Latin America is known for its vast forest resources and has been a target for investments, mainly concentrating on primary production. The region is taking its first steps in expanding the forestry-based industry to further developed products and wood construction represents the strongest potential.
Housing deficit, carbon neutrality and the importance of forest industry to local economies are the driving forces to swap out mainstream materials like concrete and steel, in favor of wood. Wood construction is on the rise thanks to several ongoing projects both in the public and private sectors. Latin America’s first high-rise building in CLT is built in Chilean Patagonia and it’s developed in cooperation with Stora Enso and the main Chilean architect has studied at Aalto University. The first CLT plant started production in Uruguay in March this year, and the first high-rise building is aimed to be built in 2024
Join us for this webinar on 25 April at 15:00 - 16:30 EEST to hear about the results of a market study on wood construction in Chile and Uruguay and what opportunities we have identified for Finnish companies.
Agenda
- Introduction and welcoming words from Ambassadors of Finland in Chile and Uruguay
- Presentation Wood construction in Chile and Uruguay: opportunities for Finnish companies
- Q&A
- Next steps and closing words
Housing deficit, carbon neutrality and the importance of forest industry to local economies are the driving forces to swap out mainstream materials like concrete and steel, in favor of wood. Wood construction is on the rise thanks to several ongoing projects both in the public and private sectors. The first CLT plant started production in Uruguay in March this year, and the first high-rise building is aimed to be built in 2024.
The region is lacking in know-how throughout the value chain of wood construction. This has caused partly low-level pilots and an urgent need for expertise. Local companies are interested in cooperation with Finnish companies in know-how in wooden architecture, planning and education as well as in construction and distinct mechanical wood processing technologies. Finnish know-how is valued in the region and it´s important that Finland is active in the region from early stage when the market shares are divided.
Chile and Uruguay have already imported “Forest sector and pulp industry ecosystem” from leading forest-based economies like Finland. Both countries are actively developing their mechanical wood processing industry to increase the use of wood as a structural material. In Uruguay, the construction value chain is already part of the country´s strategy in the battle of climate change. In Chile, the promotion of wood used as a structural material has been the objective of the Chilean Forestry Policy in the last few years.
