Study trip to Upper Styria

In the framework of the InnoWood ATHU059 project, the PANFA Accredited Innovation Cluster took part in a study trip together with other West-Transdanubian and Austrian wood and furniture companies on 21-22 June 2018. Participants in the study trip could get a glimpse behind the scenes of the most innovative and interesting woodworking companies in the Upper Austrian region.

First of all tehy visited the company Speedmaster GmbH (Ried im Traunkreis), one of the most modern furniture manufacturers of today. They supply over 15,000 carpinters and furniture companies in record time thanks to their automated system. Housings, fronts, furniture panels, sliding doors, work desks, drawers are produced.

In Schlierbach, Altholz has presented a way to reuse, treat, and professionally process old, used wood. The wood thus prepared is of high quality, ecologically valuable, valuable and durable.

After lunch, the team visited the company SFK Tischler (Kirchham bei Vorchdorf), which has grown from a traditional carpenter for 4 people to be the forerunner of producer of future materials. Using state-of-the-art technologies, they bring innovative ways of product development and standardized production.

The next station was Obermayr Holzkonstruktionen GmbH (Schwanenstadt). The vision of the company is the natural life and work environment surrounded by wood. They provide comprehensive services in the field of wood construction from consulting, static calculations to execution.

The next day, the program began at Linz, Schachermayer GmbH, one of Austria's most successful family businesses. Their extensive product range includes over 150,000 products. Their fast administration is based on one of the fastest and most modern logistics in Europe.

Also in Linz were participants at Roomle GmbH. The company operates a 3D digital furniture design platform with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, high-resolution image rendering support. The first cloud-based interface that allows design-based interactive furniture purchases for both retailers and end users.

Then MHC, the Upper Austrian Furniture and Wood Cluster, was introduced. 97% of the 246 members are small and medium-sized enterprises. They support their members by sharing innovative ideas, market entry, knowledge transfer, access to grants, and joint projects.

The group started in St. Martin, where they first looked at the workstations, kitchen sinks and floorboards of natural stone, ceramic and quartz composite from Strasser Steine. The company is the market leader in the field of kitchen countertops in Austria with a 70% share. One of the innovations is the Leather Look - the stone skin surface finish.

A team of interior designers, architects, and product designers from Steininger Designers GmbH introduced minimalist but luxurious furniture and kitchens. They use noble wood, natural stone, anodized aluminum and concrete.The last stop of the study trip was the PANEUM - Wunderkammer des Brotes in Asten. The participants visited an exhibition organized around bread, in which bakers guilds, cereal growing, harvesting, processing, beliefs related to bread, rituals and knowledge were gathered in an architecturally suggestive building.