Hardwood supplier grows sales to record levels

Austrian hardwood supplier Danzer has reported record sales as strategic investments boosted operations.

According its 2021 results, total sales rose 25% to €170m from €136m in 2020, with the company benefitting ‘considerably’ from the soaring demand for hardwood.

This topline figure has been adjusted for the divestiture of its sawmill in Bradford, Pennsylvania, which was disposed of in April 2021. After adjustment, revenue for the year was up 9% on pre-pandemic 2019, and by 25% on 2020.

Danzer said, from an operational point of view, the year was shaped by bottlenecks and cost increases for raw material, transportation, and labour. Danzer continued to strategically invest in systems for intelligent wood use and process automation.

Across its portfolio, 57% of revenues originated from the sale of sliced products, 28% from sawn products, with the remaining 15% from logs, specialties, and services.

In 2021, Danzer supplied products to customers in 71 countries. Accounting for a combined 78% of all sales, the top 10 markets ranked as follows: USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Poland, Austria, China, Slovakia, Mexico and Sweden.

Hans-Joachim Danzer, CEO, commented: “At Danzer we focus on the areas in which we have a competitive advantage. We will continue to invest in systems for intelligent wood use and process automation. In 2021, Danzer further improved the optimisation software of the automated cutting line for wear layers that Danzer installed at the Czech veneer plant in Melnik in 2020.

“This improved the yield from tree to product still further. Additionally, Danzer invested in improvements to its VS 4000 vertical slicing machines in the USA and Europe in 2021. The company is also continuing to invest in digitalisation to increase production efficiency and allow new sales and marketing approaches. The product innovation highlights of 2021 included the development of a new decorated wood surface for an automotive customer in Asia.

“In the current challenging climate, which is shaped by uncertainty and price increases for raw materials and operating supplies, we are planning to further expand our activities and continue growing.”

Danzer owns and manages forests for future generations and produces sliced veneer, lumber and innovative value-added wood products for decorative applications in high-quality furniture, flooring, cars, and interior architecture.

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