Wood-based materials

The topic area "Innovative wood-based materials" promotes the development of environmentally friendly, highly functional or multifunctional materials as well as innovative composites in combination with competitive manufacturing technologies.

The strategic goals for wood-based materials include developing new fields of application, ensuring the competitiveness of existing products and ensuring that these products are harmless to health.

This establishes wood as a significant component in material composites that combine the best properties of the source materials, thus creating significant added value. Important prerequisites for this are interdisciplinary approaches through collaboration within and outside the wood sector, as well as sound evidence and communication of the environmental benefits of wood-based materials.

Strategic goals

The strategic goals of the Swiss wood industry in the field of wood-based materials

are divided into two levels: At the higher level, future

Innovations and measures aimed at opening up new fields of application,

Ensuring the competitiveness of existing products and ensuring

the safety of these products. For these overriding

The following objectives, which continue to be cross-company and cross-institutional, can be achieved

Derive goals:

Wood products exhibit high moisture resistance. This goal includes both the modification of the wood itself and the further development of adhesives.
Emissions from wood-based materials are minimized. Although already at a low level, the release of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is further reduced or eliminated.
Wood is an established component in composite materials. New composite materials combine the best properties of each of the raw materials, creating added value that exceeds the sum of the individual components, thus opening up new areas of application for wood.
The production of wood-based materials is carried out using automated and digitally networked processes.
The flammability of wood products is significantly reduced - both for solid wood products and wood-based materials.
Wood-based materials are manufactured in a resource-efficient manner. This includes the use of bio-based adhesives, the utilization of recycled wood, weight reduction while maintaining consistent technical properties, the optimal material utilization of biomass, and energy-efficient production processes.
Hardwood-based products are technically and economically competitive.
New applications and processing methods have been developed for this purpose.
Timber components can be reliably dimensioned, an important prerequisite for the engineering use of materials.
Standardization and homogenization of properties as well as innovative material testing procedures simplify the planning and execution of timber structures.
The UV resistance of wood is significantly improved, especially for outdoor use, including use in facades.
New bonding and manufacturing technologies lead to new design possibilities with large-sized components.

Measures and proposed actions

Measure: Close the gap between laboratory and industrial scale, reduce the time from pilot phase to market readiness

Suggested actions:
- Create or make infrastructure accessible, e.g. by establishing innovation hubs for wood-specific R&D
- Identification of potential investors

Measure: Scientifically prove the environmental benefits of wood-based materials

Suggested actions:
- Create fact sheets on materials and material developments
- Collaboration with KBOB (ecobau) to ensure the exchange of research results
- Consideration of new developments (adhesives etc.)
- Include life cycle assessment in product development (R&D projects)

Measure: Promote interdisciplinary cooperation with companies, associations and institutes outside the traditional wood sector

Suggested actions:
- Involve disciplines outside the traditional wood sector in technical developments
- Integrate wood-based materials into new applications
- Create interdisciplinary research and development competence centers

Measure: 'Improve cooperation and communication

Suggested actions:
Expand communication and cooperation between industry and research institutes:

- Promote information exchange
- Increase efficiency in project implementation
- Intensify horizontal cooperation between complementary wood research institutes (joint work on issues)

Measure: Focus and intensify wood-specific research

Suggested actions:
Especially in the following areas:

Adhesive technology:
- Defossilization/reduction of grey energy;
- High-performance adhesives

Life cycle (LCA) and footprint analyses:
- Incl. consideration of the recycling system

Wood modification:
- to develop high-performance materials for use beyond the traditional use of wood

Development of new manufacturing processes for wood-based materials:
- With focus on separability of composite materials/products

Coatings:
- for multifunctional, durable, self-repairing and/or low-maintenance surfaces

In research fields that cannot be addressed in sufficient depth in Switzerland, an exchange of knowledge with foreign institutes must be ensured.

Projects of our members

Below you will find the table of projects. Select the measure relevant to you, and the projects will be listed by approval year, funding organization, project title, and institution.

2021	FOEN WHFF	Long-term creep behavior of beech laminated timber	ETH Zurich IBK Institute of Structural Engineering
2016	CTI	Extraction of bioactive wood ingredients and their use in dispersions as co-emulsifiers and to increase the service life of coating systems for outdoor use	BFH Institute of Materials and Wood Technology
2023	Innosuisse	OPUS WOOD	BFH, Institute of Materials and Wood Technology
2023	Cantonal	Durables Tables	BFH, Institute of Materials and Wood Technology
2022	Innosuisse	Upscaling of natural dyeing process of solid beech wood	BFH IWH Institute for Materials and Wood Technology

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Completed measures and the latest findings from the S-WIN network

The latest findings from the S-WIN network are published here every six months.

International projects and funding programmes

Horizon Europe

Description: Supports research and innovation in various fields, including sustainable forestry and wood technology.
Homepage: Horizon Europe

LIFE Programme for the Environment and Climate Action

Description: Funds projects on environmental conservation and biodiversity, including sustainable forest management.
Homepage: LIFE Programme [ungültige URL entfernt]

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

Description: Provides support for rural development, agriculture and forestry.

InvestEU

Description: Mobilizes private investment to promote sustainable projects, including timber construction.
Homepage: InvestEU

Just Transition Fund

Description: Supports regions in the transition to a climate-neutral economy, including sustainable forestry.
Homepage: Just Transition Fund [ungültige URL entfernt]

Interreg Programmes

Description: Promotes cross-border cooperation in Europe, including in the field of forestry.
Homepage: Interreg

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