Tuesday, September 10, 2024
For decades, International Wood Day has been the premier event for Austria’s sawmill industry and wood trade. On August 30, 2024, this prestigious event took place during the International Wood Fair in Klagenfurt, attracting over 400 attendees. Among the participants were numerous entrepreneurs from Italy, which has long been Austria’s most significant market in the wood sector. The event also welcomed high-ranking representatives from the forestry industry, construction sector, and plant and mechanical engineering, further solidifying its status as a key networking platform.
After the welcoming speeches by Martin Gruber, Deputy Governor and State Councillor in the Carinthian State Government, and Harald Kogler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Carinthian Trade Fairs, Markus Schmölzer, Chairman of the Austrian sawmill industry, opened the industry meeting.
The first highlight was the awarding of the Golden Spruce to Dr. Davide Paganoni, CEO of Paganoni Import Legno, and Herbert Jöbstl, Chairman of the Austrian Timber Industry Association and President of the European Sawmill Industry EOS. The prize is awarded every two years by the Austrian sawmill industry and the Carinthian Trade Fairs to honour particularly committed individuals to strengthening Austrian-Italian market relations.
The event featured a keynote address by Dr. Christian Helmenstein, chief economist of the Federation of Austrian Industries, focusing on the structural challenges facing the European wood industry. This was followed by a presentation from Karin Lenhard of Erste Group on ESG in the financial sector, exploring the theme, “Coping with the Climate Crisis: Opportunity or Burden?”
Subsequent panel discussions, moderated by Dr. Rainer Eder, delved into the current market landscape and future prospects for the industry. Markus Schmölzer and Franz Teuschler, deputy chairman of the Austrian timber trade, shared insights on Austria’s market conditions. Michael Pfeifer, coordinator of the Austria-Italy Committee, and Dr. Alessandro Calcaterra, President of Fedecomlegno, highlighted the state of Austrian-Italian relations. Lastly, Herbert Jöbstl and Maria Kiefer-Polz, Vice President of the European Sawmill Industry EOS, examined international markets and the status of the hardwood sector.
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