The visit of the Slovenian Prime Minister to the Grand Duchy on 12 September allowed for fruitful exchanges among companies from the wood sector and furniture manufacturing from both countries.
Jean-Michel Gaudron
During the recent official visit of Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob to Luxembourg, stakeholders in the wood and furniture sectors from both countries had the opportunity to meet during a “business forum”. This event served to deepen trade relations between the two countries and explore new avenues of collaboration.
The initiative for this forum was taken by the Luxembourg Wood Cluster, representing over 1,300 wood sector companies (with around 19,000 employees) and managed by Luxinnovation. It facilitated direct and substantial exchanges with the Wood Industry Cluster Slovenia (2,500 companies and 13,500 employees), reaffirming both parties' belief in the numerous possibilities between the two countries.
In total, more than forty companies and institutional partners from both countries participated in various B2B meetings and visits organised during this forum.
The schools in the Betzdorf municipality (together with Steffen Holzbau as an innovative timber construction company and Schroeder Associés as engineering planner), in particular, generated significant interest due to their construction techniques following the "Holz von Hier" principles, which involve the use of both local hardwood and softwood.
The visit to the Skypark Business Center (with Metaform Architects, one of the architects responsible for planning the building, in collaboration with general contractor Steffen Holzbau), operated by Lux Airport, also made a lasting impression, as it is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, featuring over 15,000 cubic meters of wood in a hybrid combination with steel supports. "Skypark is considered an innovative gateway to Luxembourg for incoming visitors and clearly emphasises the importance of sustainable construction," summarised Mr. Köhler.
Furthermore, the Order of Architects and Consulting Engineers (OAI) had the opportunity to present selected Luxembourgish wooden construction projects as part of the “Bauen mat Holz” initiative, which comprises a total of 125 wooden structure projects that illustrate the added value of architects and consulting engineers in the development and growth of wooden construction in Luxembourg.
On their part, the Chamber of Skilled trades, the Federation of Artisans, the Luxembourg Confederation, and the Chamber of Commerce demonstrated how Luxembourg could be an attractive destination for foreign businesses.
"The Slovenian wood ecosystem shares similarities with that of Luxembourg," explains Ralf Köhler, the manager of the Luxembourg Wood Cluster. "Slovenia is the EU's third-richest country in terms of forests, with about 60% of its territory covered by forests, providing a strong foundation for the wood processing industry's development."
The economic relations between the two countries have significant expansion potential (Ralf Köhler)
Slovenian exports of furniture and wood products to Luxembourg reached approximately €3 million in 2022, with 65% consisting of prefabricated construction elements. Conversely, Luxembourgish exports of wood products to Slovenia amounted to €0.13 million in the same year, primarily for furniture and wood packaging.
"The economic relations between the two countries, therefore, have significant expansion potential," notes Mr. Köhler. "Luxembourg is perfectly positioned as a hub for development and innovation within a highly dynamic economy."
To conclude this forum, speeches by Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and his Slovenian counterpart Robert Golob highlighted the importance of the wood sector as a driver of innovation and climate protection. While the current share of wooden construction in the total construction sector is 7%, the construction sector itself accounts for about 12% of Luxembourg's greenhouse gas emissions.
Building on the wealth of exchanges and prospects, the two wood clusters have agreed to deepen their cooperation and expand their business relationships.
Photos: Luxairport & Chambre de Commerce
