, Forest Technology and Forest Utilization (specializing in Forestry), Erfurt University of Applied Sciences | Spokesperson of the WIR! alliance "Holz-21-regio
The goal is to establish Thuringia, especially the Thuringian Forest, as a European model region for wood-based value creation, with innovations from Thuringia. The Holz-21-regio alliance supports this and brings together partners from business, science, administration, and tourism. Research and development projects thus connect strong economic sectors with forestry and the wood industry. New products, services, and technologies are emerging for a climate-friendly, efficient economy and structural change in rural areas - from climate-resilient forest conversion to modern timber construction. The alliance is already supported by citizens from the region and is also receiving promising national and international resonance.“

Successful in Thuringia Examples of timber construction in Thuringia

Hohe Tanne GmbH from Großbreitenbach
With the construction of its new production building, Hohe Tanne GmbH in Großbreitenbach is taking a sustainable path. The climate-neutral company building was constructed entirely using timber construction. The energy concept is based on geothermal energy, low-temperature heating, and waste heat utilization. There is also an innovative lighting concept and separate light regulation in each room. So far, the company saves around 870 tons of CO₂ annually.
Further information
1/4
Tiny House Hotel Wiesenglück - Relaxation in the Eichsfeld Nature Park
In the Eichsfeld Nature Park, this family business offers modern tiny houses that combine sustainability and comfort. The eco-friendly accommodations create a cozy atmosphere and blend perfectly into nature.
Further information
2/4
Oberhof bobsleigh track
With the new roofing of the bobsleigh track in Oberhof, Thuringia demonstrates how sustainable high-performance construction and regional forestry can work together. The structure, made of individually manufactured plywood shells and larch wood strips, comes from local production and was largely prefabricated. This creates added value directly in the Thuringian Forest.
3/4
Timber Construction Schools
With the new school buildings in Bendeleben and Ilfeld, Thuringia is relying on sustainable educational construction using nearly 100% timber construction. A specially developed building system combines proven technologies into a flexible modular system, whose modules are optimally adapted to the delivery and transport dimensions of timber construction elements. The structures come from regional manufacturing and strengthen the value chain within the Thuringian timber industry. Due to the high degree of prefabrication and the resource-saving construction method, CO₂ emissions are significantly reduced.
4/4

To our success stories

Skilled workers Carved from good wood - skilled workers with potential

Academic Education

Thuringia promotes early training and further education to secure the innovative strength and competitiveness of the timber industry. Interdisciplinary training creates ideal conditions for modern products and processes along the entire value chain – from forestry to construction applications.

Interdisciplinary Timber Construction

At the Bauhaus University Weimar and the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, the focus is on resource-efficient planning and building with wood. The training provides in-depth knowledge of the material wood, its possible applications, and the design of complex structures – always with an eye on sustainable solutions and efficient construction processes.

Forestry to secure the future building material wood

ThüringenForst and the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences jointly offer practical training and further education for forestry professions. In light of climatic challenges, a special focus is placed on forest monitoring, the conversion to climate-stable forests, and reforestation – supported by modern technologies and research.

From Biotechnology to Bioeconomy

Interdisciplinarily, biotechnology makes biomolecules, cells, and entire organisms usable for technical applications. The development of new biotechnological processes and production methods thus opens up diverse fields of application, such as in medicine and pharmaceuticals, fine and basic chemicals, biofuels, food, and enzymes for a wide variety of uses. The Ernst-Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena are paving the way to the bioeconomy with their research approaches.

Universities

Training and further education in forestry

Forestry workers and forestry specialists are centrally trained in Thuringia at the Gehren Forestry Education Center qualified by ThüringenForst. In addition, the facility offers attractive further training courses for forest owners and other interested groups.

Research and Development

Best conditions for innovations.

Thuringia offers ideal conditions for research and development in the timber industry. Numerous research institutions contribute to the further development of the wood industry with their expertise and research approaches.

Research institutions

IAB - Institute for Applied Building Research Weimar gGmbH
Thuringian Competence Center for Wood, Resource Management and Sustainability (HRN)
Forest Research and Competence Center (FFK Gotha)
Materials Research and Testing Institute at the Bauhaus University Weimar

Here you can find an overview of the research institutions in Thuringia.

Thuringian R&D Portal

Networks and initiatives in Thuringia

Holz21regio

Holz21regio pursues innovative projects to shape the timber industry of tomorrow. The goal is to provide producers with information for efficient production planning, enabling them to better assess their wood requirements and capacities. A focus is on wood-based construction methods for the serial manufacturing of buildings, similar to assembly line production. To promote healthy forest management, sensors and warning systems are used against drought and pests. AI assists in the automatic detection of forest damage to respond quickly to diseases. These and other technological developments help gather valuable information that supports the planning and implementation of technical innovations in the timber industry.

Further information

State Advisory Board for Forest and Wood Thuringia e.V.

The State Advisory Board for Forest and Wood Thuringia e.V. is a registered association dedicated to promoting the use of wood from sustainable forestry and forest management. The goal is to establish wood as a climate-friendly raw material, material, building material, and energy source. The board unites key representatives of the forest, forestry, and wood cluster and is active in areas such as developing regional value chains, promoting education and training, and positioning the industry in politics and the public sphere.

Further information

Architects' Chamber of Thuringia

The Chamber of Architects of Thuringia sees architects as responsible for designing and planning sustainable and future-proof buildings. Timber construction offers excellent opportunities in this regard to generate added value through material selection, innovative design, efficient construction, and sustainable operation. In collaboration with the Chamber of Architects, timber construction is being increasingly promoted in all areas – from industrial buildings to schools and kindergartens to private residential construction.

Further information

Thuringian Timber House Working Group

The Thuringian Timber House Working Group combines architecture with a holistic ecological concept. Timber houses are built in a natural way – with conscious
Use of healthy building materials and the avoidance of wood preservatives, assembly foams, and solvent-based adhesives.

Further information

Timber Construction Atlas Thuringia

The Holzbau Atlas Thüringen is an online portal that emerged from a cooperation between the State Advisory Board for Forest and Wood Thüringen e.V. and the IBA Thüringen. Originally conceived as a mobile exhibition, the Atlas now provides comprehensive information on timber construction in Thüringen and presents outstanding projects in the region.

Further information

Selected companies Success „grown“ in Thuringia.

In the heart of Germany, extensive forest resources meet a modern, high-performance wood industry. The value chain – from sawmills through further processing to innovative wood-based materials and end products such as building components and furniture – is closely interlinked in Thuringia.

Eco Timber GmbH & Co. KG

Develops and produces individually prefabricated timber construction elements for industrial and residential timber construction. Combining high-tech timber framing and engineered timber construction, the company merges industrial prefabrication with on-site craftsmanship, reducing lead times and increasing quality.

Pollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG

Specialized in hardwood sawmills, development and production of wood-based building materials, particularly the “Baubuche”. These building materials are characterized by high load-bearing capacity in slim constructions and enable specific solutions in modern timber construction.

Mercer Timber Products GmbH & Mercer Rosenthal GmbH

Mercer's production capacities include a pulp mill, a lignin production facility, and a highly efficient sawmill that exclusively uses wood from local, sustainably managed forests.

MACHTS Handwerks GmbH

Manufactures solid timber houses, ecological construction, solid wood furniture as well as individually designed sleeping furniture and carries out the prefabrication of doors and stairs in the highest craftsmanship quality. Only high-quality and sustainable woods are used.

Beyer Ingenieurholzbau

As a specialist company for nail plate connectors, formwork construction, and timber framing, Beyer combines traditional craftsmanship with modern timber construction and offers customized solutions for engineered timber construction.