Possible fields of hardwood applications

One crucial result of the recent Swiss National Forest Inventory (NFI) from 2004-2006 is a volume increase of 10.4 % for hardwood. The softwood volume, in contrast, has decreased. Although other European countries confirm this tendency, Switzerland still uses the bulk (60 %) of the harvested hardwood directly for energetic purposes instead of adding value on it by other applications. Besides the lower percentage of stem wood and the more complicated processing, the main problem in Switzerland is that the value chain from the round timber to an end product is not complete. Therefore the energetic use was and still is the most comfortable and profitable solution for unused assortments. Hardwood use is possible as solid wood and wood composites, but it can even be used as a substance or chemical product. As a solid wood, hardwood has a long tradition (roof structures, stairs, furniture, flooring). Today, it is also employed for wood based materials (solid wood panels, plywood). Scientific analyses reveal that hardwoods nowadays even enter softwood domains such as particle boards, medium density fibreboards, oriented strand boards and structural timber (glued laminated timber, Duo/Trio beams). At the moment, manufacturers are restrained regarding the commercial production due to current standards or failing design bases. In the pulp production, domestic hardwood is more and more repressed as usage of fast-growing plantation lumber increases. To develop marketing channels away from energetic use, it is mainly necessary to build a processing industry in Switzerland. Semi-finished or finished goods should be produced on Swiss terrain and not imported from abroad.