On 25 June, Oleg Kuvshinnikov, Governor of the Vologda Region, and Mikhail Shamolin, President and Board Chairman of Segezha Group, launched the construction of the first CLT manufacturing plant to be built in Russia. Source: Timberbiz
The Governor and the Head of the company took part in a symbolic ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the future plant. Senior management also signed the address to employees to be unsealed after the enterprise starts operating at project capacity.
“It’s a truly landmark event for the whole Russian timber industry, as we are laying the groundwork for development of multi-storey wooden housing construction here, in the Vologda Region,” Mr Kuvshinnikov said. “For the first time ever, a cutting-edge plant producing a unique material that has never been manufactured in Russia before will appear in Sokol.
“I’m sure, CLT panels will be a breakthrough in domestic construction industry, both in mass civil engineering and construction of individual houses or social facilities.”
The amount of investments in a new manufacturing facility is over 3 billion rubles, and the capacity of the future enterprise is 250,000 m2 per year.
“We are laying the first stone, a symbolic capsule to mark the start of CLT plant construction; it will be the first plant of such a quality in Russia. With a new kind of construction material, we hope, a large number of residence buildings will be built in the country soon, not individual houses only, but also multi-storey multi-family houses and office blocks as an alternative for concrete and brick houses.
“We intend to develop this area of activity. It’s trendy, environmentally friendly, advantageous, good looking, interesting and beautiful,” Mr Shamolin said.
“We have made a decision to invest in this project, and the amount of investments will exceed 3 billion rubles. We have already designed the plant, chosen the equipment supplier, signed the agreement and pre-paid; the equipment is being made already, and deliveries will start in the beginning of the next year.
“By the end of the first quarter of 2020 equipment will be fully delivered to the site. And I hope, by late summer or early autumn next year we will produce the first trial panel to turn to commercial operation in the end of the year.
“First lots will be exported, but we expect new terms in our Construction Standards and Regulations to be formulated by that moment. Today we witness a historic moment – both for the Sokol Integrated Woodworking Plant making a new step in development, and the construction industry of our country, where a new segment, industrial multistory wooden housing construction, will soon appear.”
The decision about construction was made in May 2018, when the project was positively evaluated by the Investment Council under the auspices of the Governor followed by providing a priority status and federal government support.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation plans to expand applications for engineered wooden structures in housing construction by 2020.
“When we speak about development of multi-storey wooden housing construction, we primarily mean houses of 10, 15 or 25 storeys. One may consider it exotic, but the technology is popular in the world as an alternative to concrete and brick houses; and in my opinion, it will provide better living standards.
“Our company has pointedly studied the market and opportunities of production development here, in Sokol. From our point of view, they are just great,” Mr Shamolin said.
