1956

From handcraft to industry

The roots of HS Timber Group date back to the 17th century with the first mention of the production site of the extended Schweighofer family in Waldviertel, a wooded region in the northern part of Austria. The organisation’s actual success story as an industrial company begins in 1956, when Franz and Maria Schweighofer take over the family-owned sawmill in a village named Brand. At that time, the annual cutting capacity of the sawmill in Brand is about 1,000 m³ - as opposed to millions today.

1975 - 1977

Pioneer spirit

Gerald Schweighofer, the son of Franz and Maria, joins the family business in 1975 at the age of just 16. In 1976, the pioneering spirit of father Franz Schweighofer and son Gerald led to the set-up and operation of the world's profiling line for soft wood. A decision that laid the foundation for the development of the traditional family business into an international industrial company.

1983 - 1996

EXPANSION IN austria and beyond

The company now called Holzindustrie Schweighofer opens Europe’s – at the time – biggest sawmill in Ybbs in 1983 and takes over and expands another prominent sawmill in Sollenau in 1991, all in Lower Austria. In 1996, the first move across the border is successfully undertaken: Holzindustrie Schweighofer acquires the biggest and most modern sawmill of the Czech Republic in Ždírec. With this visionary endeavour, the organisation is among the first movers into Central- and Eastern Europe – way before EU-Enlargement 2004.

1997

Diversifying and restructuring

After acquiring the sawmills in Bad St. Leonhard, Austria, and in Plana, Czech Republic, Holzindustrie Schweighofer achieves an annual sawlog cutting capacity of more than 3 million m³. At the same time, the Lamco glulam mill is built in cooperation with Meiken, a Japanese industry leader. 

1998 - 2001

global reach and relevance

In 1998, Holzindustrie Schweighofer merges with the finnish industry giant Enso Timber and the Swedish company Stora and becomes the third largest saw milling company in the world named Stora Enso. After three years, in 2001, Stora Enso took over all shares of the combined company from the Schweighofer Foundation, this meant all sawmills in Austria and the Czech Republic were transferred to Stora Enso.

2003

NEW BEGINNINGS

Just two years after his exit from Stora Enso, Gerald Schweighofer dares to start up again as Holzindustrie Schweighofer and seamlessly builds on its reputation as a leading company in the wood processing industry in Europe. In 2003, Holzindustrie Schweighofer begins operating a modern sawmill in Sebes, Romania. In the same year, the Schweighofer Prize is established. A one-of- its-kind award which until today, more than 20 years later and under the new name Evergreen Prize, is the most prestigious distinction in the industry.

2004 - 2015

GROWTH STORY IN ROMANIA

Several milestones characterise the company over the next few years: The completion of a second sawmill in Rădăuți; the takeover and modernisation of a Swedwood production plant for solid wood panels in close-by Siret; the production of blockboards and concrete formwork panels in the former Finnforest plant in Comănești, which today operates as HS Baco Panels and is the largest blockboard factory in the world. In 2015, the newly built sawmill in Reci started operations.

2006 - today

BIG IN JAPAN

In 2006, Holzindustrie Schweighofer is once again among the biggest suppliers to Japan. Overall, our products are supplied to more than 80 countries across the world. Until today, Japan is one of the most important markets for HS Timber Group – boasting a track record of more than 30 years of dozens of reliable and trustful customer-relationships in this quality driven market.

2015

GO WEST

The Schweighofer Group takes over the Kodersdorf sawmill in Saxony/Germany, from Klausner Group - an acquisition which is an important step for entering the market in Western Europe. In the years to come, substantial investments make this sawmill one of the most technologically advanced factories of the Group with a broad product range from lumber to glulam to pellets.

2019

New Name: HS Timber Group

Reflecting the growing international reach of Schweighofer Group, the organisation is changing its name to HS Timber Group in December 2019. The name change goes along with a comprehensive brand relaunch resulting in a new and fresh appearance. While the new name is easier to understand and pronounce for international customers, suppliers and partners, the change does neither affect the ownership and organisational structure nor the Group’s independence.

2020 - today

Expansion continues

For HS Timber Group, the 2020ies have so far been a success- and eventful journey of entrepreneurship on a global level, starting with two groundbreaking greenfield projects in Svisloch/Belarus in 2020 and in Virasoro/Argentina in 2021 and following up with a major acquisition in Finland in 2022: The renowned sawmill Luvian Saha Oy with an annual production capacity of about 300,000 m³ of sawn timber is now part of HS Timber Group.

In 2022/2023, a consolidation of the group´s operations in Romania involved the closing of the factory in Siret and the selling of the one in Sebes.

2024

SOUTH AMERICA: Acon Timber

After two years of construction and preparation, in April 2024 HS Timber Group commissions its new sawmill Acon Timber. The new sawmill is equipped with top-notch equipment and technologies and designed to process pine wood sourced regionally from sustainably managed plantations. Currently, the plant has an annual production capacity of 370,000 m³ of dry lumber.