The housing shortage is an international problem that needs to be resolved if we are to meet the needs of a growing population. As a building material, wood offers a number of advantages that can help to overcome challenges such as climate change, sustainability and resource efficiency. This is where Swedish industrial wood construction comes in as a potential solution, with on Holmen and Martinsons showing how it’s done.

A major international delegation, including representatives of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, is currently in Sweden visiting acclaimed timber construction projects and meeting politicians and representatives of government agencies and industry. In Västerbotten, they are visiting Holmen’s production facility in Bygdsiljum and the arts centre Sara Kulturhus where Martinsons and Holmen have played a key role. The building’s components were produced in Bygdsiljum, and Martinsons delivered and assembled the structural frame, comprising glulam and cross-laminated timber.

“There is great international interest in industrial building in wood and we are often asked to show our production to visitors. We are keen to increase knowledge about sustainable wood construction,” says Olov Martinson, mill manager at the Bygdsiljum production plant, which recently hosted the international delegation who followed the production flow from raw material to finished construction elements.

The visitors stayed at the Wood Hotel, part of Sara Kulturhus, where they saw and heard about the building, which, at 20 storeys, is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world, made from elements including 2 600 cubic metres of glulam and 10 700 cubic metres of cross-laminated timber from Holmen’s sawmill in Bygdsiljum.

“Seeing our projects attracting international attention confirms that we are at the forefront in wood construction and our important role in the green transition,” says Mikael Lindberg, sales manager at Martinsons who was involved in the delegation’s visit to Västerbotten. 

Advantages of wood construction

  • Wood is a renewable material that can be grown and recreated, making it a sustainable solution for the construction industry. Using wood as the main construction material enables us to cut our climate impact and encourage a circular economy.
  • Industrial wood construction offers faster and more efficient building processes. Using prefabricated wooden modules and elements means construction projects can be completed with shorter construction times and better cost control.