Award for Scrimber

In a joint project with Timber Structures 3.0 AG, Timbatec and the newly founded Scrimber CSC AG, researchers at the IWH Institute for Wood Materials and Technology at the Bern University of Applied Sciences are developing the innovative Scrimber wood construction product. The project received an award from the Canton of Berne's Forestry and Natural Hazards Office as part of the "KliWa Idea Pool" innovation competition.

This prize is very important to us. In addition to the 50,000 euro prize, the canton is supporting us in the construction of a pilot plant. It's also important to prove that Scrimber is widely accepted as a pioneering technology for climate-friendly forestry. In awarding Scrimber the prize, the jury - made up of experts from the timber industry and government - is demonstrating the importance of this technology for the modern timber industry and for a climate-friendly construction sector.

A wood product for load-bearing applications

In constructive construction, Scrimber has to perform the same functions as reinforced concrete, but present a significantly better CO₂ balance. As a construction product, wood has the advantage that it can be worked with relatively little energy, emits no additional CO₂, unlike cement-based materials, and stores in the building a large proportion of the CO₂ absorbed by the tree during its lifetime. One product that already enables this today is BSP cross-laminated timber. However, this product is in high demand and therefore relatively expensive. What's more, wood yields are not particularly high. The Scrimber product uses innovative machining technology to achieve a wood yield of almost 100%. In addition, lower quality assortments, including old wood, have to be used for production.

Rewarding innovative forest management projects

The "KliWa Idea Pool" innovation competition was launched to showcase and encourage the wealth of ideas and innovative strength in the sector. Indeed, in the face of climate change, the forest ecosystem is confronted with major changes and challenges, the resolution of which requires new ideas.