History

More than 400
years of passion.

HISTORY

The history of HS Timber Group and its founder family Schweighofer goes back more than 400 years. So does our passion for wood and our fascination with all the possibilities of this most sustainable and versatile material. The foundation for today´s HS Timber Group was laid in the late 1970s when Gerald Schweighofer, working in his parents´ small sawmill in Lower Austria, together with his father created an innovation which globally set new standards in the industry - the first ever profiling line for small-diameter logs. His pioneering spirit, passion and striving for perfection have continued unabatedly over decades and will certainly remain our driving force in the future.

Today, HS Timber Group - former Holzindustrie Schweighofer - is a strong global company with seven production sites in five countries worldwide. Our impressive growth in Europe and overseas is the result of well-founded entrepreneurial decisions as well as a spirit of trust and handshake-quality in all our business partnerships. Reliability, integrity, and a cooperation at eye-level have been at our core for centuries and are the common thread through all the milestones of our more recent history:

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.

1977

A global innovation is born

After having joined the family business in 1975 at the age of 19, Franz and Maria´s son Gerald Schweighofer brings a new level of entrepreneurial spirit into the firm. His willingness to break the mold introduces a new level of boldness and innovation to the traditional family business. And hence, a groundbreaking global industry innovation is born right there in Brand in Lower Austria: The first ever profiling line for small-diameter logs, commissioned by young Gerald and his father Franz.

1984-1996

EXPansion in Austria and beyond

The company now called Holzindustrie Schweighofer opens Europe’s – at the time – biggest sawmill in Ybbs in 1994 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 for engineered wood.

1998-2001

global reach and relevance

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

2002

new beginnings

The early 2000s are a period of new beginnings for Holzindustrie Schweighofer. The company is further strengthening its reputation as a leader in the wood processing industry in Europe. The market-entry in Romania is prepared, and the Schweighofer Prize for the best innovations in the European forest-based sector 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.

2003-2015

Growth story in Romania

Starting in 2003, Holzindustrie Schweighofer starts operations with a new, modern sawmill in Sebeș in Romania. In the years to come, several milestones build the company´s footprint in this market: 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. And, not to forget, the newly built sawmill in Reci that started operations in 2015.

2006-today

BIG IN JAPAN

In 2006, Holzindustrie Schweighofer is once again among the Top 5 European 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 involving the closing of the factory in Siret and the selling of the one in Sebes proves the right decision in view of other future growth opportunities.

2024

SOUTH AMERICA: Acon Timber

After two years of construction and preparation, in April 2024 HS Timber Group commissions its brand-new and state-of-the-art sawmill Acon Timber in a joint-venture with the Belgian Forestcape Group. 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.