PRESS RELEASES
Danzer expands in Dresden
Dresden, Germany, June 2015. International hardwood specialist Danzer is relocating their IT and technology department to Kesselsdorf, near Dresden in Germany. At the same time Danzer doubles the size of their production space in Kesselsdorf by moving to a larger site. The expansion is driven by an increased demand for 3D-Veneer and the favorable business conditions in Dresden. “The institute for wood technology and the academy of wood engineering nearby, the qualification of our employees and the high quality of life contribute to our success in Dresden”, says Andreas Knauff, managing director of Danzer Deutschland GmbH. By relocating and expanding, the company created ten new jobs in the Dresden region.
End of April 2015, the relocation of Danzer Dresden started with moving heavy machinery into the new production hall. End of June, the last machine has started to work regularly at the new production site and the relocation will be completed soon. The heaviest machine weighs around 20 tons; much logistics effort was needed for a seamless transfer. “The real challenge was to keep producing while transferring the machines one after the other. We accomplished that goal.”, reports Andreas Knauff.
Commitment to Dresden
For Danzer, the proximity to the institute of wood technology Dresden and the academy of wood engineering played a key role in the past. Every year, several students of the academy complete their apprenticeship at Danzer Germany. Some of them stay full-time after graduation and continue with research and development tasks. Another advantage of the Dresden location proved to be the proximity to the largest Danzer veneer production site across the border in Melnik, Czech Republic. The short distance allows for frequent exchange of information and easy collaboration.
Ten new positions in Kesselsdorf
The new and larger building offers significantly more space for the 60 employees, working in Kesselsdorf. The production area doubled from 2,500 sqm to 5,000 sqm. There will be a separate hall for research and development. The relocated IT and technology departments will add ten employees to the current team. Two of them will move from Reutlingen, Germany, to Dresden, eight will be new hires.
Danzer - the only manufacturer of 3D-Veneer worldwide
Danzer Deutschland GmbH was founded 2001 in Kesselsdorf near Dresden as Reholz GmbH. 2008 Danzer bought the innovative company, 2013 the name changed to Danzer Deutschland GmbH. From the start, Reholz invested in research and development. Dr. Achim Möller, one of the founders, invented 3D-Veneer. In the past, bending and forming wood veneers had been only possible within very narrow limits and many design requirements could not be fulfilled. The new material allows to design with plywood in new ways. 3D-Veneer is used e.g. in wooden design chairs and automobile interiors. Danzer is the only producer of the patent protected 3D-Veneer worldwide.
Focus on innovation and technology
In the future, Danzer’s IT and engineering departments will be working on new innovative solutions at the production site in Dresden. “We are developing our own machines for manufacturing and processing wood and are continuously working on improving our techniques and procedures to increase the raw material utilization. Past investments in technologies are starting to pay off”, says Eckart Schmitt, director marketing at Danzer and continues: “For example we are the only company that uses a type of X-ray technology for wood processing. The advantage: We can see knots and wood characteristics before processing a log and can cut the log the best way possible and make good use of the valuable resource. For the future, more optimizations are planned.”
About Danzer
Danzer is a leading quality hardwood company. The company has approximately 2,600 employees and services customers from 21 sales offices worldwide. Founded in 1932, the family oriented company is managed by a member of the third generation. Danzer owns and manages forests sustainably and produces sliced veneer, lumber and innovative value-added wood products for decorative purposes. Danzer products are being used in high-quality furniture, automobiles, interior architecture and other applications.
