The increase in wood construction in industrial and commercial buildings is largely due to the efficiency of the construction process. Prefabricated timber frames reduce construction times, saving money and making it easier to keep projects on schedule.

The statistics speak for themselves

The latest statistics show that:

  • 43 per cent of the industrial buildings started in 2024 have a wooden frame.
  • Total market share for timber frames increased from 12 to 29 per cent over the period 2018–2024.

“Based on the large-scale projects we’ve delivered, speed of assembly is one of the main advantages leading property developers to choose a timber frame. Being able to pre-assemble components in the factory and then quickly erect the frame on site makes the whole process incredibly efficient,” explains Mikael Lindberg, sales manager at Martinsons Building System, part of Holmen.

Several of Sweden’s largest property developers have already chosen wood for their office projects – including Vasakronan, Logicenter and Balticgruppen, to whom Holmen has supplied timber frames.

“Wood is the only climate-smart option. It’s also a material that offers unique opportunities to create modern and functional buildings. In our experience, property developers value flexibility highly – and wood allows you to create open and adaptable spaces in a way that other materials struggle to match,” says Mikael.

Gothenburg is a good example

In Gothenburg, it is clear that climate footprint has become an important factor in every new construction project. Property developers see timber frames as the go-to solution to meet stricter environmental requirements and sustainability goals. A current example is Innovation Destination Torslanda, with Holmen supplying glulam to the new innovation and mobility centre that will house Volvo Cars and other technology companies.

The first building in the development, a new office block that began construction in spring 2024, has a mass timber frame for which Holmen is supplying 917 cubic metres of glulam.

Short construction times and pleasant environments

Of all the segments, public buildings have the highest share of timber frames at 46 per cent, meaning that almost every second building is now made of wood. The focus is also on creating calm and pleasant environments for the people who will be working in them.

“We know that wood creates a sense of comfort and wellbeing. Add the short construction times and the speed at which clients can move in, and it’s no wonder more people are opting for wood,” says Mikael.

Prognoscentret’s market survey suggests that multi-family construction will recover in the second and third quarters of 2025, especially in metropolitan areas, after weak performance in 2023–2024.

“Over a two-year period of decline in overall construction, wood’s market share has increased, meaning that wood volumes have held up better than other materials. When growth returns to the construction industry, wood should be able to increase at least as fast as the market, which should lead to higher volumes,” says Thomas Ekvall, market analyst at Prognoscentret.

Mikael Lindberg is thinking along the same lines:

“Once housing construction picks up again, we’ll see a clear increase in wooden apartment blocks. Consideration of the carbon footprint is the driver here, and developers now have a range of cost-effective wood construction systems to compare,” he says.