The wood product sectors research strategy helps companies in the industry as well as research organisations, universities, other institutions of higher education and public research funders steer and strengthen joint research efforts and the expertise of the industry in Finland.
The research strategy aims to:
- Strengthen the prerequisites for the renewal of the wood products sector
- Radically develop new technologies as well as the products, processes, services and business models that are derived from them
- Improve the competitiveness of the Finnish wood products sector and its clients
- Create the prerequisites for increasing the value-added input of new and current products
- Increase intellectual capital
The forest industry’s joint research projects aim for extensive cooperation in order to achieve the best possible expertise as well as to cut expenses and improve the usability of created knowledge. In addition to the domestic research projects, it is also important to participate in European and international research cooperation in order to improve know-how.
The challenges of international cooperation are the harmonisation of norms and standards and the expansion of the market over national borders.
The resaerch strategy has seven focal points:
- New products and services
- The production technologies of the future
- Wood construction and the energy-efficiency of building
- Research to support standardisation
- The environmental performance of wood
- The possibilities of bioenergy and bio-based chemicals
- Innovations and renewal in business activities
An innovation company Finnish Wood Research Oy has been set up to implement this strategy. The goal is to activate significant research projects associated with the above mentioned focal points and plan and direct joint industrial research efforts.