The Sustainable Development Goal 12 provides for dealing with natural resources more efficiently. One solution is the circular economy: Sustainable management means harvesting natural resources carefully and using them wisely. Within the meaning of the circular economy, the proportion of secondary raw materials, such as recycled material, should be maximised. The waste generation is to be significantly reduced by prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
Good to know
The cycle at the core
Already 65% of the wood used throughout the Group in our wood-based materials comes from by-products from the sawmill industry or recycling.
Active backward integration
We operate our own recycling collection sites under the name EGGER Timberpak. In this way, we are ideally positioned to supply our plants with valuable recycled wood.
The cycle continues
At the end of their long service life, our products are also for the most part recyclable and can be used for the production of new wood-based materials. Our main product - chipboard - is 100% recyclable.
Cascading use
We are committed to the best possible material use of the precious resource wood. We only use wood that is no longer recyclable as a material as a source of renewable energy.
Resource-efficient cycles
From the tree to the product: Our actions focus on the closed material cycle. In doing so, we count on fully integrated plants with short transport routes. We make full use of the valuable resource wood.
Our commitments
The EGGER Group is pursuing the goal of further increasing the recycling rate in its own use of wood. We are making comprehensive investments for this purpose. This is how we make the best possible use of the valuable resource wood.
- Working in closed cycles is a core element of our sustainability strategy.
- We mainly use wood from the circular economy that has already had several lives: This includes recycled wood and by-products from the sawmill industry. We use this to produce high-quality wood-based materials again.
- This recycled wood comes from discarded goods such as old furniture, pallets or board cut-outs.
- We procure the recycled material from qualified waste disposal companies or from our own recycling collection sites.
- We only use suitable material intended for material recycling. Both in the case of recycled wood and the finished product, strict quality standards and quality inspections apply.
- In 1995 we used recycled wood in our production for the first time and have since built up a great deal of expertise.
- Trees absorb CO2
during their growth, and so the carbon remains stored in the wood over its entire useful life. With every chip that is recycled, we are able to further extend this storage effect. This is how we make a contribution to climate protection.
To ensure the supply of recycled wood to our plants, we focus on active backward integration and operate our own recycling collection sites under the name EGGER Timberpak. We would like to further expand this network. This is how we combine resource conservation and raw material security.
- You can see an overview of where we already have recycling collection sites here.
- With this successful concept, we were also able to help create appropriate structures in countries where the recycling of wood was not yet common practice.
- At our Timberpak sites, recycled wood from the respective region is collected, sorted and pre-shredded for transport to our plants. Final processing takes place there.
- To turn the recycled wood into a high-quality board material, special systems are required that process the material in a highly efficient manner. We are continuing to invest heavily in new recycling processing plants at our production sites.
Further information can be found in our Financial and Sustainability Report.
Measures and progress
Every step counts! We have recently implemented these measures on our way to a circular future.
Second Timberpak site in Poland
April 2024
After Warsaw, we were able to commission a second recycling collection site in Poland, namely in Gdansk. In doing so, we have successfully taken a further step towards even better providing our plants with the valuable resource of recycled wood.
First recycling collection site in Italy
March 2024
Thanks to a majority stake in the recycling company Cartfer Urbania S.r.l., we were able to expand our international network of recycling collection sites once again. This is the kick-off for our own collecting activities in Italy.
Recycling high-tech in Leeds
August 2023
The very first Timberpak branch was founded in Leeds (UK) in 2000. We replaced it in 2023: with a state-of-the-art site equipped with the latest recycling technologies. The focus was on sustainability and safety – including solar modules and thermal cameras for thermoregulation of the stocks.
Valuable raw material from German metropoles
March 2023
Our network of recycling collection sites in Germany has grown once again: We took over the recycling company M+P Umweltdienste GmbH near Cologne. In this way, we can use the waste wood potential of the greater Cologne/Bonn area.
Wood recycling established in Romania
March 2023
It has long been a common practice in Romania to burn waste wood instead of recycling it professionally. We were able to actively contribute to developing the sustainable raw material source of recycled wood. We are now supplying our Rădăuţi plant with material from several of our own Timberpak recycling collection sites.
New recycling site in Lexington, NC
March 2023
A new recycling processing plant started operations at the EGGER plant in Lexington, NC (US). Thanks to the nearby Timberpak location, it can be ideally supplied with wood and processes the material into a high-quality board material.
First EGGER Timberpak location in the USA
January 2023
With the acquisition of Novem Industries, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, we were also able to bring our Timberpak success concept to the USA. The site supplies our plant in Lexington, NC, with recycled wood.
SAIB becomes part of the EGGER Group
December 2022
EGGER acquires a majority stake in the Italian wood-based material manufacturer SAIB, based in Caorso. What makes SAIB special is its leading role in the circular economy: The plant in Caorso has been using 100% recycled wood in production since 1994.
New cleaning tower in St. Johann in Tirol (AT)
August 2022
Using the latest technology, this plant processes recycled wood into a high-quality raw material for the production of new chipboard. Foreign substances are removed from the material stream via high-tech.
