Rooted in tradition, driven by technology

In Alto Adige, forests are much more than a natural treasure. They represent a veritable economic and cultural infrastructure, one that has always been a part of the history of this territory, as well as a driver for constant innovation. 
Over 300 million trees (51 percent of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano is covered in forest) feed a chain of extensive and diversified industrial, commercial and creative enterprises: approximately 3,000 business and 15,000 people work in the forest-lumber sector, generating annual value of around EUR 1.4 billion.

From sawmills to design workshops, to large-scale industrial technology companies, the Alto-Adige lumber chain has evolved into a virtuous ecosystem that combines innovation, economics and environmental protection: a development model that brings together good practices and excellences that are, in many cases, global leaders, in addition to being a crucial driver for exportation. There are a range of initiatives promoting this supply chain through integrated enhancement and sustainability strategies, such as the ProRamus project, which brings together organisations in Alto Adige from throughout the forest-lumber chain to develop new products and promote sustainable construction techniques. Then there is the founding of the Alto Adige brand, which now not only certifies the quality of food or tourist products, but also industrial and artisan expertise related to the processing of wood, a form of recognition that combines excellence, innovation and environmental responsibility. These organisational strategies involve a number of outstanding entities that, drawing on know-how developed over the centuries, have managed to distinguish themselves for their drive for, and constant investment in, innovation.

The first of these stories has its roots in Nova Ponente, in the heart of Val d’Ega, where a small sawmill founded in 1946 by Hans Pichler is now X Timber, a company that turns Alto-Adige lumber into high-tech components for the construction and industry sectors.

X Timber is one of Italy's leading sawmills for coniferous wood, capable of processing over 200,000 cubic meters of wood per year, and one of Europe's most important manufacturers of structural elements and technical components thanks to its three production plants. Its philosophy is expressed through the motto “We ennoble wood”, celebrating local raw materials through precision industrial processes. In an area of more than 25,000 m², trunks are processed with automated systems that ensure constant productivity and the utmost traceability: the story of every beam, board or block can be traced right back to the original tree, guaranteeing quality and transparency throughout the supply chain, from raw material onwards.

The company, which employs approximately 70 collaborators and has a turnover of EUR 30 million, with exports representing 68 percent, is now a leading figure throughout the sector. Its products are used in the widest possible range of applications, from beams for construction to frames for doors and windows, to Norway spruce used for the soundboards of pianos and violins. In addition to the quality of its products, X Timber also stands out within the market for its vision of sustainable management, from the decision to use wood sources almost exclusively from conifers from local forests, to guaranteeing precision in supplies.  A level of care for raw materials and client relations rooted in artisan traditions and operating on an industrial scale.

Around fifty kilometres of forest to the north, in Bressanone, to be precise, Micro-tech represents the other face of the supply chain: that of a form of technological innovation that has demonstrated foresight in embracing and implementing the potential of artificial intelligence.
Founded in 1980 by Federico Giudiceandrea, the company is now a world leader in scanning and cut optimisation for the wood industry. With a turnover of approximately EUR 100 million, of which 95 percent is from exports, and more than 450 employees worldwide, Microtech combines AI systems and computed tomography to improve the quality and efficiency of wood processing.

Its scanning systems, including its flag-ship CT Log, provide a 3D reading of the internal structure of logs, allowing the identification of the ideal cut and thus obtaining the utmost production efficiency, while keeping waste to a minimum. Its proprietary platforms Goldeneye and Variosort guarantee precise classification and automated production process management, while the Microtec Connect suite offers end-to-end traceability: in other words, every board can be traced from the trunk to the final product, with full control of flow and use.

The capacity to develop more than 150 key components and proprietary software in-house guarantees the company a competitive advantage, which is demonstrated by the orders that come in from all over the world, including with high symbolic value ‘incursions’ from beyond the realm of standard industrial processes. For example, Microtech technology has been used for the delicate project for the reconstruction of the spire of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, destroyed in the 2019 fire: the company’s scanning systems allowed the most suitable oak to be selected. A significant ‘piece’ of Alto Adige thrusting into the sky from the banks of the Seine.