HS Timber Group, together with its Belgian joint-venture partner Forestcape, intends to build a new sawmill in Gobernador Virasoro, Argentina.
The investment will amount to approximately $100 million and the sawmill is expected to create 280 direct jobs. The total employment impact, including the upstream and downstream sectors, is estimated at over 700. The plant is designed to process small diameter pine logs (Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii), which will be sourced exclusively in the region, from sustainably managed areas.
After commissioning, the plant has a processing capacity of 500,000 m3 of saw logs/year. All the sawn timber is dried, and some of it is also planed. The by-products of sawing are pelletised (EN A1plus) or sold to local biomass plants. The entire product range is designed for export. The target markets are worldwide, e.g. China, the USA and Europe. Some of the machine orders have already been placed: Linck (chipper line), Springer (round and sawn timber manipulation in sawmill and planing mill), Microtec (scanner), Valon Kone (debarker), Gilbert (planing line), Mahild (timber drying). Commissioning is planned for mid-2023.
As in all mills of HS Timber Group, emphasis is placed on the comprehensive use of raw materials. In accordance with the principles of the circular economy, 100% of the thermal energy required is generated in the plant, as green heat. The biomass either originates from timber processing or is locally sourced.
The Argentinian joint-venture operates under the name Acon Timber. HS Timber Group contributes its industry expertise in wood processing and sales. The Belgian partner Forestcape has many years of experience with sustainable forest management in the region where the sawmill will be built.
